⇢ CHAPTER 23 - A.U.

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 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 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, "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--  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--"