Disclaimer: I do not own Grey's.

Taking Over me part 11

"Chief?"

"Come in," he said, not looking up.

Izzie entered the room and shut the door. He looked up.

"Dr. Stevens," he said. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"Well, yes," she said. "I was wondering…if I could have the day off."

He observed her. "Any particular reason?"

"I- I have a lot going on," she said steadily. "There's just some things I have to do, and if I'm here I'll just be distracted. So I would like the day off. I can make the time up, I promise."

"Alright," he said. "I hope you work out what you need to."

"I'm planning on it."

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Izzie left the hospital. She got into the car, took a deep breath, and went home. She changed into more comfortable clothes, grabbed a phone book, and searched through it. She found what she was looking for. She tore out the page and put the book back. She looked at the page for a moment.

"Alright then," she sighed, and left the house again, feeling scared and excited at the same time.

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"So how's everything coming?" Meredith as Cristina as they, George and Alex walked down the hall together. "The wedding planning?"

"How do you think?" Cristina said sourly. "I seriously can't stand this wedding crap. It's driving me insane."

"But it'll all be worth it," Mer smiled.

"I hope so," Cristina said.

"Where's Izzie at?" George asked them.

"I don't know," Meredith said. "I think she left."

"Left?"

"She said she was going to ask the chief for a day off."

"Why?"

Meredith shrugged. "You should know by now she doesn't explain things."

"Did she say how long she'd be gone?"

"Like I said, she doesn't explain things."

"She's gonna end up doing something stupid," he said, more to himself.

"What do you mean?" Mer asked curiously.

George was saved an explanation by Bailey, who assigned them for the day. George acted as though he forgot Mer's question and changed the subject.

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It was already past noon when Izzie arrived at her destination. She was more frightened now, afraid of being bombarded by questions. She got out of the car and went into the building. It was empty at this time of the day; most people didn't come in until the afternoon. She stepped up to the counter, looking around nervously.

"May I help you?"

She jumped. "Sorry," she said, embarrassed. "I didn't see you there."

"It's alright," the man said. "Can I help you with something?"

"Yes," she said. "Yes you can."

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At the same time Izzie was in the shop, George was with Callie in her room. Mer, Cristina, and Alex were elsewhere, eating lunch together.

"Have you had any good surgeries today?" Callie asked George.

"No, not today," he said. "It's been a boring day."

"That sucks," she said. "Maybe by the end of the day you'll get something. Wake up your day."

He laughed, afraid of getting anything today. "Yeah, hopefully. The days are too long here."

"You're telling me," she said. "It's worse from this side."

"True," he smiled. "You'll be out soon enough."

"No, not soon enough," she said. "Two minutes from now is not soon enough."

"I'm trying here."

"I know," she smiled. "Thank you."

"No problem."

It was silent for a moment.

"Have they heard anything about whoever did it?"

He looked at her, feeling nervous, as though she could read his mind.

"Uh- no, not yet. But I'm sure we'll hear something soon enough."

"I'd love to throw him in jail."

"Me too."

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"I don't want anything too big or fancy," Izzie told the man. "I just want it for self- protection. I rally don't know anything about this stuff."

"That's alright," he said. "What was your price range?"

"I don't know," she said. "Nothing too expensive."

"Well look at this one. I think this would be good for you. It-"

"How much is it?"

"I'd say two hundred. One seventy five for you."

"And it'll work well? If it has to?"

"Yes, if it has to, I say it would."

"Okay. I'll take it."

"But don't you want to-"

"No," she said at once. "It's fine. I'm kinda on a schedule."

"Alright then," he sighed.

She paid him the one seventy five. She hoped she had made a good deal. Right now it didn't really matter. Her work was only half done.

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George went to visit Callie at night before he left too. The whole day had been quiet, which made him slightly uncomfortable. Like he should be waiting for something to happen.

"Do you want me to grab you anything at the hotel?" George asked her.

"Sure," she said. "Not too much. Bring whatever you feel like bringing."

"I can stay here if you'd like-"

"I told you, I'm fine. Go home and get some real sleep."

He smiled. "I'll try."

"Good."

"Get some sleep yourself."

"I will."

George left the room a couple minutes later. It was just going on nine o'clock.

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Izzie sat in her car, extremely nervous. She didn't know if this was going to work, but she hoped it would. She didn't have much time left, and she knew it. He hadn't called her all day, which would make her feel better if she didn't take it for a bad sign. But she did. Maybe he was planning too.

Her phone rang, making her jump. She answered it, her heart racing.

"Hello?"

"And then there was one. I like that, don't you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I like it very much. I doubt that you do."

"What do you mean?"

"Now you don't gotta get all upset. Calm down."

"I'm not going to."

"I'm sorry about that."

"Why'd you do that to Callie? She has nothing to do with this."

"But her husband does. I was just starting to show you what I can do. I'm impressed that neither of you have said anything. Very smart, I'd say. It would only speed things up."

"So what next? Where are you now?"

"Where are you now?"

"Like you don't know that."

"Right now I'm where I have to be. You however, aren't. I gave you my clue. And then there was one. And then there'll be none."

She was silent, trying to think, but it was proven quite hard at a time like this.

Then she got it.

He hung up.

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Izzie burst into the room. Callie jumped.

"Where's George?" Izzie demanded.

"He went home," Callie said, bewildered.

"Of course he did," Izzie groaned.

"Why do-?"

But Izzie had already left.

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George entered the dark hotel room. He switched on the light. It was too quiet here when he was by himself. He didn't like it. He took off his coat and threw it on the chair. He went to the kitchen to find something to eat. Or better, to drink.

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Izzie sped down the roads, not caring about the blazing horns she heard. She had to go as fast as she could. She had no idea how long it had been since George had left the hospital. She realized now that she should have, but she hadn't had much time to think.

Now she seemed to have a lot of time to think. The clock said 9:16.

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George pulled out a bottle from the fridge, not really caring what it was. Anything would do right now. Everything was just so crazy all around him.

"How's your wifey?"

George gasped and turned around.

"Hello there." He smiled, chilling George. "My name's Alan Chambers. We meet at last.

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"Come on, go," Izzie said frustratedly. Why didn't understand that she didn't have time to just sit there? She had absolutely no time.

She finally pulled in to the hotel parking lot.