Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's Anatomy, or the characters. In case it wasn't really obvious.

AN: I have no medical knowledge, just way too much time to search the internet.

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Enjoy!

Late that evening, Alex is still unconscious, connected to numerous machines. Meredith is sitting beside his bed, guilt practically pouring off of her, and tears running down her face.

Bailey walks into the room to check on Alex, and after doing so she quickly turns her attention to Meredith, who until then hadn't noticed her presence. "Grey? How're you doing?"

Meredith jumps slightly, surprised. "What?"

Bailey kneels down beside her. "Are you alright?"

The bitterness and guilt are clear in her voice as she answers. "I'm not the one lying in hospital bed because their 'friend' was tired!" Meredith bursts into sobs for the hundredth time today.

Letting go of her stoic mask, Bailey moves closer, and awkwardly at first, pulls Meredith into a comforting embrace. "It's not your fault, this is a known complication of the treatment, even if you checked on him every minute he still could have gotten an infection…." She whispers gently, on a constant loop.

It is over an hour later when Meredith finally calms down, she tiredly pulls away from Bailey. "…Sorry, I just…" Meredith trails off, unsure of what she is actually trying to say.

Bailey knows exactly what is going on, and she comfortingly says. "You're overwhelmed, Grey, I'd be more worried if you weren't."

The next morning, Dr Payton arrives at the hospital after having heard that Alex had been admitted, when he enters the foyer, he is promptly greeted by Dr Webber. "Dr Payton, good to see you again."

As they shake hands, Sam replies. "Yeah, you too Dr Webber, just wish it was under better circumstances …How is Alex?"

Richard looks around, and upon seeing that everyone nearby is clearly eavesdropping, he says. "How about we talk in my office?"

Understanding Richard's desire to give Alex privacy, Sam nods. "Okay, lead the way." Without further pause, they both walk upstairs to Richard's office.

Once they are both seated, Sam reiterates his previous question. "So, how is Alex? What happened?"

Richard pours them both a glass of water, and takes a sip from his before answering. "He was brought in by ambulance yesterday morning, in multiple organ failure as a result of a severe septic infection."

"What treatment is he on? I'll need to speak to whoever is overseeing his care."

"Our chief resident, Miranda Bailey has insisted on treating him. When you go see Alex, chances are she'll be there, and she can tell you a lot more than me."

"Okay then…" Sam says as he pushes his chair back, and stands up. "Can you point me towards his room?"

Richard stands too. "He's in the ICU, I'll show you up there."

Several minutes later, Richard and Sam reach the ICU, and sure enough Bailey is sitting at the nurses' station, obviously ready to jump up, and attend to Alex at any second.

They walk over to her, and Richard says. "Bailey."

Bailey looks up, and upon noticing Sam, she says. "Dr Webber …who's-"

Richard interrupts her. "This is Sam Payton, Alex's oncologist from Mercy West."

Sam extends his hand, and Bailey shakes it. "Grey says you're good." She says simply.

Sam accepts that that is probably as close to kind words as Bailey gets. "They've said the same about you."

Dr Webber interrupts their awkward greetings. "Dr Bailey, I have to get back to my office, can you please fill Dr Payton in on Karev's condition?"

"Yes sir." Bailey replies quickly.

Once Richard leaves, Bailey leads Sam into a conference room, and they both sit down at the table. Bailey has Alex's chart in her hands. "So, first off. Are you going to be taking over his case, or what?"

Sam thinks for a moment. "If you are agreeable, I'd prefer to work alongside you."

"Okay, good. Now, how about I just give you a summary, then you read through his notes? I have to be in surgery in twenty minutes." Bailey hands Sam the chart, which he accepts. She then continues talking. "He's in multiple organ failure as a result of a severe septic infection. We're treating him with targeted antibiotics for the infection, he's on a vent, and dialysis, and we've put in a NG tube for liquid feeding. He's comatose, but he's continuing to improve steadily, and he should regain consciousness within the week."

"Sounds like you've got everything under control. Has his chemo been stopped?"

"Yes, is that-"

"Good." Sam interrupts. "We'll restart it once he's gotten through this."

"Okay." Bailey replies, she then looks up at the clock. "I've got to go, if you have any questions just have the nurses page me."

"Will do."

Without further conversation, Bailey stands up, and leaves the room. Sam quickly follows suit, but upon leaving the room, he goes over to the nurses' station. "Excuse me. Could you show me where Alex Karev is?" He asks a nurse, who is sitting there doing paperwork.

She looks up, and quickly points to a bed in the far corner of the room, away from the hustle and bustle.

"Thanks." Sam says gratefully. He then quickly strides over to the bed, and begins to take vitals, and make notes.

Within a minute of him being there, Meredith rushes over. "Sam? What are you doing here?? Has something happened? Is Alex alright?!" She is instantly on the verge of panic, obviously exhausted, and emotionally drained.

Sam turns around, and gently places a hand on Meredith's shoulder to calm her. "Alex is stable …Drs Webber and Bailey asked me to come, and manage his care." Sam motions to two chairs left up against the wall. "Sit." She obliges quickly, and he does the same. "How're you going?"

Relaxing, Meredith says honestly. "Tired… it's been a long couple of days."

"Anything I can do?" Sam asks kindly, spending months with each of his patients he tends to become close to them and their families.

Meredith looks over to Alex's prone body, still half buried by tubes, wires, and machines. "…Get Alex through his." Is her simple answer.

TBC...

Thanks for reading! Hope that was worth the wait, sorry it's so short. Better stuff to come, I promise.

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