Maggie should not have been in the Chief of surgery's office arguing with Dr. Bailey. Instead Dr. Edwards should be prepping her patient for surgery, and Maggie should be in the OR discussing her plan of action with Riggs.
'He's only twenty-three years old. Look at this picture Bailey. This is him,' Maggie said thrusting a small photograph in Bailey's face. 'This isn't the first heart that UNOS has taken a heart away from him. He has a younger brother who is depending on him. They are the only family they have. He has never even had a girlfriend before. He's never had a chance to feel love; his heart has never been broken. He hasn't had a chance to live, Bailey.'
Bailey stood behind her desk and stared at the photograph of the young man. He was a handsome man who still possessed boyish features. He had his arm slung around another guy whose similar features led Bailey to think it could only be his brother. They wore matching grins. Bailey sighed. She had been in this situation countless times before. She herself had been standing where Maggie was arguing with Richard Webber about UNOS once upon a time. It was tough being the chief of surgery, she had to make the hard decisions, they might not feel like the right decisions, but they were the logical ones.
'I'm sorry Dr. Peirce and Dr. Riggs, but if UNOS says that Mr. Peterman is not getting this heart, then he isn't getting the heart,' Bailey said clearly. 'I'm sure you understand that Mr. Peterman will be put back onto the transplant list and will wait for the next available heart.'
'Can't you do something? Can you call them? You're the chief of surgery in one of the best hospitals in the state. Surely once you explain the situation, they will understand. They will listen to you,' Maggie pleaded. Maggie couldn't help but notice that Riggs stood silently by her side, offering no support.
'I'm sorry but my hands are tied. UNOS makes the calls, not me and their decision is final. They won't be swayed because this man is twenty-three and hasn't had a girlfriend before. I'm sorry.' Bailey sighed. She understood how frustrating the situation must be for them. Bailey always felt like each of her patients was her family, and she hated to let any one of them down. She certainly hated to see one of them die. She went to walk out of her office, but hesitated at the door. Looking at them very seriously she said, 'Just don't cut any L-Vad wires.'
Maggie shared a confused look with Riggs before she gave an exasperated sigh and they followed Bailey out of the office.
'Thanks for your help,' Maggie said sarcastically as she and Riggs walked back to the patients room.
'What did I do?' Riggs said, confused at the sudden hostility towards him.
'Nothing. You did nothing. A little support would've helped,' Maggie said annoyed.
Riggs suddenly grabbed Maggie's hand and changed direction, walking them both swiftly into an empty conference room. He turned around and looked at Maggie, who was standing before him in bewilderment.
'The chief was right,' he said adamantly. He was staring Maggie right in the eyes and she couldn't help her breath hitching slightly. His hands were rested lazily in his coat pockets and despite his easy tone his eyes were hard and seemed to lack their usual playful spark.
'I haven't been in a hospital in a while,' he said earnestly, shrugging his shoulder in apology. 'I'm still adjusting. I'm a systems guy. I came from a long stint in the army. The army is all about systems. UNOS has a system, you respect the system and the system respects you. But here, it's a whole other ball game. A game where you guys push the boundaries, and play to the systems limits. I'm still learning how to play the game.'
Maggie nodded her head, she never thought about how hard the adjustment from army life to hospital life would be. She had never bothered to ask if he was coping. Especially since he always seemed so laid back and playful. 'It's a shark tank here,' she said. 'It's either eat or be eaten. You're the only one who's going to fight for your patients.'
'Everything in the army is so fast paced. It's all go, go, go. There is no waiting for UNOS in the Middle East,' Riggs stated.
'I appreciate you telling me this Riggs,' Maggie smiled at him comforting.
They fell into a silence, watching each other. Maggie couldn't help but smile. She liked the way Riggs had confided in her, she didn't get to see this vulnerable side of him very often.
Riggs cleared his throat and said, 'Should we get back to the patient then?'
Maggie led the way from the conference room into the patient's room and prepared herself to tell her patient that UNOS wasn't giving him this heart, again.
Her patient was lying in the hospital bed, his face was pale and his hair was plastered to his scalp from the beads of sweat on his forehead that had formed just from the exertion of breathing. When he noticed the doctors walk in the room, he raised himself slightly with a grin broadening across his face. His brother was sitting in the armchair beside the bed and sat up rigidly when the doctors walked in. Maggie took a deep breath and exhaled.
'Ronny, there's been an issue with the heart from UNOS,' Maggie said. Her heart tugged painfully as she watched the smile disappear from his face.
'I'm not getting this heart am I?' he said, his body sagging slightly in his hospital bed.
'We're afraid there was another candidate who needed the heart more,' Riggs said.
Ronny's brother rose from the couch next to the hospital bed, and put his hand on his brother's shoulder.
'It's alright Ronny. We've been through this before, we know how to deal with it. You'll just keep taking your medication and we wait for the next one,' he said. There was such hope in his eyes that Maggie had to look away.
'Will you just Shut up, Jacob. I am so sick of you being so positive all the time,' said Ronny, his eyes shining with anger and frustration. He had to pause to take a deep breath in between sentences. Jacob's face fell slightly at his brother's words, but he stayed silent.
'Just be realistic for once in your life. Look at me, my heart is failing. You don't know what it's like waking up every morning and wondering if it will be your last,' continued Ronny. 'There's always someone who needs the heart more; there's always someone who's more dead than me.'
Ronny looked up at Maggie, his face showing such exhaustion, 'Take me off the transplant list.'
Her mouth fell open in surprise and Maggie looked at Riggs who took a step towards the patient saying, 'Now you don't want to be doing that mate.'
'Don't call me mate. I'm not your mate,' Ronny spat at Riggs. 'I can't keep going through this. You promise me that I'll get a heart, you build my hopes up but I never get it. That is worse than dying with this stupid heart.'
'Ronny, you have to understand that without a heart transplant, you will die. You will die soon. A heart transplant is your best chance at surviving' Maggie informed him.
'Ronny?' Jacob questioned, concern written all over his face.
Ronny just turned to glare at his brother, 'If you want to help me, then just take me home.'
Ronny stood up from his bed and didn't wait for his brother as he walked out of the room. As he passed Maggie and Riggs, he muttered 'Thanks for nothing, again.'
Jacob picked up his brother's bags, gave Maggie and Riggs an apologetic smile before quickly chasing after his brother.
Jo Wilson stood at the front of Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. She watched patients and doctors coming and leaving the hospital. Some were smiling and laughing drinking their morning coffee, while others were in a sombre rush carrying flowers and hastily scrawled get well cards. This hospital had become her home. For the first time in her life she had felt like she had a home, she felt like she belonged. If this was going to be the last time she saw this hospital, then she was going to memorise every detail. She was already late; a few extra minutes wouldn't make a difference.
Alex was in there somewhere, she thought. She wondered if he would even want to talk to her, after all he still thought that she had slept with De Luca. What was she going to say to him? She looked down at the ground shaking her head. She would just have to bite the bullet. Clenching her hands into fists, she had a strange sense of excitement. She didn't have to hide who she was anymore. Inhaling deeply, Jo started walking towards the doors of Grey Sloan Hospital for what was possibly the last time.
'Doctor Wilson!' a shrill voice behind her called.
Jo closed her eyes in annoyance; she did not have time for this. Very early on in her intern days, Jo learnt that it is on the verge of impossible to practice as a doctor if you don't have the nurses on your side. You didn't need to befriend them all, you just had to pick one and be nice to them. You just needed one nurse in your corner. Unfortunately, Jo had picked nurse Betsy. She was a middle-aged lady who wore bright mixed matched clothes that smelled of mothballs and was always swinging around a massive leather handbag. Betsy was renowned as the biggest gossiper in all of Grey Sloan. She new everybody's business before they knew it themselves. The small lady hurried to catch up to Jo, who acknowledge her icily.
'Good morning Dr. Wilson!' she cried. She looked around, 'I see you didn't come here with Dr. Karev this morning. Are you two still having troubles? That's too bad. You know who else is having trouble?'
She didn't even pause for an answer before continuing on with her insufferable dribbles of other peoples business. Jo really didn't have time for this, she was already 45 minutes late for rounds, and what was worse was that Grey was her attending for the day. She was going to be unforgiving. Jo watched a man come hurrying towards them. He was looking around him nervously, like he didn't really want to be seen. He wore ripped clothes with socks and sandals and a baseball cap that was pulled low over his face. Jo felt sadden as she watched him, he almost looked homeless. Of course she had a soft spot for the homeless, she new what it was like to be the dregs of society.
'Excuse me? Excuse me? Can I get some help please?' he called towards Jo and nurse Betsy.
Using this man as a scapegoat, Jo quickly interrupted the nurse and told her she would meet her inside. Walking up to the man and in her politest voice she said, 'Hello sir, are you looking for administration? I know the hospital is huge and can be a little confusing sometimes.'
The man grabbed her elbow suddenly and Jo instinctively tried to yank it free, but his grip was tight. The man looked at her pleadingly and said desperately, 'Please, please are you a doctor? You have to help my friend! He's over here.'
He motioned for Jo to follow him and then walked hastily around the corner of the hospital. Jo took one last look behind her at the hospital and quickly followed him. The man was walking her around the far side of the hospital where the dumpsters were kept. The smell was almost unbearable; it turns out that hospital food doesn't just taste worse than normal food, it smelt worse when it was decaying as well. They were well away from anyone who would be able to help Jo get the sick or injured person inside the hospital.
'Sir, if somebody is hurt we need to get them inside of the hospital,' she said, but the man just ignored her.
A cold shiver ran down Jo's spine, something didn't feel right and with a sinking feeling she noticed a white van parked next to a dumpster. The man turned around to face her, but she couldn't see anyone who needed help.
'Sir, where is your friend? If they are unwell, they should see a doctor immediately,' Jo said cautiously.
Suddenly there was a loud click behind her head. She knew that noise. Anyone would know that noise. Someone had just cocked a gun to the back of her head.
Her stomach dropped, her body froze. Vomit quickly rose to the back of her throat. Her body began shaking uncontrollably and he knees almost collapsed underneath her. It's funny how quickly your world can turn upside down. Instinctively, Jo raised both of her hands into the air and tried to control her breathing. The owner of the gun spoke behind her, he had a voice that was deep and demanding. He only whispered and yet it carried through the air and settled there.
He breathed, 'If you do exactly what I say, you don't have to worry about dying today.'
Jo tried to speak, but her voice failed her, so she nodded her head slightly. She didn't understand what was happening, but she knew she was in serious trouble. Somehow, her life was about to get even more messed up then it already was.
'Page Meredith Grey, now.'