Meredith walked down the corridors, passing the exam rooms as she reached the door that had 'Attending's Lounge' written by the door. She walked in, immediately sitting down on the sofa. She felt lightheaded again, having regrets of coming to work now. She wasn't a resident anymore, she could have taken the day off, but she quickly changes her mind when she remembers the interns. They've only been here a month and they have caused so much havoc. The door opened; Meredith expected to see someone other than a woman who looked barely over 21 walk through the door.
"Meredith Grey?" the younger girl spoke; she nervously pushed a piece of the long brown hair behind her ear.
"Yes, is there something I could help you with?" Meredith asked, standing up. She no longer felt nauseated or lightheaded, something about the way something emergent coming up gets her to forget about the feelings.
"I'm Amber. Amber Karev, I came to pick up stuff for my brother," her eyes bloodshot, seeming as if she had just stopped crying. Meredith's heart broke again, knowing she would have to take this girl into the frat house to give her the rest of his things.
"I'm so sorry for your loss," Meredith sighed, not knowing what else to say to her. The only thing she knew about this girl was she looked like Alex, she had his hair color but had the same color eyes as their brother, Aaron.
"Thanks, sorry about missing the last few times I was supposed to come, I just couldn't bring myself to believe he is really gone," she released a deep breath, trying to hold in the tears forming.
"I understand Amber," she nodded, they stood awkwardly. Meredith had no idea what to do, she felt terrible for the barely legal girl standing in front of her.
"How about I take you down to the cafeteria and we can grab you something to eat, the breakfast here is great," Meredith suggested, she knew that when she felt sad that food helped.
"Um, that sounds nice," Amber did her best to give a halfway smile but failed in the process. She didn't feel like declining the offer as she didn't want to be alone right now.
"Come with me," Meredith said, putting her hand on Amber's shoulder as she led her through the corridors. Something about this situation seemed so surreal. She wanted to be there to help this poor girl through her grieving, she was so young. The mother insistent in her was on overdrive, she felt something she can't explain.
"Can I ask you a question?" Amber spoke up as they reached the elevator.
"Of course," Meredith stated, hitting the first floor button as they stepped into the elevator, it was empty except for the two of them.
"Was he happy?" Amber always saw her brother in a single mood, it was always hidden by the blank face he put on the rare occasions she saw her brother.
"He was, he was very happy. He had just accepted a fellowship at the most prestigious ped's programs in the country and that was all he could talk about," she remembered his excitement, of how he didn't believe they actually wanted him. He never truly believed in himself but he was one of the best of their intern class.
"I always knew my big brother was going to go somewhere in life," she had a relieved look on her face. She was glad someone other than her finally saw the best in her brother.
"He truly was an amazing person," Meredith suddenly felt her stomach flip as she stepped off the elevator and could smell the greasy cafeteria food. She took deep breaths, making sure not to spill her small breakfast all over Amber.
After silently going through the line, Meredith opting for just an apple while Amber chose a chicken biscuit. They went to sit down at an empty table, they ate quietly for a second, awkward silence around them.
"So I heard you just graduated college back in May, what was your major?" Meredith asked, taking a bite of her apple. Her stomach churned, she didn't feel like eating but she knew she had to.
"Psychology, more specifically Child Psychology. I am going back in a few weeks to start on my PhD," she answered slowly taking a sip of the coffee in front of her.
"That's interesting. What made you choose that?" Meredith was now interested.
"It was mainly because my childhood, kids need someone who they can trust to open up to and feel safe. I feel like I can help kids through things that I went through because I know what it's like," she flinched a little, her hand going to her upper abdomen.
"Are you alright?" Meredith asked, noticing her pain as she just nodded.
"It happens after I eat sometimes. It's not really a problem," she said, flinching again as she let out a gasp.
"That doesn't look like you are alright, I am a doctor after all," Meredith sounded concerned. Amber quickly shook her head digging through her purse.
"I just need an antacid, I've got really bad heartburn," she said, flinching as she moved slightly.
"Amber, do you have shoulder pain when you are hurting?" Meredith questioned, she felt something was wrong.
"Yeah, I just don't have the money to see a doctor with all my student loans. I am fine," Amber tried to assure Meredith as she swallowed two antacids.
"Amber, I can give you just a quick blood test just to make sure it's not an infection. It will be on me, I don't want you to be actually sick and you never know it," Meredith felt her motherly instinct kicking in, feeling the need to protect this young woman for Alex.
"I don't want to be a bother, it's really nothing," Amber tried to insist, suddenly she gasp as another spasm hit. She let out a small cry, the pain was extremely bad.
"Amber, come on we are going to run some test," Meredith helped the young woman up, letting her lean against Mer for support as they made their way to an exam room.
"As of right now, you are a patient of SGMW hospital, as your doctor I instruct you not to leave this bed until we figure out what is causing this," Meredith searched the room, looking for a lab kit.
"I am fine, I don't need all these test," Amber kept trying to insist on not having the test done.
"Amber, this is not trouble at all," Meredith answered, putting on gloves. She felt obligated to watch over Amber, even just for a little while. She quickly took blood from Amber's arm, leaving me her in the exam room to take the blood to the lab.
"I still can't believe you talked me into letting you do this," Derek groaned as he lead his sister into the research lab where Callie was waiting on them.
"It's because you love your little sister," Amelia smirked, going through the door first.
"So you are going to let me fix your hand?" Callie had a look of victory on her face, she had tried to convince him to do many surgeries on his hand but he always said they were to risky and he never wanted to involve his family, which confused her when he told her Amelia was coming to help.
"If you find something that will definitely let me have a real chance of me regaining most of the function then yes I will let you, I assumed you would need someone to help and Amelia may not be specialized in ortho but she does know a little bit and this will get her off my back," He smiled mischievously, leaving the room. He felt his phone buzz in his pocket, a smile came across his face as he raced to the sender of the text.
He opened the door to the on-call room, Meredith sat on the bed with a smirk on her face. He sat down in front of her, no words spoken as he moved his lips to hers, caressing her cheek as his lips danced with hers.
"Alex's sister is here to get his stuff and she might need surgery," she said as she pulled away from his lips.
"I'm letting my sister work with Callie so she can get off my back," he confessed before going in for another kiss.
"That is so wrong," she had a slightly giggle to her words, kissing him back.
"How is that going, are you going to be able to fix your hand?" She asked as their lips separated. She wanted this to work, for him to be able to get his hand fixed and the whole plane crash be put behind them.
"I don't know," he said, leaning in to another kiss, one which she pulled back and looked at him with concern.
"Derek," she sighed, putting her hand on his shoulder.
"What?" he breathed out, closing his eyes for longer than just a blink before opening them again.
"You know I am all for the sex and the burying thing with it but this is your career," she said, causing him to let out a slight groan.
"I know Mer, just I don't want to talk about it right now," he said, looking up at her. He knew exactly how to make her say yes, the look.
She looked into his eyes, the look on his face was a mix between begging and being happy. His smile was soft as his eyes gleamed with hope.
"The look isn't going to work," she raised her eyebrow, her smile turned into a light giggle as his smile turned wider.
"Alright, you want to talk about?" he asked and she nodded. He didn't know how to tell his wife he was scared to get a surgery, something that could take away his complete hand function.
"I've always wanted to spend more time fishing, Maddie will get to use that fishing pole I got her for her birthday last year," he smiled, causing Meredith to giggle slightly as he went in for another kiss, this one she pulled away from.
"Derek," she said in a serious tone.
"There is absolutely no perfect solution that guarantee's my full hand function. Everything is just a maybe," he shrugged, her face soft as he let out a sigh.
"Derek, there is never any guarantee to anything, we just have to take a chance," she says softly, laying her forehead against his.
"You use to be so dark and twisty," he smiled, causing her to laugh as his lips met hers again. Their hands wandered over each other as their kiss got more intense. The moment interrupted by a pager that came through the small device hanging on the side of Meredith's pants.
"It's the lab, probably Amber's lab results," Meredith let out a sigh before kissing Derek one last time and quickly rushing out the door and down to the lab. She took the paper from the lab technician and scanned over it.
"Damn it," she said under her breath as she walked away. She realized nothing was really wrong except her white cell count was slightly off, which could be anything. She made her way to Amber's room where she was sitting on the bed, watching the television.
"That's not a good face," Amber said as Meredith walked through the door.
"Well there is nothing really bad with the blood test, everything seems normal except for your white cell count is a little off. I want to an upper abdominal ultrasound and maybe an abdominal CT because I want to make sure you are alright," Meredith said as she watched Amber just nod. It was obvious she didn't want to do this but Meredith just had a feeling.
Meredith got the ultrasound machine from one of the other exam rooms and explained to Amber what she was doing as she did it. She felt Amber slowly get comfortable with Meredith.
"That is it," Meredith sighed as she stared at the ultrasound machine. She shook her head as Amber's eyes got wide.
"What is it?" Amber tried to look at the screen but couldn't really read it.
"That right there is causing all your issues. Your gallbladder is severely inflamed," Meredith knew she had to do surgery on her, she didn't like the idea but it was for the best.
"Is that bad? It has to be bad with the way you are acting," Amber sighed. She didn't want to hear the next words that would come out of Meredith's mouth.
"I'm sorry Amber but you need surgery. My schedule is free and I will schedule it for in about four hours if that is ok with you, it will be a quick and easy procedure that will be done in about an hour and a half," Meredith then continued to explain the downsides but tried to stay positive for Amber.
"Do I have a choice?" Amber swallowed, she didn't want to have surgery but it was her only option it seemed like.
"Yes, you could just live with it but it only gets worse. You will have to have it taken out sooner or later, it will only cause problems for you."
"I guess I will have the surgery," Amber said with a sigh in her voice.
"I will go and schedule it, then send an intern in to help you get set up and everything," Meredith gave her a smile before leaving to go schedule her surgery. Before she got the chance to tell an intern to go help Amber, her pager began going off and she quickly rushed down to the ER.
Owen walked slowly through the corridors, somehow, he was always reminded of Cristina, he saw the cutthroat attitude in one of the new interns, knowing he would turn out just like Cristina. He wandered mindlessly into one of the closest supply closets, a quiet place for him to grieve silently.
It had been only a few months since he lost her, if only he would have maybe got the message of their arrival a few hours earlier, they could have found them sooner and she wouldn't have died. He felt like it was his fault, he switched the plane companies because it was cheaper and that cost him the life of the woman he loved.
He wanted a drink right now, a good scotch or whiskey would be great if he wasn't on duty. He felt he wasn't alone anymore and he wasn't when he heard a quiet sniffle coming from behind one of the shelves.
"Hello?" He asked, searching where he found a figure on the floor, her dark hair was all around her face when she looked up at him, he saw the blue eyes from the small light that came from the light bulb across the small space.
"I'm sorry, I really shouldn't even be here," she cleared her throat, wiping her red eyes. She looked embarrassed and even felt it, she didn't cry in front of people.
"it's fine, I understand. Do you have a family member here as a patient?" He asked, reaching out his hand to help her up, she took his hand as she stood up.
"Not as a patient but family here, yes. My brother is a surgeon here, well was a surgeon. Now he just walks around with his 2 million dollar hand messed up and refuses to let me help him," she sounded irritated, she was suppose to be watching her niece but needed to research different ways to fix his hand.
"You are Derek's sister?" he asked. He partially knew about his many sisters but had never gotten to meet any of them.
"Of course you know him, everyone knows him, Amelia Shepherd, neurosurgeon," she held out her hand, trying not to be awkward about this encounter, she still felt sad. She knew what she did was wrong and what was going to happen but she did it anyway.
"Owen Hunt, Chief of Surgery," he let a smile creep across his face as she rambled about her brother. He met her hand and they shook hands for a second before she pulled away and took a deep breath.
"So can I ask why you are in a supply closet?" he asked, trying to not intimidate her.
"I can ask you that same thing," she smirked at him, watching as his face turned amused. She was surely embarrassed, she made a fool out of herself in front of the Chief of Surgery.
"I ask first and this is my hospital," he corrected her, not knowing what it was about her.
"I was doing research for Derek's hand nerve graph that I am still talking him into getting fixed, then my mind wondered and I began searching the chances of having two babies with anencephaly, for a patient," she added, not wanting to talk about her problems. She knew he was probably not going to tell Derek about it or anything, at least he seemed to be the type of person to run his mouth, "Anyway it just got really depressing and so I just needed a quiet room but if you will excuse me I will leave now."
Before Owen even got to say anything to her, she was gone. It seemed odd, how he felt. He came in the closet sad and wanting quiet but it turned out that wasn't it. Being alone made it worse, made everything worse. It let his thoughts roam and he didn't need that. His pager suddenly filled the quiet air as he rushed down to the E.R.