Chapter 3
It was the next day and just lying in bed a minute longer would have been great, until I saw the sun starting to peek through my curtains. I still can't get that dream out of my mind. Usually my dreams aren't that vivid but it was like a scene from my previous life or something. Do I even believe in reincarnation?
My second-first day is here and I better get up and ready for the day ahead. I need to be bright and sharp today, I have to 're-start' my internship again since I didn't really make it through the first day. I just really wish nothing weird happens today because otherwise Yang will have my head on a stick and then poke people with it or something.
The apartment is a little too quiet. Jo is probably still asleep, it is five in the morning though and she usually gets up around one o'clock…the next day. Coffee would be se good right now, I think I'm starting to have withdrawals. My body aches as I try to get out of bed but I don't want to drink any pills today. Going to do a little experiment; will I see hallucinations without the pills?
As I head to the kitchen, I try to walk as silently as I possibly can, so that the floor doesn't creek. Oh great, the kitchen is a total mess, I think the apartment as a part of that sinkhole! Perfect, no clean cups left, I don't think anything clean is left anymore. I'll just spring clean everything when I get back tonight. Procrastination my old friend. I'll have to get some coffee and a muffin on the way.
I think it is a new record for me, under an hour out and ready for the day. The streets are still a bit on the quiet side, but this is good. Now I don't have to worry about traffic or being late to being early. Looks like a few homeless people also got up early. Some are huddling over a fire made in a bin and others are pushing their carts around. One is talking to himself though, more like fighting with himself. That must be what I look like when I talk to my hallucinations. Today needs to go smooth.
The hospital is still a bit quiet. A few visitors fell asleep in the waiting area and the nurses are full blown at work. Something must have happened last night. It looks like a new trauma came in. I better get dressed into my scrubs and lab coat before Dr Yang is on my tail.
As I enter the locker room, it looks like I'm the first one here. "Number three!" Dr Yang shouted from behind me. "Get your ass out here". She does not look in a happy mood, but does she ever? I better finish up.
When I reached the trauma section, a bunch of people were covered in blood. A trauma just came in. "What happened?" I asked a nurse at the station. "A bus with tourists crashed about an hour ago. Looks like Dr Yang are trying to flag you down over there". As I turned around I could see that she needed my help because she was trying to help a little kid and their mother kept interrupting her.
As I got closer to the mother, she could not stop screaming and weeping. More screaming, than weeping. "You better save my daughter! Or I'll have your job!" she kept yelling at Dr Yang. "Get her out of here now!" Dr Yang ordered me. "Come on ma'am, could you ple…" I tried talking but then she cut me off. "I don't listen to little girls. I'll sue that bus company!" the woman kept going on and on. "Ma'am!" I raised my voice. "If you don't let Dr Yang do her job at saving your daughter, your daughter will only get worse! Dr Yang knows what she is doing and she'll do everything that she can!" I might have raised my voice a little too high because a few people turned to look at me. "Now, if you could please just go with the nurse, she'll show you to the waiting area and we'll have an update for you shortly." I gave a little reassuring smile while the nurse took her away.
"Good, you have a backbone," Dr Yang looked at me, "you're going to need it." Oh that's nice. I don't think I can even remember the last time I raised my voice to someone. "Help me turn her to her side, something is blocking her airway." I rushed over and helped Dr Yang to turn the girl. I think she's about 14 years old, small in stature with long blonde hair. She's actually a beautiful kid.
Dr Yang worked like a mad man trying to get the girl stable, but she is good now. "We need to keep a close eye on her. That is your job number three." Dr Yang told me. Great, my first patient…sort of. "Can we call in the mother now?" I asked Dr Yang. "Sure, give her an update."
As I made my way to where the mother was sitting by the desks in the waiting area, I see that blonde women again. She looks worse than last time. More bruises and cuts all over her body. "How is my daughter?" The mother had nailed me down. As I glanced pass her, the blonde was gone. "She is stable for now, but we are keeping a close eye on her. You may see her now." A nurse took over from me and led the mother to her daughter.
Where did the blonde go? I rushed over to the corner but she was gone. How can no one else see her? How can I see her while off the meds? I can't believe this is happening again, I need to stay focused. Maybe if I ignored it, it will go away. 'Out of sight, out of mind' right?
I can hear screams from the trauma room down the hall. I better get back to work, I rushed over to where Dr Yang was trying to hold a woman down who didn't want any help. I walked over to her head and grabbed her shoulders. She was strong, but I had a good grip. "Good number three." Dr Yang said in my direction. Finally, I did something good.
"Hold her down so that I can take a sonar of her stomach." Dr Yang ordered me and a nurse. "Nurse! Page General now!" Dr Yang screamed at another nurse who then ran to the desk. "Something is stuck in her stomach, I can't get a clear image of it."
We waited a few minutes when suddenly someone came running in. "I'm here! Who needs me?" It was Meredith, my half-sister. She didn't even glance at me as she rushed over and looked at the sonar screen. "What is that?" She asked Dr Yang. "I have no idea, but she is bleeding profusely on the inside."
"Get her to an OR room now, and page Dr Bailey. We'll have to open her up, where are her stats?" Meredith took over from Dr Yang now. "I got it!" came a voice from outside the room. It was Jo, I didn't even know she was here. I could just make out her face from behind the blinds. Then her eye caught mine, we just stared at each other. Then I turned my back and walked out the door on the other side, just after Dr Yang. "Paige me when you need help Mer!"
I don't know what to say to Jo anymore. I opened up about something and she shot me down. She knows about my dad, but she still said that. I don't know if I can ever forgive her for that.
I suddenly had a rush of cold air come over me. When I looked down, my scrubs were covered in blood. Oh my gosh! What is going on! Why can't I feel my legs? I had frozen in the moment and couldn't move a muscle.
"Little Grey! Come on!" Dr Yang screamed at me that brought me back to reality. When I looked down again, the blood was gone. I can move my legs again, I started to walk slowly just to make sure I'm good. When I looked back, I didn't notice that Jo was behind me the whole time. She just stared at me. Then she turned around and run back after Meredith. Was she on her way to talk to me?
I followed Dr Yang into the clinic on the other side of the hospital. Some patients were diverted here when the emergency wing got too full. "Little Grey, stitch him up." Dr Yang told me and pointed at a patient who had a scar above their eye. When did I go from Number Three to Little Grey? I wonder if they found out that Meredith and I are related. I doubt it. The only other person who knows is Jo, and I don't think she'll tell anyone. I don't even know what is going through her mind at the moment, why does she want to talk to me now? She made her point very clear last night.
"You'll need to make the stitches closer together if you don't want him to look like Dr Frankenstein." A voice came from behind me. "Frankenstein was the doctor, not the monster." I said back not even looking up.
"Oh really?" The man said, he was grinning when I looked up. He had the most beautiful blue eyes I have ever seen. "I'm Dr Avery from plastics. And you are?" He asked me with a hint of a smile. "I'm Dr Grey, Lexie Grey." I smiled back, blushing a bit. Why am I blushing? He is just a gorgeous doctor, it's not like he's the first one I have ever seen before.
"Avery!" Someone called him. "Oh look who it is." The man said as he came closer. He was staring at me with a huge grin. He was a bit older, I could tell by the little salt and pepper in his hair. He was really handsome, did I just transported into a movie with hot men? Why are all the doctors so sexy here, dammit!
"Who?" Dr Avery asked him, looking confused. "Lexie, right?" he asked me. "Uhm, yeah. I'm Lexie Grey." I told him. How does he know me? I don't recall seeing his gorgeous face before.
"You don't remember me, do you?" he asked. "No I don't, have we met?" I asked as sincere as I possibly could without stuttering. "Well you never called me the other night."
"Excuse me?" I was thinking hard now and can't remember him at all. "Let me introduce myself again, I'm Dr Mark Sloan." He held his hand out. "Sorry, a bit busy with my hands at the moment." We looked a moment at each other and then it hit me. It was the note that fell out of my pocket from the other night. 'Call me anytime, Mark S.'
"You're the guy from the napkin!" I looked at him a bit confused. "Well I'd like to think that you'll remember more from that night." He still had that smile on his face, or was it more of a smirk. I think that is just how his mouth was shaped.
"I'm sorry, but I don't really remember anything from that night." I tried to focus on the patient I was trying to stitch up. It looked good though, as I looked over to Dr Avery to seek his approval, he just nodded and smiled at me.
Another win for me. "Excuse me, but I have other people to help." I said while moving slowly out of Dr Sloan's way. "Sure, see you later." There was that smirk again, that seemingly sexy smirk. I need to focus, this is a hospital and not a candy shop!
"Grey!", I looked over my shoulder when I heard the shout. It was Dr Bailey calling me, "We need all hands on deck now!" She pushed a yellow coat in my arms and gestured me to put it on and go outside. "What happened to the other patient who was bleeding internally?" I asked Dr Bailey. "I gave it over to the Chief, he'll sort it out now."
There was another ambulance coming in. As the doors opened, the smell of burnt flesh filled my nose and Dr Bailey screamed at me to get Dr Sloan. I ran as fast as I could back. I then saw him talking to a nurse, "Dr Sloan!", I screamed at him and Dr Avery.
"Oh, see I knew you would come around, how about toni…" he started talking as he was walking towards me, but I had no time to waste. "No!...Sorry, I mean Dr Bailey needs you for a burn victim!" I was probably too harsh, but he just doesn't know when to quit.
Dr Bailey rushed in with the patient and hauled them to one of the trauma rooms. Dr Sloan and Dr Avery ran in after her. The woman on the bed was burnt really badly on her right side, her face and arm particularly. She kept trying to sit up and say something but no one could understand her or knew where to hold her down.
"Grey! Get in here now!" Dr Bailey screamed at me. "Dr Sloan, remember that this is a teaching hospital. We have stupid interns to teach. So teach!" Dr Sloan just looked up at me and the asked "What must we not do to helping a burn victim?"
"When a burn occurs, some first aid decisions can actually harm the victim and complicate the burn injury. So you shouldn't apply any cream, fluffy cotton or oil spray. They interfere with the healing process. Oh yes, and they are not allowed to ingest anything if the burn is severe."
"Does this burn look severe to you?" Dr Bailey asked while glaring at me. "Uhm…yes, very" I answered hesitantly but then she gave me a disapproving look, "it looks like a second-degree burn on her arm and hand, but not so deep on her face." Dr Sloan and Dr Avery was now looking at me. Dr Avery gave me a little smile as to say 'good job'. Dr Sloan then asked me what a second-degree burn was.
I know this! Jo and I spent a whole night on this once in university. The good old times, when I was able to tell her anything and everything…"Grey?" I must have spaced out for a sec… "Second-degree burns extend to the second layer of the skin, called the dermis, causing pain, redness and blisters that may ooze. We need to keep track of her burns because they may progress to third-degree burns over the course of a few days."
"Good job," Dr Sloan told me, smiling all handsomely at me. Dr Bailey did not look impressed by this, "Grey, get a file for her and find out anything you can about her!" Dr Bailey shooed me out of the room while looking sternly at Dr Sloan. When I closed the door, I could hear her voice over all the mayhem of the tourist bus patients. "Oh no, don't you even dare! Do you know who she is? That is Meredith Grey's little sister, and what do you think Derek is going to say about that, hmmm?"
Oh my gosh! How did she know? "I didn't know Meredith had a little sister…" Dr Sloan continued, but then something behind the nurse's desk caught my eye. It was her, the blonde. I should really get her name. I rushed over but then she disappeared into the supply room. I guess I am allowed in here, I am a doctor after all.
After turning around to face the room as I closed the door, I realized she was standing right in front of me. "Who are you?" I asked not sure if I really want to know. "You can see me?" she asked again. "Yes, we've been over this before. You are not invincible, you know?" as I said this, I held up my arm and pulled the sleeve back to show her the mark she left on me. "Nobody has ever seen me before. I need help!" she then became angry and all of a sudden she looked worse.
She was drenched in what smelled like a mud and water mix, with a hint of fish. Not a pleasant odor. "What is wrong with you?" I asked as she pushed me to the door by the shoulders. Then someone opened the door and she disappeared. It was Dr Karev. "Oh sorry, was actually looking for something, excuse me..." I said as I tried to act like I actually know what on the shelf in front of me was.
"You need condoms?" Dr Karev asked me with a raised eyebrow. Then I realized that I was actually looking at a bunch of condom boxes. "Oh my gosh. No, I wasn't looking at…that," I stuttered it out, while turning a nice shade of tomato red, "I must be lost."
As I was about to try and leave, she came back. She stood right next to him, while making a screeching noise. "Oh my!" I tried to cover my ears, but it was too loud. Dr Karev just looked at me strangely like he didn't hear anything. Then the noise suddenly stopped and my ears rang.
"It was you!" she screamed at him, "you were the one who let me go!". Then she suddenly disappeared. It was like she was never here. He didn't notice or hear anything she had said. Instead he just walked past me to get a pack of bandages and then left the room.
Why did she scream at him? What did he do to her? Am I forgetting the fact that I'm off any pain meds and I can still see her? This is not hallucinations, this is real. This is way too real for me.
As I caught my breath again, I remembered about the file Dr Bailey asked for. I really need to find this women's family. As I walked to the nurse's station, I remembered that I forgot to ask her name!
"Excuse me," I said while trying to squeeze through the door, "I just need her name." Dr Bailey just looked at me and then at Dr Sloan, when she realized that none of them have tried to ask the poor lady. "I'm on it!" I jumped up and kneeled next to the patient, "Hi, I'm Dr Grey, I know it is difficult to talk right now, but we really need to know your name?" I felt so sorry for her, she is not much older than me, and now she needs to go through so much pain.
'Anna Hugh' was all I could make out, when a Paramedic walked in carrying a handbag. "Sorry, this was found next to her on the bus." I walked him out to get more information about the accident.
"Hi, I'm Dr Grey." I said as I shook his hand. "Hi, I'm Jim, this was next to her on the seat we found her on. The photo inside looks pretty close to her, so I guessed that you might need it" he said as he handed me the bag. "I hope it helps." Then he turned and walked away.
He was actually a nice guy, wasn't as rude as the others I've met so far. He had soft brown hair and a shade of blue eyes. Now we have handsome paramedics too. Then I saw him greet a short woman who had long brown hair, he kissed her and gave her a hug. She is so pretty and petite.
As I looked through the handbag, I noticed a photo of a man in her wallet. His face looked familiar to me, like I just saw him a second ago. I quickly ran over to Jim and asked him if this man was a part of the accident, but before he answered I saw the man right behind him. He was wandering around, his head was bleeding profusely. Then my attention went back to Jim, "Yeah, he was lying in the middle of the bus. He didn't make it. Why do you ask?"
"What? What do you mean he didn't make it?" I think my eyes just doubled in size as I asked him while I was actually looking at the man with the head injury. "He had a huge cut and bled out, form his…" Jim started to explain, "From his head?" I chipped in. "Yeah?" Jim said curiously, when the women next to him, now I assume wife because of the rings, took his arm and urged him to walk out with her. She only gave me a shocked look, but then I saw her looking straight at the man, like she actually could see him!
How was this possible? He is dead and yet standing right in front of me. So this is my life now. I see dead people, and apparently so does his wife.
This was a day I hoped would be shorter. It is only two o'clock and I haven't eaten all day, never got that coffee and muffin. As I walked into the cafeteria I saw Jo sitting at a table alone. As I got some food, all I could think about was where the hell was I going to sit. Do I go sit by her? Or walk away. She beat me to it as she waved me down as I turned to the tables and chairs with my tray of food, "Lex! Come on" she shouted at me. I walked closer then I noticed a file lying next to her juice box.
"It has been a rough day, huh?" she tried to make small talk as I sat down. "No Jo, you can't just try to act like everything is okay. It doesn't work like that." I was too emotional to talk to her now. The dead man was all I could think about right now and the fact that Jim's wife saw him too. "You know that I didn't mean to say that, I know about your dad and I'm really sorry." She tried to touch my hand but I pulled away. "It is not just about what you said about my dad. You didn't believe me. I shared something with you that shocked me to the bone. You just think I'm crazy!"
"You know it was only the meds talking!" Jo insisted. "Jo, I've been off the meds since last night and I still saw the blonde woman and another man that I was told is actually dead! So it is not the meds. I am not hallucinating all of this." I was just hurt now, more than being angry. How am I supposed to prove that I see dead people?
"Why aren't you taking your pain meds, Lex? It can't be just because you want to prove something that is…" I looked at her with tears in my eyes now. "That is what Jo? Crazy? You think I'm crazy?" I'm going to crack, she is like a sister to me. She is my sister.
"No, I didn't say you were crazy, and I don't think you are! It just sounds crazy. You didn't even give me a chance to explain last night, you just ran off…" she was actually being honest right now, I know this because she was fiddling with her napkin and when Jo fiddles with something she is trying to tell the truth. "You are my sister from another mother…and apparently also planet. We stick together! If you see ghosts, then tell me where and I'll get the salt!" Jo was smiling now with a little tear starting to form, when she quickly wiped it away. She then reached for the file next to her and handed it to me. Inside was print outs of articles about people that see ghosts and then some other abnormal things. I think she actually wants me to be open about this, I can't believe that I was going about it all wrong.
"You really had to put Bigfoot in here as well?" I asked her with a little smile, the only tears I have now is happy tears. She believes me, I'm not crazy…well maybe a little. "Well, I wasn't sure on how far this goes…" she said laughing. "We can go through all this tonight and talk it all out," I told her, 'first we need to talk about something else. Dr Bailey knows I'm Meredith's sister. I heard her talking about it to Dr Sloan."
"Why would she tell it to McSteamy? As far as I know, they aren't really friends. "Well, it was more like she was telling him to not sleep with me. Wait McSteamy?" I asked her as I ate my carrots. Why am I eating carrots? I almost died yesterday, I need burgers. Then I grabbed one of Jo's burgers off her plate. "Hey! I was going to eat that."
"Yeah with the other three you already had?" I said sarcastically. "They are called sliders. You can have more than one." Is she really trying to defend this? "Jo, how many sliders do you think makes a big slider, aka a burger?" I raised an eyebrow. "I don't know, a lot more than I had okay! Stop judging me, I'm allowed to eat you know."
"Yes, off course you are allowed to eat, and sometimes stuff your face." Jo has this occasional 'stuff your face' thing when she did something bad. Previously she slept with someone she shouldn't have and their girlfriend thought so too, or was it girlfriends?
"Oh you did something bad, didn't you? Out with it!" Jo just laughed and said that she didn't do anything bad. She's just really hungry. Then I remembered that the other reason she usually stuffs her face is if she's sad. It was probably about us. I'm glad we're good again, I can't think of going through this all on my own. One way or another I will find out what she's hiding. I wonder who she slept with…
