The Starting Line (Reupload)

10

Eleanora had one leg over Cristina, hugging her friend who was hiding under one of the blankets. She and Meredith had barged into their friend's apartment after Callie called them worried, saying that Cristina hadn't gotten out of bed since she got home from her shift, which had been four hours earlier.

Eleanora did the physical affection while Meredith just talked and tried to get Cristina to participate. "You want to dance?"

Cristina peeked her head out from under the blanket, and Eleanora raised hers to look at her. "No." Cristina crawled back under her, Eleanora sighing and snuggling against her friend as Meredith continued.

"Do you want to drink tequila?"

"No."

"Do you want to insult me, mock me incessantly?"

"No."

"Do you want to make fun of Eleanora for sleeping with Sloan?"

There was silence for a moment, indicating that Cristina was really thinking about it. Finally, her friend sighed under the red blanket. "No."

"I'm trying to cheer you up." Meredith sighed. Cristina scoffed, shifting slightly.

"Yeah, quit it, it's annoying. And it's not working. I'm in the depths of depression here."

Cristina tried to bounce Eleanora, but the smaller girl simply tightened her grip on her friend. "Having Sunshine stuck to me like a Koala isn't effective either!"

"I'm comforting you," Eleanora argued. "And it usually takes some time for it to work, you know that."

After a moment, Eleanora felt Meredith shift on the bed. Soon enough, Meredith peeked over Eleanora's body to look at Cristina and offer her what she had in her hand. Eleanora let out a gasp of shock, her head shooting up as she saw what was in Meredith's hand.

"No!"

"Do you want the sparkle pager?" Meredith asked, raising an eyebrow. Cristina throws Eleanora off her body in her haste to sit up. Eleanora lets out a squeal, moving her Koala's grip towards Meredith so she doesn't get thrown across the room.

"That's not funny." Cristina deadpanned, looking between Meredith and the shiny pager. Eleanora pouted, separating herself from Meredith and sitting between her two friends with her arms crossed.

"You're sad, really sad. Do you know why I know giving it to you is the right thing to do? Because you're so sad, you're not even asking me for it." Meredith hands it to Cristina, who simply looks at it with wonder in her eyes. "So, I'm giving it to you. A very shiny pager with many shiny surgeries."

Eleanora groaned, throwing herself onto the bed so she could get into the pillow with an aggravated noise. "This is so unfair!"

"If I were the kind of person who kissed people," Cristina began, looking at Meredith with a shocked expression. "I would kiss you."

Meredith gave her a look of disgust, throwing herself next to Eleanora and shoving a pillow over her face. Eleanora felt Cristina lay down on her and put one leg on her lap.

"I came in second place; I should at least get a turn with the sparkle pager!"

____

"This is the most promising group of Clinical Trial patients yet, and I don't want any mistakes," Meredith said to the group of interns in front of her. Eleanora laughs from her seat across the nurses' station, looking at the application forms that she has in front of her.

"Chiefly." Lexie teased her sister; Meredith gave her a playful look. Eleanora shook her head and looked up when she heard Izzie's "mama bear" voice.

"Where were you two last night?" She demands, placing her hands on her hips. George right behind her, giving Eleanora a smile which she returns. Meredith gives Izzie a look, turning to face her fully.