Something to Talk About
By Misha

Disclaimer and Notes in Part One.

Part Ten: Every Single Heartbeat

"Meredith's out of surgery." Miranda told her interns, who all turned to look at her with hopeful eyes, except Stevens who just looked sulky.

"How is she?" O'Malley asked right away, clinging to Torres' hand.

"She's... It's still touch and go." Miranda said quietly, not bothering sugar-coating it. "The next few hours are critical."

There was silence at her words.

"I told Karev I'd give him an update." Burke said after a moment. "He'll want to know."

"I'll do it." Yang volunteered, still looking stricken.

"Christina?" Miranda called out as the other woman stood to go.

"Yes?" Yang asked, turning to look at her.

"Meredith, does she have any family who should be called?" Miranda asked, figuring Christina would be the one to ask. "I know her mother's... Not available... But, if there's anyone else, they should be here."

"They are." George answered before Christina could. "We're Meredith's family. We're all she has."

Miranda nodded, somehow she had expected that. "Okay, then." She said with a nod. "It's... It might be a while before we know anything."

"We aren't going anywhere." Christina said quietly. "Not until we know she'll be okay."

"All right." Miranda said, with a nod. She felt that way herself, there was no way she could leave until she knew that Meredith, one of hers, one of her pesky interns, would be all right. Miranda wasn't sure anyone in this room would ever be okay again if she wasn't...

"She's out of surgery." Christina said quietly, appearing in the doorway. "They don't know... They don't know anything else yet."

"Thanks." Alex said quietly. "Keep... Keep me posted?"

He looked at Christina and saw the strain in her eyes, she was barely keeping it together. It was weird, seeing the calm and composed Christina Yang, so detached and so in control, falling apart in front of his eyes. But, he understood the feeling all too well. "Christina?"

"Yes." She asked, pausing at the door.

"Can you... Stay for a few minutes?" He asked. "I... I don't want to be alone."

It was weird, but he wanted her company. They weren't friends, he wasn't really sure they even liked each other all that much, but...

Right now, she was the only person who could really understand. They were both damaged and screwed up and had erected a lot of barriers and somehow Meredith had broke through them... She made them both care.

Christina paused and then nodded. "Sure." She sat down in the chair and didn't say anything, just stared at the wall, btu that was okay.

It wasn't conversation that Alex needed, it was just not to be alone. Not now, not when Meredith might die, he couldn't handle that news all alone and he knew that Christina felt the same.

Burke went outside, where he found Richard pacing.

"I used to change her diapers." Richard said softly. "When she was a baby, I'd hold her and play with her and... She was the prettiest little girl I've ever seen."

Burke didn't know what to say, he wasn't used to seeing Richard like this. "Richard..." He started quietly and then trailed off.

"Part of me thinks I should call her father, but... He has no right to be here." Richard stated. "He walked away from her without looking back. At least I looked back."

Burke rose an eyebrow, wondering exactly what Richard was getting at. Though, he had a few suspicions.

"I did the right thing, I still believe that, but I do have regrets." Richard said softly. "Regret that I hurt Ellis and especially that that little girl got hurt, so many times. She was the innocent and she got hurt the most."

Preston stayed quiet, since he knew that Richard just needed to talk, to get things out for himself.

"Now, she's in there, in my hospital, clinging to her life." Richard said softly. "And there's nothing I can do to help her, just like I couldn't, knew I shouldn't, do anything to stop her from being hurt all those years ago."

"Richard..." Preston said again. "She'll be okay."

He didn't know whether or not that was true, it had been a difficult surgery and her condition... Well, it wasn't great. Preston had to admit that he was worried as much as anyone else, if Meredith died...

Well, Preston was sure that at least few people would never recover... After, all she meant a lot to a lot of people.