You Promised | Mark Sloan ✓

45┃seemingly inoperable

Derek walked over and demonstrated while everyone watched curiously. He lifted the dollar bill and showed the red mark he had made-exactly on the nose. "Who wants to go first?"

Everyone's arm shot in the air like hungry lions, aiming this rare surgery like it was their prey.

Many residents took their turn and had failed in their attempt. They either hit the side of the cup or was not even near the cup at all.

Cristina was yawning and stretching her arms at their attempts; Norah watched in amusement as many of them grumbled in frustration, some cursing at the machine and others had already left the skills lab.

"Here we go," Derek handed a dollar bill to Jackson, who stood in front of the microscope and had his concentration on the view through the lenses. He carefully guided the pen, and with a 'clank' sound, he hit the tray underneath; Derek finally grinned.

"Nicely done," he nodded, impressed, at Jackson's attempt, which was very close to the nose. "If somebody improves on that, I'll be out of a job."

"Well, I guess you might need to retire, then," Cristina spoke as she got up from her seat. Derek chuckled at her confidence.

"Don't be a bitch, Cristina!" Norah cooed from behind, and the residents in the room snorted.

"Hey, you-shhh!" Cristina was focused, without a doubt. Yet when the tip of her pen hit the top of the cup, Norah couldn't help but cough away her laugh.

"Dr Lawrence, let's see Dr Sloan's word about your precision."

Norah got up and gently moved the frozen Cristina away from the machine; the latter was still staring in disbelief.

Derek handed her the dollar bill, which she placed on the tray without hesitating. She adjusted the microscope to her eye level and covered the cup over the money. Picking up the red pen and holding it between her thumb and index finger, she carefully lowered the pen without a rush...

Hearing the 'clank' from the tray again, a smirk formed on her face.

"Time to look for a new job, Dr Shepherd."

She picked up the dollar bill and showed it to the neurosurgeon, who nodded proudly-it was less than one millimetre away from the centre of the president's nose.

"Precise," Derek commented.

"Dr Sloan's exact words," she grinned, and he shook his head with a smile. "I'm keeping this for snacks," she waved the dollar bill in her hand, "Or for a lucky charm."

"Alright, Dr Lawrence and Dr Avery, you'll both be scrubbing in," Derek announced.

Norah stepped down and patted the jaw-hanging Cristina on the back. "Karma's a bitch," she smiled and received a glare from her friend.

"You jinxed me!"

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, sweetie."

❦ ❦ ❦

1 HOUR 13 MINUTES

"THE DURA'S OPENED," Derek informed, "Let's get our first look at the tumor."

"Wow. That's, um... Wow." Jackson stared at the tumor impressively. Norah, too, had her eyes widened next to him as she stared through the microscope. Being the closest to hitting the president's nose, Norah had the first shift in assisting Derek on the spinal tumor.

"The vessels are more intricate than the MRI showed," Derek muttered under his breath, "There's no way I can get the tumor out without rupturing one and killing the cord."