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Cristina looked over at the blissfully unaware patient as Callie finished up on his left leg. He had no clue what was going on around him, a state that she was sometimes jealous of. She only wished that you could have anesthesia for certain times in life.
"This has to be a record for how badly the bacteria got," Alex said, nodding at the area where Mr. Carlyle's legs use to be. "I mean I haven't seen an infection look that radical…well… ever."
"I know, right?" Callie said, her eyes showing her smile from behind her surgical mask. "I can't believe they let it get this bad. It's a wonder the man isn't dead. He should have figured out that he had a problem a long time ago, even then there probably wasn't much hope for them."
Cristina looked over at the empty space where the legs once were and let out a small sigh. She knew his wife would be extremely disappointed with the outcome. She couldn't blame her of course. She still remembers the feeling she felt when she found out that Burke might loose the ability to perform surgeries because of his injured arm.
"Yang, what's with you?" Callie said, bringing Cristina's attention back to the surgery. "You've been all quiet and ominous during this, with how much you sucked up to get in on this surgery I thought you would be more into it."
"Yeah, seriously, Yang," Alex agreed, standing beside the orthopedic surgeon. "You not trying to hog all the teaching procedures and good standing space is just weird. It's like you're not excited about the surgery."
"No no I'm excited. Radical bone destroying bacteria, woo. Very exciting."
Callie and Alex just glanced over at her from their spot across the table as if they didn't believe her.
"Right. Well Dr. Karev since you've been such a studious intern today would you like to finish up the left leg?"
"Seriously?" Alex asked, surprised.
"Seriously." Callie said. "After today you've earned it, I'm sure."
Cristina would have rolled her eyes if she didn't think it would get her kicked out of the surgery. She should have told the orthopedic surgeon what was really going on in the elevator of lust when she had the chance, but she didn't. She just couldn't bring herself too. Not because she was trying to spare Callie's feelings but because before she realized it she was covering for George and Izzie. Much in the same way she covered for Izzie during the whole Denny debacle. She was a little pissed at the fact that her fellow interns were making her soft.
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Bailey watched as the man in the blue repair shirt walked down the hallway with his toolbox in hand.
"The guy says he can have it fixed in no time," The chief said, coming up beside her.
"Wished it was that simple for everything," Bailey said, simply.
"Tell me about it," The older man said. "Remind me to implement a no relationship among co-workers rule next year."
Bailey looked unbelievingly at the older man, giving him a look to let him know he was one to be talking.
Dr. Webber cleared his throat uncomfortably.
"Do you think we could make an intern tell them the news about what everyone heard them doing earlier in the elevator?"
"Nope, afraid not, sir. Not in their job description."
"What about residence's?" He said, looking down at her.
She just looked up at him with a fixed look and crossed her arms.
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"George…" Izzie whispered, keeping her head facing forward.
"...I know…" George whispered back. "…we need to talk."
Izzie smiled sadly as she looked down at her lap. "I guess I sound like a broken record, huh?"
George kept his focus on the wall in front of him as he smiled sadly as well. "Yeah, you do. But it's the truth."
Izzie sighed heavily as she closed her eyes. She didn't want to look at him. She wasn't sure if it was because of what they had done earlier or because what she was about to say was so hard.
"When things got so complicated with Denny," She started, but stop to collect her thoughts as she opened her eyes and tears welled up in her eyes. George sat silently beside her. He knew it was her time to talk.
"At the end when I was on the edge and I had to make a decision about Denny, one that I knew would change the rest of my life… when I decided to cut his LVAD cord and put his heart in distress… I beeped you."
Izzie's tears were falling freely now as she laid her heart over that fine line again.
"Not Meredith or Cristina or Alex. But you. Not because you would be particularly good with the situation, but simply because you were George and I needed you. Only you."
George kept his focus on the wall in front of him. He could tell from her voice that what she was saying was bringing a flood of tears, but he couldn't look at her or he was afraid he might join her. He just knew she was going to break his heart. And maybe hers right along with it.
"And you came running, no questions asked," she laughed out, bitterly. "You didn't even run after I told you my chaotic plan. God everything was so messed up."
George's hand was lying on his lap, right next to hers in her lap. He carefully let his pinky finger reach out and gently touched hers to let her know it was okay.
"Anyways," She started again, breathing out heavily. "That night when I beeped you and brought you into my plan, I put your career and life on the line. I was asking you to stand there and help me do something that could ruin your medical career forever. You knew what it meant for us both if you did what I asked. You tried to talk me down, but by that time I was in too deep and you knew that. And so you stood by me as I put all of our careers on the line. You stood strong and loyal."
George closed his eyes and bowed his head as he remembered that fateful night.
"Well I'm not going to let you do that again. I'm not going to let you put your career on the line for me," Izzie said, determinedly.
George looked up in surprise. This wasn't where he thought she was going with this. Now he was confused as he looked over at her for the first time since they had put their clothes back on.
"What?" He asked, narrowing his eyes at her.
She looked over at him with a resolved expression on her face.
"You're not transferring to Mercy West. I am."
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