"Sorry about that." He handed back a couple of charts to an intern and received a clipboard from a nurse.

"Richard Webber?" So he's taken back his position. "I thought you – well it doesn't matter."

"I didn't want to have to return under these circumstances."

"I've heard; I can't believe it." He patted my shoulder. I should be consoling him.

"I know. I know. We're still recovering."

"It'll take time; recovery is long and painful." That's from personal experience.

"How's your patient?" He signed several forms and handed them off. A good time to change the subject.

"I don't know actually; he disappeared before I returned from x-ray." It was then he clocked my bandaged arm.

"I hope we treated you well."

"Sloan patched me up." We walked past a nurses' that station that was positively buzzing with people. And he also thankfully found me a change of clothes; blood stained clothes are not a good look to be wearing around a hospital.

"Do I have a sexual harassment case on my hands?" I had to laugh at that; proof that Mark had not changed since I saw him last. I think I'm going to get a reputation for being nuts.

"Not this time." I managed to squeeze out three coherent words.

"Bailey; where is the patient Dr Alden brought in?"

"Who?"

"The man with the missing abdomen."

"I know who that patient is Chief. Who's Dr Alden?" I stuck my hand out to answer her.

"I am." All I received in return was a raised eyebrow and another disapproving look.

"Bailey, play nice."

"Hunt took him to surgery." I'm guessing Bailey doesn't like me. And I also guessing that everyone else knows this as I could see others standing about looking in on the exchange. Richard thanked her and we moved off, I recognised the blonde from earlier watching us with a small group around her with equally sour faces.

He showed me points of interest around the hospital but I had a feeling that we were heading somewhere specific. Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital is a surgical hospital; it's hardcore with glass and steel. Princeton Plainsboro was small with wooden walls and pastel scrubs.

"How did the merger go?"

"It's been a challenge; we lost a lot of good people." He stopped suddenly. The shooting was so fresh that his brain was still coming to terms with it.

"Richard; I don't know what to say, but I'm here to help in any way possible. I've been to war; I know what it feels like to lose your people."

"Is that how you know Owen Hunt?"

"It is indeed. We were stationed together." He looked thoughtful for a second before opening a door for me.

"Do you know Teddy Altman?"

"Of course; is she here too?" I looked at him to see him nod. "Are you and Derek collecting every surgeon I know?" The door he opened was an OR gallery; they were operating on my eviscerated guy.

"We've almost got a full set. Enjoy." I leant against the gallery glass with one arm and peered down into the slowly closing wound.

"Thanks for this Richard. The addict in me thanks you." I tried to keep the atmosphere light; in this situation you don't need melancholy people bogging you down.

Taking a quick sweep of the gallery I recognised the same group surrounding the blonde from downstairs, still giving me the evils. Maybe this was an omen; I was still smiling when I was thinking about going back to New Jersey; but I can't go back, I know I shouldn't go back. I won't.

I looked back at Richard to find him gone. He needs time to heal his hospital.

After the abdomen guy coded on the table I turned around to try and find Mark again. I wanted to find out what had happened to Derek and why he didn't tell me in the first place. Since Richard had told me what had happened I noticed the twisted faces everyone was wearing; they were full of suspicion and fear, for a hospital to be this quiet was unnatural. There was a whisper of normality about as there has to be in a place like this; but even the patients were looking uncomfortable, more so than usual.

"Hey; are you free?" Mark was finishing stitching up a girl's face; probably the consult from earlier.

"I will be in a minute. What's up?"

"I want to go see Derek."

"I can tell you where his room is." He cut the suture and placed the instruments onto the sterile blue cloth before picking up the gauze and bandages to finish up.

"She's crying." I looked around when his patient said this trying to find out who she was so interested in; she didn't look like the type of sixteen year old who was interested in anyone else.

"Poppy are you alright?" I touched my face and realised she was talking about me. "Avery; finish dressing this." He got up off of the stool and let the other doctor sit down before scooping me up. He put an arm around me and guided me to the elevators. I didn't want to cry in front of anyone; but I had a feeling that as soon as I was inside the elevator I wouldn't be able to hold on any longer.

The doors opened and mercifully it was empty.

"Sorry."

"For what?"

"For dragging you along. It's just that I can't see him alone; because when I see him I'm not just going to see Derek. I'm going to see Will. Because if a shooter can roam through a hospital killing doctors; he can walk into a tent in the middle of the desert." I shouldn't have stopped.

"It's fine; I need to see him anyway."

"Are you patronising me?"

"Yeah a little bit." He laughed and I laughed; he never failed to make me feel good. "When did you last speak to him?" I gathered he was talking about Will.

"We email."

"Okay then Miss Pedantic; when did you last email?"

"Last week actually; I can't believe he's still out there."

"He's still out there?"

"I know; he's mad. I want him back Mark."

"We've got you back; he'll follow you." He sounded unsure. I wish he didn't sound so unsure. I followed Mark out of the elevator and found myself looking into a room with one of my closest friends lying in a hospital bed. "There he is."

"There he is." He was awake and chatting to the blonde from earlier. He clocked me watching him through the blinds with Mark by my side. "Hey loser." I greeted him with my usual hello.

"Hey yourself." I walked over to him and greeted him with a kiss on the cheek.

"What on earth did you do?" I channelled a little bit of Bailey.

"It's not my fault I got shot." I think it's a little bit too soon to be making jokes about being shot. And he knew I was mentally biting my lip. "You could just say it."

"No; it's inappropriate." As soon as the words left my mouth I knew I had opened myself up for a bit of criticism. I received it in the form of a large amount of laughter and mocking.

"Oh and since when being inappropriate stopped you?" Derek sounded like normal; like the hole in his chest was normal. "Either of you." Oh kitty got claws.

"Meow Derek; I come here to help you out and this is how you greet me?" And things felt normal between us.

"I got shot."

"I got stabbed." All three of them looked at me. "I'm fine. Mark stop it." He pulled at my shirt in an attempt to see. "See we're even. Do you still want me?"

"Oh yes; I'm not letting you get away." The blonde looked at me sideways; what's her problem? I was glad Derek was doing well and if it wasn't too selfish I was glad I still had a job.

"Who did your surgery?" I wanted to make sure he had the next best working on him; I wasn't there.

"Dr Christina Yang." I've never heard of her; maybe she's an up and coming.

"Who?"

"She's – she's – she's good. Dr Yang did an excellent job."

"As long as you're sure." The stuttering didn't exactly fill me with confidence. "Where's Addison; shouldn't she be here?" There was a couple of seconds of awkward shuffling and looks before I clocked that Derek wasn't wearing a wedding band. And that there wasn't even a tan line. "How long have you been divorced?" I heard Mark's breathing rapidly increase. "And how were you involved?"

"A few years ago." Mark didn't answer; but Derek did.

"Oh, well that sucks. I liked Addison." Dr Grey was looking more and more uncomfortable. "Are you okay now?"

"I can see working with Dr House has had its desired effect." Derek stuck the knife in a little bit.

"Shut up." He laughed and looked at Dr Grey in an apologetic manner; I think I may be putting my foot in it.

"You can't tell me to shut up; I'm the chief."

"You're not the chief; Richard is."

"Low blow."

"So Mark; I think we need to take Derek out for a few drinks." I'm getting the feeling like Dr Grey and Derek may be involved. "After you've recovered of course."

"I don't think we need to do that." Derek was trying to resist the drinks; I know because he could never keep up with me and Will. Well me and Mark now, I suppose.

"You're married again aren't you?" He looked like he did at the wedding; regardless of the hole in his chest he looked at peace.

"How did you know that?" Both him and the blonde swapped non doctor-patient looks.

"I have skills Derek, which are beyond surgery."

"We know that." Mark blurted out the snide comment.

"Mark!" I swatted his arm. "Derek just tell me; who are you married to."

"Me." Oh crap.

"Oh crap. I'm so sorry. Why did no one say anything?" I hit Mark this time for both of them. "Hi; I'm Dr Poppy Alden."

"Dr Meredith Grey; I've got rounds." Ouch. She flipped a chart closed and walked out of the room.

"Ignore that." Derek looked a bit embarrassed. "She – I – I'm sorry." Mark followed Dr Grey out and left us alone. I sat down next to his legs on the bed; he looked a little be relieved to be taking some time off.

"Derek; why didn't you say something?" We spoke occasionally via email and he never mentioned it. "What happened?"

"We grew apart; but I'm happy now."

"That's all that matters. Derek I would be lying if I said I wasn't jealous."

"How jealous?" We've always been competitive.

"Like you wouldn't believe." I patted his legs then looked at mine. "Can I steal some scrubs or something?"

"How about you just go to whatever you're calling a home and relax."

"You're so mean."

"Relax because tomorrow you're going to be back here operating. You need to get to know your team."

"Ice chips?" I put on my best candy striper impression.

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