Title: Breathe
Authors: Sara And Lizzie
Rating: T for language, mild sex
Disclaimer: It would be nice to own grey's anatomy, sadly all we own are a lot of high priced shoes and handbags, and both seasons on dvd.
Summary: A month or so after Meredith's near death experience, tragedy strikes Seattle Grace again in the form of a robbery gone wrong. A hostage situation takes place in the OR. Nine lives hang in the balance as they wait to live, die, or just get blown up.
Author's Note: Wow. The last time we updated this? Feels like years ago. This particular little story is giving us trouble. Because we have all these things we want to happen, right? But the execution of them is hard. Because we want it to be in character, believable, etc. So bear with us. We're trying to keep the Grey's feel while conveying its a bad situation. So theyre joking because thats what they do.
AND REVIEW.
Detectives Harrison and Norris made their way back into the conference room, with the top agents of the Seattle Homeland Security branch in tow. The tension in the room was palpable, negated only by the sheer power exuded by Chief Webber. Norris watched as the man stood to his full height, impressed at how he commanded attention.
Dr. Hunter cleared her throat. "It was an accident." She said. "We never would have come into your hospital, Dr. Webber and intentionally done this. We didn't realize what we had made until after it was in creation, and we weren't sure if destruction would be safe." Owen Barbon took a sip of water and frowned.
"Richard, I've known you for a long time. Please believe us that we would never put your staff in this danger or you in this position knowingly."
Richard looked at Bailey and sighed in frustration. Their apologies were meaningless to him, because he didn't know what it was they were apologizing for. He put both of his hands in the air, palms facing the research team. "People, under normal circumstances, I would appreciate your apologies, but really, I want to know what the specimen is, who is holding my surgeons hostage and what the hell is going to get them released." He said.
The doctors exchanged uncomfortable looks, none of them speaking. They shifted in their seats ad coughed, or took sips of water. One of the men from Homeland Security stepped forward. "Doctors." He said. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Ryan Kidman from Homeland Security, Seattle Branch. This is my partner Dianna Wilson. Listen to me when I tell you that my partner here was involved in a little ferry boat crash a few weeks back, and was helped out greatly by one Preston Burke. We really like the people around this hospital." He eyed the doctors sternly.
His partner stepped forward. "Excuse Agent Kidman. He's being polite. What he's trying to say is to start talking, because if this ends badly and you didn't help in every single little way you could, we will charge you with obstruction, reckless endangerment, and possibly, treason against the security of the United States." She crossed her arms. "I'm waiting."
Inside the OR, the tense silence had dissipated, and small conversations had broken out. They had started moving around the room. They were starting to lapse into some sort of normalcy, despite their dangerous situation. Meredith and Derek were huddled together, talking to Burke and Cristina. Mark was whispering in Addison's ear, George and Izzie were hurriedly muttering apologies and Alex was crumbling the contents of a chart Callie had left behind and shooting them basketball style into a tray he had dumped scalpels out of.
"George, I'm sorry." Izzie said. "I'm so sorry. I knew that I shouldn't say it, but I couldn't stop myself. What I said to you and what I said to Callie, and I'm sorry, okay? I meant everything I said. But I'm sorry."
George shook his hand and gripped her shoulder. "I'm still mad at you. But I'm not mad right now. If we die in here, I don't want to die mad at you." She made a face at him.
"Wow, real comforting George." She said, giving him wry smile. He smiled back at her and they laughed, like they used to. As Izzie's soft laughter subsided she felt clarity come over her. "You know what George? We're going to make it through this."
He smiled, letting her optimism warm his insides. "How do you know?" he asked.
She shrugged and smiled. "Because we always do." She said simply. "I've been thinking. About God and afterlife, you know? And I don't know what kind of God I believe in George, but I refuse to believe that Denny is nowhere but in the ground. So I know that there is some kind of higher power. And I know he's got a plan for us. And I don't think that plan ends tonight." She said. George nodded, turning it over in his head.
"You know what Iz? That makes a whole lot of sense." He said. "We are going to be okay."
She tucked her knees to her chest and smiled. "That's all I'm saying George." She motioned for Alex to join them and grinned mischievously. "You guys want to get Meredith all flustered and rambling?" she asked.
A few feet down the wall, Meredith and Derek were speaking in hushed tones to Burke and Cristina. Derek and Burke were going over the layout of the floor, trying to think of a way they could get out without getting shot. Meredith had tuned them out. She was tired of talking about almost dying. She was tired of talking about death.
She had almost died. Twice. And George's dad had died. And her mom had died. Denny, Dylan, Liz. They had all died. For the first time in a long time, all she wanted was to live. For a really long time. She could get old with Derek, she knew she could. She didn't care if they were eighty years old and living in his freaking trailer. Meredith sighed. Her father's rejection, her mother's contempt; it didn't seem to matter anymore. She had Derek. And wonderful friends.
Maybe her dance with death was over. The driving too fast, reckless, tequila soaked dance with death was ending. In its wake, she was a better, stronger person. She could feel it. "Stop it." She said to Derek. "Stop talking about dying. We're not going to die. I've got a feeling. And I think we're going to get out of this." Cristina's jaw dropped a little as she shot Meredith a look.
"Okay, who the hell are you, and where's my best friend?" she demanded. Derek looked at Meredith, the calm in her face, the determination, the fire that had returned to her eyes. He smiled down at her and kissed her forehead, praying she was right.
Burke smiled at her too, slinging an arm around Cristina. "You two should come over for dinner next week. With your schedules and Meredith's horrendous cooking ability, I'm sure you could use a break from take out." He said.
Derek and Meredith exchanged a look. "Will you two be speaking this time?" Derek asked Cristina and Burke. Meredith laughed to herself, and Cristina scowled.
"Shut up, Shepherd." She muttered.
"Hey Mer?" Izzie called sweetly. "Would you say Derek is the best sex you've ever had?" Meredith's eyes widened and she started coughing in surprise.
"Uh," she stammered, shooting nervous glances at Addison. "Well, um, yes?" she responded tentatively. "He's uh, pretty phenomenal. I mean not that I'm saying that's why I'm with him, because uh, he kind of pulled me out of sound, and there's that whole adultery issue, so its more than just the um, sex, but, yeah, he's really good." She said quickly, blushing.
Izzie snorted into her sleeve, her eyes tearing with the laughter she held back. "See, I told you she'd get all flustered." She said. Alex grinned.
"Dr, Montgomery." He said, tearing Addison's eyes away from Mark. "Same question."
Callie sat outside the conference room with a cup of coffee in her hand. She felt like crawling out of her skin. Stir crazy, her mother had called it. Callie stood up and started walking, letting the movement in her legs comfort her. Even though she walked aimlessly, merely moving made her feel better.
In wondering what was going to happen and hating the fact she didn't know, she didn't realize her feet were carrying her to the bridge. As she looked out the giant windows at Seattle, the thought entered her mind the first time that she didn't need to stay here and be second best. She allowed herself for the first time to entertain the tantalizing yet forbidden thought that she could leave, and be the best to someone else.
Her pager went off, causing her to jump, and push the thoughts out of her mind. Callie hurried back to the conference room to find two men in suits waiting outside. "Callie O'Malley?" one asked her, not smiling even slightly at the rhyme. She nodded, and they introduced themselves as agents. "Homeland security. We need you to come with us." She nodded and followed them to another empty room.
"We've compiled a list of everyone on our alert list who we know to be on the West Coast. We need you to go through a voice recognition test, can you do that?"
"Of course I can do that." Callie snapped, annoyed. She was an orthopedic surgeon, for God's sake. She could listen to voices on tape. They exchanged a glance and started up a computer. After what felt like a years, she finally heard the voice that belonged to the body that held the gun to her head. "That's it." She said. "That's the guy. I'm positive."
One of the agents hit the table with his palm. "Shit, that's Montcalm." He said. "I know he was planning something huge."
His partner blinked at him. "And this is big? What the hell is Montcalm doing in a hospital with nine surgeons? Montcalm is a high roller. He's a big player. This is not something big."
Callie looked up. "Can I go now?" she asked quietly. They nodded at her and mumbled thanks, rising to take their findings to the conference room.
"Karev." Addison snapped. "You can't seriously think that I'm going to answer that question." Alex grinned and shrugged.
"Don't get your panties in a twist. I didn't."
Izzie smiled. "We're playing a game, where we say embarrassing things to people and trying to guess their reactions."
Addison's jaw dropped. "Seriously?" she demanded. "In this situation, that's all you can do?"
Alex and George looked down sheepishly, but Izzie just shrugged. "We're not thinking about it. In this corner, we have decided to be positive." She said.
Cristina reached out and pushed Meredith's shoulder. "Mer, you should head over to that corner." She looked at Izzie and George. "Even Mer thinks we're going to be okay."
"Seriously?" Izzie asked.
"Why is that so hard to believe?" Meredith demanded. She turned to Derek. "Is that so freaking hard to believe?" He shook his head, then mouthed 'yes' to Burke behind her head.
"I saw that." She muttered.