THIS MAGIC MOMENT
8x11

"Practice, practice, practice," Owen walked in front of the group of surgeons. "Until it is perfect, people."

Charlotte presses her lips together, looking up at April who was in the gallery. The redhead was watching nervously even though they were only practicing.

Charlotte could tell she was anxious and sent the girl two thumbs up. Which didn't go unnoticed by Callie—who stood beside her.

"Stop," Callie scolded quietly. "You're loosing your fire."

Charlotte gave Callie the death stare, "If we were in different conditions, I'd flip you off."

"There she is."

"This is a long, complex procedure, with many parts," Owen continued. "Therefore many opportunities for error. So we're gonna go over this again. Team leaders, let's get in place."

"Alright, green team over here, please," Derek announced.

Charlotte still stares at Callie, "I am not losing my fire."

Callie tilts her head while she inhales a breath, "You are."

Both brunettes join their team—green.

"Let's go, red," Arizona spoke for the red team.

"We've offered this family every pro bono dollar, every surgical hand, every resource this hospital has," Owen reminded. "So I'm asking you for every resource that you have. Be sharp, be present, be focused. Dr. Robbins has been caring for these children since the day they were born. They will each get a new life today. Our actions will decide what kind of live that will be."

Dr. Hunt reveals the dolls, the matching headbands everyone was forced to wear over their scrub caps.

"Let's begin."

❄️

"Flaps are inset and viable," Mark stated.

"We are looking at at least eighteen hours, so come and go if you need to, hydrate, eat, but be here at least thirty minutes before you procedures," Owen nods.

"Aright, next up, general surgery," Arizona stepped up. "We need to establish each baby's blood supply to the shared colon."

"Then we separate the colon, making the first incision—"

Arizona cuts the resident off, "I will make the first incision. We'll separate the colon."

"Okay, now I'm checking the displaced kidneys," The man thought aloud.

"To make sure they're intact and functioning," Arizona corrected.

"Uh, that's implied."

"I don't care," Arizona looked up. "Say it."

"Checking the kidneys to make sure they're intact and functioning," The resident repeated, slightly scared of the blonde.

Charlotte sighs, cracking her knuckles nervously.

"If you look up there one more time—"

Charlottes eyes flick to look at the redhead who is biting her lip.

"She should be down here," Charlotte shook her head.

"Yes, she should," Callie agreed. "But that isn't your fault."

"I know but," Charlotte scoffed. "It feels like it."

"She didn't a pick a specialty," Callie whispered to the brunette. "Not to mention she's chief resident."

"Yeah, I know," Charlotte's eyes move to the blonde pediatric surgeon who was still scolding the resident.

"So don't feel bad," Callie lifted her brows.

"I don't," Charlotte nodded.

❄️

"Okay, I— can we start over?" Arizona raises her hand, as her and her group just failed miserably at flipping the babies.

"No, there's no time," Owen insisted. "Let's just finish this practice and try the flip again. Next."

"Nuero," Derek waved.

"Ortho," Callie jerks her head, mostly for Charlotte, who was waiting and watching for April to come back.

"Okay, we will access and separate the conjoined spinal canal," Derek nods.

"Separate the bony elements of the spine," Callie said as the brunette resident appears beside her.

"Well, that was a train wreck," Meredith said, Charlotte looking back and nodding with confirmation. "You nearly killed both dolls."

"Look, I have it," Alex squints at Meredith and then Charlotte. "I know it. If only freakin' Robbins would trust me to do it."

"Doll killer," Charlotte whispered.

"Meredith Grey," Bailey peeked into the O.R., Charlottes head jerking back to Callie and Derek. "Okay, come with me. O.R. two. Right away."

❄️

The hospital had continued their practices to separate a set of twins. Although, sometime in the day they had decided they were ready.

Charlotte helped earlier in the day but now she was sitting in the gallery with her fellow residents,
amongst other anxious doctors.

"Excuse me," Meredith politely smiled as she made her way into the gallery. "Excuse me. Excuse me."

Charlotte sat beside April, her head moved off April's shoulder as Meredith came into view—Alex and Jackson to her right.

"Okay," Meredith paused in front of the five residents. "Look at this face. Seriously, look at this face."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, super cute," Cristina shrugged her off, her eyes glued to the surgery. "They're in the spinal cord now."

"Bailey spent the last two hours telling me how crappy my life is, but look at this face," Meredith pointed, the two woman that sat together laughed. "Oh, Zola, look. There's your daddy. He's about to repair a myelomeningocele. Can you say myelomeningocele?"

"What an ass," Alex said with a full mouth.

"Hey, language," April leans over Charlotte as the brunette hit the man on his arm.

"There's a baby here," Charlotte scolded.

"He pretends he's all gentle and sad with the alzie wife at home, dispensing zen wisdom from his half century of being a surgeon," Alex shook his head, everyone looking at him as he criticized Webber. "Well, guess what? Yoda down there— biggest shark of 'em all. The guy is dangerous and mean."

"I think what Teddy's doing is mean," April leans forward to talk to Cristina.

"It's fine," Cristina turned her head.

"No, it's horrible," April say back. "It's— it's horrible and—"

"You know what else is horrible?" Jackson bit into his apple slice. "Having a dead husband."

"No, you know what? You don't know, okay? It's not right," April shook her head. "Teddy's O.R., its like.. it's like a morgue."

"Well, Altman's husband died on Yang's table," Alex reminded the redhead. "Paybacks a bitch."

"Oh, will you just shut up?" Cristina snapped, looking back at the four residents. "Charlotte, get a hold of your girlfriend," Cristina sighed and looked back at the very interesting surgery. "It's fine. I can handle it."

Charlotte shrugs off the girlfriend comment and offers April a pretzel from the tiny bag.

She takes one, smiling, "Thank you."

"Well, it has been two weeks of this. It must be getting to you," Meredith added.

Cristina exhales, "No more than it did yesterday or the day before that or the day before that. It's fine. I'm.. I can handle it," Cristina turns at looks at the brunette who was still sharing her food. "Aren't you supposed to be down there?"

"They don't need me yet," Charlotte said.

"Then you should be napping, right?" April asked with concerned eyes, her hand landing on Charlottes shoulder.

"I'm good," Charlotte gently patted April on her elbow.

Cristina turns back to the surgery for the last time, her and Meredith both waiting until they were sure Charlotte and April weren't looking in their direction anymore, to share a knowing look.

okay so i did mention
a roses chapter, and it
will (hopefully) be out
this weekend—maybe
tomorrow. i've written
a little bit.

and ik what ur thinking
naki, i'm NOT pushing
myself too hard.