"So the surgeons at Seattle Pres left a length of cystic duct inside of you when they operated," Charlotte informed Louise.

Meredith, Charlotte and Bailey had done an exploratory surgery and discovered the stones.

"That's what's causing your problems," Meredith added.

"So we're gonna get that out. Do you have any questions?" Charlotte asked softly.

"I saw a ring," Louise said, Charlotte tensing up a tiny bit, sending a look at Meredith, who just chuckled.

"Huh?" Charlotte said with fake confusion.

She'd have to play this out herself, then.

"On Callie's finger when we ran into her earlier," The woman recalled. "Did she get remarried?"

"She did," Charlotte nodded, grinning. "A few months ago, actually."

"Aw, oh, good," Mrs. O'malley smiled back. "Do you think— is she happy? Oh, I hope she's happy."

"She seems happy," Charlotte tried to get the conversation over with—not wanting discuss that it was with a woman. "Do you have any questions about your surgery?"

"I raised a bunch of boys," Louise smiled again. One of Charlotte's favorite things was that she was almost always smiling. "It was nice to finally have a daughter. I miss her, all of you, really," She looked at Meredith. "George's friends. Oh, you both were so important to him, to me. Well, you two are doing exactly what George would be doing— being in charge. Oh, you'll both be doing my surgery, won't you? All by yourselves."

"If you're uncomfortable, we—" Meredith spoke for Charlotte. The brunette unsure about using her voice.

"Oh, no. no, don't be silly. George said you two were the best," Louise's eyebrows drew together, grabbing Meredith's hand.

"I'm comfortable," Meredith looked at Charlotte.

"I am absolutely comfortable," Charlotte breathed out.

"I'm more than comfortable. I'm— I'm ready, Let's— let's do this. Let's cut me open," The woman joked, squeezing the dirty blondes hand.

"I'm gonna need the hand back for the surgery," Meredith told her.

"Oh, yeah," Louise let go, apologizing as she did so.

Meredith walks out of the room first and Charlotte follows the woman as she walks towards the nurses station with Louise's chart.

"Is it bad that I'm nervous?" Charlotte asked—she was usually always nervous but she was more nervous this time, the patient being her best friends mother.

"Of course not, how do you think I feel?" Meredith's head drew back for a second with wide eyes before she looked back down at the chart.

"Yeah," Charlotte chuckled sarcastically.

"Have you talked to April?" Meredith asked without looking up.

Charlotte paused, "Uh, oh, no."

"Hm," Meredith hummed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Charlottes forehead creased.

"Well, come on, Charlotte. She likes you."

"And I'm walking away," Charlotte pressed her lips together.

❄️

"Hey, what did you find?" Callie asked worriedly.

"Oh," Charlotte noticed her best friend as she headed towards her surgery where Meredith was waiting for her. "There were retained stones blocking her cystic duct remnant."

"Oh, okay," Callie sighed with relief. "Well, that's not super serious. She should be okay, right?"

"Yeah, she'll be fine," The pair stopped in front of the O.R. board.

"Okay, good, thanks," Callie let herself relax, turning the other way.

"Yeah," Charlotte looked at her friend, passing her as she leaves to go to the O.R. "Uh, oh, and she knows your married."

"What?" Callie abruptly turned around. "How— how did she find—"

"She saw your ring this morning," Charlotte shrugged. "She asked me, and all I said was that you were happy."

"It's not your place to say anything," Callie harshly responded.

"She's going into surgery, and she's scared," The resident frowned, chuckling awkwardly. "and she's alone, and she misses you. I know it's complicated, but I don't think it's such a bad idea for you to be there to hold her hand when she wakes up."

Charlotte tilts her head, beginning to walk off again.

"Well, since your giving me advice—"

"Not advice," Charlotte points.

"—why don't you apologize to April. She's more annoying than usual," Callie walked away this time, Charlotte standing in the middle of the hallway with her mouth open in surprise.

❄️

After the surgery, Charlotte was very tired. Not just physically tired, but mentally too. The amount of times she'd ran into April today.. she'd lost count.

She knew she should apologize, since she had no right to yell at her.

Once she was done she decided to head over to the bar, hoping at least one other person that she could tolerate was there—

"Sorry, I— oh," Charlotte crouched to the floor, grabbing her bag from the ground, the redhead she attempted to avoid, also grabbing the bag.

"Here," April let go of the bag.

"Thanks," Charlotte turned her head awkwardly.

"Well, I have somewhere to be. You know, chief resident and all," April waved, taking a step back and beginning to walk towards her destination when Charlotte called for her.

"Hey, April, wait up," April stopped, like she was waiting for the brunette resident to call for her. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry."

"I know," A corner of her mouth tilts up in a sympathetic smile, but it doesn't reach her eyes. "But I don't think I can forgive you."

Charlotte bit her lip, she nodded.

"Okay," Charlottes voice came out in a whisper. "Can we talk somewhere else?"

"I'm not sure why your so upset. You are the one who yelled at me. I'm sorry I'm so stressed I haven't picked a specialty yet.. but I am chief resident. I may not be very good one, but at least I'm trying," April's eyebrows drew together in confusion.

"I am trying. I've told you things most people don't know—"

"What did you mean when you said you stopped sleeping around for me?" April gripped her clipboard. "That's what I thought."

April nodded and left for good this time, and Charlotte inhales a shaky breath.

Charlotte walks outside of the hospital, her phone in her hand, she's about to cross the street when Arizona stops her.

"You know one of these times your going to get hit, right?" Arizona's head was resting on her fist. She sat on the bench outside the hospital, enjoying the cool air.

"I can only hope," Charlotte walked towards the blonde and sat beside her.

"Okay, what's wrong?" Arizona asked her—in some ways she knew Charlotte better than Callie did.

"Just.." The doctor lays her head on the blonde pediatric surgeons shoulder. "I'm so tired. Not just physically but, mentally too. Everyone keeps asking about April, and.."

"Ignore them," Arizona puts her arm around the woman.

"I'm trying," Charlotte insisted quietly. "I just ran into her in there and it definitely wasn't how I wanted to end my night."

"Well what did you do?" Arizona smiled a soft smile.

"I tried apologizing, and let's just say it didn't go very well."

"If it makes you feel better, I might be here all night. And I need someone to go to Bentley Hospital because there's a baby that might have a tracheoesophageal fistula," Arizona ranted.

"I can go," Charlotte sat up.

"What? No! I'll have Meredith or Alex go," Arizona shook her head.

"How about Alex and I both go?" Charlotte inhaled sharply. "It's not like I could be doing anything better at home. And if I do leave I'll just go to the bar."

"Okay."

i did have a very different
ending, but my dear friend
naki reminded me it was
in fact christmas eve.. so i
changed the ending a bit.