but oh what a year

[patrols]

Comments

[tequilashots]

What are family shenanigans?

( See: a girl who did not have family shenanigans. )

[drvalve]

So after we get out of mass, we usually will open one gift before we go to bed.

[A simple Christmas tradition that's fun for everyone.]

Granted, my family is all in Miami so I'll be on a video call and they shipped a bunch of presents out to me, so it's not the same but at least I get to participate.

[tequilashots]

( Cute. Wholesome. Meredith's family is dead. Or, hates her. )

Lucky you.

( She orders a tequila soda, turning around and leaning against the bar. Months past her and Besnick's first and only tryst, she still looks for him. Maybe people in the morgue don't celebrate Christmas.

She's also trying to catch Alex or Cristina. Or, hell, Sloane, too. This girl's family is perfect as a pretty picture. Miami. It's probably hot there right now. )

You don't fly back home for these kinds of occasions?

[drvalve]

Depends on what shifts I get. I don't think it would do any good, because my mother would spend the entire time going "mija, why don't you come and work at a nice hosptial in Miami?" And trying to explain to her that we can't exactly choose where we match just isn't landing.

[Teresa Valverde is very invested in keeping her children close. Esmeralda is the middle child of five. She has enough children to fuss over.

As she rambles about her family, however, Besnik does make his way into the bar, quietly scanning the room as he does. He spots Meredith at the bar and gives her a smile and a wave, but before he can divert her way, another doctor draws his attention, and he heads over in the direction of the conversation.

Just because Esmeralda's rambling, however, doesn't mean she's a slouch (14).]

You friends with Besnik?

[tequilashots]

( When you don't land in Kansas from another world like Dorothy. )

They would be happier if you worked closer.

( And didn't just Facetime gifts.

It sounds to Meredith like she has a nice big family. And a mother who wants her close, if not under thumb. A mother who cares. Her mother cared, she just had different priorities. She isn't ordinary. Not anymore. She's a girl from another world. A long ways away from the girl in the bar.

She's not looking at Esmerelda while talking to her, it's no wonder she catches
- did he just wave? )

What? ( She looks away and back to her - and her newly poured tequila soda. ) Friends? No. ( Apparently, he does have friends, though. Doctor friends. ) He's just down in the morgue.

[drvalve]

They would. I, on the other hand, would be pulling out my hair.

But they're done talking about her now. Time to talk about Besnik.]

Uh-huh.

[She doesn't know Meredith well enough to insinuate otherwise. So she'll just shrug as she turns to order herself a Tom Collins.]

Maybe you should be. He's a nice guy.

[tequilashots]

You think I need nice friends?

( She does, she has Cristina and Alex. And she's as brutal as them on a good day. They really make a trio. She likes Dr. Valve for Alex, for all the times she hasn't actually spent time with her. Guess there's a first time for everything. )

[drvalve]

I think everybody could use nice friends.

[Friends are important. Friends make the world a little less loopy.]

Especially when we're all far from home.

[She doesn't know how true that is for Meredith, but she knows most of the doctors here are transplants.]

[tequilashots]

( Nicer. )

Well, I will keep that in mind. Anyone else you want to set me up with or just people who work in the morgue?

[drvalve]

Are you looking for someone to set you up?

[Esmeralda raises an eyebrow at her curiously.]

You don't seem like you're a blind date girl.

[tequilashots]

Who said anything about a date?

( They were just talking about friends, weren't they? )

But, you're right, I don't need to be introduced to anybody. I can make my own friends.

( Who aren't Cristina and Alex. )

Did Alex tell you about Chinese?

[drvalve]

He did not, but we've been on opposite shifts.

[Giving him the benefit of the doubt but also that isn't really their relationship. She has a feeling that Karev isn't interested in being anything but a good time right now, and she's interested in that good time. It doesn't have to be more complicated than that]

But I'll keep you updated if that changes.

[Rob wanders over as she says that, leaning over to order himself a beer. "Valverde. Grey."]

[tequilashots]

( Alex feels more than just like Dr. Valve's the good time girl, but it's easier to keep her there. Cristina and Meredith joke - that is basically his girlfriend.

Oh.

He's looking good tonight. )

Besnick. Valverde thinks we should be friends.

[morgueguy]

Does she?

[Rob glances over to the ER doc curiously, but tries not to give much away on his face. Mostly because he doesn't know what to do with Meredith Grey. They slept together. He thought it was pretty good? But then he may have had a feeling too many in her direction and he hasn't heard from her since.

But he's not going to air that out in front of Valverde. She shrugs in turn. "You have similar energy."]

I'll take your highly scientific "energy" reasoning under consideration.

[She rolls her eyes. "I'm going to go check out the food." And with that she heads into the crowd, leaving the two of them at the bar alone.

Rob swallows, then turns back to her.]

I'd be your friend. If you were in the market for one.

[tequilashots]

You want to be my friend?

( It isn't just that she wasn't ready for feelings, though she wasn't, it's also that she was adjusting to living in a different world, a different year, and a different hospital. She didn't plan on sleeping with Besnick. She wasn't even that drunk. She would again, but until she can live up to a feeling, she's keeping her car in park. )

Do you think you could take on Cristina and Alex?

[morgueguy]

Yang, absolutely not. She's terrifying and I do have a sense of self-preservation.

[He would never try to take her place either. He receives his beer and can't help but take another step closer, leaning against the bar next to her.]

I think I could take Karev though. Run him enough in a circle and he'll generally get frustrated and leave you alone.

[tequilashots]

( She laughs behind her glass at that estimation. )

She's not terrifying. ( She is kind of terrifying. ) He's kind of like a dog in that way. ( Oh, he's sidling. Hi. ) Comfortable?

( She doesn't slide away. Or move. )

How has the morgue been?

[morgueguy]

Quiet. Which is good, considering it's the morgue.

[Nothing too complicated, no pile up of accidents with a lot of casualties.

He also won't comment on whether he's comfortable or not, but he does notice that she doesn't move away. For right now, he'll take it.]

How's Neuro?

[tequilashots]

( They both know there are periods where the morgue isn't quiet, depending on who's being given access, but she's not about to put anyone on blast - cough, Winchesters. )

No medical marvels this week, but I'm hoping for a Christmas miracle.

[morgueguy]

[Yep, there is that. Either way, it's a good thing.]

I'll put it on my Christmas list for you.

[Just in case something comes in at the last minute.]

Though it does look as though we're coming down to the wire. Maybe Santa can pull it off.

[tequilashots]

Make a note that I'd like my medical marvel to not be a cadaver.

( As you are in the morgue, Besnik. )

Otherwise, I'll take it in any package. Even if it skips Neuro and ends up in Pedes. I'd even take Cardio if Cristina has the day off.

[morgueguy]

One living medical marvel. You got it.

[He takes a sip of his beer.]

I don't think Higgins is passing out cardio medical marvels to anyone but Cristina. Not if he wants to retire sometime in the next decade or so.

[tequilashots]

( She sips her tequila soda, unable to look away from the offer and the man and his eyes making the offer. )

Well, he has no choice if Cristina's maxed out. Besides, my legacy was never in cardio.

[morgueguy]

I think you underestimate how much he wants to retire.

[Not that he would ever compromise patient care. He's just a tired old man who needs an heir.]

But we'll see. You never know what could walk through the door.

[tequilashots]

No, I think he makes that clear to anyone within earshot.

( And not. It's the worst kept secret in the hospital. Besides Adair and Wellness' affair.

Or, from where. She's not one to live by her pedigree, so even if her mother were someone in this world, she wouldn't advertise her medical inbreeding. Or, royally inbred as Cristina once described her. She feels divorced from all of that and the farthest away from general surgery she's been. She likes the bone-breaking of ortho - especially during the typically difficult therapy sessions, but she continues to gravitate back to neuro.

That her mentor isn't an easy on the eyes divorced man she loves and misses is a very good thing. )

It made it down to the morgue, didn't it? ( She takes a breath, looking away again. ) I haven't seen you around here in a few months. Do you go straight home or did you find somewhere better to go after shift?