𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐗 ━━ 𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐤 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐝

eight | trailer

"George asked you out?"

Meredith and I walk towards the locker room to catch up with the other interns and Dr. Bailey. After spending most of our last shift with the six preemies, coffee is a must-have.

"To Joe's, yeah." She grins wide, which looks strange on her typically exhausted demeanor. "I mean, he said he wants to talk, but. . ."

"Why should I be the one to move?"

"Because you live in a glorified campground."

"It's forty acres of some of the most beautiful land in Seattle."

"I did not give up a Central Park Brownstone to come live in the forest."

"Our house in the Hamptons had trees."

My grip tightens around the cup, close to exploding in the palm of my hand. "Lovers' quarrel. A disturbing phenomenon of all relationships."

"We don't quarrel."

"We're not lovers."

Inside the room, Cristina's stuffing cheese curls into her mouth, Izzie's dozing off in the corner, George's changing into his sneakers, and Alex's nowhere in sight.

"You know, sometimes, I think we'd be better off with dogs." Cristina throws the empty packet into her locker.

"Preachin' to the choir." Meredith grabs her tailored white coat. "I am over men."

Offended by the minor statement, George replies. "Real nice." He tightens his waistband. "You know, a dog is not a replacement for a human being."

"Oh, it definitely is." I tie my hair up. "My Saint Bernard, Scar, is the only roommate I'll ever need for the rest of my life."

The last one of us steps out of the men's bathroom, tugging on the collar of his white coat.

"Pretty bold statement there."

"Doesn't stop me from making it."

One by one, we conduct rounds with each of our patients, including the premature sextuplets up in N.I.C.U..

"Grey, keep an eye on the mother of the sextuplets. Make sure her hormones don't get the best of her." Dr. Bailey clutches the handrail of the staircase. "Phoenix, your turn with the preemies."

My breath halts in the back of my mouth. "I'm not really a. . .people person, you know. Or a baby person. They make me kinda. . .nervous."

"I can look after them again." Izzie mentions.

"That's a good idea." I nod eagerly.

"No, you have, uh, Emily's heart surgery with Dr. Burke." Bailey is quick to deny the switch. "And you better hope you become a people person. For your patient's sake."

Izzie and Bailey ignite in argument, but it ends immediately after the resident reminds us of six lives on the line — lives that have yet to begin outside of the hospital.

Upstairs in N.I.C.U., I take the time to jot vitals for each premature baby on each of their charts. A bit later, Dr. Shepherd arrives to check on Lucy's brain shunt from yesterday's operation.

"Heard you're giving up your. . .RV?"

"Trailer. But close. And no, I'm not giving up the trailer. Is Addison telling people I'm giving up the trailer?"

"Not exactly, no." A hum vibrates deep in my throat. "I just don't see you as the. . . gated-community kind of guy."

He looks up from the incubator, a sly smile growing on his face. "And what type of guy do you see me as?"