A/N: Sorry about the short-ish chapter in advance. I'm trying to keep them long enough to move the story along, but short enough so that I'm not rambling. Alright, this chapter introduces two more familiar faces to our story. And please call me out if I'm not getting my facts straight. I have seen almost every episode, but there are a lot of them...

I decided just to leave my stuff in the entryway. We could sort out sleeping arrangements later. It wasn't that far to the hospital, so I decided to hoof it. I took in the sights, enjoyed the rain and made it to my old stomping ground in no time flat. The sign had changed, though.

"Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital?" I muttered under my breath. Something had happened since I was last here. I walked right inside, knowing I would get answers to all of my questions soon.

I felt like I was in the exact right place I was supposed to be the second I walked in the door. I inhaled the smell of antiseptic and medicine and smiled. It was good to be back. I didn't see anyone I knew, so I started walking towards the Chief's office, only to be stopped by a rather tall young man with dark skin and piercing green eyes.

"Excuse me, Sir," he said, smiling at me. Damn, this guy was pretty. And I'm saying that as a straight guy. "Can I help you find something?"

"Oh, no need, I know my way around here," I said, trying to brush past him. "I used to work here."

"Really?" asked pretty boy. He held out his hand. I ignored it. I had things to do today. "What department?"

"Surgical," I replied, starting up the stairs. He followed behind me. "Trauma. I started my residency here and almost finished it in the Army, but I'm hoping to finish up my final year here."

"Well, what made you leave the Army?" he asked. This guy didn't trust me. He didn't like guys who just strolled into the hospital like they owned it. I wondered why.

"I was honorably discharged. Received a Purple Heart for being wounded in action. Not fatal, but enough to send me home. And now I'm here, 2 and a half years later."

"2 and a half years? So you know Dr. Grey and Dr. Yang and Dr. Karev?"

"Of course, I was good friends with them. We all did our internships here together with Dr. Stevens."

"Oh, yeah, I remember her," pretty boy said as stopped in front of the Chief's office. That didn't sound too good. "Well good luck with getting your job back."

"Thanks, Dr…."

"Avery. Jackson Avery," he supplied.

"Nice to meet you, Dr. Avery. Now, if you'll excuse me…" I nodded at him and ducked into the Chief's office. I know I wasn't being very nice, but I really did need to talk to the Chief. I was shocked to see a tall man with red hair sitting where one of my mentors used to sit. He didn't look up when I closed the door. Hunt looked devastated.

"If that is Richard or Christina or Lexie or pretty much anyone, please, just go away."

I swallowed, considering taking his advice for a moment, but I couldn't leave just when I had come home.

"Sir, I know I don't have an appointment, but I'd really like to talk to you about having my old job back."

Hunt's head shot up from his hands at the sound of my voice. In the time it took to open the door to this room and when I spoke, I had somehow gained back my trademark voice-quiver that I had had since my intern year. Bambi was back.

Hunt stared at me like I had just come back from the dead. He blinked and squinted and almost stood all the way up before sitting back down and rubbing his eyes. He looked tired and stressed. Something was happening. Something bad.

"This is a dream," he muttered. "This is a dream. O'Malley is dead. He is not standing in my office requesting his job back. I have been awake too long."

"Hunt, I'm not dead," I stated, shocked. Is that why no one wrote? "I'm standing in front of you right now. And I was wondering if it was even possible for me to get my job back."

Hunt stared at me for a long moment before motioning me into the seat in front of him. I think he went into shock, but was still functional.

"O'Malley, if it really is you in front of me, you had better have one damn good explanation as to why you are sitting here in front of me and not almost 3 years cold in a grave."

I gaped for a second, trying to come up with a response. "You think I'm dead?"

"Everyone thinks you're dead!" cried out Hunt, rising up out of his chair. "So unless you give me a logical explanation as to why you are here talking to me right now, I'm going to go check myself into a mental institution because I have a death certificate for you on file!"

"Sir, I took your advice, that's why I left!" I responded. "I joined the Army! I've been deployed for 2 and a half years! I was being a trauma surgeon overseas! I was shot in the shoulder so they discharged me and now I'm here!" I felt flustered. How could he think I was dead?

Hunt seemed to start to understand. "Lexie was right," he murmured, under his breath, not looking at me. I leaned back in my chair. What was going on here?

A/N: My plot bunnies only munch on reviews