season 10 episode 3
THE SPLIT
"Are you kidding me?" Holly scoffed, rolling her eyes at Jackson before she turned around and, with her suitcase in hand, made her way towards the bus that would take all the resident and repeats, to where the Boards were being held.
"Holly," Jackson started as he followed after her, "if you can just let me explain--"
"Explain?" Holly scoffed again, turning around sharply to face him, "Yes, please, explain why you have another apartment." She looked directly in his eyes, showing the hurt emotion swirling in her irises as he fumbled around for words, "'Cause I can pretty much sum up the story myself."
"Holl--"
"Your mom was visiting, you knew your mom would come back, and you didn't want to show her that you're living with your girlfriend because then questions would arise, right?" Holly asked, watching as Jackson tried his best to act like she was incorrect.
Jackson cringed, exhaling deeply, "Holl--"
"I need to take my Boards." Holly excused, glaring at Jackson for one last time before she turned around to get back to the bus.
"Holly--"
"Holly!" Derek shouted, waving the girl over to join him-- which made Holly frown her eyebrows, knowing well that he and Meredith were currently on maternity/paternity leave to take care of their new baby, Derek Bailey Shepherd.
"Derek?" Holly frowned her brows, walking over to him as Jackson was stopped by April and Steve, "What are you doing here?"
"What do you think you're doing?" April asked Jackson as she squinted pointedly at him, "Honestly, Jackson, I can't believe you."
"What?" Jackson sighed in defeat, "I was planning to--"
"Did you think I was going to let you leave Seattle without a prep talk?" Derek asked, making Holly squint at him.
"Let me guess," Holly began with a chuckle, "was Bailey too tiring for you?"
"No," Derek shook his head, "no... yes." He sighed, bringing his hands to his face as an attempt to wake himself up, "I'm so tired-- Meredith's so tired... and I left her with the baby so I could 'buy some milk'." Derek explained before patting her shoulder, "Anyways, be prepared for any questions, take your time answering questions, go to sleep early and if you have any questions, you have my number."
"Derek," Holly rolled her eyes, "I'm not gonna call you in the morning for questions, you should get some--"
"I don't mind." Derek waved a hand, but upon seeing Holly's face, he sighed, "Fine, call Nelson if you need to."
"All right." Holly smiled, turning around to enter the bus before her eyes caught Jackson and she sighed.
"Trouble in paradise?" Derek asked, leaning against the hospital's wall as he slowly began to close his eyes.
"He has another apartment so his mother doesn't have to question him about us." She frowned, "I know he doesn't like being pried by his mother, but it feels like he's embarrassed or something--" Derek snored, making Holly turn around to face him, "Derek--"
"I'm up!" Derek defended, jumping up as Holly rolled her eyes.
"I'm getting on the bus-- tell Matthew or someone to drive you home." Holly advised before turning around, preparing to get a few more pep talks from Callie, Cristina, and Alex.
✧
"This is weird." Steve commented as he took a seat next to the Kepner sisters, looking around the almost empty bus had it not been for the few fifth years and repeaters in the bus.
"Yeah..." Holly agreed as April's eyes looked over index cards and, occasionally, her phone to text Matthew, "I barely know some people here--"
"Not that." Steve brushed aside before his eyes glanced over the people, "...Well, that, and the fact that you and Jackson are in a lover's quarrel."
"Well," Holly shrugged, leaning back in her seat, "it's his fault. And he's pissed me off so I didn't say good-bye to him."
Steve gasped dramatically, "What?"
"Oh, shut up." Holly rolled her eyes, "He'll see me again tomorrow and he better come up with a good apology."
Steve leaned in forward, intrigued, "What exactly did he do?"
Holly looked at him, "You're actually interested?"
"Sure." Steve shrugged, "It's not like we're gonna be entertained for the next few hours, so I might as well listen in to the drama of the Jackson and Holly life."
✧
"It's weird doing this again." April admitted, taking in the sights around her as they all sipped on their drinks.
"I'd bet." Steve nodded, drinking his beverage, "I don't know what I'd do if I--" Steve paused as he felt a foot meet contact with his leg-- he instantly knew Holly had kicked him, "um, didn't have you guys with me."
"Aww, Steve." April smiled before frowning her brows, "We're not that close."
"It's the thought that counts." Holly excused before looking at Steve, "So who are you going to do a fellowship with? Callie or Stein?"
"Oh." Steve awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck as April noticed the growing tension, "Holl--"
"'Cause don't get me wrong," Holly began, "Stein is good, but Callie--"
"If I pass my boards," Steve began, making Holly stop, "I think I'm going to Maine."
There was an eerie silence as Holly stared at him, frozen, "...Maine?"
"Yeah--"
"What happened to the plan, Steve?" Holly asked, tilting her head to the side in disbelief and betrayal.
Steve exhaled shakily, "The plan--"
"What plan?" April interrupted, looking between the two friends.
"The plan that said we'd stick in Grey Sloan." Holly filled in, eyes not daring to tear away from Steve as she squinted at him, "Since everyone else left, we'd be the ones to stay. We'd be the ones to stay together as friends, help each other with the boards-- especially when our group started diminishing until it was just the two of us because they chose other specialties." Holly scoffed, looking at Steve as anger fueled her, "So what happened, Steve?"
"Well, in all honesty," April interjected, attempting to cool the two of them down as Steve began to get angry as well, "everyone doesn't stick together--"
"Oh, come on, April." Holly rolled her eyes, "You literally have all of the people in your year still working at the same hospital as you." Holly looked at Steve, "Was that not the plan--?"
"If I remember correctly," Steve began, not wanting to be the only one being attacked, "you left the plan first."
Holly squinted, "To save the hospital."
"I'm gonna get us all some coffees." April nodded, walking away from the altercation.
"To save your asses, more like." Steve added, "You left me, Holl. It may just be the two of us now, but you left first. And you could barely tell me anything that happened-- let alone study."
"Well," Holly shrugged, thinking of how to get herself out of the hole Steve dug, "that was then, and this is now." Steve scoffed as Holly continued, "You're going to seriously tell me you're thinking about going elsewhere?"
"Why are you being so selfish about this?" Steve asked, squinting his eyes at the redhead, "It's like April said, everyone doesn't stick together--"
"Because we're not everyone, Steve." Holly answered, looking at him teary eyes he had yet to catch sight of, "We're not. We have faced possibly more than a normal person would in a lifetime but we got through it together-- we got through intern year, through residency, through George and Lexie's death, through a gun shooting, and we have gone through studying for the Boards." Holly sighed, "We are the only ones left--"
"Ryan's in dermatology." Steve reminded, "Graziella's in psych--"
"And you and I are surgeons." Holly deadpanned, getting up with the intent of going back to her hotel room since she was finished arguing, "The only ones in our year."
As April, who was on her way back to the bickering friends, held two burning cups of coffee in her hand, she prayed in a whisper, "Please don't let them continue fighting."
"You know what? Fine." Holly scoffed with a glare aimed at Steve as April reached the two, "I hope you don't pass your Boards and get stuck with nowhere to go."
"And I hope you fail, too." Steve noted, standing up, "And then the hospital will have a member of the Board that somehow runs a hospital yet can't pass their own Board exam."
As the two friends separated and went to their rooms in anger, April simply stood there with the drinks in her hands before sighing, "I shouldn't have paid for these in advance."
✧
Walking out of her hotel room, April immediately walked over to make sure her sister was awake. With a swift knock, she spoke, "Holl--"
"I'm up." Holly answered the door, presenting herself all ready for her exam to her sister, "I studied, I ate breakfast, I called Nelson and Callie-- I'm all ready."
"Oh." April nodded, frowning her eyebrows, "So nothing with Steve is gonna--"
"I'm gonna show Mostow I can beat the Board's ass." Holly finished, straightening her blazer as she closed the door behind her, "I've got this."
"Mm." April nodded, semi-worried about Holly's competitive attitude, "And Jackson--?"
"He called twice yesterday, I think." Holly thought before shrugging, "I needed to study so I didn't pick up. I need to win."
"Okay..." April trailed off, walking down the hall alongside her sister, "...Did you sleep?"
Holly cringed, "...Enough."
"Holly," April lectured, grabbing Holly's arm, "you can't be mad at Steve for--"
"But I can." Holly arrogantly interrupted, determination in her eyes, "And I am."
"Hey, April." Steve greeted, approaching the two in his suit before his eyes glanced at the other sister, "Morning, Kepner."
"Mostow." Holly nodded in greeting, fire in her eyes from his betrayal, "Good luck on failing."
Steve scoffed, "Same to you."
"You two are little babies." April noted, rubbing her temples as they all took a seat in different spots, "Get over it."
Holly squinted at her sister as a doctor exited a room, "I--"
"Holly Kepner." The doctor announced, making Holly turn her head at the voice before she nodded at the two, "That's my cue."
✧
"That was horrible." Holly concluded, walking out of the hallway with April once the first part of the exam finished, "I thought I was going to die."
"And this is the easiest part." April groaned, not realizing she was beginning to psych her sister out as she fanned her flushed face.
"How did you do this twice?!" Steve asked, joining the group as he loosened his tie.
"Okay, I can't do this." Holly admitted, looking at Steve with pleading eyes, "You have to take the bad luck away from me 'cause it's starting to stress me out."
Steve squinted at her, "No."
Holly frowned her brows, "'No'?"
"I mean, no." Steve went on again, "Me taking the bad luck away first means I was wrong, which I'm not. Stop being selfish and you take the bad luck away first."
"Oh, my God." April groaned, wishing Matthew was there to break up the fight or someone else so she wouldn't have to endure this. Her eyes moved onto her sister, "Just take the bad luck away, Holly."
"What?" Holly scoffed, "But I'm not wrong."
Steve chuckled, "Then I won't take the bad luck away."
Holly squinted at the man again, "Fine."
Steve did the same, "Fine."
And as the two separated, April rolled her eyes with a sigh, "Oh, God."
✧
Sitting on a bench in front of the hotel as they waited for April and the bus, Holly begrudgingly looked over at Steve, who looked like he hid a fair amount of anxiousness along with her, "...I'm sorry."
Steve released a small chuckled, "For what?" He sighed, looking down, "It's my fault. I didn't tell you earlier and--"
"Megan's in Maine." Holly noted, remembering the letter sent from Megan to her parent's house in Moline when she was there after the plane crash, "So is Winnie. Steve," She scooted closer to her friend, who held a sharp gaze on the floor as he clenched his jaw and Holly placed a hand on his shoulder, "I really hope you pass. And if you don't, I'll see what I can do to get you to Maine."
Steve sniffled, eyes beginning to grow teary as he nodded at her, "Thanks." He cleared his throat as he looked at her, "And I really hope you pass, too-- or else, it would be kind of weird that you're a board member yet didn't pass--"
"I hate you." Holly told him with a smile, nudging him with a scoff, "But thank you for the honesty."
"You're welcome." Steve nodded before looking down, "You think it's the right call?" Holly frowned her brows in confusion, making Steve resume, "Going to Maine?"
"Are you kidding?" Holly chuckled, "Winnie's there. I mean, sure, it'd be a bit weird with your ex-wife being there and all," Steve chuckled, "but Winnie misses her dad." Holly shrugged, "And yeah, of course I'll miss you, too. But people can get through things together... just in different places."
"Yeah." Steve nodded, shooting her a friendly smile as the two finally resolved their problems.
"All right." April announced, joining the two, "The bus is getting here in ten minutes, we're gonna be back in Seattle in a few hours."
"Great." Holly sighed, rushing a hand through her hair, "So I have to wait for the Board results that dictate my future as a surgeon and face the boyfriend that bought another apartment just to not face his mother. Great."
Steve looked at April before shrugging, "We could talk about it on the bus?"
"Yeah, okay, I guess." Holly shrugged as April joined them on the bench, "I really hope we pass."
Steve and April exhaled before chorusing, "Me, too."
✧
"Matthew!" April joyfully shouted, escaping the bus as she jumped into her fiance's arms with pure joy-- although they had yet to get their results, Matthew spun her around in the same area he proposed as the two reunited.
"Wow," Holly joked as she and Steve walked out of the bus, "we were that bad as company that you needed to physically throw yourself into his arms?"
"I thought we were fine company." Steve added, shrugging as their eyes landed on April, "Were we not?"
April scoffed, "You know that's a lie."
As April went back to talking to Matthew, Holly looked over at Steve, "And then there were two." She looked at the time on her phone, "Our results are coming in a few minutes."
"Oh, God." Steve exhaled, filling with dread as he brought his phone to his view, "What if we don't pass?"
"Well," Holly attempted to stay positive as she paced around, "what if we do?"
"Oh-- ah!" Steve yelled as his phone emitted a ring, making Holly jump before she rolled her eyes, realizing it was someone calling him, "It's Megan."
"Ooh." Holly nodded with a smile, "Answer it-- I'm sure Winnie's on the line with her, too."
Steve looked at his watch, "It's almost time."
"Answer the call, Steve." Holly assured, eyes glancing towards the hospital, "I'll go find Jackson."
Steve quirked a brow as his phone continued to ring, "...You sure?"
"Positive." Holly smiled, "Tell Winnie I said 'Hi.'"
✧
Walking into the room a nurse assured her he would be in, Holly's brows frowned before her eyes landed on Jackson at the corner of the room, fidgeting with a key in his hand. "Steve's going to Maine." Holly started, startling her boyfriend as his head immediately turned over with a smile at her voice before he rushed over to hug her, "I-- Jackson!"
"I missed you." Jackson admitted, lifting her a few inches away from the floor before he sighed and placed her down, "I'm sorry, I didn't want to tell you about the apartment-- but it was for a good reason--" He was cut off by Holly lightly bringing him down for their lips to meet, and when they separated, Jackson smiled, "Am I forgiven?"
"I missed you, too." Holly began, "And I love you, but I also hate you for having another apartment when we already have one."
"Okay, here's the thing." Jackson started, "I knew your Boards were coming up, and obviously you'd pass them so I wanted to make a surprise, but I wasn't sure what-- and then your sister decided to move in with Matthew once he proposed so it would just be us alone in the big apartment with no roommates--"
"Oh, God." Holly interrupted as she looked at her phone that recently beeped with a notification, "It's time. The results are posted."
"Well?" Jackson pried with a smile, eyes darting between her phone and Holly, "Check--"
"I'm scared." Holly whispered, staring at her phone as Jackson placed his hands on her shoulders, "W-What if I failed? What i-if I d-didn't p-pass--?"
"I'd still love you." Jackson assured, placing a hand on Holly's face to bring her back to reality, "And you're going to freak yourself out with hypotheticals if you don't check now." Holly glanced back at his eyes with worry, "Look," He took the key he held in his hands moments before to show her, "the 'secret apartment' was for us-- I did all the interior decorating for the past two weeks since I know you hate that stuff, and it's just for us. Holl, if you pass, you're a Board certified surgeon, and if you don't, we'll move in and I'll help you study more, okay?"
Holly exhaled anxiously before she nodded, "O-Okay." She looked down at her phone, unlocked it, and her eyes began to scour the email.
"So?" Jackson asked as Holly mumbled, making him frown his brows, "What--"
"I passed!" Holly shouted, immediately jumping up to hug Jackson as her legs wrapped around his torso, "And we're moving in together!"
Jackson chuckled, hugging her back as he nodded, "I knew you could do it--"
"Holly!" The squeaking sound of sneakers rushing through the hallways were heard as Derek ran into Holly's office before he poked his head in to see Jackson and Holly together, "Kepner, the results?"
"She/I passed!" Jackson and Holly answered in unison before the latter unwrapped her legs from Jackson's torso to rush over to her mentor.
"I did it." Holly smiled, showing Derek the email.
Derek smiled before nodding, "Nicely done, Kepner." He tiredly leaned against the doorframe as Holly's smile never faltered, "We've gotta celebrate-- I'm gonna go..." He yawned, "tell Meredith."
"Okay." Holly chuckled as Derek began to walk away. She looked at Jackson, "This seems surreal."
Jackson frowned his eyebrows, "That you passed?"
"That we're moving in together." Holly joked before smiling, "And that I passed." She began to walk up to him, "I love you."
Jackson's face lit with a smile, "I love you, too." The two kissed before Jackson separated, a reminder popping into Jackson's mind, "And we have a Board meeting in a few minutes."
Holly groaned, "Way to ruin the mood." She thumped her head on his chest as he chuckled before she bounced back up, "Are we going to talk finance? 'Cause I made graphs and--"
"I--" Jackson squinted his eyes, "How did you know-- do you always have graphs simply at the ready?"
Holly chuckled unconvincingly, "What? No..." Jackson squinted his eyes at her, making Holly sigh, "...Yes."
✧✧✧
the fact that my ap lit class has literally been assigning homework on top of homework and i'm just trying to vibe with the new fanfic idea in my docs 😀AND I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST ME BUT ALL MY FRIENDS IN THE CLASS AGREE-- I-- she went from giving a fair amount of homework to work everyday 😔 i do not stan 😔
BUT ANYWAYS, HOLLY IS BOARD CERTIFIEDDDDD YESSS ASDKJFHASL THE FACT THAT DEREK WENT OVER TO THE HOSPITAL JUST TO MAKE SURE SHE PASSED-- and btw. winnie is the name of steve's daughter with megan (not canon on grey's since his child is never talked about but canon for alaska :}) and the split is referring to steve and holly going their separate ways-- they'll be reunited eventually 👁👁
ALSO I KNOW I DIDN'T WRITE IT IN THE CHAPTER-- BUT CATHERINE TOLD HOLLY ABOUT THE SECOND APARTMENT ACCIDENTALLY AND SHE 100% WOULD'VE RAGED WITH HOLLY ABOUT THE FACT THAT JACKSON HAD A SECOND ONE AKDFJHALSK I STAN