If you could go back and change a split second of your life, would you?
"We've got a trauma coming in Dr. Webber, 2 victims in a head on collision. The driver of the car that crossed over the line was pronounced dead on the scene. The driver of the other car is 40-year-old women with multiple crush injuries and head trauma. Her daughter the passenger is 16 years old with a possible head and shoulder injury," a paramedic yelled as he entered the ER at Seattle Grace Hospital.
"Alright, let's get the mom into trauma room one and the daughter into trauma room two," Dr. Webber yelled as he followed the mom into room one knowing she was in much worse shape than her daughter.
The women had multiple visible injuries to her face and body and Dr. Webber knew that there wasn't much they could do for her. She began to code as soon as he entered the room and he tried to restart her heart but after a few minutes it was clear she was not going to make it.
"Time of death, 1:40am," Dr. Webber said as he left trauma room 1 to go check on how the daughter was doing. Knowing he was going to have to be the one to inform this girl her mother had just died he took a deep breath and prepared himself to face the girl.
As soon as Dr. Webber entered the room his heart dropped because he knew who the teenager was sitting in front of him and that meant that he had just pronounced one of his closest friend's dead. Sitting in front of him was Meredith Grey, daughter of Ellis Grey. Richard Webber and Ellis Grey were collages and had worked together for many years at the hospital. She was one of the most respected surgeons there was and now she would never be able to save another patient ever again. Richard knew he had to hold back his emotions for the moment, so he could make sure Meredith was doing alright.
"Hi Meredith, I am Dr. Webber, we have met a few times, I work with your mom," Richard said as he took Meredith's chart from the nurse.
"I remember meeting you, how is my mom doing?" Meredith asked as Richard set the chart down.
"Meredith, your mom was hurt pretty badly when that car hit you guys and unfortunately the injuries were too much for her body. I am so very sorry, but she died," Richard sighed and braced himself for what was to come. He was surprised when Meredith just shook her head but didn't say anything else or show very many emotions. Not wanting to press the girl any further he started to tell her about her injuries. Saying she had a concussion and a dislocated shoulder and that they wanted to keep her overnight for observation.
"Meredith, do you have any other family that I can call to come stay with you," Richard asked hoping he wouldn't upset the girl any further. He knew Ellis was divorced from Meredith's dad Thatcher but wasn't sure of any other living relatives.
"No, my dad left before I was born, and I never met him, and I don't have any other relatives," Meredith said as she closed her eyes wanting this day to just end.
"Alright, they are going to take up upstairs to the pediatric unit and I will come check on you in a little bit," Richard said to the girl as they wheeled her away.
Richard and Ellis were collages and nothing else. They talked at work usually about patients or cases, but Richard knew that Thatcher had left Ellis before Meredith was born and wasn't even sure that he knew he had a daughter. However, Ellis had told him that Thatcher had met a woman shortly after he left Ellis and had a kid named Lexi with her who was similar in age to Meredith. Richard knew it was a touchy subject for Ellis, so he never pushed her for more detail. However, he also knew that if he couldn't find a relative of Meredith's then she would be place in foster care and that was something he wanted to avoid. Knowing this Richard sent an intern downstairs to the medical files to get a phone number that he needed.
Richard had just finished checking on Meredith when his intern arrived with the file he was looking for. Meredith had been asleep when he checked on her but was doing well. He was a bit worried that she hadn't cried at all learning of her mother's death but also knew that shock could mess with people's emotions and also knew that the mother and daughter had a very complicated relationship. He opened the file which contained emergency contact numbers for the doctors and was relieved when he saw that Thatcher was still listed as Ellis's contact. He dialed the number and prepared himself for a conversation that would change many lives.