The Starting Line (Reupload)

23

Rolling her shoulders. Eleanora entered the elevator with Meredith and Cristina, listening to the latter talk about the merger.

"I talked to Callie last night about the residents of Mercy West, she said they don't suck." She gestured to Meredith, "You're safe because of Derek," she gestured to Eleanora, "You're safe because of Mark and because you're Derek's little prodigy. Izzie is safe because of cancer; Alex is Bailey's new favorite. You know, even George would have been saved, because he was Owen's guy."

"He was also the Chief's guy," Eleanora added, leaning against Meredith with her eyes closed. She had just finished a long, intense surgery with Derek, and she was working a double shift. She wanted to cry a little, to be honest. Cristina glanced at her slightly, and Meredith suppressed a snort.

"Cardio has been a revolving door around here, and no one has my back."

"So, Arizona is your cover?" Meredith asked with a smile, Eleanora opened one eye to look at Cristina.

"She's merger-proof! She keeps little kids alive; no one likes dead kids. Plus, they're under anesthesia half the time. How bad can it be?" Cristina leaves the elevator, and Eleanora and Meredith slowly follow her.

"You're probably going to hell for using sick and dying little children as a way to keep your job." Eleanora joked; Cristina snorted.

"I'd make hell my bitch."

Meredith laughed, shrugging. "She's right. She would overthrow the Devil in one fell swoop."

                   ____

   "Now we should really get some sleep before rounds," Meredith told her two friends, the three of them shuffling toward the ER nurses' station.

"Sleep is for the weak. Sleep is for the residents of Mercy West." Cristina said, Eleanora, letting out a small moan.

"But I'm tired, Cristina."

"No!" Cristina snapped, putting her hands on the shoulders of her smallest friend. "Get out there, Sunshine. I won't be a friend to a weakling, you hear me?"

Eleanora nodded slowly; Cristina then turned to look at a chart. "Let's fit in another trauma before rounds."

Looking up when she heard someone around the corner, Eleanora tilted her head in concern as Alex ran towards them, his face a little panicked. He leans over the desk to speak in a low voice with the three friends, his eyes warning.

"Don't say anything about the wig."

Eleanora tilts her head, looking at him in concern. "You're not wearing a wi-oh."

Her words are interrupted by Izzie coming around the corner, a bright look on her face. Instead of her normal blonde hair, which should be short due to the chemotherapy, there was a long red wig placed on her head. Eleanora's eyes widen and she shuts her mouth, Cristina and Meredith just look at her with wide eyes.

"I'm back! Yes, I'm early. But whatever, I'm back. And since I've been gone so long, the first trauma that comes through those doors is mine. Understood?"

Everyone nods slowly, and Alex gives her a tight smile. Eleanora struggles to say something, Meredith and Cristina still staring at her head with wide eyes. Izzie smiles, twirling a strand of hair.

"It's amazing, right?"

"What?"

"What's amazing?"

"What are you talking about?"

The three friends spoke in unison, trying to hide their surprise and slight fear at the sight. Izzie teases them, flicking her hair a little. "The wig!"