You Promised | Mark Sloan ✓

40┃007

S5 EP24 & S6 EP1

[CW: slight description of injuries, character death]

NORAH SAT TIREDLY IN the room with the four other residents who were asleep; Izzie had yet to wake up. Bailey stepped into the room quietly to check on the patient, and they started stirring up from slumber.

"Any changes overnight?" Bailey asked, and Norah shook her head 'no'.

The Chief Resident's pager rang, waking everyone else up. "That's the chief," she took a glance at it before turning back to her half-awake residents, "Somebody better make a coffee run. You all look like hell."

"I gotta be in surgery in ten minutes," George stated as he stood up. "Um... Mer, will you let me know..."

"Yeah."

Norah tossed her blanket aside and got up from the chair. "Let me know, too." She left the room after George; the latter scratched his head while standing at his spot. "Don't you have surgery, George?"

George turned around, facing her with a serious look on his face; Norah furrowed her brows at him. He pulled her aside so that they were alone, which only added confusion to her curiosity.

"If you're wondering, no, I did not eat your yoghurt cup last night. Cristina did," Norah informed, and George quirked a brow at her.

"Thanks for letting me know, but never mind that-I... I did something yesterday," he confessed, "And I need to tell you before I tell Bailey, so I know what reaction I'm supposed to expect if Bailey decides to kill me. But I am sure about my decision, and I have never been this sure in my entire life."

"Okay, that's a good... preface? Go on..."

He took a deep breath and blurted out, "I joined the Army to be a trauma surgeon, and I report for duty tomorrow."

Norah blinked at his words as her eyes slowly widened with surprise. She was speechless for a good while but seeing the certainty and confidence on her friend's face, a smile slowly formed on hers.

"George, I would really wanna shove your face into the wall, but-holy crap?!" she exclaimed, and the man exhaled in relief, a grin slowly grew on him, too. "Wait, wait, wait... If you're reporting for duty tomorrow, that means today's your last day here?"

"As a surgical resident, yes," he nodded enthusiastically, "I'm leaving after my surgery with the chief later."

Norah could not help but feel delighted about the decision he made. Without warning, she threw her arms around him and engulfed him in a hug. "George O'Malley, I'll be waiting for your stories when you return!"

"I'll be sure to remember the most gruesome ones," he chuckled.

When they eventually separated themselves from a long hug, Norah was nearly teary-eyed. "See you, George."

"I'll see you soon."

"I guess this is our farewell, huh?" she spoke.

"Nah, this is only our first goodbye."

If only they knew that it was their first and last.

❦ ❦ ❦

NORAH WAS DOZING OFF while she signed off some charts at the nurses' station. Her eyes were struggling to stay open, and her back was sore from sitting in the same position on the patient room chair overnight.

Before her head drooped once more, a soft kiss greeted her on the side of her neck. Tiredly, she turned her head to the furrowing brows next to her. "Coffee?" Mark asked, holding up his cup, but Norah shook her head.