⇢ CHAPTER 30

surprise birthday party, to say things had been awkward between Jackson, Cristina, and Holly was to say the least.

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As much as Holly wanted to go back to Ohio to visit her family, the fear of getting fired restrained her from ever booking a flight. So April, wanting to spend time with Holly and her friends, decided to book flights over for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year.

Believing it would be just the two of them, Holly arrived to her apartment and, although she had a somewhat 'fancy' outfit consisting with jeans and a blouse, completed her look with fluffy bear slippers. Holly placed her coat on the rack as she spoke, "This day has There aren't instruments small enough to fix my patient's arteriovenous malformation-- and the only good thing was teasing Mark about having a child." She sighed as she walked up to the kitchen, "So what's-- oh." She saw Charles, Reed, and Jackson all standing by with drinks in their hands, obviously talking with April until Holly came, "Hi."

They nodded their heads at her in greeting as Reed looked down at her shoes, "Nice shoes. Or should I say, slippers."

Holly looked down before smiling at Reed and striking a small pose, "Thanks." Charles, Jackson, and April chuckled lightly as Holly pointed behind her, "I'm gonna go watch a movie, you guys can continue... whatever you were doing."

April, Reed, and Charles resumed their talk as Jackson would put small insights, his eyes continuing to dart between the girl on the couch and his friends, before deciding to walk over and sit next to her, "Hey."

Holly frowned her eyebrows, surprised that someone would join her as she nodded, "Hey..." She paused, "if this is about the thing I see at Arizona's party--"

"It's not." Jackson shook his head as he chuckled, "I-It's not." 

"Oh." Holly nodded, her eyes back on the screen, "...Then why are you here?"

"What?" Jackson remarked, "I can't make friends?"

Holly shrugged, pointing at the people in the kitchen before looking over at Jackson, "It seems like you have plenty already."

Jackson looked back at her with a smile, "You think so?"

✧ ✧

Sitting by the window, Holly watched the snow fall from the skies as she and April waited for Jackson, Charles, and Reed to get to Holly's apartment-- well, Holly was simply waiting on Jackson because they had been kept up with their patients that they hadn't had time to interact. While Holly had no instruments to repair the boy's arteriovenous malformation, Jackson had a patient with no heart.

"I thought you'd be bouncing all over the place with cheer." Jackson joked as he handed her a cup of hot chocolate.

Holly frowned her eyebrows as she grabbed the cup and she looked up at him before he sat down with her, "What?"

"You know," Jackson fought a smile, "'cause you're Holly, jolly for Christmas."

Holly rolled her eyes with a smile as she looked out the window, watching the snow again, "I like watching the snow fall." She looked back at him momentarily as his eyes were on her, "It's calming-- and one of the reasons I like Christmas--" She looked outside, "other than the warmth that comes with the blankets, the songs, and the comfy socks I get from April for Christmas." She looked back at him with an excited smile, "I hope I get socks again this year."

Jackson laughed lightly, "I think you're one of the few people excited to get for Christmas."

"Well," Holly shrugged, "I guess--"

"Hey, Holly!" Charles yelled out from the kitchen, which made the two turn their heads over, "Why's April making a cake for Christmas?"

"Oh." Holly's cheeks reddened as she felt all of their gazes on her since April had left to go to the bathroom, "It's my birthday."

✧ ✧

Exiting the elevator with Charles since Reed had gotten to the apartment before they could, Jackson held the gift bag he had for Holly since he didn't get her a 'birthday' gift. Plus, his heartless patient finally got a heart and her patient got the instruments built in time to fix the arteriovenous malformation.