THE SNORER AND THE INTERN
Holly thought the worst day of her life was when her boyfriend, who at the time was presumed to be the John Doe she worked on with Derek, was dead.
She cried, along with plenty of the hospital staff, after finding out from Meredith that the John Doe was George-- until she got a phone call a few minutes later from presumed dead person to tell her he was at his mom's house.
Not the best day.
In the end, Holly rushed over to the airport without meeting April or April's friends and hugged George as tightly as she could, reminding him how much she loved him and how mad she would be if he didn't come back.
A year later, George came back from Iraq and was greeted by his girlfriend jumping on him and giving him a tight hug, along with various kisses throughout the drive back home. George came through the hospital doors of Seattle Grace to come back to work and, of course, was bombarded by his friends hugging him and Dr. Bailey giving him a lecture before ultimately hugging him back.
He was definitely confused why some people still thought he was dead and asked for an M.R.I. because they thought they were having a hallucination.
It was now a few years later, George was a third-year resident and Holly was second-year resident. She had heard from Lexie, accidentally, that George was planning to propose. So, obviously, Holly got excited each time they had a date at a restaurant, fancy or casual, or if George bent down to tie his shoe-- which was way too many times, in her opinion.
Not to mention, George's brothers-- Ronny and Jerry-- also teased her about George. Of course, they always teased her from the minute they met her. From her red hair to her farm life, they were interested and love to tease the short redhead.
"Today's the day, Red." Mark noted as Holly entered the elevator with Derek, looking around at the Christmas decorations
She rolled her eyes, "You always say that." She looked up at him and gasped, "Unless you're talking about you and Lexie."
"What?" Mark shook his head, "No."
"What he meant to say," Derek corrected as he cleared his throat, "was not yet."
Holly chuckled as the elevator doors opened and Holly got off, turning to Derek, "We have a craniotomy scheduled in two hours."
Derek nodded, "I remember."
✶
Holly huffed, planting herself down on the couch as she looked at the decorated Christmas tree.
"That was fun." Lexie smiled.
Holly scoffed, turning her head at the girl, "You didn't help."
"Ah," Lexie brought up her oven mitt, "I was baking cookies."
"Mmm." Holly hummed, "Convenient."
"Hey guys," George greeted as he entered the apartment, knowing Lexie was there because she said she would visit in the morning, "how's the tree going?"
"Well," Holly smiled, kissing him before she answered, "I decorated the whole thing."
"Wow." George nodded at the decorated living room, "It looks great-- did Lexie bake cookies or did you magically learn how to cook?" George asked, the smell of cookies invading his nose as he turned to the kitchen.
Holly rolled her eyes, "I can cook."
George and Lexie nodded, "Sure."
"Whatever." Holly rolled her eyes again, "I'm gonna take the hidden gifts out of their spot and put them under the tree."
Holly could hear Lexie and George's hushed whispers, which only caused her thoughts to race to a proposal as she heard Lexie yell she was leaving.
Trying not to get too excited, Holly walked down the hallway from the closet and placed the gifts down, "What was that about?"
"What was what?" George frowned his eyebrows, eating a cookie.
Holly paused, "Nothing."
"Okay..." George tilted his head, "How was--"
"Okay, I'm only saying this because I can't deal with any more of the teasing." Holly outburst, closing her eyes as she felt embarrassment seek into her soul, "Are you planning on proposing--" George's eyes widened, "and I'm not saying this as a way of rushing you, obviously, but people keep saying--"
"Who?" George interrupted, frowning his eyebrows.
Holly's eyes doubled, "Wait, are you?"
"I--" George chewed on the cookie, "Who?"
"Lexie, your brothers, Mark, Derek, Meredith-- everyone. Even Bailey."
"...Wow." George chuckled before he began to laugh.
Holly sighed, "Was it some kind of joke--"
"No!" George shook his head, "I..." He paused, looking over at their bedroom, "Wait here."
Holly watched George rush over to their bedroom and she muttered with a shrug, "It's not like I was going anywhere."
George came back, a hand behind his back as he smiled brightly at her, bringing his hand forward to show a small velvet box, "I got this before I went to Iraq and I was thinking of the best way to ask you, so I enlisted help from a few people-- I didn't think they'd all tell you, but..." He opened the box to show a beautiful ring as Holly's mouth opened and a hand flew to it, tears rushing into her eyes, "I hid it in my sock drawer and planned ever since I came back."
"George..." Holly trailed off, her eyes bouncing between George's face and the ring, "I--"
"I love you, Holly." George chuckled, kneeling down on one knee, "And I--"
"Yes." Holly eagerly spoke before he could ask, "Oh, crap, sorry. Continue."
George chuckled, standing up as he cupped her face, "I don't think I have to if I already know an answer." He brought her closer to him as they kissed-- the rush of emotions Holly felt made her barely feel the ring slip on her finger, a perfect fit.
✧
Holly thought the best day of her life would be her wedding day. It was planned by her perfectionist sister, so what more could she ask. Then she found out she was pregnant a few months after, so obviously, she thought the best day of her life would be the birth of her child.
She could still remember George's reaction when she told him, and it was definitely a story she wouldn't let go.
"Just one more minute." Holly thought as she paced around the bathroom while George cooked dinner, "One more minute and the stupid tests will be done--"
"Holl." George called out and she froze, "Dinner's ready."
"Okay," She quickly grabbed the pregnancy tests and placed them in her sweatpants pocket, "coming."
She sat down at the dinner table as George served her, she bounced her leg anxiously as she continuously checked her watch, "Are you okay?" George asked, sitting down, "You seem--"
"Anxious? Nervous? Worried?" Holly finished, shaking her head, "Not at all-- how was your day?"
George frowned his eyebrows at his wife, "It was good... some intern said it was going slow so--"
"Pregnant!" Holly jumped up, holding the tests in her hand as she checked them and ran back to the bathroom to double check.
"...Holly...?" George frowned his eyebrows again as he followed Holly into the bathroom.
"Pregnant, George-- look." She showed him the positive tests and box, "Pregnant, I-I'm pregnant, George."
"Pregnant?" George asked, looking between the box and the tests and he chuckled happily, "You're pregnant?"
"Yes!" Holly smiled, turning around to place the box and tests down until she heard a thud. Turning around, she saw George on the floor, "George!"
George, who hadn't drank anything because of the trauma in the pit and passed out from dehydration, woke up a few seconds and looked up at Holly, "We're having a baby..."
"I cannot believe George isn't here." Holly groaned, feeling another contraction as she held Lexie's hand, "I'm gonna kill him, Ronnie, and Jerry."
"You weren't due for another week." Lexie shrugged, "They couldn't have known."
Holly groaned, "I shouldn't have told him to go--"
"I found the ice chips!" April chimed as she rushed inside, running to Holly's side.
"And I called the boys," Mrs. O'Malley spoke, walking in as well, "they're on their way here."
"Did George pass out again?" Holly asked, laughing before another contraction hit.
"Surprisingly, no." Mrs. O'Malley answered and the others laughed, "He's on his way."
"Good." Holly nodded tightly before groaning, "They just had to do it today."
Holly chuckled as she lied down on the couch with Mrs. O'Malley, balancing a bowl of cereal on her pregnant stomach as she saw Jerry and Ronnie telling George he had to go to the wilderness with them.
"Come on, Georgie." Louise added, "It's a tradition and you're the first of your brothers to have a child." She turned to Holly, "Speaking of, how are you feeling, dear?"
"I'm fine." Holly smiled, looking at George, "And you should go, it'll be fun."
"What if you--"
"I'll be fine." Holly assured George, looking up since he stood behind her, "Go hunt a bird or something, I'll still be back here."
"Come on, George." Ronnie and Jerry chorused, "We got the wife's approval."
George hesitated before nodding, "Fine." He looked at Holly as the brothers celebrated, "But if you feel anything, even if it's Braxton Hicks, call me."
"I will." Holly smiled as George leaned down to kiss her.
"Oh, God." Holly leaned back in the hospital bed, looking at Lexie, "This is not how it was supposed to go."
"He's gonna be here." Lexie assured, looking at the clock, "They're probably a few blocks away."
"Okay, Holly." The O.B. spoke, "It looks like you're ready to start pushing."
"What?" Holly cried, shaking her head, "N-No, I can't." She looked at Lexie and April since Louise decided to call the boys again, "I can't do this without George."
"Yes, you can." Lexie nodded.
"And you are." April added, "This baby is coming no matter what, so get ready to say 'Hi' to your baby girl and push, Holly."
Holly groaned and began to push when a contraction hit. They repeated the process for a bit until the last two pushes came and George burst through the door.
George ran over to Holly's side, kissing her temple lightly, "I told you to--"
"Not the time, George." Holly rolled her eyes and he held her hand for the last two pushes, tears pouring down his face as he heard the cries of his daughter.
✧
"She's beautiful." Lexie noted in a whisper as the baby slept peacefully in the hospital bassinet. It was only George, Holly, and Lexie since their families went back home. She turned around to her two friends, "What's her name?"
Holly smiled as she looked up at George before glancing back at Lexie, "Caroline Bailey O'Malley."
✧✧✧
that name... makes me SAD TIMES EVERY TIME BECAUSE IT'S LEXIE'S MIDDLE NAMEE