Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, events, places, etc. from Grey's Anatomy. Though I wouldn't mind owning Alex or McDreamy, I don't.

The time was 4:30 am and the surgical interns of Seattle Grace had just arrived to begin the day. All except for Christina Yang, who had been there since 4. Meredith Grey and Izzie Stevens, who were roommates, walked in the interns' locker room where everyone was preparing for the day ahead.

As she headed toward her locker, the tall blonde pointedly ignored her ex-boyfriend. It's interesting how people can manage to do that. Seems like an oxymoron: that ability to obviously ignore someone. Izzie Stevens did it rather well, though. Alex didn't even bother trying to talk to her; rather, he just shoved some things in his locker, grabbed his white coat and pager and slammed the locker shut. The next row over, Meredith winced. Not so much at the sound but at the raw emotion she knew was behind the expression.

"Hey," she said as he passed.

He replied in turn, as the five interns gathered in front of their not-so-patiently waiting resident, Dr. Miranda Bailey, aka "The Nazi." From the look on her face they could tell it would be an especially long shift. They fell into an order of sorts, George and Izzie in front, followed by an aimless Yang, and Alex and Meredith in back. Alex leaned over to Meredith and whispered, "How much is today going to suck? Especially considering I have a mini-hangover?" Mer smiled dryly, but sympathetically (because if there was someone who could related to a hangover, it was Meredith Grey), and was about to reply when Bailey's voice cut in.

"You two lovebirds got something you'd care to share with the rest of us? Or would you like to join us and actually try to practice some medicine?" Her voice was laced with disdain. The three other interns turned around, Izzie not looking at Alex, George not really looking at either, and Christina wondering what the hell Mer was doing talking with Alex. He was Alex, after all.

"Sorry, Dr. Bailey. We're here, ready to go." Meredith beat him to the punch, which was probably fortunate, given Alex's unsteady moods.

"That's what I wanted to hear. Now, here are today's assignments. O'Malley, you're with Burke, Stevens- the female Shepherd, Yang, you're with me, Karev and Grey, you're with the male Dr. Shepherd. Go!" As soon as Bailey had turned her back, Meredith nudged Alex, as if to say Look at the trouble you're getting me in. His only response was to smirk, at which she shook her head. At that moment, really became something special. Not romance, but an openly dependable thing, which both of them needed. Of course, neither of them recognized the importance of that brief moment, because we never do, but it was there nonetheless.

Christina watched as the two headed off to find Dr. Shepherd, easily keeping up a steady stream of conversation. She was puzzled, something that didn't happen often to her.

"You coming or are you gonna stand here all damn day tryin' to figure out the simple fact that Karev and Grey are just friends going through similar things?"

"Oh, I'm coming," Christina said hurriedly, not wanting to miss anything. She couldn't help, though, but to give a quick glance back at Mer and Alex, who was actually laughing, for what seemed to be the first time in a while.

"CHRISTINA!"

"Sorry, Dr. Bailey. I'm here." With that, she joined the resident in walking the opposite direction of the fascinating pair who had just turned the corner for the elevator.

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