Title: The T Word

Author: KC-Chick

Rating: T

Summary: "Eggs, cheese, milk…" George murmured to himself as he scanned the list. Once he got the bottom, his eyes widened. "And, tampons?" One-Shot.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. It's not mine. Don't sue.

A/N: Hey all! This is just a tidbit I got inspired to write after watching "No Man's Land" which was a Season 1 episode. Obviously this would take place before George moved out. Enjoy!

xXx

The day was Monday. But no, it wasn't just any ordinary Monday in Seattle Washington. This Monday just happened to also be grocery day. And whose turn was it to go get those groceries? That's right. It was George's.

XxX

George O' Malley heard the buzz of the alarm clock ring through his ears. He shut it off and opened his eyes just a bit so he could see what time it was. The digits informed him that it was 4:00 am.

'Why did I set the clock so early?' George wondered to himself. 'Runs don't start until 4:30.'

Just as George was about to roll over and sleep for another fifteen minutes, he remembered that it was Monday.

'Ugh, it's grocery day.'

O' Malley pushed the covers off, got up and went to the bathroom. "Izzie better have stopped using my toothbrush.' As he scanned the cup that held the cleaning devices, his was gone.

"Izzie!" yelled George as he made his way through the halls. "Izzie give me my toothbrush!" He found Isobel Stevens sitting at the breakfast table, giving him a small smile.

"Um, about that…" she began awkwardly.

"Izzie…"

"Before you get mad…"

"What did you do with my toothbrush?" he demanded.

"Okay so, I know you told me a few months ago not to use your toothbrush…"

"Yeah…and?"

"And well, the other day, I was running really late and I knew that if I was late for the run that Bailey would kill me so I was in a huge hurry."

"Okay…"

"And well, I kinda sorta…"

She paused.

"I dropped your toothbrush in the toilet."

"You…you did what?"

"It just fell. I didn't do it on purpose. I was just in a big hurry and it…fell."

"But that was my favorite toothbrush."

"George, get over it. Besides, aren't you going to go grocery shopping today? Just buy a new one."

"But I want that one!"

"Well if you want to go dig it out of the garbage can before the truck comes…"

George shook his head. "I don't have time for this," he declared. "Where's the list?"

"Oh, it's right here." Izzie handed George the grocery list.

"Eggs, cheese, milk…" George murmured to himself as he scanned the list. Once he got the bottom, his eyes widened. "And, tampons?"

"Well we're out and according to my calendar," Izzie began.

"No, no! I don't want to hear when your cycle is!"

"Then just go buy the tampons."

"Izzie haven't we had this talk before? I don't buy girl products for you!"

"What is he whining about now?" Meredith Grey asked as she walked into the room holding a blueberry muffin.

"George still refuses to buy us tampons."

"But my calendar says that --"

"No, no! Not you too! I don't need to know this!"

"Then just go buy some for us and you won't need to hear anymore about it," Izzie insisted.

"But…"

"We'll tell Bailey what really happened with the patient you were supposed to be monitoring," she threatened.

"You wouldn't."

Meredith and Izzie looked at each other, then back at George.

"Oh, we would," they retorted in union.

George scanned both of their eyes and saw that they were dead serious.

"But…but…something like that would definitely put me on her shit list."

Izzie nodded. "Exactly. So buy the tampons George. You have no other choice." With that she walked into her bedroom and shut the door. A smug smile played on her lips.

Back in the kitchen, George began pleading with Meredith.

"You wouldn't let her do that, would you?"

"George, she's right. You need to get over this phobia of tampons. Trust me, one day your wife is going to be pestering you for the same thing. You might as well get used to it now."

"But…"

He knew arguing was useless, though. That day, George O' Malley would be buying tampons.

xXx

The automatic doors of the Mini Mart swooshed open as George nervously approached them. He picked up a red basket from the stack and dug the list out of his pocket. The item on top: eggs.

'Eggs, huh? Okay, that seems easy enough."

But he didn't want to start with the eggs. Because when he started with the eggs that would lead to the cheese, which would lead to the milk, and eventually all the way down the list until he got to…tampons.

George did get the eggs though. And he got the cheese, and the milk, and everything else too. That is, everything except…the T word.

'I don't want to buy them. But if I don't, Izzie will kick my ass. And then, they'll just make me come back and get them so…I might as well now, right?'

George swallowed hard and made his way to aisle four. He scanned the shelf and noticed all the different selections.

'Uh oh…Izzie didn't say which one she wanted. I mean, what if she wants 'Her Choice' or 'Playtex'? There's so many!' Obviously, all the choices of "girl products" seemed to be boggling his mind.

Meanwhile as George was staring at the wide variety of products, a young girl was eyeing him with amusement.

'Hmm, I guess he never ventured under the bathroom sink.' She smiled to herself as she debated whether to help him out or watch him suffer a bit longer.

Finally, after watching him stare at the shelf for a few minutes, she decided to do her job and be of aid.

"Um, excuse me, would you like some help?"

George jumped a little at the sound of the young voice behind him. He turned to see a cute girl who appeared to be about his age.

"Uh…uh…no, I mean, yeah, I mean, these aren't for me because you see my roommates threatened to--" stuttered George.

The girl couldn't help but chuckle at his how nervous he was.

"It's okay," she assured him. "I get it."

"Yeah so, like I said my roommates they…" George trialed off. "I just don't want you to think that I'm some kind of pervert or something."

The girl shook her head.

"Trust me; we get a lot more perverted than this."

George nodded.

"Good to know that I'm not that low."

She laughed.

"No. But you are an early riser."

George suddenly looked at his watch. It read 4:27.

"Oh my god, I have 3 minutes to get to work! Bailey is going to kill me!"

"You're boss?"

George nodded. "We call her the Nazi, though."

"Ooh, that doesn't sound good."

"Right, so, I have to go!" As George was turning to go, he grabbed the first thing his hand felt, ran to the register, paid for it without much attention, and then ran to the car. Once there he cranked the engine, backed out, and drove to the hospital in a hurry.

XxX

Upon arriving at Seattle Grace Hospital, George jumped out of the car, grabbed the bag with the tampons and ran into the hospital. As he did so, he checked his watch. 4:35.

'Bailey is going to kill me…slowly and painfully.'

George ran into the locker room, panting and as he did, he got peculiar stares from everyone in the room.

"What is it, O' Malley? You're reflection finally began terrifying you so you had to run from it?" sneered Alex Karev.

"But…but…haven't runs started?"

"George, runs start at 4:45 today," informed Cristina.

"They do?" panted George, obviously clueless to this change of time. "I didn't know this!"

"Obviously…" Cristina murmured.

"Anyway," Izzie began. "Did you buy the tampons?"

"What tampons? I don't buy tampons Izzie!" said George in a nervous tone, not wanting the rest of the group to know that he actually had bought them.

"George…" Izzie glared. "I told you to buy them this morning!"

George pulled her aside and mumbled under his breath, "Izzie, I bought them for you, okay? I just don't want the whole world to know!"

"Seriously? You did?" A wide smile spread across her lips.

"Yes, I did. And it was humiliating and embarrassing, and I'm never, ever doing it again, got it?"

Izzie nodded, trying to muffle a laugh and not succeeding very well. "Got it."

"Here. Take them; I don't want them in my possession anymore."

George handed Izzie the muffled plastic bag and began to walk towards his locker to get ready for runs.

"Um, George?"

"What is it now, Izzie?"

"These aren't tampons."

"What are you talking about? Of course they are."

"No George. These are diapers." Izzie held up a pack of Pampers Diapers. George's eyes widened. In the frenzy of almost being late for his run, he had grabbed the first soft package his hand held and ran with it, failing to realize that the diapers were on the same shelf as the tampons and pads.

"But…but…"

"No buts. You're going back and buying us actual tampons this time."

"Why, y'all standin' around for?" This question rang through the locker room as Dr. Bailey made her way in. As she did she noticed George holding the diaper package.

"O' Malley is there a reason why you have a pack of diapers in your hand?"

George froze.

"No Dr. Bailey, there isn't, th…these aren't mine," he stuttered.

"Sure…sure. Now everyone else, get your assignments at the desk. Let's move people! Runs have started, don't give me any of your sass today, I'm not in the mood!" barked Bailey.

As Izzie shoved the diapers in her locker she gave George a look that meant "you're going back whether you like it or not." He made a desperate face and thought: 'great, I have to go back and have another encounter with…the T word.'

xXx

A/N: That's it! How did I do? I'd love to know what ya thought! Review, please! It'd be much appreciated!