Stitches of Life

If Tomorrow Never Comes

Chapter Six: If Tomorrow Never Comes

"I'll see you tonight." I kissed Joel on the top of the head as he burrowed deeper into his blankets, not wanting to get up yet. I only smiled at his action before grabbing my purse and keys and slipping out of our room. As I stepped into the hallway I spotted George standing in front of the door to Meredith's room, struggling to hold two cups of coffee and open the door. I watched as one cup spilled down his front, causing him to give a soft groan of annoyance.

"Wouldn't it be easier to just ask her out?" Izzie asked as she walked past him, heading from the bathroom to her bedroom down the hall. 

"She's right." I nodded in agreement as I followed Izzie towards her room, having nothing else to do but wait since I was driving her and George to work today. I walked in and sat on the end of Izzie's bed as she walked over to the mirror over her dresser, pulling her hair out of her face. "Do you think he's ever going to learn?"

"Not likely." She shook her head.

"She's going to crush his feelings." I sighed.

"Like a bug." She added.

"She's gonna be late." George told us a few minutes later, now standing in Izzie's doorway, fully dressed for the day ahead.

"Maybe not." I shook my head, knowing he was talking about Meredith who was still not up for work.

"We should wait for her." George suggested.

"Definitely not." Izzie shot the idea down as she sat down next to me and pulled on her shoes. "Bethany and I are not her mother, and you are not her boyfriend."

"Yet." I added, a smirk filling my lips.

"Stop, okay?" George frowned at us. "I told you guys I'm not interested."

"Life is short, George." Izzie told him.

"Look at me, I nearly died a couple months ago." I reminded him.

"Do you really want to die before you ever ask her out?" Izzie asked him. 

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

"Do you really want to die a liar?" I raised a brow at him.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Cristina, you're late." Bailey said as all of us followed the older doctor, barely glancing at the tardy pair, Cristina and Meredith. 

"So is Meredith." Cristina pointed out, throwing our friend under the bus. Bailey didn't say a word in response, keeping her gaze fixed straight ahead of her as she led all of us through the halls with a sense of determination that I had only ever seen in Bailey. 

"When we walk in this door, you will maintain decorum." Bailey warned all of us as we turned down another hallway, stopping in front of a closed patient's room. "You will not laugh, vomit, or drop your jaw. Are we understood?"

"Why would we laugh?" Izzie frowned as Bailey led the way into the patient's room.

"Oh, just you wait." Karev whispered.

"Good morning, Miss Connors." Bailey greeted the patient as we all filed into the room behind her. 

"Good morning." The woman in the hospital bed replied. At seeing her though I could feel my eyes widening slightly, though not enough for Bailey to notice and yell at me for being inappropriate. Lying on the bed was a man whose hospital gown was pulled up on the side facing the door, revealing the largest tumor I had ever seen.