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 Three: The Old Apartment

Walking up the steps to Meredith's old house- his old house as well- George nervously played with the keys he had picked up. He slowly turned the key in the front door, and was surprised to see that the house had changed so little sine he had lived there. The furniture was the same, the carpeting, everything just as it had been. Dragging boxes in the door, he wondered if maybe this had been a bad idea, renting the house. It held so many memories, good and bad. He didn't know if he could ever really make it his.

Finished with moving his things in George was tired, he would start at Seattle Grace tomorrow and could think of only one place he needed to go before then: Joe's.

Pulling up out front of the old haunt, George felt a smile tug at his lips. The place held some of the best memories of his time here. When he walked in Joe looked up from the bar and fairly bowled him over with a huge bear hug.

"George O'Malley what the heck are you doing here!"

"I'm back in town, starting at Seattle Grace tomorrow as an attending in Cardio."

"That's great! Where's the wife?"

George glanced down at his feet. "She- uh- she left me."

Joe patted him on the back and guided him to the bar. "This one's on the house then" Joe poured him a shot without asking for any more details which George was grateful for. About a half-hour later, a striking brunette walked in and sat at the bar a few seats down from him. She asked for a shot and drinking it quickly, looked over at George.

"I'm Erin" She lent over to shake his hand. "I usually don't drink like this- actually I usually don't drink at all. It's just tonight I really needed a drink."

George chuckled and smiled the first real smile since Lydia left.

"I'm George. So why do you need a drink so badly tonight?"

"Well, I just moved here, and I'm starting a new job tomorrow and I don't know if I'm really ready for all of this 'grown-up' stuff."

George chuckled again. She was pretty and funny. George felt himself loosen up inside. "I think I know what you mean." For the next hour they talked, laughed, had a few more drinks, enjoying each others company immensely. Eventually Erin looked down at her watch.

"It's getting late. I should probably head back to my apartment so I can get some sleep for tomorrow."

Something in George deflated a bit at that. "Oh, okay."

"But- I don't really want to go home."

Something in George felt brave in a way he hadn't in years, something told him to reach out for this moment and seize the initiative. This would be a small way of reclaiming the pride that Lydia had shattered when she left him. So before his more cautious self could talk him out of it he spoke up.

"You could always come home with me and we could continue our conversation there."

She smiled broadly, getting the implication of George's suggestion. "I think I'd like that."

George smiled. "Alright, then. Shall we?"

"Indeed." With that they closed their tabs and bid Joe goodnight.

Driving back to the house with Erin, George nearly lost his courage. Erin was young beautiful, what was he doing taking a girl like this home, what could she possibly see in him. He was a nearly forty year old man who had been left by his wife. Walking through the door, George felt the old nervousness that he had thought he left behind at 28.

"So, this is it." He shuffled a bit. "It's a bit of a mess 'cause I just moved in."

"It's nice."

"Thanks, I-" Erin grabbed George and kissed him firmly on the mouth. Forgetting his timidity, he allowed himself to relax and enjoy the moment, the feeling of connection with someone that he hadn't had in so long. The kissing became more intense and they moved upstairs towards the bedroom. A half-hour later, George felt like a man again.

The next morning George woke to his alarm-clock and the sight of a body naked in bed with him. It took a moment before the evening came back to him. He smiled as he leaned over and looked at the beautiful sleeping figure beside him. He should probably wake her up.

"Erin."

"Hm?" She rolled over and opened her eyes. "Good morning." Her voice was husky with sleep, and George was very tempted to reenact the previous evening's activities.

"I've got to get ready for work, as I imagine you do."

"Yeah."

"But, I'd like to see you again, if that's possible?"

"Definitely." She smiled.

Fifteen minutes later, while George was still in the shower she had called a cab and head out, leaving him her number on a slip of paper by his bed. When George saw her tidy scrawl he mentally reminded himself to call her that evening to find out how her first day at work had been- come to think of it, she had never mentioned where that was. But he didn't have much time to think of it, glancing over at the clock he noticed that unless he got a move on he would be late. Grabbing his cup of coffee he headed out the door down the familiar road to Seattle Grace.

Having been briefed by Burke and anxious to get started, George headed to see his first patient. Walking into the room he saw Dr. Reese, the resident with his team of interns.

"So, Dr. Reese. Whose presenting?" Looking down at his chart George didn't take much notice of the interns around him.

"Dr. Benning." George continued scribbling notes till he heard a familiar voice answer to the name.

"Elaine Kurtz, was admitted last night with chest pain. EKGs have shown a midly arithmea…"

George nearly forgot his bearings upon hearing her speak. And looking up he saw Erin there dressed in the scrubs and white coat of an intern. George could only think of one thing at that moment- he was screwed.