Charlotte "Charlie" Shepherd is Derek Shepherd's youngest and favourite sister. After deciding to join him in moving to Seattle, in order to leave her past life behind, she starts her internship at Seattle Grace Hospital, where it eventually catches...
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The last few weeks had been a rollercoaster for Charlie. Derek and Meredith had been back together for some time now and Derek had practically moved into their house again, making things unbearably awkward for her. Derek was still refusing to speak to Charlie and after their last cold exchange, she had given up trying, choosing instead to let the distance settle between them.
George, on the other hand, seemed to be recovering from the grief of his father's death. In a surprising twist, he had gone to Las Vegas with Callie and returned as a married man. The news had left everyone in shock, some even harboring concern about the impulsiveness of the decision.
Charlie hadn't spoken much to Mark either. The feelings she harbored for him were still strong, lingering at the back of her mind. But every time she thought there might be a chance for them, she'd learned something new about his past with Addison that had forced her to put up walls.
For Mark, the realization that Charlie meant more to him than he had ever anticipated had left him feeling vulnerable. Unused to emotions of this depth, he found himself retreating and avoiding her to protect himself.
Then there was Ethan. Spending time with him had been a welcome distraction for Charlie and though she tried to focus on the budding connection with him, her mind would still wander back to Mark. Ethan, however, had managed to bring some sort of lightness back into her life, even, if it was just for a few moments every day.
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Charlie pushed the locker room door open, stepping into the familiar buzz of morning complaints. The other interns were already gathered, discussing the triage test they were about to endure with Bailey and Sydney.
"This is ridiculous.", Izzie groaned, tying her hair into a ponytail. "We're supposed to be doctors, not - not contestants on some weird medical obstacle course."
George leaned against the lockers, his expression tired but amused. "Yeah, but you know Bailey. She's always got a point. Even if we can't see it."
Meredith sighed, her mind clearly preoccupied. "I just hope she's in a good mood. I can't handle any more stress today."
Cristina, meanwhile, was acting uncharacteristically strange. She kept glancing between Charlie and Meredith, her eyes narrowing with curiosity or urgency - it was hard to tell which. Charlie exchanged a confused look with Meredith.
"What's up with you?", Charlie asked Cristina, narrowing her own eyes in suspicion.
Cristina hesitated, lips pressing together as if she wanted to spill something but wasn't sure if she should. "Nothing.", she replied, but her gaze lingered, full of something unspoken.
The others stared at her, but she remained tight-lipped. Whatever Cristina was keeping to herself, it seemed to be something big, leaving a palpable sense of curiosity hanging in the air.
