This is probably the last one until Tuesday since it's exam week. It'll probably just confuse you even more, but I love to do that to my readers at the beginning of my stories! Anyways, remember that it is a complete AU!
Chapter 3: Speak Slow
I'm
so far away and I just can't see you I'm
So far along and I just
don't need you
I am so ah-alone, so ah-alone,
I
am so alone, so alone
Meredith found an on-call room and sat down on the bed, glad to be alone for a few minutes. She pulled out her cell phone and quickly dialed a number she'd had memorized for years.
"Hello?"
"Nichole? Does your Mommy know you're answering the phone?" Meredith asked with a hint of a laugh in her voice.
There was a pause on the line, "This isn't Nichole."
"Nichole, put your Mom on the phone," Meredith said, knowing her nieces voice when she heard it.
"Hello?"
"Hey Jen," Meredith said, a relieved sound in her voice.
"Mer! I'm so glad you called! I was getting worried!" the perky voice from the message earlier said.
"I'm fine. The hospital is nice and the surgeons seem nice. I've heard of a few of them from different articles and such," Meredith said, trying to keep on the subject of the hospital.
Jen listened, knowing exactly what her sister was trying to do, "How are you though, really?"
"Good," Meredith answered, half convinced.
"The girls wanted to go to the cemetery today," she said slowly, hoping to not freak Meredith out.
"Oh," she said softly in response, "How was it?"
"The weather was nice and we left some flowers. There were some other fresh flowers there as well from, well, you know who they were from," Jen said, "The girls talked for a little while and left some pictures that they drew."
A small tear rolled down Meredith's face, "That's sweet," she said quietly before her new pager went off.
"What is that?" Jen asked, hearing it through the phone.
Meredith looked down and read the message, "Crap. I think my patient, whom I haven't even met yet, has something going on. They might have rushed him into surgery. I have to go. I'll call you later, okay?"
"Okay. I miss you, take care."
"You too, Jen."
"Bye."
"Bye," Meredith said before ending the call. She sat motionless for a few seconds, imagining the scene at the cemetery with Jen and her two twin daughters Nichole and Paige. It almost made her heartbreak.
-----------------------------------------------
Meredith's prediction had been right. The patient had been rushed into surgery after a small, yet significant episode. Dr. Shepherd began the neuro part of the surgery, while she was briefed on the few details she didn't already know about the case. Ten minutes into the surgery, she joined Dr. Shepherd near the brain, while Dr. Yang worked on the heart. The residents she had met earlier were busy retracting and learning, but weren't asked to do anything surgical.
The man had many health problems and he knew going into the surgery, he didn't have much of a chance. He also knew that without the surgery, he had no chance. They'd called Meredith in specifically for this case. Although Dr. Shepherd was well respected, she'd worked on a patient with a similar brain defect.
Despite the two scares during the eight-hour surgery, the man survived it. It defied all medical evidence that he did, but they expected him to make a full recovery. Once the surgery was over, Meredith made it into the scrub room.
Cristina quickly washed her hands and left, silencing her pager on the way. Meredith, however, was exhausted. She wasn't ready to do any other work. She hadn't slept well the night before, the phone call had brought back some emotions, and the surgery in itself was tiring.
The water next to her turned on, but Meredith didn't even think enough to look and see who was standing next to her. "You're extremely talented."
Meredith just nodded in response before making her way over to the paper towels to dry her wet skin. Her mind kept flashing back to the cemetery, almost wishing she were still in New York so she could go visit it.
"And not modest at all."
Meredith finally looked up as the other surgeon laughed a little before grabbing his own paper towels. As her mind began to function again, she realized how she must have seemed. "Oh, no," she said, "I wasn't really paying attention. I'm just exhausted."
"Understandable," Dr. Shepherd said as he leaned against the sink, "So, enjoying Seattle?"
"Not so much," she answered quickly, before looking over at the door, "I've got to go."
He was a little surprised at her quick departure. He had wanted to discuss their patient for a little while, but apparently she had other things weighing on her mind.
Okay, so to make a few things clear, there really isn't an age difference between Meredith and Derek. That's why they're pretty even in the medical field. And it's quite obvious that there is something wrong with Meredith. Jen really is her sister and that story line will be expanded more later. If you guys want me to explain things more, or reflect more rather, after chapters then just tell me. Or if you'd rather me just shut up and write, go ahead and say that too!
I hope you guys are enjoying and thanks you reading and reviewing!
