Aria sat slumped at the nurses' station, her forehead pressed against the cool surface of the desk as if it might somehow absorb the pounding in her head.
It didn't.
A heavy stack of paperwork landed in front of her with a thud.
She groaned—long, dramatic, and completely unapologetic.
Slowly, she lifted her head just enough to peer over her sunglasses at Mark Sloan, pushing them slightly up her nose as the fluorescent lights immediately made her regret moving at all.
Mark looked entirely too amused.
"You look like you had a good night," he said casually, leaning against the counter like this was the highlight of his morning.
Aria leaned back in her chair, stretching her arms above her head, her muscles tight and uncooperative.
"I'm never drinking again," she muttered, her voice rough.
Mark huffed a quiet laugh. "You say that every time."
She dropped her arms, fixing him with a flat look. "And one day I'll mean it."
"Today is not that day," he replied easily, nudging the charts closer to her.
Aria sighed, dragging a hand down her face before forcing herself upright.
"Fine. Let's go save lives while I'm actively dying."
Mark smirked, falling into step beside her as they headed down the hall.
⸻
Aria turned the corner just in time to hear raised voices echoing through the corridor.
Cristina.
Of course it was Cristina.
"I'm just saying the truth," Cristina Yang snapped, her tone sharp and unrelenting. "She can't take a hint—"
"Okay, or you could just keep your thoughts to yourself, Cristina," Aria cut in, her voice firm but controlled.
Lexie Grey glanced at her immediately, relief flickering across her face like she'd been holding her breath.
Cristina turned slowly, unimpressed. "Oh, great. Here comes the hero."
Aria's jaw tightened.
"Standing up for your shiny new sister," Cristina continued, her words precise, cutting. "Instead of your twin. You know—the one you've had your entire life."
That hit.
Aria's eyes flicked to Meredith Grey, expecting—hoping—for something.
Anything.
But Meredith just stood there, arms folded, silent.
Watching.
Aria felt something twist in her chest.
"Take your crap out on someone else," she said, her voice dropping slightly, steadier than she felt. "And you—" her gaze locked onto Meredith, hurt bleeding through despite her best effort to keep it contained, "you're seriously just going to stand there and let her talk to Lexie like that?"
Meredith didn't respond.
Didn't even move.
Aria let out a breath that almost felt like a laugh—but there was no humour in it.
"I don't care what's going on with you right now," she continued, her voice tightening. "You keep acting like I chose Lexie over you—like you didn't do the exact same thing on day one."
Cristina scoffed under her breath, but Aria ignored her.
"You'll have her back," Aria said, quieter now, more honest, "but you won't even have mine."
YOU ARE READING
Shooting Stars
Fiksi Penggemar"But he's Evil Spawn." "Don't you think I know that. I didn't wake up one day and suddenly decide I was going to be in love with Alex Karev." Being the daughter of a world renowned surgeon was never destined to be easy. The first born of the Grey tw...
