A/N: This is my first multi-chapter fic for Greys Anatomy. It is slightly A/U but does follow a lot of cannon. While the story follows Zola and Sofia as they start their internship it will also follow the older generation of Doctors as well. Please feel free to leave a review. I hope you enjoy.
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the Greys Anatomy universe. All rights belong to Shonda Rhimes, ABC studios and any parent or subsidiary companies of ABC. No copyright infringement is intended. Any similarities to other works on this site or any other site are purely coincidental and not done with any malicious intent. All original characters are of my own creation.
Never before in their lives had Sofia and Zola been so scared to enter the front doors of Seattle Grace Mercy West. They spent most of their lives inside the hospital when they were growing up.
Today was different though, today they weren't entering as the children of Doctors. Today they were going in as the Doctors.
Checking her watch and seeing the time as 05:50, Zola turned to her cousin and said,
"We should head in or we are going to be late, we of all people can't be late. We can't give anyone any reason to think we are getting preferential treatment"
"You're right, come on"
The two new Doctors made their way into the hospital, down the familiar halls, seeing all the familiar faces, hearing the sounds that used soothe them to sleep as young children.
After what felt like an eternity they made it to the intern locker room. They always knew that their locker room wouldn't be as nice or as comfortable as the Attendings lounge they were used to, but the Intern's space made them feel like they were back in High School.
"I see two lockers over there Sof" pointed Zola towards what looked like the last two empty lockers in the room.
Making their way over they pretended not to see the stares or hear the whispers.
"That's Zola Grey-Shepherd, her mom is THE Meredith Grey Chief of General and her Dad is THE Derek Shephard who is in charge of the Brain-mapping initiative. He has like four separate methods named after him."
"The one she is with is Sofia Robbin Sloan-Torres, you know Robbin for Arizona Robbins, Chief of Neonatal Surgery, Sloan as in Mark Sloan Chief of Plastics, Torres as in Callie Torres Chief of Orthopedic Surgery"
"You know her Step-Mom is Lexie Grey, right hand to Amelia Shepherd Chief of Neurosurgery"
"I bet they will get all the good surgeries because their parents own the place"
Zola and Sofia looked at each other and laughed and started having their own conversation loud enough that they were sure everyone could hear them.
"Guess the secret is out huh Zo"
"You're right, I just hope they don't find out about the rest of our family or they might have a heart attack"
"At least then one of them might need surgery and I'm sure we convince Aunt Maggie to let us preform it."
"I didn't think of that Sof, I mean it's not as if Aunt Bailey would mind, she already promised us both solo surgeries this week"
The two girls were trying so hard not to laugh, probably would have been successful if some guy half their size who looked like he spent most his life being shoved inside lockers hadn't taken it all too far and got up in their face.
"I bet the two of you didn't even get your Doctorate, probably had Mommy and Daddy buy them for you, probably think you will be able to float through the program, well guess what I am going to run circles around the both of you"
Before anyone could say anything Dr. Webber walked into the room.
"Alright Doctors, I'm sure you've had a chance to start becoming acquainted with each other. Let's go"
Richard stood at the door and waited as every one filed out of the room and winked at Zola and Sofia as they were the last to pass. He had heard all the gossiping and was proud of the way his Granddaughter and a girl he looked at as a surrogate grandchild handled themselves.
Richard led them through the hospital and gave them a brief tour of each department and answered questions the new doctors had.
When he got to OR1 he led them inside.
"Each of you comes here today hopeful, wanting in on the game. A month ago, you were in med school being taught by Doctors, Today, you are the Doctors.
The seven years you spend here as a surgical resident will be the best and worst of your life. You will be pushed to the breaking point.
Look around you, say hello to your competition. Eight of you will switch to an easier specialty. Five of you will crack under the pressure. Two of you will be asked to leave.
This is your starting line. This is your arena. How well you play…that's up to you"
Richard looked out onto the faces of his new Intern class, this was always his favourite time of year. Most attendings and senior residents hated having new Interns because they were sloppy, had no idea what they were doing and had to be trained.
Like chicks and ducks, left to their own devices they would drown. He however loved having a new class to train, pass on the wisdom passed onto him before and continue the standards he set years ago when he was Chief of Surgery.
Most of the faces were looking at him except for one. One of them was attempting to whisper something to the person next to him.
"Up to us? yeah right, more like up to who we are related to, those two will have everything easy to them while the rest of us have to fight for every bit of scraps we can find"
Looking dead into the eyes of the man who decided to show how ignorant he was, Richard decided to set an example.
"You down the back, Dr. Brown is it?"
Everyone followed Dr. Webber's gaze to the man who looked as if he was about to be the first of the new class to pass out.
"Ye-ye-yes sir"
"I would think given your grades in med school and how you barely scraped a position in this program by the skin of your teeth, you would put your head down and work hard to prove you deserve the chance you were given instead of acting like an idiot"
"Ye-yes sir, sorry sir"
With a nod, Webber once more brought his attention to everyone in the room.
"Let me make myself clear. I will say this once and once only so pay attention. Every single one of you were vetted hard to be allowed into this program. As I'm sure you are aware Seattle Grace Mercy West has the number one surgical residency in the country.
Just because you were accepted in does not mean you will stay. It doesn't matter who are, who you aren't, who you know, and who you don't. You will all be judged and monitored rigorously on your performance.
Anybody, and I mean anybody who does not fit in with this program will be dropped without any emotion or hesitation. This isn't gym class in school where who gets picked first versus who gets picked last is based on popularity.
This is the real world. You are real Doctors and will hold the lives of real people in your hands. People come from all over the world to be cared for by our award winning, world class Doctors. Work hard, work smart and I along with my colleagues will train you to become the next generation of surgeons. Simple as that.
Now go back to the locker rooms and wait for your residents to find you"
On their way back to the locker room most people were unusually quiet. Zola and Sofia were beginning to feel like the Plague.
"They're just jealous, and after Dr. Webber's speech kind of scared. Just ignore them, they'll come around…or they won't"
Zola laughed at what the doctor who was walking beside her said.
"Thanks"
"Don't mention it, I'm Anastasia Williams"
Shaking the extended hand and smiling, Zola introduced herself and Sofia.
"I'm Zola Grey-Shepherd, this is Sofia Sloan-Torres, although after earlier I guess you know that already"
"Yeah, but it is nice to officially meet you"
"Nice to meet you too Anastasia"
The three of them made their way to meet their resident.
"Brown, Grey-Shepherd, Johnson, Sloan-Torres, Williams, with me"
The guy they recognised as Dr. Brown, another guy who they presumed to be Dr. Johnson who happened to be the small guy who got in their faces earlier joined the three of them on their way to meet their resident.
"My name is Dr. Sanchez and I will be your resident this year. I have five rules. Follow them you will succeed, don't and you will be out on your ass before you can say surgery.
Rule number one, don't bother sucking up I already hate you. That's not going to change. Here are your trauma protocols, phone list and pagers. Nurses will page you. You answer every page at a run. A run.
That's rule number two. Your first shifts starts now and lasts 16 hours. You're interns, grunts, nobodies, bottom of the surgical food chain.
You run labs, write orders, work every second night until you drop and don't complain. Attendings hog on call rooms, sleep when you can, where you can. Which brings me to rule three, if I am sleeping do not wake me unless your patient is actually dying.
Rule number four, the dying patient better not be dead when I get there. Not only will you have killed someone, you would have woken me for no reason. We clear?"
Slightly overwhelmed, and unbeknownst to her just like her mother before her, Zola raises her hand.
Looking irritated Sanchez acknowledged her with a slight nod.
"Yes Dr. Grey Shepherd?"
"You said five rules, that was only four"
Right on cue all their pagers went off at once and the all ran after Sanchez.
"Rule five, when I move, you move"
