Chapter 1

Just Breathe

This is set at the beginning of season 8. There is a gap in the time they teach new interns so I am making up a new class.

At 5:00 am the bells started chiming. The bells of my alarm that is. They didn't wake me up, couldn't because I have been awake for about two hours now. Sighing, I blindly started tapping my phone until the chiming stopped.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Continuing in the steady pattern of breathing I let my bare feet ready in the chilly wood floor. It's September here in Seattle, well September everywhere I suppose. The beginning of fall. The season of change. Very appropriate seeing as how my whole world has changed. I stared at a slight amazement of the frost in the corners of my bedroom window and then made my way to the bathroom.

Turning the shower on as hot as it could go I started my morning absolutions. My morning shower is like the first cup of coffee in the morning for everyone else. I don't drink that bitter tasting brown water. What a horrible way to start a day. Drinking bitter bean water. I much prefer something sweet. Apple juice is my go to morning drink. Because I'm a two year old. Well, actually 23.

Yawning and stretching like a cat I stepped into my hot shower. Today is my first day as a surgeon. I am Dr. Katrina Giantino. A new beginning. A change fitting for the season.

I moved here about a week ago for this internship. Leaving my big, loving, crazy Italian family in Florida to the opposite side of the country. In the cold. I hate the cold. This week has been nice in the 50's and 60's, but that will come to a crashing end soon. My breathing starting to become irregular prompted me to start singing. Singing is my hobby and secret-not-so-secret way of remembering to breathe. Anxiety is so much fun.

Everybody has a thing. That thing that makes them weird. The quirks that defines them in some way. Mine is my horrible breathing skills. Between asthma and anxiety I have managed to turn a normal bodily function that is an instinct to the average person, into a disaster. That's right, I suck at breathing.

Turning off the shower freshly clean and shaven, I wrung out my long dirty blonde hair that fell to my bottom, wrapped myself in a fluffy teal towel and walked over to the chair in my bedroom that had the clothes I planned to wear laid out. I picked out a pair of black leggings and a cobalt blue sweater dress with knee high boots and a long black necklace to match. Being 5'3" and 23 is not a great thing to be if you want people to take you seriously. Combine that with my blonde hair and D cup breasts and you can pretty much guarantee that nobody takes me seriously.

Meanwhile, I ended up taking things seriously throughout my education. It started in kindergarten when I was pushed up a grade since I was a good reader. Then again since my reading skills proved superior for an elementary schooler. And then again in high school when I was offered the opportunity to go into the early college program. At sixteen I was valedictorian at both my high school and associates graduation. I got my masters degree at twenty and my doctorate at twenty-two. Somehow I managed to act like a normal person with people skills through choir and church and work.

After trying several hairstyles on in my head I realized that I can be putting my obnoxiously long hair up and down all day. Way too much work. So, I grabbed my brush and donut and put my hair into a donut bun. Cute but sturdy. Done with that I started my Sephora approved makeup routine some contouring and eyeliner can do wonder for making you look like respectable doctor.

Too nervous to eat I opted for a banana for breakfast. I grabbed my orientation packet off the counter, my lunchbox from the fridge. I checked the oven clock, the glowing green number read 6:45. Perfect. I rushed down the three flights of stairs to my apartments lobby and out the doors. Luckily I was just across the street. Expert planning on my part. I ran across the street and all the way to the entrance of the hospital. The. I came to an abrupt halt. My heart was racing even faster with running.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

I can do this. I am smart and strong. I am beautiful and nice. I can do this.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

I can do this. I earned this. I am woman hear me roar. Seattle Grace/ Mercy West Hospital here I come.