Stalking though Settle Grace Mercy West Christina 'Christi' Jareau stalks through the halls. She was furious and not in the best of moods. She and Jackson had been fighting. She heads up to PEDs and she forces on a happy act and mood so that she wouldn't startle her patients or their parents. She walks into one of the rooms and smiles at the small boy lying in the hospital bed.
"Hey Brandon, how are you feeling kiddo?" she asks.
"A whole lot better! My side don't hurt no more! I gots stitches to!" he says smiling.
"That's good your side doesn't hurt anymore. I know you have stitches I'm coming in here to check on your stitches to see if they're ready to come out." She smiles as she heads over to the cabinet and grabs a pair of small gloves and slips them on.
She goes over to him and moves the blankets and moves the hospital gown and checks on the stitches.
"Guess what Brandon." Christi says.
"What?"
"Your stitches get to come out."
"Yay!" he says laughing.
After Christi finishes up with Brandon she walks out into the hallway and she sees Veronica coming up with Callie in a wheelchair.
"Callie! Hey! How are you feeling?" Christi asks her smiling.
"Veronica won't let me walk, but other than that, I suppose I'm fine."
"Arizona told me not to let you walk. You aren't allowed." Veronica smiles.
"Cleary."
Christi laughs hysterically.
"Well she's just looking out for your best interest." Christi says as Alex comes up.
"Hey Cal how are you feeling?"
"Veronica won't let her walk on Arizona's orders but she's fine other than that." Christi says catching him up.
"Interesting."
"Yup." She said as she sees Jackson and she snorts.
"I'll see you guys later I have other kids to check on."
"No you don't. I took care of that." Alex said.
"Well it's suddenly gotten too crowded here." She said grabbing a patent's chart off of the desk and walks away annoyed.
"Hey V, how's Mona doing since I haven't seen her in a while." Mark asks as he walks up to small group.
"She's fine. She misses you but you are of course too busy to see her. Like always." Veronica says to her ex-husband.
"I would like to come over and visit her more but with Sophia and all I can't! I've been really busy!"
"You could use your days off to come and see her!" Veronica snaps.
"Why can't she come and stay at my place?"
"Because I have sole custody!"
"She's old enough to make her own choices!" Mark growls.
"Do you not know how old Harmony is? She's only thirteen. The courts didn't grant her decision rights yet."
"She's technically old enough to make her own choices! Why don't you ask her what she wants."
"But not to the courts! I make her decisions and she's not staying with you!"
"Why are you being such a bitch about this!"
"How much do you know about her?"
"Enough."
"Do you know she has night terrors every night? I have to be there with her for those. I can't be away. Did you know that?"
"No."
"Did you know she has a boyfriend?"
"No."
"Exactly."
"Okay maybe I don't know her as well as you do but that's because you never let me see her for more than for like a half hour!"
"Cause you always have to go, Mark. 'Oh, honey, I gotta go. Patients waiting.' 'Sweetie, let me get back to go on that. Emergency.' Why do you think I divorced you?"
Mark just huffs and walks away. XXXX
"Damn it Christi listen!"
"No Jackson now go away! I'm busy!" she said as she watches one of her toddler patents get an MRI done of her head.
"I'm not leaving until you talk to me!" he insists.
"Fine. You wanna talk about how you called my sister an annoying bitch or my father a drunk? Yea I'm not talking to you right now. Because I am beyond annoyed with you. I'm staying late picking up extra shifts and not to mention I may be getting sextuplets in a few hours so just leave me alone." Christi growls.
"Babe I'm sorry."
"Jackson just leave me alone! It's way to freaking late to say you're sorry. Now just leave me be!" she snorts.
"Christi…."
"Jackson leave!" she hisses.
He sighs and nods walking out. He knew he fucked up that morning slipping up calling her sister an annoying bitch and her dad a drunk. He should've just kept his mouth shut.
He heads down to the cafeteria to go and get something to eat and drink.
Walking into the room Veronica looks at Christi.
"You know what Jackson did isn't as bad as what Mark did."
"Yea I know but still. I'm pissed at him for saying it. He didn't have to say it. Besides its right up there with what Mark did."
"Why are you so stubborn?" she asks.
"Because I can be."
"You know... It's really NOT right up there. It's maybe in the middle. Mark... Cheated on me... With his best friend's wife. I don't think that Jackson talking trash of your family is anywhere close to that."
"I guess but still." She sighs as she spots something.
"Stop right there for a second Dominic. What the hell is that?" Christi questions staring at the mass looking thing on the screen.
"It's a tumor." Veronica says plainly, and walks out of the room.
"Fuck." Christi sighs.
The girl was three and she had a tumor on her brain. This was one of those cases she dreaded telling the family.
"Get her out of there Dominic." Christi said making some quick notes and walking out of the room.
She heads up to the little girls room where her parents were waiting.
"Mr. and Mrs. Williams." She says simply.
"Dr. Jareau what's wrong with Amy? Is she going to be okay?" the father asks standing with his wife.
"Please sit." She said.
They look at each other and sit down.
"Okay with the MRI we found a tumor on her brain. At the moment its about the size of Amy's fist."
"Is there a way to get rid of it?"
"There is a way. We can do surgery to get rid of it. Dr. Shepherd is the surgeon who will do the surgery on Amy to get rid of the tumor." Christi said as Derek comes in.
"And in speaking of Dr. Shepherd this is him. Derek this is Mr. and Mrs. William's Amy's parents."
They finish discussing everything then Christi heads out.
She heads down to go and get a late lunch and she sees Derek. She goes and grabs her lunch then she heads over to the table where he was sitting.
"Hey, so Amy. What's the best approach to this. I mean she's only three."
"Right now I have no idea. I mean she's so young and major surgery could come with risks."
"I know." Sighs Christi picking at her fries in front of her.
"Do you think we should get Ronnie in on this? I mean since the tumor is close to her eyes?"
"I think we should. Next time I see her I'll get her in on it."
"Okay my ears are ringing. Are you talking about me?" Veronica teases coming up behind Christi.
"In fact we just were. My three year old patient Amy Williams, her tumor is right by her eyes and we need your help with the case since it's so close to her eyes." Christi says.
"Yea sure I'll help you out." Veronica says.
Christi smiles as Veronica joins them for lunch.
"So what's the best way to approach it?" Christi asks.
"We just gotta dive in there… And dig." Veronica shrugged. XXXX
Later that night, Veronica got home late. She walked through the door, set her purse and coat down, and called out for her daughter.
"Harmonia!"
"Don't call me that." she said, walking into the room.
"If I can't call you Harmonia, you can't call me mom."
"Alright, Veronica." Harmony smirked.
"What do you want for dinner?"
"What would you do if I said macaroni and hot dogs."
"I'd say you can make that yourself."
"Well then I don't what that." Harmony laughed. Then the doorbell rang. "Oh my God." Harmony said, walking toward the door, "It's a stranger!"
When she opened the door Veronica looked up to see Mark, carrying his baby in his arms.
"Hey, dad." Harmony smiled, and walked away from the door.
"Hey, Mark." Veronica said, "I see you brought your baby with you."
"What's her name?" Harmony asked.
"Sophia." Mark said, "Wanna hold her?"
"I can't handle babies." Harmony shook her head. She was right. The last time she held a baby, she almost dropped it.
"Callie home from the hospital?" Veronica asked, pulling things out from the fridge.
"Yeah. She's sleeping. Arizona said I could take Sophia and show Harmony." Mark said.
"Can dad stay for dinner?" Harmony asked Veronica.
"You don't mind, right?" Mark asked.
"Of course I do. But do whatever you want. Your spousal support checks pay for the house." Veronica muttered, getting back to cutting vegetables.
"What are we having?" Harmony asked.
"Possibly pina coladas and Chinese food." Mark laughed.
"Haha." Veronica said sarcastically, but couldn't help her smile, "That was way back when. We are having gazpacho tonight."
"I love gazpacho!"
"Never had it." Mark said.
"Every time I made it, you refused to eat it."
"It's just like, tomato soup." Harmony said. Soon, they sat down for dinner and Harmony smiled, "It's like old times."
"The old times will never come again." Veronica frowned. Suddenly, thunder boomed and lightning flashed.
"Freak storm." Harmony said, "We didn't have those in New York."
"We also had a Brownstone in New York." Veronica sighed, "But New York was terrible. I hated New York."
"You hate Seattle, too."
"Addison had the right mind to move to California." Veronica said, "Maybe we'll move to Arizona. Love it there."
"Don't move." Mark said, "Harmony would go with you, and she's my daughter."
"Yeah, I know she is."
"I'm gonna head to bed." Harmony said.
"Sleep well."
"I have no control of that." Harmony laughed, then went down the hall. Mark took Veronica's hand in his.
"I miss you." he said. Veronica looked down, but Mark held her chin and made her meet his eyes. "I know you miss me, too."
"I don't." Veronica tried shaking her head, but Mark's firm hand prevented it. "I do… A little. And I know Harmony does, too."
"Move in with me." he said.
Veronica shook her head, or tried, "No, that's not a good idea."
"Look me in the eyes and tell me you don't love me."
"Of course I love you. We were married fifteen years. We got through you cheating with Addison. We got through that. Then you did it again. You did it with Lexie last September, and that was the last straw! Do you realize where I'm coming from?"
They had lived a good marriage until the previous year. Mark had cheated with Addison. They got through it. He didn't cheat again until it was with Little Grey. Veronica found them in the on-call room and divorced him. They were still in love, of course.
"Yes. How can I make it up to you?" he asked.
"You can't. I will go back to you one day. I still love you, but right now… I'm not in love with you." XXXX
Practically dragging herself into an on-call room Christi leans against the door half asleep.
"Tired there Miss. Thang?" Alex asks teasingly.
"Yea." She mutters.
Alex chuckles as she goes and sits on the bed next to him.
"So what's up with you and Jackson."
"He's just being an ass. We've been bickering for the last week but he turned it into a whole big fight."
"What happened?"
"Basically called my sister an annoying bitch and my dad a drunk."
"Oh wow." He said.
"Yea." She sighs.
All of the sudden and unexpectedly Alex leans forward and kisses her. He slips a hand behind her neck.
She doesn't kiss back at first but then hesitantly returns it. She hadn't gotten laid in over a week and her libido was running high. XXXX
"I can't believe that just happened!" Christi gasps in tears.
Veronica walks in and looks at them.
"What the fuck did you two do!" Veronica nearly screeches.
"God Ronnie I don't what happened. I mean one minute we were talking then the next it just happened!" Christi said.
"I don't give a fuck!" she sneers then she goes to find Jackson.
She had just seen as she was coming up there to find Christi.
She finds him and yells, "Jackson!"
"What, Veronica?"
She thought a moment about whether she should tell him or not. Finally, she decided, "Watch your back." then she walked away.
He chases after her and looks at her.
"Veronica what did you mean by that?"
"Just... Don't..." she struggled for words as her pager beeped, "I gotta go."
He stands there confused as she runs off and then he sees Christi follow her. XXXX
Getting to where she paged Veronica to meet her Christi looks at her.
"Please tell me you didn't tell Jackson. Please!" begs Christi.
"I didn't. You have no idea how close I was to telling him though. I told him to watch his back. You better do the same, Christi. Watch your back for different reasons." Veronica threatened, then walked off.
"Damn it Veronica I know I screwed up with my actions! I know it! But don't hold this over me! Please!" Christi yells after her.
Veronica just keeps walking.
"Screwed up how?" Jackson asks from behind her making her jump a foot out of her skin.
"Damn it Jackson! You move like a mouse!"
"Screwed up how and hold what over you?" he asks.
Christi stands there chewing on her lower lip nervously unsure on how to tell him.
"If I don't tell you Ronnie will and that will make things worse and that can't happen." She says pausing then says, "Alex and I had sex, but it was meaningless and it just sort of happened! One minute we were talking and the next it happened. I highly regret it and I feel horrible and I just…I'm sorry. I feel really bad! I'm sooooo sorry!" she says in tears.
"Let's save our drama for home." Jackson says with a tight face.
"But," she protests. She hadn't slept at Meredith's house with him since they started fighting.
"You will come home."
She just sighs and walks off. If she had stayed there, she would have said something that would have made the situation worse. She couldn't afford that.
She heads up to the NICU and goes to check on the sextuplets that had been delivered earlier. She checks all of them quickly and the "youngest" sextuplet starts whining. She picks him up and grabs a bottle that was waiting for him. She sits down and begins to feed him quickly. XXXX
Walking into the house Christi notices everyone in the kitchen. She quietly pulls off her coast and shoes then quickly makes a break for the bedroom she and Jackson shared hoping to beat him before he came out of the kitchen and caught her. Her plan was get in and get out before anyone saw her. She was staying in a hotel and she need a few more things from the house so she just wanted to grab them and run. She wasn't ready to face him yet.
She had just finished tossing the couple of things she needed, which included one of Jackson's sweaters, into a bag when she hears the door open.
"Shit." She mutters.
"About time." A familiar voice says.
"Got held up. I was taking care of the sextuplets that were delivered earlier this evening." She said trying to hide the nervousness in her voice.
"Why?" he asks.
"Jackson it just happened! I didn't plan on it! Like I told you we were just talking and it just happened spontaneously. It happened out of nowhere! I would never do that intentionally! It just happened out of nowhere! I swear it!"
"Why didn't you stop it or use common sense!"
"BECAUSE I WASN'T THINKING! I WAS JUST SO FUCKING PISSED OFF AT YOU AND I STILL AM THAT I WASN'T THINKING STRAIGHT!" she yells in tears.
"You know, I think we're even. No, we're more than even. You owe me, Christi. You're still mad at me? And you think that I have no right to be mad, huh? Are you holier than me? Are you? Are you allowed to be angry for something, and I can't be angry that you sinned? You sinned Christi. You did. And I'm furious."
"Damn it Jackson! I told you I. Didn't. Mean. For. It. To. Happen! I know I fucked up and I admitted it what more do you want! Would you have preferred I hid it from you like Mark did when he screwed Lexi!" she says in tears sliding down the wall curling into a ball clutching her knees to her chest as sobs shook her body.
"Why don't you just get out, Christi? I can't stand to look at you right now."
She gets up and grabs the bag. Opening the door, she sees the group formed.
"God nobody has fucking lives!" she mutters.
She walks down the stairs then out of the house. She gets to the hotel she was staying at and goes right up to her room. She throws the bag on the floor after getting Jackson's sweater out. She pulled it on. She lay down on the bed, curling up into a ball and hugging one of the pillows to her chest, sobbing. XXXX
Walking into the hospital the next morning Christi heads right to the locker room and changes quickly then she heads up to the pediatric ward.
Arriving there she bumps into Alex.
"Man Christi you look like shit." He said.
"Get away from me Alex. You ruined my life." She hisses deadly.
"You were part of it too."
"But you insinuated it when you knew I wasn't thinking straight right at that moment so you basically have 99.9% of the blame."
"You could have stopped me any time. You decided not to. I'd say I get about seventy percent of the blame."
"Alex you knew for a fact that I wasn't thinking straight right at that moment so you basically have a good majority of the blame here and by the way worst sex ever." She said.
"I think seventy is a good majority."
"Whatever Karev." She growls then walks away.
She walks into the NICU and she sees the parents of the sextuplets there with their children.
"They're doing great. Have you came up with names for them yet?" Christi asks reading their update note from the night nurse from when she left.
"We have in order from the way they were born is, Allison, Bridget, Michael, Samantha, Elizabeth and finally Scott." The mother smiles.
"Good strong names for them." She smiles heading out of the NICU.
As she's walking out she's reading a file on a ten year old that just came in and she bumps right into Veronica.
"Sorry." She said as she receives a dirty look from her.
Christi sighs and goes on to check on her patients.
She gets to Amy and she smiles seeing the little girl awake and Derek in there talking to her.
"Morning Amy, how are you doing?"
"Good! Erk ot me a unny!" she said holding up the grey stuffed bunny Derek bought for her.
"How nice of him." She smiles.
Veronica comes in and smiles at the little girl and she checks to make sure how her eyesight is. As she walks out she shoulder checks Christi as she does that.
Derek notices and gives Christi a crisp nod and she sighs. She knew that he wanted to see her in his office once they were done there. XXXX
Walking into Derek's office Christi sighs.
"What's up with you and Veronica?" he asks.
"Something happened that caused Jackson not to even want to look at me and she found out by accident and now she hates me and so does Jackson. And I thought you were part of the mash pit by my and Jackson's bedroom door last night." She says.
"I was on call last night."
"Right. Well at least one person here still likes me." She sighs.
"What?" he asks.
"Ever since everyone eavesdropped last night everyone hates me." She sighs fighting tears.
"Look... They are all Jackson's friends. He is the victim. Veronica and I, we know what it's like to be cheated on, to be the victim. It doesn't feel good. It's like your heart was torn in two. Veronica and I also both know what it's like to be cheated on when your partner is with a friend. Alex was Jackson's friend. Mark was my friend. Addison was Veronica's friend. The fact that it was a friend makes it a million times worse. You must see where Jackson's coming from. His heart has shattered, he's angry and sad and frustrated. He is the victim."
"That's all I've been hearing! What no one is getting I DIDN'T HIDE IT! I came out with it right after! I admitted it! I came clean! I didn't hide it or sneak around! I feel like shit and only slept for like two hours! So yea I get it and it fucking sucks but no one is listening to the god damn fact that I didn't hide it! They're acting as if I hid it for months and its just coming into the light now! No! As soon as it happen I came clean!" she says and walks out.
Veronica comes in a few minutes later and she looks at Derek and says, "Mark wants me back and I have no idea on what to do."
"Well what do you want to do?"
"I don't know. I wanna get back with him but I don't know if I can trust him again."
"Well do you want to be back with him?" he asks.
"I don't know. I mean he was never really there and now with the baby. I don't know. Derek I'm so confused." XXXX
Walking down to the gift shop Christi gets some ribbon and she slips her ring off and puts it on the ribbon then she goes and puts it in her locker. She would wait a week to see if things get better and if they don't she would tie the ribbon to Jackson's locker with a note and then leave a note for Derek saying she's going back home to Dallas for a while on her family's ranch. She was originally from Miami, Florida but her parents split up when she was young and her dad had gained sole custody of her and her kid sister and he moved them to Dallas and started a ranch there.
They had, had a ranch in Miami and he had got it in the divorce. He sold it and brought all their horses and cows with them. He remarried and had a son with their stepmom. The three of his children had grown up in the country and not the city so they had good morals and what not.
She's on break at the moment so she goes outside and sits on a bench as it was a rare night where it wasn't raining and really nice out. She goes and pulls her cell out of her scrubs pocket and calls her dad.
"Hey there sweetheart." He said.
"Hi daddy." She sighs.
"What's the matter Tinkerbelle?" he asks using her special nickname from when she was a child as Tinkerbelle was her favorite Disney character.
"I messed up big time and now everyone here hates me."
"Messed up how big?"
"Mark and Addison big."
"Oh sweetie."
"Yea. I mean at least I came out right away with it and didn't hide it. I came right out with it and everyone hates me but Jackson hates me even more. He can't even look at me." She says in tears.
"Well baby girl if you ever want to come home you can."
"I know daddy. I might do that and just come home for a while. I mean I'm going to give it a week and if things don't get better I'll come home for a while. Being back out in the country will be good for me and everything."
"Exactly sweetie." He says.
"I love you daddy. I'm gonna go now and get something to eat because I'm starving."
"Alright honey I hope things work out."
They end the call and Christi heads inside to go and get some dinner.