"Hour nineteeeeen," Emma sang while staring up at the ceiling as she sprawled on the bed in an empty corridor. "only 29 more to go," as her fingers tapped impatiently on her stomach.
Meredith was sitting with Emma, with her back against the wall and Emma's legs draped across her lap. Izzie and Cristina slumped on another bed in the corridor while George wheeled around in a wheelchair.
"007. Everyone's calling me 007, aren't they?" George inquired.
"No one's calling you 007," Izzie and Cristina said simultaneously.
"I was on the elevator and Murphy whispered 007," George said.
"OH, how many times do we have to go through this, George, five, ten? Give me a number or else I'm going to hit you," Cristina said while getting up off the bed and walking to the vending machine.
"Murphy whispered 007 and everyone laughed," George said.
"He wasn't talking about you," Izze said stretching her arms behind her.
"Would we lie to you?" Meredith said. Emma snorted.
"Yes," George said nonchalantly.
"007 is a state of mind," Cristina said while ordering something from the vending machine.
"So says the girl who finished top of her class at Stanford," George said.
As Emma continued to sprawl on the bed, she glanced at George with a sly grin. "Well, George, if 007 is a state of mind, then consider yourself the James Bond of Seattle Grace."
Meredith chuckled, nodding in agreement. "Smooth, George. Smooth."
Izzie chimed in, her tone teasing. "007, the man with a license to kill. I like it."
Cristina, returning with a snack from the vending machine, added her two cents. "Just make sure your next surgery doesn't involve any undercover spy work, Bond."
George rolled his eyes but couldn't hide a small smile. "Very funny, guys. Real supportive."
Emma, enjoying the banter, decided to play along. "Well, George, if you ever need a sidekick in your covert medical missions, I'm your girl. Emma Grey, at your service."
Meredith, feigning seriousness, pointed at Emma. "007's sassy sidekick. I can see the spin-off now."
As the pagers beeped, shattering the moment of banter, everyone scrambled to look at theirs. In the midst of the chaos, Emma lost her balance and tumbled off the bed, colliding with the corner of another bed. A small cut formed just above her eyebrow, and a tiny trail of blood seeped down her face.
"Oh, man. It's 911 for Katie Bryce. We gotta go," Meredith said jumping up.
Amidst the urgency, Emma, still sprawled on the floor face first, managed to bring her hand above her in a thumbs-up gesture. "Oh, don't worry about me. I'm just peachy," she quipped, her tone laced with sarcasm.
Meredith hurriedly gathered their belongings, the lighthearted banter replaced by the seriousness of their responsibilities. As they rushed towards the emergency, Emma, now on her feet, wiped away the trickle of blood with the back of her hand, ready to face the next challenge the hospital would throw her way.
--
As they waited for the elevator to bring them to Katie's floor, Emma rubbed her head where there was undoubtedly a lump forming.
Meredith, noticing this, spun her around to look at her face. "Em, you're bleeding!"
"Really? I didn't know?" Emma replied sarcastically. "Go and patch yourself up; I'll go to Katie," she said, ignoring her sister's comment. Emma groaned but agreed, nodding her head. Once the lift stopped at the floor, she stepped out and walked towards the nurses' station.
"Oh, what happened?" a nurse sighed, looking at Emma.
"I fell off a bed. I just need a band-aid, and I'll be good to go," Emma smiled.
"Uh no, that's not going to fix it; I think you might need some stitches. It's quite deep," the nurse replied. Emma sighed but nodded her head.
"Okay, fine, whatever," she said, resigning herself to the necessary medical attention.
As Emma was getting assessed by the nurse, Arizona Robbins happened to walk past and noticed the commotion. Her eyes widened in concern as she hurried over, "Oh my God, what happened? Is she okay?"
The nurse explained, "She fell off a bed, and she needs stitches. I was just about to take her to the treatment room."
Arizona nodded determination in her eyes. "It's okay; I'll take care of it. Nurse, you can go back to your duties." With that, Arizona gently guided Emma towards the treatment room, assuring her, "Don't worry, Dr. Grey. I'll fix you up in no time."
--
In the treatment room, Emma found herself sitting on the examination table, her gaze instinctively drawn to Arizona as she prepared to stitch up the cut above her eyebrow. There was an unspoken intimacy in the air, a subtle connection that seemed to transcend the boundaries of a typical doctor-patient interaction.
Arizona teased with a playful twinkle in her eyes, "So, Dr. Grey, falling off beds, are we trying to reenact childhood mishaps?"
Emma chuckled despite the pain, appreciating Arizona's attempt to lighten the mood. "Not exactly my idea of reliving childhood, but it seems I've mastered the art of graceful falls."
With a grin, Arizona grabbed the needle and thread, walking towards Emma. "Well, you know what they say, practice makes perfect. Maybe we should consider a softer landing next time."
Emma laughed, the tension easing as Arizona continued her work. Emma continued to admire Arizona as she looked over Emma's face, planning where to start. Sensing Emma's gaze, Arizona looked down, and their eyes met. There was a shared understanding, a silent acknowledgement that went beyond the stitches and the medical procedure at hand. Without breaking eye contact, Arizona placed a hand on Emma's face, cupping her cheek. Emma practically leaned into the touch as Arizona proceeded with her work, hands deftly manoeuvring the needle and thread.
As Arizona worked, Emma couldn't help but watch, eyes tracing the delicate movements of Arizona's face as she concentrated. There was a gentle touch in every motion, a tenderness that went beyond the professional obligation. In a moment of vulnerability, Emma felt Arizona's fingers graze her skin, a subtle caress that sent a shiver down her spine.
The banter from earlier faded into the background, and for a moment, it was just Emma and Arizona, caught in a shared moment of intimacy amid the controlled chaos of the hospital. As Arizona finished the stitches, their eyes lingered, and a silent understanding passed between them. Arizona seemed to shake away their moment, removing her hand, leaving Emma's face tingling and wanting more.
"There you go, good as new. Just try to stay on your feet, Dr. Grey. We don't want you making a habit of dramatic entrances."
Emma also smiled, shaking away the moment too. "Noted. Thanks for the patch-up, Dr. Robbins. I'll do my best to avoid any future acrobatics."
As the door closed behind Arizona, Emma couldn't shake the feeling that the intimacy of the moment had left an indelible mark on the evolving story between them.
