Hearts Don't Break Around Here
After a hard day at work, Meredith and Addison visit Ellis Grey together.
"Come with me," Meredith says to Grace's daughter Alice, when she arrives from Oregon.
The patient is, in fact, DNR, and Meredith does in fact have to take her off life support.
Richard offers to do it for her, but Meredith wants to finish what she started.
She can stand on her own two feet now.
Meredith unplugs the monitor, and takes out the tube.
And she watches as her daughter and her family and friends whisper their final goodbyes.
All of it hits way too close to home for Meredith. Just this morning she was visiting Ellis, and Ellis was hanging out with Richard. And she was having a good day, but she's not always having a good day, and she's not always getting visitors.
Meredith herself doesn't always have time to stop by after work when her shift ends too late.
She figures she should visit Ellis tonight, while she still has the chance.
It takes over two hours for Grace to pass on. Meredith spends half of that time inside the room, and half of it outside the room just waiting for it.
Richard passes by, and Meredith encourages him to keep visiting her mother. Meredith can tell he's trying to say something more, or maybe he's withholding information but she doesn't pry at the moment.
She thinks she'll be ready for when Grace finally does cross over, but when it happens she's overwhelmed. So overwhelmed.
In Meredith's head this could be her own mother. Her own life. It's too soon.
Meredith panics, and finds her way into an empty supply closet, and she sobs.
She hyperventilates, and she cries, and she ugly-sobs until she sees someone pushing through the door, following her.
"Hey," says Derek, as he sees her crying. He leans in, to comfort her, but Meredith only cries harder, and shakes her head at him.
"Addison, I want Addison," Meredith whines, and Derek says "okay," and he goes to get her.
"It's okay, it's okay baby," Addison says, taking Meredith into her arms the moment she gets there.
Meredith collapses into Addison's shoulder as she lets go completely, her tears falling all over Addison's white goat and her shirt. Addison stays here and holds Meredith, coaxing her to keep breathing in and out as she cries it all out.
"She reminded me of my mom," Meredith sobs.
"Oh, I know, it's so hard," says Addison, soothing over Meredith's hair.
"My mom's in a home, and she thinks that she's my age. She thinks that she and Richard are in medical school, and she doesn't always remember me," says Meredith. "And she could die not knowing who I am," Meredith babbles.
"Yeah, I'm sorry," says Addison, as she caresses Meredith's cheeks.
"She doesn't even know who you are," says Meredith. "She hasn't even met you yet," Meredith whimpers.
"We've met," says Addison, not wanting to dwell on when Ellis was admitted to Seattle Grace Hospital.
"She's met you as a doctor. She hasn't met you as my girlfriend," says Meredith.
"She hasn't," Addison smiles. "Would you like her to?"
Addison has a complicated relationship with her own parents, so she understands if Meredith doesn't want her to 'officially,' meet her mother like that. She's always let Meredith set the pace when it comes to family, and Meredith does the same when it comes to Addison's family.
"I think I would," says Meredith. "I want her to know I'm happy with you," Meredith says quietly.
"Okay," says Addison. "We can do that."
"I don't know if she'll be happy about it," says Meredith. "She might be upset that I'm with a woman. Actually, she might be upset that I'm with anyone. Say it's a distraction. Say I'm not focused," Meredith frets.
"Well, we can't know how she feels about you being with a woman. But I know for sure you're becoming an excellent surgeon," says Addison.
"Thank, Addie," says Meredith.
"You're welcome, Mer," says Addison, as she kisses the top of Meredith's head.
"I've got to go talk to the family again," says Meredith, as she heads back to Grace's room to chat with Alice.
"Can I ask you something personal?" Meredith asks, as Alice fills in some last paperwork.
"Sure," Alice offers.
"How did your mom take it when she found out that you're... " Meredith gestures, and bites her lip because she's shy about saying it.
"A lesbian?" Alice asks her, and Meredith nods.
"It's just, I haven't told my mom about my girlfriend, and I'm nervous about it," says Meredith.
"Ah," says Alice. "Well, it took her some time, but she was okay with it once she saw how happy we were," says Alice.
"Thanks," says Meredith.
"You too, thanks for calling," says Alice.
"And sorry for… Accidentally saving her…" says Meredith awkwardly.
"It's alright, you were just trying to help. Saving patients is a good thing when you're a doctor," Alice smiles, as she hands Meredith back the clipboard.
Meredith nods, and she takes it to the desk. And she asks Richard when she passes by what he thinks Ellis will say about her and Addison.
"Do you think she'll be angry?" Meredith asks him. "You know her better than anyone."
"I don't think she'll be angry," says Richard. "At least, not more angry than I was," he chuckles.
"You were angry?" Meredith asks him.
"Well, I helped raise you. I'd be angry at anyone who wanted to date you, Meredith. But I trust Addie, and she's good for you. And you're good for her. And that's what matters," says Richard.
"Thanks," says Meredith.
"Good luck," says Dr. Webber, as he pats her on the shoulder before leaving.
Addison drives this time, holding Meredith's hand as they walk in together.
Roseridge Home for Extended Care is a pretty place all things considered.
Meredith takes Addison's hand when they walk in, and she keeps holding it as the desk calls for her mother to come visit her.
They sit them down in one of the conference rooms with some tea and biscuits which Meredith is too nervous to touch.
"Hi mom," Meredith says, testing the waters to see if her mother will remember her this time.
"Meredith, it's been such a long time," says Ellis.
Meredith breathes a sigh of relief when Ellis does recognize her.
"Yeah, it has," Meredith smiles.
She's still nervous, she's still holding Addison's hand under the table, and Addison is quietly letting Meredith direct the conversation. She draws patterns on Meredith's hand with her thumbs, to let her know that she's there.
"Mom, I have someone I'd like you to meet," says Meredith all in one breath.
"Oh?" says Ellis, smiling.
"This is… This is Dr. Montgomery… Actually, mom… This is Addison," says Meredith, gesturing with her other hand.
"Pleasure to meet you, Dr. Grey," says Addison formally.
"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you," says Ellis. "But I believe we may have already met, no?" says Ellis. "You are a maternal-fetal surgeon at Seattle Grace. You're an Attending," says Ellis.
Meredith is a little surprised, as is Addison, and Addison nods calmly.
"Yes, we must have met," says Addiosn.
"Ahem mom, what I meant is… What I mean is… Addison and I… We're dating… She's my girlfriend…" says Meredith before she can change her mind.
"Well now," says Ellis, and Meredith bites her tongue, waiting for Ellis to react to that. She squeezes Addison's hand, hoping that Ellis isn't upset at the news.
"I promise I have only the best of intentions with your daughter…" says Addison. "She's very bright, a great student, and I don't give her any kind of special treatment," Addison promises.
"I sure hope so," says Ellis.
Meredith is still holding her breath when she can see a smile start to form on the corner of her mother's lips.
"Thank you, for bringing Addison to visit," says Ellis.
"Are you okay with this?" Meredith asks her.
"I think so," says Ellis. "Are you focused? Are you a good surgeon? I sure hope you're encouraging Meredith to try out all the specialties, find one that she clicks with," says Ellis.
"Yes Doctor," says Addison.
"And are you two going to get married? Are you going to have children? I would like to see my grandchildren…" says Ellis.
"Mom!" says Meredith.
"We're dating, and we're happy for now," says Addison diplomatically.
"I'm only twenty-nine," says Meredith.
"Ah yes, internship isn't a good time for children," says Ellis, and Meredith relaxes.
"It might be a bit chaotic for weddings too, but maybe you could fit one of those in? I'm not getting any younger you know," says Ellis.
"Umm, mom it's… It's still a bit soon," Meredith says, a bit flustered.
"You've got to stick with true love. Don't let it get away from you," offers Ellis.
"Thanks, mom," says Meredith.
"I'm sure if there's a wedding you'll be invited," says Addison. "Though that might be a while yet," she smiles.
"Oh well, that's alright," says Ellis. "You can't rush love either," she smiles.
"So you're really okay with this?" Meredith asks softly.
"Yes, I'm okay with it," says Ellis. "She's much more put together than that college girlfriend of yours… Sarah? Or Sally was it…? I'm not sure. Either way, she was trouble," says Ellis.
"You- you knew that Sadie and I… We were dating at the time?" says Meredith, intrigued.
"Well, I apologize for jumping to conclusions, but you two spent an entire year backpacking around Europe, and then when you stopped being friends you were depressed for months on end, that's why I tried to discourage you from that trip," says Ellis.
"So you're not bothered that I'm seeing a woman?" says Meredith.
"No," says Ellis.
"Oh good," says Addison. "I was a little nervous, too."
"Now, tell me," Ellis leans into Addison and whispers, "how did you two meet again?"
Addison bites her lip and gasps a little, and Meredith giggles.
"Well, it's sort of a long story mom…" says Meredith, as she finally bites into one of the biscuits.
"I've got a little while," says Ellis, as she pours herself another glass of tea.
"It all started at Seattle Grace Hospital…" says Addison, as if she were beginning a fairytale.
No matter how they may have met in the first place, Meredith and Addison had their very own fairy tale to tell, and to live by.
***** FIN