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There was screaming.
A loud shrill scream that pierced the air through generations.
A scream that rolled through the victims of a falling plane to a daughter curled up on the kitchen floor.
A scream that was numb to the daughter's own ears, but fiery to anybody else's.
She screamed and cried and arm held her and voice spoke to her and the world tried to get her under control, but nothing could.
And in the midst of the sound and the faces and they eyes staring into her and crying and begging her to stop.
And the screaming continued, and her throat was hurting her, and before her, a picture of an alternate life was written in front of her.
She could see them returning, if only some of them.
She could see that little baby born. She could picture it being a boy.
She saw the two of them playing together, growing up together with joy and one big happy, slightly tragic family.
They'd grow up to be doctors too. And when Zola had her heart broken, her father would hold her until the pain eased away, because she was protected.
Here was the happiness and the love and the innocence that was to be her life.
Here was the life that was ripped away from her because of a stupid accident.
There were more voices. Her hands flew, punched.
Something was stabbed into her arm.
The screaming stopped.
There was darkness.
And she heard her mother's voice and she was a child again.
And her mother was holding her, singing.
"Sleep dear Zola. Close your eyes. Mommy's gonna sing you a lullaby. Let the nighttime bring you dreams of what tomorrow's shall be. And do not cry. Because I'm here. Sleep dear Zola. Sleep my dear."
"Meredith?"
She looked up and saw him standing in the doorway, smiling at her.
"She couldn't sleep," she whispered.
"Do I get a lullaby too?"
"Maybe if you're really good."
She giggled and placed the young girl into bed.
"Good night Zo. I love you."
When she opened her eyes, Zola was in a small white bed in a strange white room that smelled like the fresh scent of a hospital.
In fact, it was a hospital.
Her eyes were puffy. Her arm was sore.
Her fists were wrapped in gauze.
And for a moment, Zola had no idea what was happening, and it was refreshing.
"Zola?"
Her eyes moved upwards. Richard stood before her in the doorway, slightly blurry, covered in a haze. He moved towards her and the room seemed to tip around him.
Zola opened her mouth to speak but her voice was hoarse and hidden and gone.
Her throat was sore.
"Don't try to speak," Richard said and sat beside her bed, watching her. "Alex will be here soon." Zola frowned and her eyes felt heavy. "You're tired, aren't you?" She nodded. "Those are the meds. You had quite a nervous breakdown."
He nodded and hummed under his breath. "I took a look at that diary Zola. That was some heavy reading. Meredith's mother kept a diary too. Did you know that?" Zola nodded. "Yes. She did, but hers never involved the events of her death. I couldn't fully understand why Meredith felt the need to write it all down, but then I put myself in her shoes, and I thought... I'd want people to know too. If that was me in that plain, I'd want people to understand that we fought, we waited, we tried to get back to our life. Meredith and Derek were trying to get back to you too. And man, did they fight."
A tear fell down Zola's face and her lips formed the words, "Not hard enough."
Richard shook his head. "Your mother, Zola, was the strongest woman I knew. She never gave up until she had no other choice, and even then, she tried to find a way. They found her body far from everyone else's even your father. She'd tried to find a way out. She looked. She fought for you. But you and I both know that, with Derek gone, she never had much of a chance. He was her other half and vice versa which is how her mother was to me."
Zola swallowed and her throat ached. She tried to speak but Richard shook his head, and when she mouthed the words, he didn't understand. She reached for his hand touched her pointer finger to his palm, and wrote T-U-C-K.
"Tuck." Richard pressed his lips together, understanding. "Tuck Bailey is your other half."
Zola watched him for a long moment and got out "Yes" before her eyes closed and she fell asleep again.
A/N: Sorry for the short chapter. I wanted to make it longer, but I had to end it there. Please review for a fast update. Richard is always the words of wisdom, isn't he? I hope he stays on the show.