Long Time Gone
Disclaimer: Not mine, can't even compete with Shonda. I'm just chilling with the characters, I promise I'll put them back when I'm done so please don't sue!
Chapter One: What a Good Boy
George O'Malley looked down at the copy of Philadelphia Magazine with his picture on the cover of the brand new issue entitled "Top Docs". It had been ten years since he had begun his internship at Seattle Grace and he almost marveled at how much he had changed since then. Since he came to Philadelphia to become the attending Cardio-Thorasic surgeon 3 years ago he had made a real name for himself, and was now being hailed as one of the cities best. He had gotten married four years before to a young lawyer he had met in Seattle, ironically at Joe's. Lydia was beautiful, brilliant and made George feel happier than he could imagine. Or so he had believed.
The past year things had gotten more strained as he spent more time in the OR and she at her office. They always seemed to be somewhere other than with each other. He tried hard to make time for the two of them, but even when they were together they never seemed to be able to find something they wanted to do together. They used to simply enjoy spending time together, no matter what it was, but now little things seemed to annoy her. George wanted to start a family, but she felt she needed to focus on her career. Everything seemed off.
George walked up the stairs to their Rittenhouse apartment excited to show Lydia the cover of the magazine, opening the door he could tell instantly that something was wrong. The house was quiet- too quiet.
"Lydia?" George called out, walking in to the living room. "Are you home?" Then he saw it. On the breakfast bar between the kitchen and the living room sat a note with his name on it. He picked it up, even as he was afraid to read what was inside.
Dear George,
I'm so sorry I don't have the courage to tell you this in person. I just can't live like this any more George. We barely speak to each other. I've been seeing someone from work for the past 6 weeks. I'm moving in with him. I'm so sorry.
-Lydia
For the next few days George barely moved from the couch in the living room. He canceled his surgeries, claiming illness, and simply wallowed in his anger and sadness.
Fucking Lydia.
George couldn't wrap his mind around how their marriage had gone so wrong. He had tried to make the time, even doing the stupid little things they tell you to do to keep romance in your relationship like candlelight dinners and surprise tickets to the ballet- and he hated the ballet. They say that adultery is only a symptom of something else wrong in your relationship, but George was reminded of a line in "When Harry met Sally" where Harry tells his friend that the "symptom was fucking his wife".
Suddenly he heard his cellphone ring. Rolling off of the couch, he clutched his head which throbbed from a hangover and stumbled over to his coat sitting exactly where he had left it days ago and fumbled in the pocket for the phone.
"Hello?" His voice was husky, and he certainly didn't feel like talking to anyone.
"George? It's Preston. How are you? I've been trying to get a hold of you for days! I called the hospital but they said you were out sick and your home phone wasn't picking up."
"Oh, yeah." George suddenly remembered that he unplugged the phone a few days ago not wanting to speak to anyone. "I've just had this horrible flue for the past few days, trying to get over it." Most people would be surprised but George could be a fairly creative liar when he had to be. Usually, he would be overjoyed to hear from his close friend and mentor. It had been a while since Burke and Christina had visited with their son Parker. Between Burke's new position as Seattle Grace's Chief, Christina's new position as a pediatric surgeion, and George's flourishing career they didn't have much time to visit. But at this moment he really didn't want to talk to him.
"I'm sorry to hear that. But I hope you don't mind if I get quickly to what I wanted to tell you. Our cardio attending, Dr. Hahn, is leaving to go to Chicago and I was hoping I could recruit you away from Penn to come back west to Seattle."
"Oh." George settled back down on the couch knocking over a few empty beer bottles he had left on the floor.
"So, what do you think? I'm sure you need time to talk to Lydia, but there's plenty of law firms here and I doubt she'll have any trouble finding a job."
George sat there for a moment thinking. He could stay here in Philly with its constant reminders of his failed marriage or he could go back to Seattle to memories of different sort.
"George? George you there?"
"Yeah, I'm here. I'll take it."
"You sure? Why don't you take some time to talk to Lydia about it."
"No, I'm sure. I'll give my notice at the hospital tomorrow and let you know when I can be out there."
"Ok. Well I'll talk to you later then."
"Yeah, sure. And Preston?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks for the offer."
"No problem George. You take care."
With that the two ended their conversation and George decided it was time to sober up. He had the opportunity now to restart his life, and he wasn't going to waste it.