"We need to get her under twenty-four-hour protection ASAP." Olivia decides, barely glancing at Derek.
"I'll call the director," he offers, pulling out his phone and dialing the secret number to the office.
"Director Landshaw," the man answers on the third ring, his voice gruff.
"This is SSA Derek Shepherd. We've got something on the Scarlet Killer."
"Shepherd? Is your team with you?" The director instantly sounds more interested.
"Agent Prenton is right here, sir."
"Why are you calling?"
"I need to request around the clock protection for Dr. Meredith Grey."
"The one Scarlet Killer survivor?"
"That's it. We've got a threat."
"Is it credible?"
"Very. We have reason to believe it's from Matthew Trahkcol."
The director curses and shuffling of papers can be heard through the phone. "Agent, I can't spare a surveillance team."
"Let my team do it, then. We'll just need the equipment."
"You're too close to the case."
"Sir, we're the best people for the job. In these circumstances, being close to the target can help ensure her safety."
"I don't have time to pull up your files...are all of your agents trained?"
"Howard and Lohan aren't," Olivia speaks up, narrowing her eyes at Derek, who was about to lie and say they all were. "But they can stay on tech while the rest of us patrol."
The director is quiet, clearly weighing the decision he has to make. "Fine. I need the current address so I can organize equipment to be sent over."
"Yes sir," Derek can't hold a smile off his face as he gives Meredith's address.
"Keep this on the low, Agent. No one outside of your team and target pool gets to know this. Press involvement and citizen panic are the last things we need."
"Of course."
The director sighs. "Have you made any progress on the profile?"
"Some," Olivia answers, glancing guiltily at Derek. They've been so wrapped up in the court case that their progress on Matthew's profile has been slower than usual.
"I need that done. You keep the target alive and you bring down Matthew Trahkcol. That's an order."
"Yes sir." Both Derek and Olivia promise.
"Supplies will be there in an undercover van by thirteen-hundred hours." With that, the line goes dead. Derek tosses the phone onto the desk and sighs.
"How do we tell them?" Blue eyes meet blue, both swirling in thought.
"Want me to call the rest of the team?" Olivia changes the subject.
"Yes, tell them all to be here by twelve-hundred."
"Yes sir." Olivia pulls out her phone, dialing the numbers of their fellow team members. She stays in the office while Derek grabs the picture and slowly walks out towards the main room where the three surgeons are seated, making small talk.
"I'm going back to work in two days." Alex sighs, meeting Meredith's stare apologetically.
"Don't feel bad, just because I can't work doesn't mean you can't," she says, giving a pointed look to Cristina.
"How many times do I have to say I'm not going back until you're okay?" The cardio surgeon defends herself. Derek clears his throat in the doorway, and the three people look up, giving him their full attention.
"What was in the envelope?" Meredith asks, her heart pounding in fear but trying to play it off. Alex and Cristina inch forward in their seats as Derek tries to keep his expression neutral, placing the picture on the center of the coffee table.
Meredith's eyes widen and she quickly looks away, covering her mouth with her hand. Alex's brows knit in confusion as Cristina just stares at it, emotionless.
"That's a death threat, right?" Meredith's voice shakes, unable to look at anything except for the suddenly very interesting bookshelf across the room.
"Yes. The team will be over in two hours. I just got off the phone with the director, we've got orders to be on constant surveillance. Supplies will be here within three hours."
"So...I'm getting a security detail?"
"Our task is to protect you until we've got Matthew Trahkcol, yes."
Meredith shakes her head, then snorts. Everyone's attention snaps to her, even more confused. A smile creeps onto her face as she begins to laugh, starting with giggles then bursting into loud laughs. Her ribs shoot in pain every time, so she wraps an arm around her torso.
"I-I'm sorry," she manages, finally calming down, everyone staring at her. "I'm sorry, it's really not funny. This is just so fucked up. I-I can't. I can't deal with this, with any of it."
"Meredith..." Cristina starts softly, but she cuts her off.
"You know, William threatened me in the bathroom yesterday. He told me Matthew was still out there, coming after me. His exact words were you're as good as dead. Then he strangled me. Again," she throws her hands up in the air. "This is so so so fucked up. I just can't." She stands from her spot on the couch, her body aching as she does so.
"Wait, he said that?" Derek stops her from leaving the room. She nods, trying to step around him but he won't let her. "Why didn't you tell someone? Tell me?"
When he catches her by the arm trying to leave, she meets his gaze, fear present in her eyes. "Let me go," she demands, her voice shaking. Instantly he releases her, guilt crashing over him.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean..." he trails off, knowing she's not listening as she leaves the room, slowly making her way up the stairs. He runs a hand through his hair, turning back to Alex and Cristina.
"What exactly do you mean by constant surveillance?" Alex speaks up.
"We'll install cameras inside and outside, which will be connected to a disguised van parked down the street that will always have an agent in it, monitoring them. Two agents will serve as bodyguards, one always trailing Meredith and one always at the house. When Meredith's here, both agents will be here." Derek explains.
"And it will just be your team? People we know and trust already?" Cristina asks, glancing up the stairs where Meredith had disappeared.
"Yes. Webbs and I will take one shift with Lohan in the van, and when we switch Prenton and Desmond will be here with Howard in the van."
"So, this is really happening. They're going to try and kill her?" Alex tries to rub the stress out of his face with his hands.
"I hate it too, but yes, this is really happening. We're not going to stop until we find him."
xx
Later, Meredith finally comes back downstairs to a full house. The agents are all at work installing the cameras. She enters the kitchen where Cristina is and searches for the hidden eyes around her house.
"I have to go to the hospital," she tells Cristina softly.
Her friend instantly knows what she's talking about and stands to gather her things. As they're headed towards to door, Olivia stops them.
"Where are you going?"
"Um, therapy. I'm kind of a disaster, in case you couldn't tell." Meredith remarks sharply.
"You need an escort, I'll come with you," she offers, grabbing her jacket from beside the door and checking her guns, creds, and phone. Olivia tells the team she's leaving, getting annoyed looks from both Meredith and Cristina. The three women head to the car, but Olivia stops them again before they can get in.
"What now?" Cristina snaps. Olivia gives her a hard look, then turns to inspect the car, checking for anything out of the ordinary.
"It's protocol. I'd rather not have us all blown up by a pressure bomb attached to the car." Olivia gives Cristina a clearly fake smile, matching Cristina's sarcastic tone as she finishes her check, giving them a nod so they can finally climb into the car.
The ride to the hospital is silent, and walking inside Meredith keeps her head down, pushing herself closely between her two friends, as if trying to use them as human shields. Cristina sits in her usual spot at the end of the hall, but Olivia goes with Meredith to Dr. Wyatt's office. The agent is the first one to stick her head in the room, clearing it before she allows Meredith in.
Katharine stands to greet her next patient, giving the blonde a confused look as Olivia checks out the room, then shuts the door behind Meredith, taking post right outside.
"I'm under constant protection now," Meredith sighs, collapsing into the couch across from where the therapist is sitting.
"Oh, care to elaborate?"
"Hmm, well, apparently there's a bounty on my head," she grumbles sarcastically.
"I can see you're in a great mood today."
"You already know William told me I was going to die in the bathroom yesterday, and today a wonderful picture shows up. It's a picture of me with a target painted over my head. They think it's from Matthew, and that's how I landed myself under twenty-four-hour surveillance."
"Let's be clear, you didn't land yourself under surveillance. This isn't your fault." Katharine crosses her legs, studying Meredith.
"Can we talk about something else?" She sighs, wanting to change the subject.
"Well, you won your case."
"Anything else?" Meredith rests her head in her hands, not wanting to talk about anything at all.
"Seeing as you don't seem to want to talk about anything I say, why don't you start."
Meredith is quiet for a long minute, strain dripping out of her pores. "I'm exhausted."
"Of?"
"I don't know. Everything. I kept telling myself that as soon as I got through the trail, it'd be over. Done. I wouldn't have to think about it anymore. Instead, I get through the trail and someone else wants me dead. I don't think I've ever wanted to just sleep more."
"You're not sleeping." Dr. Wyatt states, not surprised in the slightest.
"Of course I'm not! I can barely function, I'm getting by on one-hour power naps. Every time I close my eyes, the only thing I see is his fucking face. When I try to sleep, I go back there. To the room he kept me in. It's so real. If he's hitting me, I can taste the blood and feel the pain. If he's...on top of me, I-I can feel it too. It's like I can never escape."
Dr. Wyatt is silent, clearly deep in thought as she looks at the blonde in front of her, completely falling apart. "I'm prescribing you Zoloft," she says, reaching for her prescription pad and scribbling something down on it.
"S-Sertraline? What? Why?"
"Meredith, talk therapy really helps, trust me on that. But it takes time, and you have to be getting healthy amounts of sleep and eating or it won't," the therapist leans forward, looking directly into Meredith's gaze.
"I don't need some drug to fix me, I don't want to have to rely on medicine to feel okay."
"It's an SSRI, it's non-addictive."
"That's not what I meant and you know it."
Katharine gives Meredith a small smile. "It's good that you want to get better on your own, it really is, but right now, the best choice for you is to take the medication. You're not going to be on it for forever, we'll wean you off eventually, but for now, it will help you."
"I don't want it!"
"It's your choice whether you take it or not, but I'm giving you the option. It's going to help you sleep, increase your appetite, decrease fear, anxiety, unwanted thoughts, and the number of panic attacks you have."
"I know the benefits." Meredith snaps.
"You'd really rather carry on like this?"
Meredith is quiet, turning her gaze towards the fish tank that decorates the side of the room. they sit like that for a few minutes until she finally whispers, "I'm living in hell."
"I know. You take the meds and keep coming to therapy. We'll work through it all, Meredith. But it's going to take time and lots of it. You have to get healthy first, and the Zoloft will help with that."
Meredith sighs, her resolve crumbling. "I'll be able to sleep?"
"You'll be able to sleep."
For the first time in a long time, a genuine smile creeps onto Meredith's face. She finally has something to look forward to, something actually good.