AN: Hey everyone. Like the other 17.5 million people in North America I was watching Grey's on Thursday night and all I can say is OMG! I love George waaaay too much and I'll actually cry if he dies next season. Anyway after the finale I was left wondering about that Amanda chick who was convinced George was her soul mate so I thought about the circumstances surrounding her "meeting" her prince charming. Ah, also just a note, Izzie remembers seeing George in the Elevator of death. So just keep that in mind. AS always, Read and Review ^_^
Disclaimer: None of this is mine it belongs to the talented, yet slightly evil Shonda Rhimes
Price Charming
When Meredith grey pushed through the double doors of the scrub room into the unnervingly silent hallway, she had only one though on her mind, How did this happen? Meredith had known, known more than anyone else her age ever should know, about death. She'd been prepared for it all her life, her mother, her dog, her roommate, but never her George. And so for the first time in her life, Meredith Grey thanked God for not taking her George. She heaved a heavy sigh of relief before collapsing against the wall. Her head fell into her hands and she let herself catch her breath.
George wasn't dead yet, but what the hell did that mean. She was a doctor; she knew the likelihood of him lasting more than a few hours would be by all accounts a miracle. Her friend would probably be gone before tomorrow morning. Meredith felt her eyes begin to sting, but she didn't cry. She didn't cry because she was Meredith Grey and she'd just gotten married today, and Izzie hadn't died in brain surgery and because if she cried then that meant it was all real. So she didn't cry, she simply closed her eyes and breathed.
"Crap" She said suddenly as a thought flew into her brain. "Cristina!"
Meredith mentally slapped herself. Cristina didn't know, and Izzie, Alex…Lexie didn't know. 'Damn it' she thought to herself. As soon as the thoughts entered her head she shot up like a rocket and began sprinting down the hallways in search of Cristina and the others.
She felt her heart race as she weaved around nurses and wheelchairs and ignored the occasional "Slow down" or "Dr. Grey?!" shouted at her in an effort to avoid a collision.
She rounded the corner that separated OR's from the waiting area and stopped short at the nurses' station. "Where's Dr. Yang!" She said, forcing the words out between gasps for air.
"Umm" The frightened nurse bumbled, trying to figure out what Meredith had said, "Dr. Yang?" She repeated for clarity.
Meredith nodded exasperated.
"Ok" The nurse said politely, "let me check" she typed the name into her computer and waited for the information to load.
Meredith drummed her fingers impatiently.
"Dr. Yang? She's been with Izzie Stevens all day" A familiar voice answered.
Meredith looked up to see Olivia Harper, the only nurse she actually knew smiling back at her. "What's the rush Dr. Grey?" She said cheerily, "How was surgery? The John Doe who was hit by a bus right? Gosh, if I find a guy like that-"
"It's George" She whispered.
"Excuse me?" Olivia asked, leaning in.
"John doe…is George"
Meredith didn't stay to see her reaction, she called a simply thanks over her shoulder and speed off once again. However, she had only gotten a few steps farther before being intercepted.
"Dr. Grey. How is he?"
Meredith found in front of her the last person she wanted to see:
Amanda
The girl George had saved, the reason why he was fighting for his life instead of with his family, the person who wouldn't even give him a second glance on the street corner, Meredith couldn't help but look at her with disgust.
"Please, Dr. Grey did the surgery go alright? Is he ok? I need to know, he's…" Amanda broke off, a small sad smile she had no right to be giving spread across her tear stained face, "He's my prince"
"No" Meredith said angrily, "He's" She felt her words catch in her through and her eyes stinging, "He is not your prince"
Meredith moved past Amanda and ran off towards the staircase leaving Amanda with fresh tears running down her cheeks.
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When Meredith finally reached Izzie's room she saw a small crew of nurses pushing a crash cart out the door.
"Wha-What the hell is all this? What's going on?!" Meredith asked, fear and aggravation evident in her voice. Had Izzie…no, Izzie couldn't, not now, not when things were looking up well maybe not looking up, she had the memory of a teaspoon but still…she couldn't die. Izzie was a fighter, she couldn't…Meredith couldn't even bring herself to say it anymore.
"Meredith?" Cristina's voice brought Meredith back to reality, "What are you doing here, aren't you getting married?"
Married? The thought had almost left her mind until Cristina reminded her, "We already did" she said absently, "What's going on? Is Izzie-"
"It's ok, she's stable" Cristina responded quickly, gesturing to room "Her potassium level was high, 6.3 she flat lined, but we got her back and her memory seems alright. Alex is with her now"
Meredith nodded and allowed herself another sigh of relief. She tiptoed to the door to see Alex holding Izzie's hand as she smiled weakly at him, a far off look in her eyes.
"Hey, have you heard anything about that John Doe?" Cristina began. She looked excited, a look Meredith knew well, it was her 'god-i-wish-i-coulda-cut-into-that-guy' look. Meredith could feel her panic return "I heard they had to do a-"
"George" She said downcast.
"What, is it 6 already?" Cristina said casually, turning to go back into Izzie's room to check the time.
"No, Cristina!" Meredith grabbed her hand and pulled her back, "John Doe is George"
Cristina cocked an eyebrow and gave her a confused half-smile, "What?"
"John Doe is George"
Meredith could see the words start to sink in as Cristina's smile fell and worry set in her face, "Wha…George?"
Meredith nodded, still clinging desperately to Cristina's hand, "George. John Doe is George" She repeated almost to herself.
"How do you…Are you sure?" Cristina asked almost hesitantly.
Meredith nodded. Cristina literally felt her jaw drop; mouth agape at a loss of what to say.
As the two women looked at each other, dumbstruck from each other's news Alex poked his head out the open doorway, "Guys. Shut the hell up! Izzie just fell asleep and you're bein' louder than the freakin'-"
"Alex" Cristina said quietly.
"No, what the hell is with you chicks! Izzie's in there fighting her ass off-"
"Alex" Cristina interrupted again.
"What is so freakin' important that you two need a damn powwow in the hallway to-"
"Alex!"
"What?!" He yelled.
"It's George" Cristina whispered.
"George is John Doe" Meredith finished.
"John Doe?" Alex's voice lowered as he came out into the hallway and closed the door behind him, "The guy who got dragged by the bus…that's George?"
"Yeah" Meredith said.
Alex's head lowered for a moment before he slammed his fist into the wall. "Damn it" he said, "What am I supposed to tell Izzie?"
"Don't tell her" Cristina spat out hurriedly.
"Just, wait until she's…just wait until tomorrow. We'll figure something out then" Meredith voiced tiredly.
Alex nodded, "Is he ok?"
"huh?" Meredith asked.
"O'Malley…'s he ok?"
"He's stable for now"
Alex nodded again sensing not to press the matter. The three stood in silence with their backs against the wall equal looks of devastation and fear plastered to their features, until Alex broke the silence.
"I'm uh gonna" He gestured to the door, "Get back, to Izzie" And quickly he slipped through the door and took his seat beside his wife and squeezed her hand.
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Alex was practically asleep face down in the scratchy hospital blanket when he felt a cold and delicate hand run soothingly through his hair.
"Hey" He said as he raised his head.
"Hey" Izzie replied softly, tears forming in her eyes and an angelically sad smile on her lips.
"Iz, What's wrong?" He asked gently reaching a hand up to caress her cheek.
"Nothing" she answered quickly, too quickly. "Nothing's wrong I'm good, I'm," She widened her sad smile, "great"
"Ok" Alex said, unconvinced, brushing a tear away from her face.
"So uh, George" She started.
For a second Alex froze as Izzie said his name.
"Did you have the intervention? George" Izzie inhaled deeply, "George joined army"
"Intervention?" Alex had forgotten all about it, "Wait, how did you, did you remember?" He asked, a kind of tempered joy began to run though him.
Izzie shook her head and raised an arm to point to the green note card stating "O'Malley joined the army"
"Oh" Alex said slightly downcast.
"Is um, this'll sound kinda" Izzie struggled to find words, "do you think, is George still here? In the hospital, Is he here?"
Alex felt guilt consume him as he lied, "No, Iz, he ah…he went home"
"Oh, ok" Izzie whispered with fresh tears threatening to spill.
"You can see him tomorrow" Alex added, trying desperately to help.
"Ok" She said, her voice shaking.
And suddenly she collapsed into Alex's arms and he held her tightly as she cried and cried into his chest. She knew he was lying.
"Iz, I'm so sorry" He whispered to her.
Her arms wrapped around his torso as she pulled him closer. He lifted her gently and sat with her on the small hospital bed and soon the tears subsided and she fell asleep in the arms of her husband.
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After telling Marc and comforting a slightly hysterical Lexie for half an hour Meredith found herself walking down the familiar path to the ICU. That's where George should've been by now. As she approached his room, she saw through the large class windows Amanda sitting beside her George, holding his hand. Meredith couldn't help but feel the anger swell within her once again.
"Meredith" Derek's gentle voice reached her ears as his arms wrapped around her shoulders. She spun to face him, the anger still bottled within.
"What the hell" She said, "What the hell. George is our friend, and he could die. He could really die and it's not fair. And I know it's not fair and life's not fair but he's our friend. He's George, I picked a dog over him, and I made him buy tampons and eat Izzie's Denny mourning muffins and it's George. And she…she just…It's…Its George"
"Shhh, Shh, I know" Derek said calmly as he pulled her close into a hug, "I know"
"I don't know what to do" Meredith whispered.
"Tell her" He whispered back.
Meredith looked up at him with glassy eyes and confusion on her face.
"Tell her who he is, tell her he's a doctor, tell her how good a friend he is, tell her who George O'Malley is"
Meredith's lifted herself onto her toes and gave him a soft kiss before she gently pulled away, "I'll be right here" He said reassuringly.
With that, Meredith walked slowly to the doorway. It took all of her strength to walk through the door and look at George's face. A face she barley recognized anymore.
"Dr. Grey" Amanda almost leapt up in surprise as she noticed the other woman, "I'm sorry. I know I'm not supposed to be here right now…I followed him out of recovery. I thought, because no one knows who he is, I just thought he might want someone to, you know, hold his hand"
Meredith tried her best to smile, "It's ok. I'm sure he'd appreciate that"
Amanda smiled, "I can't help but wonder who he is. I was thinking, about his name, what if he doesn't remember it?"
Meredith took a deep breath, "Than you'll have to remember it for him"
Amanda's eyes filled with confusion.
"His name is George O'Malley. Dr. George O'Malley, he's a surgeon. He has two brother's Ronnie and…and…something. He was born and raised in Seattle. His dad died last year of cancer. He enlisted in the Army yesterday, as a trauma surgeon to save lives. And he pushed a complete stranger out of the way of a speeding bus, because he's George O'Malley. And he, is a hero…and he is Prince Charming"
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AN: well that's it thanks for reading and please review. Thankies once again.