trauma [m.s]

xxiv.

- - -
we all remember the bed time stories of our childhoods. the shoe fits cinderella, the frog turns into a prince, sleeping beauty is awakened with a kiss.
- - -

on chloe's bed, arizona is laying on her back, staring up at the ceiling whilst chloe lies beside her, completely submerged by the covers. the only part of her that is exposed is one of her feet, and a few messy strands of blonde hair that spill out onto the pillow.

"do you want to dance it out?" arizona suggests.

"no," chloe's voice drones out.

"do you want to drink tequila?"

"no."

"do you want to call me names, and mock me endlessly?" arizona offers and chloe pushes the covers from her face, finding this to be the only option worth considering.

"no," she groans, dropping the covers back over her face.

"i'm trying to cheer you up," arizona points out.

"yeah? well, stop it. it's annoying," chloe frowns in the darkness of the sheets. "and it's not working. i'm deep in the wilderness here."

- - -
once upon a time and then they lived happily ever after. fairy tales, the stuff of dreams. the problem is, fairy tales don't come true.
- - -

"28 more days and then it's you and me in a locked room for a record-breaking, earth-shattering, mind-blowing-" mark smirks as he and chloe step into an empty elevator, each pressing the button for their desired floor.

"okay!" chloe holds her hand up to cut him off. "i get it. thank you."

"that was less than enthusiastic," mark frowns.

"i'm gonna be more enthusiastic when we..." chloe exhales sharply. "cross the finish line."

"okay," mark shrugs as the elevator dings and the doors behind him open. "just making sure you haven't lost interest in the project."

"not at all," chloe smiles, softly, as he walks out of the elevator, stopping and turning back to look at her before the doors close again, a smirk etched onto his face.

"good."

once the doors have closed again, chloe exhales deeply, leaning her head back against the wall and screwing her eyes shut, until she feels her phone vibrating in her pocket. her eyes flicker open as she reaches down to retrieve it, sighing as her eyes land on the caller i.d.

immediately, she shoves the phone back into pocket and pushes herself off the elevator wall as the doors open again, and she steps out onto her floor.

■ ■ ■

"back up," bailey waves her hands to the doctors surrounding her as she sits behind the front desk, clicking on the computer mouse. "you're sucking all my oxygen."

"i'm trying to see," derek protests, not moving from where he's peering over her shoulder.

"it's not up yet. there's nothing to see," bailey counters.