The Alternative (Mark Sloan story)

Chapter 5

               Season 1 Episode 6 

           If Tomorrow Never Comes

Juliette woke up quite early in the morning. She definitely didn't feel like working, but she understood that if she didn't get out of bed, Bailey would be angry with her. Juliette was afraid of Bailey. 

Izzie: "Wouldn't it be easier to just ask her out?" Juliette hears walking down the stairs from the attic. 

"Good morning  guys" Juliette says. 

"She's gonna be late." George says, ignoring Juliette. 

"Maybe not." Izzie replies. 

 "We should wait for her." George says. 

 "Definitely not. I'm not her mother, Juliette isn't her mother either, and you are not her boyfriend. Not yet, anyway. " Izzie says. 

 "Stop, ok? I told you I'm not interested. " George replies. 

"Life is short, George. Do you really want to die before you ever ask her out?" Izzie replies. 

 "I do not want to ask her out." George says. 

 "Do you really want to die a liar?" Izzie asked. 

 "I'm not...I'm not dying." 

"Yet." 

 "Cristina, you're late." Bailey said as they come rushing towards the group as they did rounds. 

 "So is Meredith." Cristina pointed out.  

 "When we walk in this door, you will maintain decorum. You will not laugh, vomit, or drop you jaw. Are we understood?" Bailey says as they walk into a room. 

 "Why would we laugh?" Izzie whispered. 

 "Oh, just you wait." Alex said, making Juliette roll her eyes. 

 "Good morning, Miss Connors." Bailey says, as everyone gets into the room. 

 "Good Morning." Miss Connors replies. 

Everyone's eyes widened at the sigh of the tumor, which was a big tumor.

 "What is it?" George asked. 

 "Tumor." Cristina replied looking at him as if he were dumb. 

"Big tumor" Juliette whispered to George. 

 "Good morning, Annie. How are you?" Alex says. "This is Dr. Bailey and these are my fellow interns." 

 "Dr. Karev, we refer to patients as..." Bailey began before Annie cut her off. 

 "I told him to call me "Annie.  "Miss Connors" makes me feel old and fat, which I am, but why feel that way?" 

 "Good morning." Burke says as he walked into the room, looking at Cristina for a second. 

 "Annie, this is Dr. Burke" Alex says. "Awesome surgeon." 

 "Dr. Karev." Bailey says. 

 "Annie Connors is a 43-year-old woman who presented last night with progressive shortness of breath for the past three months. Found to have a very large tumor of unknown origin pressed against her diaphragm. Stable vital signs. Scheduled for CT this morning, sir." 

 "Thank you, Dr. Karev, Are you at all claustrophobic?" Burke asked Annie. 

 "I've been housebound for the last year. How claustrophobic could I be?" Annie replies. 

 "All right then. Dr. Starks is going to take you up for a CT. It'll give us a better look at the tumor, and we'll know how to proceed." Burke says. 

 "Could someone tell my mom? She'll worry if she gets back and I'm not here." Annie replies. 

 "Yeah, of course. Of course." 

 "And would it be possible for Alex to take me instead?" Annie asked. "I mean, he...He's just so fun to look at." 

  "Annie." Alex replies laughing. 

 "Sure. Sure, Ms. Connors. Excuse me." Burke said. 

Everyone walked out of the room into the hallway. "How much do you think it weighs?" Meredith asked.

"60 pounds."

"80 pounds"

 "More. She's carrying a whole extra person." Izzie replied. 

 "This one's going in the books. I've got to get in." Cristina says. 

 "I almost did." Juliette says. "Have you ever seen Alex like that? He actually seemed sincere."