Meredith was trying, and failing, to have simultaneous conversations. Since Izzie had left, Alex had been almost unbearable. Sliding from the depths of despair to the absolute heights of rage he had taken to hunting out his fellow residents and moaning to them almost endlessly. This was conversation number one. The second Meredith was engaged in was on the phone to ambulance control who were describing the trauma that was on its way in. It didn't take a genius to figure out which one she was more interested in.
'I'm sorry could you repeat that? No not you Alex, I, no sorry I wasn't being rude I'm just…actually I am quite busy…well yes I realise it is the ER…Alex shut up!!...say that again, no Alex not you!...yes okay. Wait, what?' Meredith was actually listening intently now. 'ALEX!!' Finally Alex was quiet and Meredith turned her full attention to the phone. 'I'm really sorry but I need to hear that again…yes…okay…how serious?...Right and how can you tell?'
'What is it?' Alex whispered. Meredith shot him a look that could have frozen a lake.
'Both of them? Well if they aren't…no I understand…yes, yes we'll be waiting.' Meredith was about to hang up and she turned back to the phone. 'Wait, one more thing, do you know if the stabber was caught?...Thank you.'
Meredith replaced the phone and for a full 10 seconds just stared at the receiver. Then she shook her head. 'Alex?' she wasn't looking at him. 'I need you to think about someone other than yourself.' Alex inhaled as though about to explode on one of his rants about rejection. Meredith's head snapped up and in the second it took Alex to register the tears in her eyes he forgot all about his rant and closed his mouth. 'Can you do that?' Meredith asked. Alex nodded, confusion beginning to crease his brow.
'You wanna tell me what…' he began.
'Page all available surgeons and trauma staff – the good ones. However, do not. I mean it Alex, do not page Lexie' Alex nodded and turned away, 'or Derek,' Meredith said, making him turn back. He nodded and turned away again, 'or Arizona,' Alex turned back and nodded, waiting for the next name. Meredith stared at him for a second. 'That's it.' Alex nodded and opened his mouth to ask again what was going on. 'Go!' she instructed forcefully, 'they're only 5 out.' He nodded and left at a run as Meredith headed to the ambulance bay to wait.
Christina was the first to join Meredith. 'What did you do to make Alex start caring?' she asked as soon as she'd tied up her yellow thing. 'I mean he didn't even mention Izzie. I saw him before he could page me and he was all like. Big trauma. Meredith wants help. 5 out. Very direct. I like new Alex.'
'I don't think it'll last.' Meredith was distracted, her ears straining for the sirens. Bailey came storming through the automatic doors. 'Talk to me Grey.'
'Urm,' Meredith turned her head to face Bailey with apparent difficulty.
'Grey, we don't have all day.'
'Right, sorry, urm double trauma coming in. Two people in a car in town. The car was broken into and the break in guy stabbed them both, don't know why.' Meredith finished uncertainly.
'Well it's a good thing I didn't ask you why then, isn't it?' Bailey said. 'I don't care why. This is a hospital Grey, I want to know about injuries.'
'Yeah, and why didn't you let Alex page Derek, or Arizona or little Grey?' Interrupted Christina.
'You did what?' Bailey rounded on Meredith.
'No it's, it's just that…' Meredith seemed lost for words.
'Spit it out.' Bailey was impatient.
'The EMTs are pretty sure, that the patients, well they seemed to think it was…' the sirens interrupted her as two ambulances rolled into the bay and Hunt and Alex emerged from the ER. Bailey took control. 'Hunt, Karev the first one. Yang, Grey, with me on the second one ok?' They ran into action. Christina caught Meredith's arm as the doors were flung open. 'What were you saying?'
'Oh my God.' Bailey gasped as she saw her patient being pulled out of the Ambulance.
'Guys?' Called Alex as their patient was revealed.
'It's our guys. Callie and Sloan. They're the trauma.' Said Meredith.