It may be a while before another update comes, but one update is better than none. Right?
I'm also going to stop doing exact times unless it's vital to the story. I'll stick to dates instead. The exact time will be replaced with the place.
February 21, 2017 - Washington, DC
"We're all set," Derek announced, entering Mark's room after finally getting the discharge papers signed. Meredith and Mark both jumped slightly and their conversation quickly came to a halt. Mark was sitting up with his head relaxed against the wall, and Meredith had been sitting at the end of the bed with her back facing the door but had spun around to face Derek when he spoke.
He smiled gently at them, but on the inside, his emotions were going haywire. His heart nearly broke every time he watched as they would jump hearing a door slam, or like now, when he suddenly appeared and scared them. Whatever...whoever...did this was the center of his rage and the rest of his emotions were reserved for Mark and Meredith.
It was safe to say Derek was jealous that it was Mark she was confiding in. Had he been the one to spend those years with her, he would know exactly what happened and who to punish. He forced himself to accept the fact that it was Mark - not him. He rationalized his jealousy of Mark knowing what he didn't by reminding himself that she was at least talking to someone, even if that someone wasn't himself. The thought didn't sit well with him.
Neither one of them moved since he walked in, they remained frozen and the sight was unsettling. Move, he urged as if they could read his mind. Move! Anything! When they didn't, he realized how utterly ridiculous he was acting.
After he didn't speak, they resumed their conversation, but this time in hushed whispers. He took their distraction as an opportunity to catalogue any physical injuries they may have, even if it was something as minor as a papercut. The doctor had been very adamant at not letting Derek see Mark's chart, and he was surprised to see that his usual charms did not work. Only one other person was immune to said charms and that was Miranda Bailey.
He shook his head imperceptibly as memories of the strong-willed doctor flooded his head. A ghost of a smile tugged on the corner of his mouth, thinking of how she would tell him to stop being a wimp and just face what he needs to. And with a sudden boost of determination and confidence, he lifted his eyes and they landed on Mark.
The doctor who was infuriatingly resistant to his efforts to look at Mark's chart had only revealed one thing, and it was that Mark had come in slightly malnourished. And though the man didn't let anything slip, Derek could tell from his constant subject changes that it was only the tip of the iceberg. It was painfully clear - but it remained unspoken - that even though he seemed fine now, doesn't mean that he always was.
His eyes swept over the man he considered to be his best friend and found that he moved his left arm slower than his right. It was hard to tell, almost discernable, but he still caught it and the look on Mark's face when he moved it too quickly after raising the same arm to run a hand through his hair.
He analyzed how he moved and found no other signs of discomfort. However, he did find a small scar almost completely hidden underneath the sleeve of the ridiculous patient gown he was wearing.
"Derek?" He started, his gaze flying to the source of the sound. Meredith was staring at him with obvious concern, and he realized he hadn't made his observations subtle.
"Hm?" She wanted his attention, so he took the opportunity and quickly scanned her body for signs of injuries. Thankfully there was nothing, aside from the scar on her collarbone which he had noticed when he saw her for the first time three days ago. It felt like an entire lifetime had passed since that moment.
"You said 'we're all set'. I assume that means you've got the discharge papers signed?" she asked, her feelings about the hospital showing clearly on her face. Meredith hated the building with a passion, but refused to leave. If he thought about it, Derek actually hadn't seen her leave Mark's room once since he arrived. She hadn't been admitted - and he thanked his lucky stars for that - so she could have come and gone as she pleased, but instead stayed by Mark's side. He couldn't remember seeing her more than ten feet away from Mark, and this alone showed the kind of bond that had been formed between them.
He couldn't put a specific name to it, but they relied on each other for support. And whatever they faced, they faced it together which without a doubt led to the solidification of that bond. No one else could measure up since they weren't there themselves. He hated that he couldn't be the one there for her. Derek hated it just as much as Meredith hated the hospital they were currently standing in. That reminded him that she was waiting for an answer.
"Yes, I've finally got them signed," he sighed overdramatically, walking over to the bed and sitting between the two. "You both are all anyone can talk about, you know."
"We are?" Mark asked, but his tone indicated that he already knew this.
"Yes. In fact, we probably could've left yesterday, but their curiosity made it nearly impossible to convince your doctor to sign those papers," he smiled. It was about the fiftieth smile in a total of three days, and it had all been genuine. The classic 'McDreamy' smile that had been retired for two years. Now it was back in full swing and he couldn't seem to help it. How could he not smile when he had two of his favorite people back?
He knew when he got on that plane that he would finally see them again, but he had no idea what happened in the time they were gone. Derek had hoped (somewhat naively) that all his questions would be answered. But a few days later he only had more questions. It was just so frustrating that they wouldn't work with him or even give the slightest hints. He expected at least a name; someone he could go rip apart, but - nothing. Absolutely nothing, and it was killing him.
Wherever they had been, they spent that time together. But they seemed to be attached at the hip, which was slightly unusual. It could be seen in trauma patients...and they certainly have the scars that qualify them as such. Derek didn't like the idea of linking them to trauma, but he was going to get nowhere if he remained in denial.
Shaking his head to pull himself from his thoughts, he looked to his right where Mark had put his head back on the wall, and then to his left to Meredith who seemed to be in deep thought.
"Okay," he said suddenly, jolting Meredith from her reverie. Mark sat up straighter and lifted his head off the wall. "We should get going then."
Meredith glanced behind Derek and locked eyes with Mark. He nodded his head as to assure her of something. She nodded imperceptibly and her expression changed from uncertainty and panic to a weak smile.
Derek quirked an eyebrow. He hadn't thought about the possibility that they might not want to come home. It was a ridiculous thought, why wouldn't they? Then his mind stuck on 'why'. He didn't know why they disappeared, where they were, or who they were with. He didn't have answers to any of the five W's. Granted, he didn't ask any of the million questions he had, but they didn't offer up any stories either.
Getting back on track, Derek decided that they were coming home, no matter what they wanted. They weren't going to disappear again. They weren't alone anymore. Now they had himself, Lexie, Miranda, and Richard to help them. Though by now, he's sure almost everyone at the hospital knows and Meredith and Mark would have everyone badgering them. That wasn't something he was looking forward to.
Then another thought hit him. They had to fly back to Seattle. And Mark and Meredith don't exactly have a good track record when it comes to planes. Maybe they did want to come home and they were just scared of getting into another plane crash.
Seeing that as the more appealing answer, he decided that was the reason for the interaction between the pair.
"It's the plane isn't it? Is that why you don't seem too keen at the idea of going back?"
They looked at Derek with looks of confusion, as if saying: 'What does that have to do with anything?' A second later, their expressions changed like they suddenly remembered that the last plane they had been in had crashed.
All these sudden expression changes were concerning. Whatever went on in those missing years changed them and Derek was determined to piece it together.
He went over what he already knew in his head. They had scars, were seemingly inseparable, anxious… The list he had was short, but he was determined to add to that.
Maybe he could even have his own mystery board; he'd wanted to find an excuse to make one since his minor addiction to true crime in high school. Derek quickly brushed the thought away. It was a good dream while it lasted.
October 12th, 2014 - Los Angeles
Addison's eyes shot open, and she stared at the ceiling, annoyed. It was Sunday, so she had chosen to relish in the ability to sleep in. She should've known she couldn't go too long without someone from the practice calling her.
She waited a couple seconds, debating whether she should answer the phone. If she didn't, it would likely ring again, but then again she could just put it on 'Do Not Disturb'.
Coming to her decision, she rolled onto her side and reached to her nightstand for the still buzzing phone. Sitting up, she threw her legs over the bed and glanced behind her toward Jake, her husband who was still sleeping. Pressing, 'accept', she rolled her eyes at him. Not even a tornado ripping through the house could wake him. But still, out of habit, she left the room and quietly closed the door behind her.
Addison finally put the phone to her ear, realizing that whoever was on the other end had already said something.
"Hello?" she greeted, trying to hide the fact that she had just been asleep.
"Addison?" Holy-
"M-Meredith?" Her mind was reeling. What was today? The 12th of October? The woman had been missing for nearly six months, and Meredith's calling her of all people? Sure, they were friendly (friendly as they could be as current wife to ex-wife to the same man) the last time they saw each other, but she didn't think they were on good enough terms to warrant a phone call from her. More questions burned through her mind. Was Mark with her? Were they okay? Does Derek know where they are? Wh-
"Yes, Addison, it's me." There was an urgency to her voice, and a bit of...anxiety? "Look, whatever questions I'm sure you have, I can't answer them. I need your help, but you can't tell anyone about this. It's extremely important that you don't."
"Of course, if it's important, but wh-"
"You're one of the top ten Neo-natal surgeons in the world. That's why I'm calling. Please just- Can you help?" She could hear the tone in Meredith's voice that told her to leave it alone, so she switched over to 'doctor mode'.
Half an hour later, she was filled in on the patient's case and had plans to fly out of the country. It felt so surreal, and incredibly cryptic. Meredith made it clear that she wasn't going to answer any of her questions, but she had one that felt reasonable to ask.
"Meredith? Is um-is Mark with you?" She tried to keep the hopefulness out of her voice, but failed, and Meredith no doubt picked up on it. Perhaps that's what made her answer instead of deflecting.
"Yes. He is. We're both-" she hesitated, "alive." Addison frowned. That was a poor word choice, and they both knew it. She couldn't say 'fine' in her typical Meredith fashion, because even Addison knew that it was always a lie. But, 'alive' didn't sound any better. No matter, she would see for herself in a few days.
They said their goodbyes and hung up, but not before Meredith reiterated that Addison couldn't tell anyone where she was going, or who she talked to.
She had just lowered the arm holding the phone to her side when Jake came into the kitchen. He stumbled over to the coffee machine, rubbing his eyes, not realizing that Addison was leaning against the island. Good. This gave her time to come up with a reason for her leaving the country for a week.
But a few seconds later, Jake turned around and jumped. Drat. There goes that time. She already felt bad enough for leaving Henry, but she had to lie to Jake, which made her feel even worse.
"What are you doing up?" he asked, turning back to the coffee maker, watching it slowly pour the liquid into the large cup.
"Well, it's not like I can stay in bed all day," she replied.
He looked back to her and suddenly had a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Oh, but we could."
She laughed and walked over to him to kiss him good morning. She had to be on the second plane by the end of the day, so she couldn't have a delay, even if said delay was looking at her with a boyish grin. So, so tempting.
Reluctantly, she pulled away and pointedly avoided his disappointed gaze.
A realization came to her, which made it easier - though it was still hard - to lie to him. He just woke up, and a Jake without coffee is a Jake who'll agree to everything just so he can get his daily cup.
"I have to go...f-for about a week. Something came up." Wow, way to be incredibly cryptic, she thought to herself. "So, I need you to watch Henry and I'll be back next Sunday. I've already canceled all appointments and sent potential emergency patients to Dr. Smallwood at Ambrose." She tried to keep her voice nonchalant, but couldn't help it from raising; one of her tells that she's lying. Addison hoped he was too tired to notice.
"It's been pretty slow lately, so yeah, I'll take care of Henry while you're gone. If it became busy, which I doubt, I'm sure Lucas or the triplets would love his company." By now, Jake's cup was close to overflowing and he carefully brought it to the island. He set it down and looked into her eyes, suddenly awake. "What's taking you away from me for a week?" Damn. Why of all the questions, did he have to ask that one?
"A patient," she answered quickly. "A friend called and asked me to come operate on her patient." That wasn't technically a lie. Just a vague truth. "She's out of the country, and if there were anyone else, she wouldn't have called me," she added, hoping that was enough to prevent any more questions.
"Alright. But you better make it up to me when you get back," he said, circling around the island toward her. Jake grabbed her waist and pulled her close. The kiss lingered even after he pulled away and went back to his coffee.
She turned around to go back to her bedroom to pack. It wasn't until she was pulling a suitcase out of her closet that she let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding.
God. Meredith Grey and Mark Sloan...they're immortal.
Addison, smiling with mirth at the thought, shook her head and focused her efforts on what she needed and what she might need. Hey, anything could happen.
Addison haphazardly threw clothes into the suitcase. It didn't make sense. Why did they call her specifically? And how did Meredith get involved? Lexie and Derek had checked every hospital they could think of in the Northwest. From what she was told, they weren't in any database, as a patient or as a doctor. Except an old record from Mt. Sinai - Mark's old workplace - and the records from SGMW. But this was a patient of Meredith's, which meant that she was working in a hospital. If Derek couldn't find her, it meant that it was unlisted.
She froze while standing over the open suitcase on her bed. Her thoughts had led her to one solid conclusion: Meredith and Mark were being held against their will. She ran a shaky hand through her hair as she tried to fully grasp onto the fact that she would be walking straight into the lion's den.
How? How did they manage to get themselves kidnapped, hauled off to another country, and forced to work for whoever it was that took them?
Addison laughed humorlessly; only they could find themselves smack dab in a real-life thriller.
October 13th, 2014 - Somewhere in Europe...
Sacher was looking on amusedly as Josef and Alena were pacing, each walking in the opposite direction. He laughed aloud when they both brought a hand to their hair almost simultaneously. Unfortunately for him, the pair stopped and stared at him, both with murderous glares.
"I can't help that you two are having the same reaction," he said in defense and held his hands up in surrender.
"Can you blame me? She's my daughter," Barton half-yelled. Tensions were very high at the moment since Kamila had just been taken to surgery.
"And she's my wife!" Mareková shouted, turning to face Josef. She moved so fast that her long, wavy, pitch black hair brushed Sacher's chin as she whipped around. Just like that, they turned on each other. Miloš' playful grin was instantly wiped off of his face as he stepped between the two, stopping the fight he sensed coming.
"Calm down you two," Sacher warned.
Alena huffed and Josef glared at her, but both backed off nonetheless.
"Grey called in outside help, alright? I know Montgomery just took Kamila into surgery, but you two need to calm down and focus. As much as you may think it will, bickering will you get you nowhere," Sacher reasoned, ever the peacekeeper.
"She didn't even consult with us first! How do we know that this- this Montgomery won't go shouting to the rooftops that she knows where Grey and Sloan are?" Mareková seethed.
"Honestly," Sacher muttered. "You two, specifically you, Alena, put the fear of God in them. They know better than to provoke you. Besides, I know Grey well enough to know that she would never in a thousand years put someone she loves in harm's way," he sighed, seeing the livid expression on Alena's face. "Look, if Montgomery does share this information, you'll finally get to act on your threats." If she wouldn't see reason, Sacher knew he could appeal to the more...sadistic side of her.
She huffed again, and Sacher smiled, knowing he'd won. She'd never admit it though, her pride was too strong. Even though she stopped shouting at him, Alena spun on her heel to face Barton, the next victim of her anger.
"If it weren't for you, we wouldn't have to deal with those two at all! Why- What possessed you to bring them in?!" She turned back to Sacher. "And you! One day you'll tire of playing referee and defending them, specifically Grey, and see that those two only bring trouble." Alena stepped closer, so that she was now in his face, and whispered so Barton couldn't hear, "Once you see past your schoolboy crush, you'll agree that I should've killed them when I had the chance! Until then, she's now someone you care about. You're playing a very dangerous game, Miloš. You don't want to find yourself on the opposite side of me, 'the sadistic killer' you once referred to me as, am I right?" The bitterness in her tone was unmistakable, and Sacher thought he saw a flash of...hurt? No, that couldn't be right.
Mareková stepped back and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her, leaving a stunned Sacher and a confused Barton behind.
"Sometimes I wonder why Kami ever married her," Sacher murmured. Barton found himself nodding slightly.
"She can be a sweet girl if she wants to be. Too many here see her only as a heartless monster, but she's still human. She lets her emotions guide her, and she has a lot of anger to give." He clapped a hand on Sacher's back. "She's had too many people give up on her in the past, don't be one of them. Be there for her." Barton smiled reassuringly before walking out of the room.
Sacher collapsed onto the couch and dragged his hands over his face. Alena...sweet? Those two words don't go together. They're polar opposites, predestined to clash and burn upon meeting.
He sighed, leaning back into the pillows, and put himself in her shoes. Her wife is in surgery, and her unborn baby could very possibly die. Of course, of course she would be lashing out.
He groaned, realizing how stupid he'd been. The realization was only making him feel guiltier. Now he had two options; apologize to Alena, or deal with the three doctors that started this mess.
Even though he'd come to that realization about Alena, he still didn't want to face her, especially since she's still riled up.
Three troublesome doctors it is.
He found the trio in their usual room. Sacher peeked through the window before entering. They were huddled in the middle, probably coming up with an 'escape' plan. He couldn't stop himself from rolling his eyes.
Deciding to be courteous, he knocked even though he could've walked right on in. He decided to let them keep whatever hope they were holding on to.
The doctors could be heard trying to hide the map of the building, and he waited patiently outside of the room.
A few seconds later, the door opened, revealing Elizabeth - Bessie, as she liked to be called - Hoffman.
"Dr. Hoffman," he nodded, and then looked to the two men behind her. "Dr. Hood, Dr. Berkley."
"What do you need, Sacher?" Hood asked, hints of annoyance seeping into his tone.
"I think it's time to let you reign free, don't ya think?" The glint in their eyes was impossible to miss. They were clearly elated with this.
"What changed? We've done everything to try and get you to let out of this bloody room," Hoffman exclaimed with a huff, blowing a strand of blonde hair out of her face.
"You called me Sacher," he said, and smiled at their confused faces. "I was just waiting for you to stop calling me 'Sir'. Really, it makes me feel old."
"That's it? We just had to call you Sacher? Really?" Berkley asked incredulously.
"Yup," he said, popping the 'p'. He quickly realized he was being too casual with them, so he reined himself in slightly, hardening his tone. "Follow me."
Sacher made them stay in front of him, so they couldn't run off. He even warned them with his chilling, 'Don't think about it'. Their reactions were comical, even if he could only see their backs. They became increasingly stiff and began to walk like robots, he struggled to stifle his laughter.
He decided to do the same thing he had done with Sloan and Grey when they finally gave in. Sacher took them to the E.R, where they would have no time to think about running. In a few weeks, after a few threats from Alena and their hope would be diminished, he would think about putting them in their residency program. Well, except for Berkley, he'd already finished his residency. Perhaps Berkley could land himself a fellowship after he brushes up on his skills.
He let them loose, and they were now working under the watchful eye of Dr. Josef Barton.
After watching them for a few minutes, he headed back for the lounge he was in earlier. He'd decided to wait there for an update on Kami. He'd known Barton for years, and he'd known his daughter just as long.
He didn't have much to do in a hospital, so he had time to kill. He didn't bother turning on the light as he re-entered the room. Sacher sank back onto the couch, stretched his legs and threw his head back. It wasn't long before he dozed off.
The light flickering on startled him awake and he bolted upright, abandoning his position on the couch.
"Relax," Meredith said in a higher pitched tone than what he was used to. He realized she hadn't expected anyone else to be in the room and was equally as startled as him.
After fully registering who was standing in front of him, he relaxed from his defensive position and plopped back down into the comfort of the cushions. Sacher decided to lay back in his previous spot to put her at ease. Mareková gave Grey enough grief for merely existing, the least he could do was minimize the stress. The couch was big enough that even with his stretched out legs, there was room at the end for someone to sit, and sit she did.
She sat down with a sigh and closed her eyes. Her shoulders were tense and she used her right hand to rub her temple. Seconds later, she sat back with her eyes still closed. The tension in her shoulders faded away and she seemed calmer. Sacher thought that it might be the first time she got to sit down all day. Knowing how overworked she was, it didn't seem surprising.
He had noticed how she was more apprehensive around Barton and Mareková, but seemed to relax around him. The realization made him feel almost giddy.
She sat forward again, unable to sit still and put her head in her hands. Sacher could see how heavily she was breathing. He pulled in his legs and sat up. As he inched closer, trying to find a way to comfort her without seeming too friendly, he saw that she was shaking with quiet sobs. He frowned before remembering he was supposed to...oh, screw what he was supposed to do.
Sacher moved closer until he was directly next to her. He hesitated before placing a hand on her back, rubbing in what he thought to be a soothing motion. She leaned into him and he held her as she cried silently. He knew without her having to tell him that she happened to be in the way of Alena's wrath. He infuriated her, and because of that, she unleashed her anger - as usual - on Meredith Grey.
The woman never caught a break. She was tough and she usually didn't let Marekova get to her, but today was different. Alena had snapped, and like a chain reaction, so had Meredith.
There were several things he admired about the famous general surgeon. She had an incredibly strong work-ethic, and when in the OR, nothing could deter her. When Alena made Grey her personal punching bag and slung harsh words her way each and every day, she took it in stride. He could tell she wanted to tell her off, though refrained since Marekova had the power. Even if Meredith was on her own turf, he believed she would have left it alone there too.
He thought back to Alena's words. 'Once you see past your schoolboy crush, you'll agree that I should've killed them when I had the chance!' Sacher could've laughed. There was no way he could have feelings for her...right?
Sacher looked down at her. Her head was lying against his shoulder and she looked so exhausted. Hair that had once barely reached her shoulders has grown to her chest and had lightened considerably from the hours spent outdoors. Her pale skin had also taken on a darker tone from the sun. She looked angelic as she finally relaxed and fell into a light sleep. A wave of realization crashed over him and he gulped.
Of course Alena was right, she usually was - barring anything she says in her anger. How could he have a 'crush' as Marekova so eloquently put it? He didn't even know much of what life she led before Barton decided to keep them from leaving. No, Milos, he said to himself. A person's past does not define them. You know her, that's all you need.
Well, it seems like Milos has some feelings for Mer. Will this be a good or bad thing for her in the end?
Reviews -
Leann Nickerson - Thank you! I really appreciate it that you have kept up with the story so far.
unnamedconspirator - Thank you for your suggestions. I know it isn't exactly what you meant when you said to refrain from using exact dates and times, but I couldn't help myself…
secprincess - The block definitely did not clear as soon as I would have liked.
Hitam1 - Thank you
Jasmine - Glad I've got another new reader! Thank you for reading!
stfuboba - Thanks for the reviews! It's been a while, and it might be another month or more before I update again.
chasinggcars - If you're interested about Addison knowing, well you should know that someone else also finds out they're alive before they come back.
Guest - Yes, she did.
Srs8301 - Here's an update. I don't like it too much, but hey, what can you do?
