Salvation ► GREY'S ANATOMY [2]

TWENTY-SIX

COURTNEY SHOULDN'T BE HERE.

It was too early for her to be here. She didn't have enough experience to be in that very room. She didn't even know if interns or residents had been in here before her. She already got enough push back for dating an attending and she didn't want to make it even worse. The attendings' lounge was a mystery to most. Courtney had never been in there and had never thought to go in there. It simply was a place where she didn't have to be. Sure, she had poked her head in there more than once when she was looking for an attending. But there she was: lounging on one of the illustrious blue couches, feet dangling over the armrest. Her head rested on a soft pillow, with her ponytail slowly losing its shape.

"This is your fault, you know?"

Courtney lifted her head, peeking at her boyfriend. She positioned her head on her hand, so she could properly see him. Mark stood by his locker, pulling his dark blue scrub shirt over his head. A small smile graced her lips. It was something that she never got tired of: the sight of her boyfriend.

"What's my fault?"

Mark turned around. His shirt was hiked up, showing the lower part of his stomach. He noticed Courtney's eyes on his abs, as his lips turned up into a smirk. To ruin her fun, he tugged the hem down, as he walked up to her. He placed his hands on the back of the couch, leaning over so he could take a look at Courtney.

"Did you know how long it took for me to fall asleep? I got so used to having you beside me when I sleep that I don't sleep as well when you're not there."

Courtney let out a laugh, letting her head fall back onto the pillow.

"Go complain to Bailey then. She is the one in charge of my schedule, not me." The resident had gotten assigned to the night shift, so she had to take naps whenever and wherever she could at the hospital. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, as she let out a yawn.

"I would rather not get my head chewed off, Court."

Even though Courtney hadn't been home, Mark had still gone over to her apartment. It was such a routine for them, to sleep together at her place and wake up in the same bed, that when one of them wasn't there the other still slept in the same bed. He barely went to his own place anymore, even though he still paid rent for it.

Courtney had pointed out a couple of times that he was just throwing money away at that point. Whenever she brought that argument up, he would counter with a 'Are you going to take me in then?' and she would quickly get quiet. Their relationship was serious and she knew that, felt that. Would moving in together really be the next step? Probably more small (and realistic, let's be honest) than marriage, something which — apparently — they were very open towards.

Life was changing so quickly.

She didn't know how to wrap her head around it all.

Who ever thought that she was going to make it to this point?