Looking at you side ways

90

Miranda came into the tunnels and stopped short. [i]All six of them were sleeping. She couldn't believe it! But she did. She knew exhaustion. You slept when you could because you might not get to for thirty six hours. But they were young. Younger than her and it was time![/i]

"GET YOUR ASSES UP!"

Everybody bolted upright and she asked stupefied, "This is your idea of studying?"

Burke said defensively, "I was meditating."

Cristina said "I was running test answers in my head."

Derek said sincerely, "Rest is just as important as studying, especially this close to the test."

Mark said, "Yeah. Rest is good. There are studies that prove a cat nap is good for you." He stood up and stretched.

Meredith said, "Um.....well...we......were..."

Addison lied, "We were studying. We just closed our eyes a few minutes ago."

Dr. Bailey scoffed, "You know what I hate worse that a liar? A bad liar! Dr. Montgomery; that was some loud snoring coming out of your mouth for someone who just closed their eyes. And you were drooling!"

Addison stood up quickly and said embarrassed, "I was not! The botox...my mouth is still a little screwed up!" [i]Fuck! Was she seriously snoring and drooling in front of these people?[/i]

Cristina smirked at her and said, "You so were!"

Dr. Bailey said dismissively, "Go grab something to eat and then it will be test time. You're right. If you don't know it by now...........well just do me proud!"

They all scattered and Dr. Bailey sat on a gurney and picked up a bag of chips that one of them had left. She opened it up and started eating [i]while giving a silent prayer of thanks that she had gotten Thatcher Grey out of the hospital with no one the wiser. Hunt wouldn't say anything. Grey would have been upset and Shepherd and Yang and probably Sloan would be distracted because of Grey being upset. [/i]Her pager went off and she ran off also saying[i] a prayer for all six of them to pass. But she also knew that God helped those that helped themselves.[/i]

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They had all grabbed a light lunch. Everyone was too nervous to eat a lot. Even Mark. As they walked towards the test room, Addison slipped away into the bathroom.[i] She was having a bout of diarrhea from her nerves. Her usual source for tests had failed to come through regardless of how much money she had thrown at him. He said it was impossible to get an advance copy of the test. It wasn't like medical school. She was going to actually have to take this damn test and pass it on her own![/i]

As she finished and hurried to the test room; she hoped to sit next to one of Dr. Baileys interns.[i] Everyone knew they were the ones to beat. She was a covert cheater and her best hope was to sit in-between two of them. And maybe another in front of her.[/i] As she walked into the room and looked around she stopped short.

The room was already filled and there was only one chair left. She thought,[i] Fuck! It was in the front room right directly in front of the proctor's desk and on either side of the empty position were two of the worst interns from the weakest resident.[/i] She moved in slow motion glancing around to make sure there wasn't another empty seat.[i] She caught Yang's smirk and Sloan's wise eyes. [/i]She slunk down into the seat.

As the proctor handed out the tests, Meredith nervously fingered her necklace. She looked at Burke as he did his neck roll. She glanced up and caught Cris's eyes and Cris nodded at her. She looked over at Mark and he gave her thumbs up. Her eyes found Derek and the love in his said it all. He gave her the McDreamy smile and winked at her. She took a deep breath and went to work.

Meredith stretched and sighed.[i] She felt good about the test. After everything she had been through this past year, the good and the bad, she sometimes wondered if the medicine was being absorbed. But the answers had come easily. Maybe all the intense studying had paid off. It seemed like her life was in a really good place now.[/i] She glanced over at Derek. He had just put his pencil down and smiled at her.

She looked around the room and saw that most everyone was still writing. But Cris soon stopped and put her pencil down as did Mark. Soon Burke did as some others.

A few minutes later, the proctor called time and there was some groaning from the interns that weren't finished. [i]Meredith knew that not all of them would be back in a month as residents.[/i]

The proctor collected the tests as people started filing out into the hallway. People gathered in groups and discussed the test.

Cristina laughed loudly as she watched Addison run for the closest ladies room with a funny pinched ass walk.

Mark asked, "What's wrong with her?"

Cristina said, "I have a guess and trust me, you don't want to know."

Meredith scrunched up her face and asked, "Um...what did you guys think?"

Derek said, "It wasn't so bad."

Cris said, "I expected it to be worse."

Mark replied, "I feel pretty good about it."

Burke said confidently, "I know I passed."

Meredith said softy, "Me too I think."

Derek lightly touched her shoulder and said, "I'm sure you aced it Mer."

Owen walked up and said to Cristina rather abruptly, "I'll see you at Joe's later. We need to talk."

Cris nodded as he walked away.

Cris whispered to Meredith, "Is he breaking up with me?"