ONE MOMENT IN TIME
FADE IN
INT. – MEREDITH'S HOUSE – AFTERNOON
MEREDITH (V.O.)
Last week…a 46 year old man was on his way to take classes at a local university. He had just gotten home from Iraq…physically unscathed. He was in the process of completing his Master's Degree and was on both the President's and Dean's list…when a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction hit an embankment and traveled through three lanes and across a median…landing in his path…killing him instantly. Life can turn on a dime. Events can happen in an instant that change the course of our lives…propelling us into the unknown. It teaches you to never become too complacent…or forget what's important…and to appreciate what you have.
Meredith is jolted back to the present by a knock at the door. Cristina looks out the window and then walks over to answer it. When the door opens…Owen is standing on the other side. Cristina looks past him and then to Meredith.
"Meredith…it's for you."
Meredith walks over to the door and sees Owen and then looks at Cristina with a confused glance. "Cristina…invite him in."
Owen says nothing…looking over his shoulder and then back to Meredith before moving off to the side…a reaction that at first makes her laugh as she wonders why he is acting so strange…and then she sees it…beyond his shoulder and through the swirling and blowing snow…Derek standing at the foot of the oak tree. Without hesitation she begins walking toward him unaware that she is still in her stocking feet as she pays no attention to the cold wet snow crossing the yard to stand before him...placing her hands on both sides of his face. "Is it really you?"
"It's really me" he says.
He opens his jacket and she crawls inside…burying her face in his chest and wrapping her arms around his waist so tight that he can barely breathe. He closes his jacket behind her and holds her close…swaying back and forth in an attempt to comfort her sobbing…kissing her hair several times when she finally looks to him and kisses him back.
Everyone watches from the porch. Izzy and George are in disbelief when Izzy looks to Cristina. "Was that the other secret?"
Cristina smiles. "Your windup dog might have beaten my hopping chicken…but I am still queen of the vault of secrets."
"How long do you think they are going to stay out there" George says. "Meredith must be freezing."
Owen smiles. "She's not cold. She's in love."
"Well I'm freezing" Cristina says as she heads back into the house. Owen shakes his head and leaves. Cristina doesn't realize he's gone and turns to say something to him when she sees his car pull out of the driveway.
"Meredith" George yells. "Meredith do you want me to bring you your boots?"
Derek looks down at her feet. "You're in your stockings?" He picks her up and carries her into the house setting her down just inside the doorway. "Now go put on some dry socks before you get sick."
Meredith contemplates telling him she is pregnant but everyone is surrounding them so she decides to wait. "Don't move" she says to Derek.
"Oh…I'm not going anywhere ever again" he says with a reassuring smile.
Meredith walks up the steps and keeps looking back over her shoulder to make sure he's really there. As soon as she gets far enough away, Izzy begins her game of twenty questions. "Where have you been? Why did everyone think you were dead? Did someone really die? When did you get home?"
Meredith watches from the top of the steps…afraid to look away for fear that if she does…he will be gone. "Screw it" she says to Derek. "Come with me."
Izzy watches as Derek quickly ascends the steps never removing his eyes from Meredith and then she looks back at Cristina with an accusing glare.
Upon seeing the look on Izzy's face Cristina becomes a little frightened and attempts to create distance between them by hiding behind George. "Oh no" she says as she pushes George into Izzy's path and then tries to escape to the kitchen.
Izzy puts her foot out to block her. "Where do you think you're going?"
"Away from you...scary person."
"Tell us what's going on first." Izzy says.
"Nah…I don't feel like it." Cristina says as she tries to maneuver her way around Izzy.
Izzy looks back at George. "Let's get her" she says as she grabs her arms and pulls her to the ground…sitting on her and holding her arms above her head.
Cristina laughs. "Seriously…what are you going to do to me you big bully?"
"I'm going to torture you until you tell me what's going on." Izzy says.
"You are not…George…Koty…lil help guys." Cristina looks over at Koty and George who merely watch without saying a word.
Then Koty looks to George. "Want some pie?"
"I do" George says. Both of them head off into the kitchen.
"Guys…come on…" Cristina pleas.
"No one cares" Izzy says to her. "Now spill your guts bitch."
"Ok" Cristina relents. "Let me up and I'll tell you."
"Ohhhh no" Izzy laughs. "You're not going anywhere until you tell me…then I'll let you up…and not before."
"I don't have to tell you anything."
"That's it!" Izzy says and then proceeds to tickle Cristina who is laughing so hard she can barely breathe.
"Get off of me you cow." Cristina manages to yell at her. But Izzy doesn't back down.
George and Koty are in the kitchen standing at the cupboard eating their pie. "Wanna go watch?" George says.
"You know…I kinda do." Koty responds.
They make their way back into the living room to get a front row seat as Cristina wriggles under Izzy's weight…unable to escape.
"Ok…ok… I'll tell you. Just stop tickling me."
Cristina fills them all in on the events that occurred since Thanksgiving and catches them up to the current day. "That's it" she says. "That's all I know." She then looks at George and Koty. "Happy?"
George looks to Koty. "I'm pretty happy…you?"
Izzy is exhausted as she sits down alongside Cristina who quickly jumps to her feet and on top of Izzy when she begins to tickle her until she screams.
"I am now" Koty says.
Meredith and Derek never come back downstairs.
INT. – SGH SCRUB ROOM – AFTERNOON
Bailey and Alex leave the OR after having completed Richard's surgery. Bailey watches Alex as he scrubs out and smiles. Her kids are growing up and becoming the adults she always meant for them to be. "Good job doctor" Bailey says.
"Thank you…doctor" Alex says as he smiles back at her.
"You know…watching you in the OR today…" She stops as the words get caught in her throat. "Well…let's just say…I am so proud of the person you've become."
Alex thanks her again and the two of them scrub out in silence until Bailey disappears to try and reach Richard. She becomes concerned when he doesn't answer and knows that if the past is any indication…he will need support now more than ever.
She grabs her coat and leaves to try and find him…passing by Callie on the way out.
"Hey Miranda…do you know what Owen's meeting is all about?"
Miranda is clearly distracted by her mission to find Richard. "What…uh...I just got out of surgery…what meeting?"
"Owen called a meeting of the Attendings that starts in about twenty minutes."
"Oh…shoot…I can't…I've got to go. You'll fill me in later?"
"Sure" Callie says and then turns to Mark who is walking by.
"Why is everyone acting so strange?"
"Not sure…I'm not acting strange."
"FYI…you are acting strange…but I'm not talking about you because I already know your problem. I'm talking about Owen and Richard and Bailey."
She looks to Mark for an answer who is ignoring her and catches him winking at the nurse behind the desk. "You know what…you are useless."
"What?" Mark says as she turns and walks away in frustration.
INT. – MIRANDA'S CAR – LATE AFTERNOON
Miranda is back in her car after having just left the nursing home where Adele was staying and learned that she passed away in her sleep early that morning. They said that Richard was there briefly but left and no one knew where he went. She drove away and watched the streets for his car only driving a few blocks before seeing his vehicle parked on the side of the road. She pulls up behind it and looks around for him but he is no where in sight. She looks around at the buildings…and sees a liquor store. A feeling of nausea comes over her as she slowly makes her way to the door and pulls on it before she notices the sign that says…CLOSED – CHRISTMAS DAY!
Relieved, she continues to look for Richard and notices a small church not far from where he was parked. She enters the church which is quietly awaiting the 9pm service and finds Richard sitting in one of the pews. Without saying a word…she makes her way to him and crosses herself before taking a seat beside him. They sit in silence for the longest time before Richard speaks. "Beautiful…isn't it?"
Bailey looks to him and at the smile on his face. "It is" she says. "Oh Richard…I'm so sorry."
He reaches over and grabs her hand. "It's ok now. She's the beautiful angel she deserves to be. Today is a special day for God and Heaven. He gets to spend eternity with a woman who spent her life making everyone around her feel blessed to be in her presence."
They sit there for hours in the stillness listening to the organ and comforted by the presence of God. Richard never lets go of her hand.
INT. – SGH CONFERENCE ROOM – LATE AFTERNOON
There is a buzz in the room as the Attendings gather for the meeting...each wondering what it's all about when Owen enters the room and moves to the front. "Everyone…everyone can I have your attention?" They turn in his direction. "Please…please sit down."
Owen waits until they all take a seat with the exception of a few annoyed veterans checking their watches and standing near the door so they can make a quick exit.
"A while ago…we were all informed of the death of Dr. Shepherd. Well…as you know…through your dedicated work as doctors and surgeons…and by the return of Dr. O'Malley…that miracles happen every day. And this day is no different from any other."
The room becomes quiet in anticipation of his next words.
"About a week ago, I received a call from Army Headquarters…saying there may have been some confusion surrounding the death of Dr. Shepherd…and that he may still be alive but being held prisoner somewhere in Iraq."
Owen looks to the group and continues in their silence. "Well today…I am happy to say that Dr. Shepherd was indeed alive and has been rescued and returned to the United States and is at home…and in remarkably good health."
The room erupts in cheers and applause as Callie looks over to Mark who is speechless…reaching over and putting a hand on his shoulder when he gets up and abruptly leaves the room.
Callie watches him walk out of the room avoiding the pats on the back and hugs from the celebrating Attending and follows him. She sees the door to the on-call room close and slowly walks in to find Mark in the dark sobbing so hard he can barely catch his breath. Without hesitating she sits down next to him and places her arm around his shoulder when he leans toward her and kisses her.
INT. – MEREDITH'S HOUSE – LATE AFTERNOON
Izzy, Koty, Cristina, and George are all sitting around the table looking at the meal before them.
"Should we wait for them to come down?" Izzy says.
"I think we'd be sitting here all night." George says as everyone looks toward the top of the steps.
"Well…let's eat then" Cristina says looking to Izzy and holding out her hand.
Izzy reluctantly reaches back and takes Cristina's hand and then reaches out to George who also takes Koty's hand.
Everyone closes their eyes as Cristina begins to speak. "Dear God…thank you for this meal and for our friends…and family. Please watch out for our loved ones who cannot be here with us and keep them safe."
"Oh…and amen."