Hi everyone! I just finished season 12 of Grey's and I love Amelia and Owen so this is going to be a story, Amelia-centric, but also about their relationship.
Just for context, this happens sometime in season 11. Derek is not dead, but the plane crash already happened and Maggie and Riggs are there too.
Thanks for reading!
"Damn it! Damn it! She's crashing." Amelia said out loud, holding her patient's head steady as numerous other doctors worked on the wounds in her abdomen. Even the slightest of movements to her neck or head could, and most likely would, leave the patient paralyzed from the neck down. So, concentrating and watching the other doctors, Amelia calmly held her patient's head in place.
"We're losing her." Grey said from a few feet away as she worked to stop some of the abdominal bleeding.
Next to her, Pierce lifted up the paddles and the high pitched charging noise filled the room, "Clear." She said loudly before pressing the paddles to the patient's chest.
The small, 15 year old girl, strained upwards with the shock.
Amelia, who had been forced to let go during the shock, watched in horror as the patient's neck twisted ever so slightly. "Crap." She said quietly to herself as she moved over to check the patient's hands and feet for reflexes and movement.
Before she could, however, she heard her name. "Dr. Shepherd!"
Amelia turned towards Pierce, who was holding the paddles over the patients again. She nodded down to Amelia's hand which was on the patient, "I said clear." She repeated and Amelia backed away.
The machines behind Pierce displayed a clear flat-line as all the doctors in the room listened to the long, obnoxious and very familiar tone of the machine.
Pierce shocked again and then again a third time, until finally, quietly, she said: "Call it."
Amelia glanced at Grey, who looked much too tired and much to frustrated to make the call so she looked up at the clock, "Time of death…7:16." She peeled off her gloves and gown and then exited the room, not looking back.
She'd always been a runner.
After losing a patient, after knowing they were gone, her first instinct was to get out of there. She would walk away, get as far away as she could because if she stayed, if she watched the white sheet cover the patient's face, if she felt the coldness of their skin, she'd be reminded of all the other times she'd felt that cold before.
Her father, one of her friends, the first man she'd ever loved…
She couldn't afford to feel that. She didn't have time to.
So she was a runner.
And as she was making her run for it out of the ER, turning quickly around a corner, she ran right into someone. Looking up as she mumbled an incoherent apology, she found herself staring into deep blue eyes she recognized, "Owen." She said, slightly relieved.
"In a hurry?" He seemed amused.
Amelia wasn't in the mood. She offered a slight smile, "Yea, sorry again." She mumbled, "I have to go, I have a consult."
Owen read her expression and her body language so he didn't push, "Wanna get lunch later?" He asked as she moved past him.
Amelia turned back towards him and smiled again, this one just as half-hearted as the one before, "Yea, sure." She said before turning again and continuing to rush down the hall.
When she got upstairs for her consult, she was glad to find Edwards waiting for her outside the room with two interns, all the information ready and all the scans and lab work done. Looking over the data, she entered the patient's room, the 15 year old from the ER still on her mind, but quickly fading.
"Well hey there Charlie, how are you feeling?" She asked, looking at the smiling 24 year old sitting in front of her.
His smile only grew when Amelia entered the room, "Feeling so much better now that you're here, Dr. Shepherd." He said brightly.
Amelia smiled and pulled out her light, checking his pupils.
Behind her Edwards, began to recite information, "Charlie Willis, 24, survivor of liver cancer that he developed when he was 16 and of an acute melanoma when he was 20, has now developed, as other surgeons have called it, an inoperable brain tumor in his frontal lobe."
"Yep, but third time's the charm, right Dr. Shepherd?"
Amelia, who had finished her brief neural exam, nodded and smiled, "Right you are, Charlie. Today's the day we've been waiting for." She glanced backwards at Edwards.
"This afternoon, Charlie is scheduled for an operation to remove the tumor in its entirety." Edwards grinning proudly, glancing back at the interns, who glowed with disbelief and admiration.
Charlie smirked and nodded, "Because Dr. Shepherd is a total badass." He looked at her. "I can't believe today is the day…"
"Nervous?" Amelia asked him as she scrolled through his chart on the tablet.
Charlie gave a small shrug, "Nervous, excited, terrified." He looked up at her, "But I trust you and all of your…" He looked at all the interns and residents, "minions. I trust all of you and I know that this is my only chance to be able to see my daughter have her first birthday so..."
Amelia gave a nod, "Not just her first birthday, Charlie. You'll be there for her first day of school, you'll hold her hand when the dentist pulls a tooth out, you'll take pictures of her on her prom day, walk her down the aisle and be there every time she falls and bumps her head…" She smiled softly down at him, "But any time that happens, you better bring that beautiful little girl straight to me, alright?"
"Deal." Charlie said, laughing lightly.
Amelia didn't even realize she was holding his hand when she turned to leave. He gripped it tighter when she headed for the door.
"I want to hear the risks again." Charlie said suddenly.
Amelia nodded apprehensively, hoping he wasn't going to change his mind now, "Um, sure of course." She glanced at Edwards, "There's a chance of paralysis, you could wake up blind, you could wake up deaf, you could wake up with memory issues and of course, you could have detrimental brain damage leaving you brain dead or causing your heart to stop altogether."
Charlie took in a deep breath, "Okay, now the benefits."
Amelia nodded slowly, "Your cancer is terminal, Charlie. Without this surgery you will die. Maybe your daughter would not become an orphan today, but in a few years she would. Why should you settle for a definite death sentence when you have a chance with this surgery? Like you said, this surgery gives you a chance at a full, cancer-free life to enjoy with your wife and child without death looming over your shoulder every second." She gripped his hand tighter, "You have a right to be terrified. I know this is really scary for you, but I am good at what I do. I'm here with you, Charlie. We are a team and that means we have to work together to cross the finish line, alright?" She smiled, "Are you in?"
Charlie gulped and then nodded quickly, "Yes, yes…I'm in." He squeezed her hand one more time and then pulled away, "I'll see you in a few hours, Dr. Shepherd."
Amelia turned and walked towards the door again, "Get some rest. We have a game to win." She said over her shoulder as she exited.
The interns behind her watched in awe as she glowed with confidence, walking quickly down the hall, Edwards in tow, discussing surgical plans and techniques that they read about in medical school and dreamed about performing. Listening to her talk, they tried to scribble down every single word, absorb every bit of knowledge and wisdom they could from this Dr. Shepherd.
"Can you believe it? Two neurosurgeons in the family and both of them happen to be surgical gods." One of the interns muttered.
A second intern smirked, "Yea, I'd kill to get in on this surgery."
Amelia stopped abruptly, "Where's my pen?"
The second intern looked down on the ground, "Right here, Dr. Shepherd." He picked it up and handed it to her.
Amelia smiled, "Thank you, Parks. Why don't you scrub in this afternoon?"
The first intern looked at the pen, "What?!"
"I'm kidding Harrelson, but not about this: I have an aneurism to clip in an hour and you're both scrubbing in. Study up and meet me in the OR."
They both stared at her in shock.
"Go!" Amelia said a bit more firmly.
The two interns scattered, brimming with excitement and anticipation.
"Ahh, remember when you used to get excited for aneurisms?" Amelia asked as she and Edwards walked down the hall side by side.
Edwards shook her head as she scrolled through charts, "Nope."
"And when you and all your little intern friends used to fight over these scrap surgeries that no one else wanted to do, but that you thought the world of. Ahhh interns…I love their innocence and their sense of…cut throat competition. It's inspiring." Amelia mused as they made their way to another patient's room.
Edwards nodded, "You're very strange."
Amelia shook her head and went on with her thought, "You would have killed your best friend to get into a brain surgery and now, none of the residents are fighting to learn neuro…" She shook her head.
"I'm still here." Edwards protested. "I'm your prodigy."
Amelia shrugged, "I liked you better when you were an intern." She joked lightly as they entered the next patients' room.
An hour later, Amelia operated with the two interns on the aneurism. She noticed one had very steady, very precise hands and she made a mental note to ask for that intern on her service again.
As they closed, the one with steady hands made conversation, "Are you nervous for the surgery this afternoon, Dr. Shepherd?" She asked curiously.
Amelia looked up at her, "You know that feeling you had when you entered this OR? The slight amount of nerves hidden under the countless hours of studying or practicing that has prepared you. The excitement and apprehension and need to succeed. Not only is that how I will feel this afternoon, that is how it feels every time you step into an OR."
That night, the waiting room was quiet. It usually was, especially at night time when the late surgeries were. A woman sat in one of the chairs, struggling to read a magazine as she waited for her husband to get out of surgery. Her baby slept soundly in a stroller in front of her.
A man a few feet away from her had fallen asleep in his chair. Behind her a woman and her son were waiting, eating some of the hospital jello and talking quietly, undoubtedly about how awful the jello tasted.
She read the same sentence over and over, her thoughts wandering as she read.
Eventually her eyes wandered as well. As they trailed upwards, she saw someone walking down the stairs. Recognizing it to be her husband's surgeon, she stood up.
Two surgeons walked up to her, each in different shades of blue scrubs. They didn't look glad or sympathetic. She couldn't read their expressions and her heart just about stopped in her chest, "How is he?"
The smaller, brunette surgeon spoke, "Mrs. Willis…" She glanced at the baby asleep in the stroller, "Your husband's surgery was a success."
In disbelief, she continued to listen.
"During the operation, we were able to remove the entire tumor from his brain and from what we saw in the surgery, we do not think there should be any reason for him to develop any brain damage from the removal. However, there is no way to know for sure until he wakes up."
She nodded, "And when will that be?"
"Most likely tomorrow, maybe the next day." The surgeon told her with a small smile, "Would you like to visit him? He will not be awake, but-"
"Yes, yes!" She exclaimed, lunging forward and pulling her surgeon into a grateful hug, "Thank you so much, Dr. Shepherd, thank you so much for saving him…"
She felt Dr. Shepherd hugging her back, "It's not only me you need to thank. Charlie's hope and determination through all of this definitely saved him too."
She smiled and pulled away, "Will you take me to him?" She asked as she grabbed the strolled.
"Of course."
A few hours later, Amelia was in the attending's lounge finally changed out of her scrubs and finally ready to get out of the hospital. Today had been a really good day and she really just wanted to find Owen and celebrate.
Picking up her purse, she headed for the door and lucky enough, Owen barged in right as she went to pull it open. "Hey!" She exclaimed in surprise.
Owen glanced at her, "Oh, hey." He replied quietly. He was in his normal clothes too, obviously ready to leave from work as well.
"Owen, I've had the best day! A man, who's been to ten doctors across the country, came to me about his inoperable tumor and today, I had his surgery and I removed it. I removed an inoperable tumor. That's not even possible. I made the impossible possible today, Owen!" Amelia exclaimed, excitement and joy radiating from her.
Owen looked at her, but didn't smile. "You missed lunch today."
"What?"
Owen took in a breath, "Lunch. This morning when I passed you in the ER, you said we were getting lunch. I paged you, texted you and sat in the cafeteria waiting for you, but you blew me off."
"Oh, come on, Owen. I'm sorry, but it was just lunch…" Amelia said, "I had to practice for my surgery, which I crushed, if you didn't hear that from five seconds ago." She cracked a smile.
Owen shook his head, unamused, "This isn't the first time you've blown me off. You've skipped lunch and dinner several times with me. We always make plans and say we're gonna stick with them and then we don't. I'm just getting the feeling that the plans we're making to spend time together aren't as important to you as they are to me."
"I skipped lunch one day, Owen, god forbid." Amelia said spitefully, "We're surgeons. Our schedules are unpredictable!"
Owen huffed, "But you aren't even trying."
Amelia sighed, "Look, I'm sorry, Owen. I'm sorry I skipped lunch today, I'm sorry I've blown you off before…but I'm standing in front of you now, ready to celebrate and have fun tonight, so what do you say?"
Owen took a breath and paused, "No."
"What do you mean no?"
Owen stared at her, "Do you even want to do this with me?"
"Owen."
"No, no. I haven't really seen you in weeks-"
"We haven't had sex in weeks. Is that what this is about? Is that why you're so cranky about all of this, because we haven't had sex in a while?"
"No, it's not just-"
Amelia cut in again, "Then what is it, Owen? Because I see you every day at work and I talk to you when I see you and we get lunch sometimes."
"That's not a relationship, Amelia!" Owen protested, "Getting lunch 'sometimes' and seeing each other at work is not a relationship. I want to go all in-"
"And you don't think that I want that-"
"Stop interrupting me!" Owen exploded out of frustration.
"Don't yell at me!" She shouted back, agitated.
Owen took a moment to calm down and spoke in a more even tone, "I want to go all in, but I don't feel like you do."
Amelia shook her head, "Of course I do. I'm not purposely blowing you off, Owen. I am the chief of neurosurgery and I'm trying my best to prove to everyone that I'm just as good as Derek was. It's a lot of pressure and hard work and it means late nights and early mornings and skipped lunches, but don't you understand that?"
"I get it, I do, but it seems like you aren't even trying." Owen argued, his face reddening with frustration, "I just wish you would act like you want this."
Amelia held her arms out, "What? Do you want me to profess my love for you every second of every day? I have a job. I have a department to run and so do you. I love my job-"
"But do you love me?" Owen raised his eyebrows.
Amelia gulped, "I…"
Owen shook his head and grabbed his jacket, storming towards the door angrily.
"Owen, wait!" Amelia rushed after him, but as they both reached the door, Arizona was making her way in.
"Oh, hey guys!" Arizona said brightly, "What are you two love birds up to?"
Neither of them said anything. Owen had his eyes on the door, itching to storm off and be alone while Amelia's eyes were trained on him, ready to pursue him if he left.
Arizona looked back and forth between them and then went to her locker, pulled something out and then slowly made her way back to the door, "I'm just gonna go…" She said awkwardly before leaving them alone again.
Silence filled the room.
And then, "I want to be with you, Owen."
Owen looked back at her, "Then show it." He stormed for the door again.
"Owen!"
He reached for the door handle, but she grabbed his arm.
"What?!" He exclaimed, just wanting to leave.
Amelia gulped, "Um, Meredith and Maggie already left…I need a ride." She said quietly, "I have no other way to get home."
Owen huffed, "Come on."
It was raining outside, which wasn't uncommon in Seattle. As they walked out, thunder cracked overhead, causing Amelia to jump slightly. Lightning quickly followed, lighting up the anger outlined on Owen's face when she looked at him.
The rain poured down on them as they walked to the car, leaving them both pretty much soaked when they reached it.
Owen pulled out of the parking lot and for a few minutes, they rode in silence.
"Owen, I wanted to celebrate with you tonight…" Amelia said solemnly, the pounding of the rain and the sound of thunder behind her statement.
Owen didn't look away from the road. He was gripping the steering wheel tightly, "Amelia…I don't want to talk anymore."
"Too bad." Amelia countered, "I did something amazing today. I took a man with no future and I gave him endless possibilities. It went from zero to infinity…because of me. Instead of saying goodbye to his wife and child, he will get years and years to enjoy with them." She told him, "That is what I missed lunch to practice for. That lunch was a sacrifice to save a life, to conquer death…is that so wrong?"
Owen gritted his teeth, "Don't do that."
"Do what?"
"Bring you patients into this. There isn't an ultimatum here, Amelia. You don't have to choose between me and you career, between me and your patients. You can have a relationship…you just don't want it." Owen replied.
"Stop saying that!" She exclaimed, "Stop telling me how I feel!"
Owen shook his head, "I tell you I want to be with you, you say maybe. I ask you if you love me and you say nothing-"
"Owen, I'm just not-"
Owen cut in, "Let me finish, Amelia!" He paused briefly before proclaiming, voice still raised, "You don't want this! And that's the truth! You want me sometimes and I'm not just gonna sit here and be here for when you decide you want to love me or spend time with me. It's not fair!" He looked over at her, meeting her eyes to emphasize his seriousness.
Just then, headlights lit up their view.
They were on a thin, one lane road. They were coming up on an elbow when a car, obviously sliding across the wet road and out of control, skidded towards them.
"Owen!" Amelia exclaimed in horror as the skidding car headed in their direction. As it went by, it clipped the side of their car, causing them to skid and spin to the left.
Owen slammed on the brakes, stopping them a few moments later.
Sideways across both sides of the road, they skidded to a halt. The car that had clipped them was to their left, stopped a few yards away.
Owen put the car in park and immediately turned to Amelia, "Are you alright?" He asked, touching her arm.
She nodded slowly.
And just as Owen was about to move the car out of the road, another set of headlights lit their car up, coming around the elbow. They didn't see what kind of car it was or how big it was, just that it was coming towards them.
"Owen, drive!" Amelia exclaimed.
The headlights got closer, coming perpendicularly towards them. It honked loudly and Amelia could see the large amounts of water shooting away from the tires so she guessed he was braking, but like the other car, was skidding.
Owen threw the car into drive, but as he hit the gas, because of the large amounts of water on the road, for a split second his car didn't move.
But that was long enough.
The headlights were on them and the large, what they would come to find out was a pick-up truck, crashed into the side of their car, slamming them violently against the car on the other side of them.
Meanwhile, the rain steadily continued to fall.