You Promised | Mark Sloan ✓

59┃moving on

S7 EP1

2 MONTHS AFTER THE SHOOTING

NORAH WAS HUMMING TO a tune with her earphones in as she roamed down the hallway, greeting most of the staff along her way.

The hospital had changed, not visibly though, but it had changed, as well as everyone who worked there. The event had left a whole bunch of scars, some of which are not talked about, but the people were coping in their ways.

"Hey, good morning-what're we looking at today?" she queried as she threw her arms over Meredith and Cristina, the latter was flipping through some pictures with her head lowered.

"Dress colour," Cristina replied. She had been looking things up for her upcoming wedding since she had yet to be cleared for surgery. "Why are you smiling?" She lifted her head to the brunette who had a smirk growing by the second.

"No way," Meredith grumbled, "How did you get cleared for surgery?!" Norah merely winked at her and she gasped, "That's unfair!"

"You're just jealous, Mer."

"Where were you this morning? You were gone before I even woke up."

"Oh, I came in early," Norah replied.

"Your car is still at my house."

"I ran," she shrugged and the two other residents snapped their heads to her. "What? It's a healthy way to cope."

Meredith shook her head with a sigh. "At least you're not getting arrested," she shot a glare to her husband.

Derek raised a brow at them and smiled back guiltily. April had caught up to them holding the attending's white coat.

"Chief Shepherd, you're back!" she exclaimed and swapped the coat with his suit jacket, "I found a giant skull base chordoma. Biggest one I've ever seen."

Norah's head perked up from Cristina's stack of wedding dresses pictures to the scans that April had just pulled out. "He came into the ER With trouble breathing," April informed.

"You got cleared for surgery?" Meredith questioned.

"I did."

"Bitch."

Norah had pushed herself away from Cristina and Meredith and raced up to Derek, walking beside him while he held the scans at the lights above them.

"I know it looks inoperable. I mean, I would've said it was inoperable, but you're back and you're you," April blabbered on.

"Ooh, Derek, I want in!" Norah had the largest eyes staring at the attending while she walked backwards, pushing the doors behind her with her back. Derek returned her with the faintest nod with almost made her jump up in the air.

She bumped into someone and quickly turned around. "Sorry-oh, Mark, morning."

The plastic surgeon stared confusedly at her joyful self, but she had ducked and skipped away, heading into the crowd of hospital staff. He looked at Derek in hopes of an explanation, but the neurosurgeon was preoccupied with the scans.

Claps had erupted when Derek walked through the doors, and he was slightly caught off guard. "Hey, uh, yes, good morning. Thank you. Thank you very much," he spoke and made his way up a few steps of the stairs while the staff continued cheering on him. "Good. Thank you. Thank you very much... It's, uh, it's great to be back. First of all, I'd like to thank Dr Webber for stepping up in my absence. Thank you." The crowd erupted into another round of applause.