flatline [m.s]

xlv.

- - -
according to elisabeth kubler-ross, when we're dying or have suffered a catastrophic loss, we all move through five distinct stages of grief. we go into denial because the loss is so unthinkable we can't imagine it's true. we become angry with everyone, angry with survivors, angry with ourselves.
- - -

"i heard that... sloan was released from the hospital in la. that's good. is she, uh, is she coming back soon?" lia smiles at mark as they are both stood in the lobby, but he acts as though he hasn't heard her. "mark? this some kind of joke? you're not even gonna look at me?"

"torres..." mark turns and calls callie who's walking by. "i have a hip decubitus ulcer i need you to check out."

"mature," lia rolls her eyes. "really mature, mark."

■ ■ ■

"why are you walking like that?" alex asks cristina, who's walking down the corridor.

"uh, i've got a burn," cristina replies.

"where?" alex continues to pester her.

"go away," cristina snaps.

"well, we're both doctors," alex coaxes. "no need to be embarrassed."

"i'm not embarrassed," she unconvincingly protests. "i'm just waiting for meredith. now... go away."

"i let you treat my tick," alex reminds her. "come on."

"this is not a tick," cristina scowls as lia approaches the two residents.

"today sucks," lia sighs. "mark sucks."

"yeah?" cristina asks, thankful for the attention to be taken off her.

"yang's got burns on her girl parts," alex chuckles as he tells lia.

"oh," lia says, eyes wide in shock. "oh, wow."

"i do not- it's not on- on my girl parts," cristina protests.

"well, then they're on her ass," alex shrugs. "look at how she's walking."

"how did you get burns on your ass?" lia raises her brow at cristina.

"you paged?" meredith asks as she approaches the group of surgeons.

"mer, come," cristina instructs, grabbing her hand. "the rest of you bye."

meredith and cristina walk off, quickly, but alex sees which direction they head in so leads lia to them. when they get to the trauma room, he pulls back the curtains to find cristina lying on the patient bed with her pants down.

"alex! alex!" meredith scolds.

"oh. hot cross buns," alex chuckles at the sight in front of him.

"that's gonna blister," lia points out.

"will you get them out of here?" cristina groans.

"bailey's paging me," meredith announces. "lia, will you finish this for me

"oh, oh, my god. i hate you," cristina scoffs.