⇢ CHAPTER 27

eyebrows as she saw the new residents around the lounge with orange scrubs-- in those new residents, she only knew of four. Her sister, the pixie, the one that tried to hit on her, and the guy she didn't know much about.

"It's like an orange infestation." Holly whispered over to Ryan and Steve.

Ryan shrugged, "I don't have a problem with it as long as they don't go around stealing my surgeries."

Steve and Holly squinted at him as Steve remarked, "What do you think it means?" He waved around, "More people equals more competition-- and a third of our class has already been fired. We're no better than interns."

Holly sighed, tying her shoes, "Well, we just have to show them that we're better"

"You can't put that in there." Izzie warned Reed, who was beginning to place her stuff inside George's cubby. The warning made Holly's head perk up as Steve and Ryan looked at each other in worry of what their friend would do.

"Oh," Reed shrugged, "they told us to grab a cubby."

"Yeah, I know." Izzie sighed heavily as Holly walked over, ignoring Steve and Ryan's comments to come back-- which sparked the interest of Jackson and Charles as they looked over at the redhead, "It's just... we keep it empty for a reason."

"Apes," Holly nudged her sister, whispering, "tell your friend to find another cubby, please."

"They said choose a cubby." Reed spoke before April could intervene, "I chose one."

"We keep it empty for a reason." Izzie repeated, "Can you, please, take your stuff out?"

"Plus," Holly added with a warm smile, "there are some empty ones over there you could use."

Reed looked over to where Holly pointed before shaking her head, "I don't think so."

"See," Holly began as Reed turned around to put more of her things in, scrunching up her nose lightly for a second, "we're asking nicely here." Holly pleaded, "So, can you please put your things in another cubby?"

Ignoring Holly, Reed continued to place her things and Izzie scoffed, "She said take it out."

"Great." Reed rolled her eyes as she looked at April, who was conflicted in what to do, "I got the crazy one next to me."

"Oh," Izzie stood up from her seated spot at the bench, lightly pushing Holly to the side so she could get in Reed's face, "you want to fight? 'Cause I will."

"Izzie." Alex warned, walking inside the lounge to make his way to her, "Iz."

"I will fight you." Izzie looked down at Reed, "You're pretty tiny." 

"Come on." Alex interrupted, wrapping his hands around Izzie's arms to pull her back, "Come on."

"I could take you down in just a couple of seconds." Izzie threatened.

"Come on." Alex pulled her away.

Struggling in his arms, Izzie fought Alex, "Stop."

Holly sighed, watching Alex drag Izzie away as Reed crossed her arms in front of her chest and chuckled at Holly, "Are you gonna keep asking without your body guard?"

"Mm." Holly smiled tightly, walking forward to get in front of Reed as the Mercy Westers felt confident-- having won the first 'altercation' since the merger, "I was asking you to take your things out-- politely, I might add, from my dead boyfriend's locker. But sure," Reed's face fell and the Mercy Wester's mood changed from proud to shame as the Seattle Grace people glared at Reed and the others, "keep putting your stuff in." Beginning to walk away, Holly called out from her shoulder without turning back, "Show's over."

✧

While Holly wanted to stand next to Lexie by the window in Meredith's room to stare at the Mercy Westers, she opted to staying in the back with Steve.

"They're locusts--" Meredith began, "comfortable locusts, feeding on our surgeries."

Holly let out a sigh as she leaned against the wall and Izzie spoke, "It's rude. There should be at least a couple of days where they act like guests before they put their feet up on the coffee table." She turned her head back at Holly, "How'd you know one of the girls by the cubbies?"

"Oh." Holly nodded, looking out of window from her spot to see the people in orange scrubs, "She's my sister."

"What?" The rest chorused, turning their heads to look at the girl and Holly felt their gaze on her.

"...I'm not a traitor." Holly reminded, bringing her hands up in surrender, "I'm still one of you."

"Blood is thicker than water." Alex remarked and Holly rolled her eyes.

"They took George's locker." Holly shook her head, "I'm not gonna stand with the invaders."

"Good." Meredith added with a nod.

"And what's with the orange scrubs?" Lexie asked, frowning her eyebrows, "What, ours aren't good enough for 'em?"

"We ran out." Meredith answered, "They're on back order. Randall from the supply company says there'll be here in a week." They all stared at her in confusion, "That's what you learn when you lie here all day."

"Why bother ordering new ones?" Ryan reasoned, "We could just give these to our replacements."

Cristina snapped her fingers at Graciella, who was sitting on the chair in the corner, to get up and Graciella quickly moved out so Cristina could sit as Alex shook his head at Ryan, "We're not gonna be replaced by anybody."

Steve looked at the group, "If I have to become a coroner..."

"No one is becoming a coroner." Meredith looked at Cristina, "Cristina, tell him."

"I think Derm might be better than being a coroner." Holly shrugged, "We'd work around living people."

"Cristina." Meredith urged again.

"What?" Cristina sighed, "They're here. It's over."

"Hey." Meredith began her speech, "We are not some stupid hosts. They can't invade us. They can't attack themselves to our faces and then while we're eating spaghetti, explode out of our chests and skitter across the floor. This is our ship. This is ."

"Excuse me." Lexie voiced, "Are you-- are you quoting a Sigourney weaver movie?"

"Shut up."

Izzie laughed, "That's what happens when you live here. You watch of TV."