"She's just so dramatic, she finds the drama where there is none!" Meredith moaned, sitting with Kepner and Maggie, in the staff room. Meredith stabbed pieces of food with her fork, emphasizing each word. Maggie remained silent, taking a long sip of her drink.
"She wasn't being that dramatic, she made very little fuss while handing over the case" April said, looking between the two women, trying to defend Amelia but not knowing how much had been said about her past.
"She's a damn neurosurgeon, All she needed to do was confirm the anencephaly"
"She seems off at the moment… maybe she's just sick with the flu" Maggie said. Meredith rolled her eyes.
"That baby won't survive, it's kind of understandable that Amelia wouldn't want to be involved" April said quickly, the looks she received in reaction made her realise she'd gone too far. Meredith opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by the door opening, Amelia walking in.
Amelia paused in her path towards the fridge. She saw Meredith first, and beside her Maggie, both looking confused and concerned, an expression she was sickeningly familiar with. April sat on a separate couch, she looked worried, "Amelia…" She said.
Amelia knew what she'd done almost instantly. She looked away from them, composing herself. She walked wordlessly to the sink, freezing there, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. She didn't have the energy for this. Meredith said her name.
"No Meredith, not now" Amelia replied, her words came unexpectedly shaky and soft. Her hands shook as she gripped a glass and moved it under the tap. The silence in the room was engulfing and heavy. She took a sip of water, still with her back to them. They watched her, Maggie and Meredith looking between each other, then back at April.
Amelia put down the glass and closed her eyes. She felt tension wrap around her forehead painfully. April, watched her, tears in her eyes, ignoring Meredith and Maggie' eyes on her. She stood up slowly and walked to Amelia. "Amelia, I'm so so sorry" she said, quietly. Amelia remained still, bracing herself against the counter, eyes closed.
"I… I didn't know they…" April, whispered. Amelia nodded slightly, opening her eyes. "Amelia…" April said, seeing fear in Amelia's expression. She ran her eyes over her, seeing Amelia' hand resting on her stomach. When she looked back up, she met Amelia' blue gaze, heavy with tears. April' hand came to rest on her shoulder, she nodded, understanding. "Let's get out of here" April said, caressing Amelia' arm tenderly. Amelia nodded, letting April guide her from the room, eyes to the floor.
Meredith watch it all play out, annoyance turning to curiosity, turning, to worry, and guilt. Maggie stood up quickly, moving to the door. "No"" Meredith said, jumping up and reaching for Maggie. "Leave her" she said, slowly. She had a sense that something big was behind this. Something harrowingly huge. They stood in silence, both lost in their own thoughts, before quietly going on with their day.
-/-
"Nobody knows April" Amelia said, picking distractedly at the bread roll in her hand. "That… That you're pregnant?" April said. They were sat on a bench at the front of the hospital. The sun was close to setting. "No one knows" Amelia put down the bread, and laced her hands together, resting her head on them.
April watched her intently, she pursed her lips, looking out at the sky, she could feel the fear, radiating off of Amelia, almost tangible. "Amelia…Amelia… sit up…" April said. Amelia looked up at her, brows burrowed.
"Trust me…" she said, smiling softly. Amelia sat up, "close your eyes, and put your chin up" April said, doing it too. "Now breathe through your nose… and out through your mouth."
The sun beamed down, yellow light warming their cheeks. The air was cool. "You feel that…" April said. Amelia smiled, her cheeks dimpling. She hummed. April opened her eyes, looking to her. She took Amelia' hand in both of hers and closed her eyes again, feeling the light. "You'll be okay Amelia…" she said, her voice thick with sadness, so familiar with what Amelia was feeling. Amelia squeezed her eyes as she felt them warm with tears. She kept her face upturned to the sky, tears falling from her closed eyes. "I think so…" Amelia whispered, squeezing April' hand. April smiled wide, nodding, brushing Amelia's hand with her palm.
-/-
She was leaving for the day, she chose to leave through the ER in hopes of seeing him. She wanted to see him so much, to hold him and kiss him… to be held and kissed by him. She paused as she left the elevator. She saw April first, behind the reception desk. They smiled at one another, April nodded. April's focus shifted to behind Amelia, then back to her. She indicated with her head and before Amelia could turn she heard his voice. "Hi…"
"Hi" she said, they stood in front of one another.
"You heading off?" he said. She smiled softly, and nodded. "Me too…." he said. They walked together, slowly, as if savouring their time together. "Are you okay?" Amelia said, looking up at him. He smiled tightly, sadness in his eyes. "I'm okay… I miss you" he said. She nodded, dropping her head.
"You… are you okay?" they stepped out into the night.
"I miss you…" she stopped, turning to him, and looking up into his eyes. She saw pain there and dropped her head again. Before she could refuse he pulled her into his arms. They held each other tightly, eyes closed, both quiet, both still. They let go at the same time, hands brushing before hanging at their side. "See you tomorrow…" Amelia said, tearfully. Owen nodded, "See you tomorrow Amelia"
-/-
Meredith was warming food when she heard Amelia come through the door. Maggie looked at Meredith with wide eyes, before turning to see Amelia. Amelia thought about avoiding them both and going straight to bed, but decided it better to face them. She walked quietly into the room and sat down at the island next to Maggie. "Amelia… What April said…" Meredith said.
"I had a baby…" Amelia looked down at her hands, watching her fingers shake. "I never told Derek, or my Mom, or my sisters…." she looked up at them. Maggie's face was a picture she was familiar with, pity and love… and pity. Meredith's was something else… "He lived for forty three minutes…"
"Oh Amelia…"
"Don't Maggie…" Amelia said. She looked back down at her hands. Meredith continued to look at Amelia, waiting for her to continue, unwavering even as Maggie looked to her for affirmation. "I gave birth to him in LA, he… lived for forty three minutes… then he donated his organs" she watched as a tear ran along the back of her index finger.
"So… yeah… that's it…" she wiped her cheeks. She looked up, eyes fixing with Meredith's. Meredith smiled slightly, with sad eyes. She nodded. More tears fell on their own accord, but Amelia remained focused on Meredith, finding understanding there. She felt Maggie's hand on her back, rubbing up and down. "I'm sorry Amelia…" Maggie said. Amelia nodded firmly.
"You hungry…?" Meredith said, her words soft and warm. Amelia, chuckled wearily, looking to Maggie and resting her head on her shoulder briefly. "I am…"
"Good" Meredith said, and with that she turned back into the kitchen. Amelia let her head fall against Maggie's shoulder again. She breathed deeply, taking comfort in Maggie' hand caressing her back, feeling the heavy load she carries lighten, ever so slightly.
Fin.