Chapter Eleven: These Walls

I can't believe what is in front of me
The water's rising up to my knees
And I can't figure out
How the hell I wound up here
Everything seemed okay when I started out the other day
Then the rain came pouring down
And now I'm drowning in my fears
And as I watch the setting sun
I wonder if I'm the only one

Teddy Geiger

…

Leni recognized Izzie's voice in the hallway outside of her door. She had sent both Alex and George to get lunch, so she was alone for the moment, and she knew that it would be a good time to talk to Izzie. However, Addison had forbidden her from getting out of bed unattended—and even she knew that it wasn't a good idea to push Addison's buttons at the moment—so she tried to think of a way that she could get Izzie's attention.

She noticed the book on the table beside her bed, and suddenly an idea came to her. She knew better, but she knocked the book to the floor with a loud thud. Just as she had planned, Izzie came running into her room, accompanied by another doctor whom Leni hadn't met and two nurses whom she had befriended—Nurses Debbie and Olivia.

"Hey, what's going on? I heard something fall; are you okay?" Izzie wondered, automatically moving to check Leni.

She grinned sheepishly and answered, "I just dropped my book. Clumsy me." Then she smiled and introduced herself to the man standing beside Izzie. "I'm Leni Campbell; I don't believe we've met."

He walked over to her bed and shook her outstretched hand. "Preston Burke," he replied and smiled politely. The whole hospital was abuzz with talk of this particular patient—he found that even Cristina was more than willing to spend a few hours keeping her company—so he was glad to finally make her acquaintance.

"Oh, I've heard about you. You're a cardiothoracic surgeon—one of the best, so they say," she told him.

He then said laughingly, "I see you've been talking to the right people, then."

She nodded. "Cristina and Uncle Richard may have mentioned a thing or two."

"Really? What did Richard say? And Cristina?" he wondered, but she just shrugged and grinned. He smiled back and replied, "I guess I shouldn't worry too much if you're talking to me, then. It was nice to meet you, Leni."

"Nice to meet you, too, Dr. Burke," she returned. She knew that he and Cristina would be okay; one evening Cristina had voiced her uncertainties to Leni, but she was glad to see that she was right when she said everything would be fine. "Hey, Izzie, do you have a minute?"

"Yeah, of course. What can I do for you?" she volunteered happily, picking up Leni's book and returning it to its place. "Where are George and Alex, by the way?"

"I sent them downstairs to get some lunch. They started arguing about cars—at least I think it was cars… I kind of zoned out. And I thought, 'Should I fake a seizure?' But I really didn't feel like getting stuck with unnecessary needles, and I've already freaked Alex and George out enough for the time being, so I just sent them to get food," she replied with a grin.

Izzie couldn't help but laugh. "Smart move. Honestly, I don't know how you've put up with those two together in such close quarters for so long. After a while, they start acting like…"

"Little boys?" Leni finished, and Izzie nodded in agreement.

"So, evidently you've noticed. I mean, it's not like they're unbearable or anything 'cause they aren't. George is a great roommate—he, Meredith, and I all live in Meredith's mother's house—and except for a few things, it's been great. And Alex…" she poured out to Leni but found herself pausing when it came to him.

"He's a good guy, Izzie. He obviously has his…less than perfect moments, I guess you could say. But overall, he has a good heart and he's trying. It just might take a while."

Izzie sighed. "But how long is 'a while'? I don't know if I have what it takes to wait around forever for a maybe," she confided.

But Leni smiled softly and assured her, "Don't give up on him, okay? Don't wait forever, but don't give up too soon. He's learning this whole relationship thing on his own, so it might take him a little longer. But he'll get the hang of it." She saw a contemplative look overcome Izzie's face as her words sunk in, and she sincerely hoped that things would work out for the best for both of them. "How about we go visit Elle?" she offered, and Izzie nodded with a smile.

…

Alex tossed a chocolate chip muffin onto Leni's lap when he and George met up with her in the NICU a few minutes later. He looked at Izzie and gave a sort of half smile, but he turned his full attention to Leni and Elena. As he walked up to the incubator and let Elena wrap her tiny hand around his finger, he told Leni, "You haven't been eating enough lately. I don't blame you because the food they serve to patients is crap, so I thought maybe you'd rather this."

"Okay, Karev… Either you're psychic or we've been spending way too much time together. How'd you know that chocolate chip muffins are my favorite?" she laughed.

"Not psychic, just observant. Every time you'd win one at poker, it was the only thing you'd never bet back, so I just figured," he told her.

"Thanks, Alex. That was really thoughtful of you," Leni answered, staring right at Izzie as though to confirm that her point had been proven true.

Izzie took the unspoken push and asked suddenly, "Hey, Alex… I was wondering if maybe you'd like to have dinner with me tonight?"

Both George and Alex looked at her, completely dumbfounded and at a loss for words. However, by the smile on Leni's face, they both realized that this had been her doing.

"Uh… seriously?" Alex finally managed.

"Yeah, your shift is done at seven, right? I'll just meet you downstairs. See you then," she smiled.

"You're welcome," Leni told him when Izzie had gone. He was staring at her questioningly, so she added, "Try not to screw it up this time, okay? There's only so much I can do. But I take care of my interns."

"Leni, you're freaking awesome," Alex grinned.

…

Derek drew in a deep breath when he spotted Meredith downstairs. He had been thinking all day about what Leni had told him, and he knew that she was right. There was so much to say, and he hoped that he could find the right words. And he also hoped that she would listen.

Meredith saw him only moments after he saw her, but she pretended not to notice. She knew that look—and nothing good could come from that look. Not anymore. She would never admit it, but she wasn't better; she was still broken.

He started to walk toward her, but seemingly out of nowhere, Finn arrived at her side. However, it was too late to turn around, so he forced his most convincing smile and joined them nonetheless. "Meredith. Finn," he nodded to each of them.

"Hey, Derek. How's it going?" Finn asked, their last encounter still all too fresh in his mind. Meredith had told him that things were better between them now, but he was still wary.

"Things are great," he said, possibly just a little too enthusiastically to be convincing, but no one said anything about it. "So, you two… headed out?"

"Yeah. We're going to Joe's and then to dinner," Meredith answered skeptically. "Derek… is there something you needed?"

But he just shook his head. "Nothing that can't wait. Have a nice time, Meredith. And good to see you again, Finn," he smiled. However, when their backs were turned as they were walking away, he put his hands to his head in frustration.

And from the stairs, Addison witnessed the entire scene. At that moment, there was no more denying it. There was no more pretending. It was so painfully obvious where his heart was, and she knew that it wasn't with her anymore.

It seemed like the walls that they had fought so hard to build back were collapsing all around them once again. While Addison headed back to the NICU for a few moments more before heading home, Derek found escape in an empty conference room. Little did they know that this was merely the calm before the storm.