Hello all readers. :)
This is set directly after Season 8's episode 9 'Dark Was the Night.' This is an alternate ending to the episode, something I believe should have happened and would have made the episode much more powerful. Please, enjoy and let me know what you think. As well, this may end up a more Meredith/Derek centered fic; that's still being tossed around in the depths of my mind.
Warning: Some minor swearing and dark themes.
Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Grey's Anatomy, however much I wished I did.
Prologue
Stars were slowly making themselves visible over the outskirts of Seattle. Dark clouds parted and dissipated into thin wisps, their tendrils blown out of existence by a soft breeze. The lights of the city blinded the inhabitants of the sparling lights suspended overhead, but they twinkled fiercely above the wilderness that surrounded them.
On a desolate patch of highway leading towards the man-made lights, trees spread their branches wide and shifted gently in the gusts that swept through the area once in a while. Moisture clung to their leaves and needles, forming crystal drops that coated every surface; the only remaining evidence of the ferocious storm that had passed. The smell of greenery and foliage rose from the very pores of the earth.
Animals were creeping from their burrows with caution, their instincts telling them that the danger had passed but minds still wary. They picked their way around the fallen limbs of wood, the tossed about dirt and the new surroundings that had appeared during the crash of elements. Deer nosed their way to their trails, delicate hooves re-forming their networks and smaller creatures scuttled this way and that, trying to re-build what they could, already waging a new battle of survival.
Steam rose from the desolate road, twirling through the air like sprites. And mixed with it was the acrid black of smoke.
It poured from the shattered remains of what had once been an ambulance; rising high and mingling with the pinpricks of stars. The roof was completely torn off; the sides shoved outwards like an exploded pop can, jagged edges all that remained. Fire twisted from its body, hungrily devouring the oxygen that had once been inside and all other supplies were not spared. And resting just partially upright stood what had once been an incubator. All that was left of the box was a slowly melting heap of plastic and the charred form of a newborn.
Slightly down the road, a family of three was staring in mute horror at what they had just helped caused. They hadn't seen the bright red box of a vehicle; how could they have? Barreling around that turn had proven too fast for any hope of evasion. The only damage to their car was a large dent in the front. Nothing more.
From afar, the faint sounds of sirens could be heard and the flash of lights was slowly becoming visible through the trees. They raced rapidly to where they knew two of their own waited, desperate in hope that they weren't too late. No one took heed of the noise but a young doe who was just about to cross the wet tar. Upon hearing the wail of sirens, she turned and bolted back the way she came.
Just beyond the curve of the road where the broken ambulance sat, a slight incline ran its way down into a sheltered valley. It was hidden from any observer, trees having nearly enclosed the formation and the branches stretch high above any person who happened to pass by.
Resting motionless on the damp grass, lay two battered figures. At first glance, it would be impossible to detect any hint of life from the two; you could only tell that their hearts were even beating if you had your hand on their chest and you felt with every fiber of your being. They were clad in blue emergency jackets and light colored hospital scrubs, now stained and torn with blood and dirt.
Clutched within the grasp of unconsciousness, they became silent figures lost below the stars. One, a woman with a dash of copper hair, was sprawled on her back almost as if she was lost in peaceful slumber. Her face was serene, the lines of pain and anger and loss faded from her skin. There was no longer any sadness about her, just the simplicity of someone who had had the weight lifted from their shoulders. The other, a man with a rugged complexion, was on his side with his body angled towards the woman. His right arm was outstretched, his fist clenched, almost as if he had been holding her before some monstrous force had torn them apart. His faced was creased in confusion and what appeared to be the residual effects of worry. But as time passed, these lines faded as well.
Water soaked them, cooled their bodies until they were icy and still, and there was no movement.