AFTERMATH
AN: Writing in italics is flashback within a flashback, or a flashback itself.
AN2: In response to some of the reviews, I am reformatting the chapters. This chapter has been edited; therefore it is in Meredith's point of view.
CHAPTER ONE
- Seattle Grace Hospital Cafeteria, 2016 -
"Doctor Grey, please report to OR1 for emergency neurosurgery, Doctor Grey."
A nurse's voice flooded the surgical wing of the hospital as Meredith Grey, Chief Neurosurgeon of Seattle Grace Hospital, was summoned from her seat in the cafeteria.
"Sorry, guys," she said to her companions, Obstetrician Izzie Stevens, Plastic Surgeon Alex Karev and Cardiothoracic Surgeon Christina Burke, as she rose from the table, checking her pager on the way.
"That's strange," she said, still within earshot of her friends.
"What, Mere?" Izzie asked, interrupting her play fight with Alex. The two had been engaged for three months now, and were nearing their wedding date.
"My pager didn't go off, but I've been called to the OR for emergency surgery."
Alex and Izzie shared a strange look, and started fidgeting in their seats.
"What haven't you two told me?" she demanded, almost smashing her hands on the frosted glass table in front of them.
"Doctor Grey, please report to OR1 for emergency neurosurgery, Doctor Grey."
The nurse's voice echoed again, this time sounding strangely familiar, but Meredith couldn't help leaving.
"If this is your doing, you'll have hell to pay," she said over her shoulder, walking quickly towards the elevator for her emergency surgery.
As the elevator doors opened to reveal the surgical floor, Meredith felt a familiar pang of memories. Memories including Doctor McDreamy and their thing with the elevators, memories that were almost ten years old.
MEREDITH'S FLASHBACK
- Seattle Grace Hospital Maternity Wing, 2006 -
The maternity wing was unusually busy that one morning as Meredith walked in, hoping to see Addison privately if she wasn't busy.
Derek freaked when he found out.
"You're pregnant! To Mark! What about me?"
Addison tried to have the courage to explain her situation, but the neurosurgeon would not listen.
"Derek, you and I have been over for three years now! And you're actually surprised that I slept with Mark on prom night?" Addison was really building up steam from her position on the floor, still being tended to by Meredith.
"Addie, you still didn't have to sleep with him on prom night," Derek was really starting to get angry at his soon to be ex wife.
"What, the same way you slept with Meredith on prom night, hey?"
Meredith rose then looked from Shepherd to Shepherd.
"Are you telling me you're pregnant too?" he asked, staring at the look on her face, and the subconscious placing of her left hand on her slightly rounded abdomen. "I can't believe this." Derek did his famous move of trailing his left hand through his hair and turning around slowly.
The whole room was silent; the only audible noises the bustling of the nurse in the hallway.
"Is anybody else in this room pregnant? Anyone?" Derek finally yelled, tears welling up in his eyes, rage evident on his face.
The other women in the room looked guiltily at each other, but before they could speak, Derek burst out again.
"The two women I have ever loved are both pregnant, and they both haven't told me," Derek stared Addison in the face, pointing his finger directly at her. "Fair enough it was over between me and you a long time ago, but you could have at least told me. Derek turned to Meredith, pointing directly at her too. "And you! I picked you! I chose you! And you don't even have the guts to tell me you're with child! With my child! I just can't believe the two of you!"
"Derek!" Addison and Meredith called out together, just as he put his hand on the doorknob to leave.
He turned around angrily, still tearing and still enraged. "I'm leaving, as in moving, back to Boston. Tell the Chief I'm sorry, and that he'll need a new neurosurgeon."
The entire room stood in silence, watching as the fifth best neurosurgeon in the country walked out of the locker room, and out of their lives.
Snapping out of the moment, Meredith walked into Addison's office. Ever since the five of them became pregnant, Addie and Mere had become pretty close friends.
"What's up Mere?" the ob/gyn asked, looking up from her patient's chart. Being the top neonatal surgeon in the country, Addison was the person responsible for everyone's pregnancies.
Meredith was slightly worried. Being an intern and being six months pregnant, she was entitled to be a touch anxious. "Addie, I haven't felt my baby move much lately, especially after finding out about the stuff happening in Boston."
Addison Sloan looked up from her patient, before excusing them from the room. "Come on, let's get you scanned. I'll just go pull your chart," Addison moved towards the nurse's station, and reached into a box hidden underneath, where her chart and the other intern's charts were hidden. Grabbing the right chart, they moved towards a private exam room, used for 'storage'.
Sitting Meredith down on the bed, she grabbed the ultrasound machine. "Now, this will be…"
"A little cold, I know," Meredith finished. "I'm an intern remember."
Addison smiled, and then moved the wand onto her stomach. "Let's see what Baby Grey is up to, shall we."
As the ultrasound turned on, Meredith had another flashback.
Izzie sat crying in the 'storage' room in the maternity ward, Meredith holding her hand in comfort.
"I'm so sorry, Iz," Addison said, comforting her friend. This collective pregnancy had brought all of them together. "But there's nothing I can do about her heart."
Four and a half months in, and Izzie's baby girl had developed a heart problem. One of the valves was very thin, not allowing enough blood to pump through. And her heartbeat wasn't strong enough either. She was going to die.
Izzie burst into tears again, and Meredith joined her, unable to help it. Addison embraced the pair, joining in with their crying fest.
Looking up from the hug, Izzie wiped the tears from her eyes. "Can you page Alex; I want him to be here when it happens."
Addison knew she was referring to the miscarriage waiting to happen, the one she would need to survive. "Yeah, I'll get him now."
"Meredith?" Addison brought the intern out of her reverie and back to the 'storage' room, the room where Izzie miscarried six weeks ago. The room they had all come to avoid, except now.
"How's my baby?" she asked, glad that Derek wasn't there at that time. He had always been overprotective of her, even while he was with Addison.
Meredith suddenly doubted the look on Addison's face. "It's not looking good, Mere," she said, turning the monitor to face her.
"What?" Meredith couldn't see anything, but maybe that was the problem.
"His heart isn't beating, Mere, and his umbilical cord seems to be wrapped around his neck."
Meredith stared at Addison, her eyes glazing over. She knew this was the end of her child, meeting the same fate as Izzie's little girl, Elizabeth Rose Karev.
Meredith and Addison couldn't help but cry.
- Seattle Grace Hospital Surgical Floor, 2016 -
Doctor Meredith Grey walked into OR1, and was surprised to see it deserted, as in no patient, no team, and no surgery.
Instead, a very familiar person with a head of chocolate brown curly hair stood on the OR with his back to the door. That head of hair belonged to the fifth best neurosurgeon in the country, Doctor Derek Shepherd.
Well, I hope you like the first chapter, please tell me if I should continue, and what should happen between McDreamy and Meredith.