Timeline for Part 4:

11x01 and 11x02. Amelia is settling in as head of department and during an AA meeting finds out Maggie Pierce is related to Webber and Meredith. Owen is adjusting to life without Cristina.

The Journey - Part Four

Amelia double clicked on the radiology computer while taking a sip of her steamy hot coffee. She was dealing with the case of a twenty year old girl who had stroked out during sex. The case itself was interesting enough but the neurosurgeon was sure there was probably some medical mystery related to it. And Amelia couldn't help herself. She needed to find out.

It was nice taking some time alone. That was one of the few things she missed about her work in Los Angeles. Even though Amelia loved the rush and the full time busy schedule of big hospitals, sometimes she enjoyed sitting by herself, studying scans accompanied only by a cup of coffee. The silence made it easier for her to concentrate and at that moment, it was entirely welcoming.

As her eyes thoroughly examined every detail on the screen, Amelia couldn't help reminiscing about how well she was doing. She deeply missed Addison and the other friends she'd made at Seaside, but for the first time in a long time, Amelia felt like she was in full control of her life. It was unusual for her to feel like that. And the surgeon knew that even though she was in a good place, it was important to make sure she didn't neglect her life long recovery battling addiction, for Amelia was determined to never again have another slip.

For that reason, as soon as she had settled at work, the neurosurgeon resumed going to AA meetings. At first, it had been an awkward surprise to find Richard Webber there. But the more she thought about it, the more at peace she became. Richard was an amazing surgeon, with an incredible career. Looking at the guy, Amelia would never guess that he too had an alcohol problem. And yet, there he was, seeking out help the same way she was. Even though she sympathized with him, Amelia also felt inspired. Just like Charlotte King, if Richard Webber could recover from addiction and live his life to become chief and rebuild his life from scratch, then there was no reason why her own life couldn't also be promising. Richard and Charlotte were examples to be followed and Amelia felt stronger to realize she wasn't the only one. Probably everyone in the hospital had their own skeletons in the closet and it was a comforting thought to know she wasn't an outcast.

Amelia had just finished separating the images she wanted to zoom for a more careful read when the door opened. She turned around and saw Maggie Pierce lying against it, her eyes closed as she took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

"You okay?"

Maggie instantly opened her eyes, realizing she wasn't alone like she'd originally imagined.

"I am sorry," The thoracic surgeon looked rather uncomfortable. "I didn't know you were here," she added, already turning around to leave.

"No, it's okay!" Amelia said before she could even think about it. Her own reaction surprised her and she wondered why she'd hurried to guarantee Maggie could stay. Earlier that day, Richard had briefly introduced the two of them, but there wasn't much Amelia knew about the young head of thoracics other than the fact that she seemed really resourceful. Just a while ago, Maggie had suggested they tracked down a patient's identity using her cell phone serial number. But the fact that she had called Derek "the other Dr. Shepherd" had also helped to put the woman in Amelia's good graces. "Bad day?" The neurosurgeon asked, narrowing her eyes as she studied the other's expression.

Once again, Maggie took a deep breath and seemed to hesitate a bit before finally revealing:

"I've had bad days and rough starts, but this…" The young woman sighed, visibly shaken up. "It just feels like everyone is against me today."

"What do you mean?" Amelia considerately asked, seeing the woman probably needed to talk.

"I don't know if I am being tested," Maggie confessed, taking two steps forward and sitting next to Amelia by the computer. "I mean, I was already hired, so if they wanted to test me, why didn't they do it before? It would have been…"

"Who's testing you?" Amelia asked with a grin, interrupting the ramble.

"Everyone," Maggie admitted. "There is Meredith Grey, who's being a bitch to me for no reason…"

"Nah, that's just who she is," Amelia waved in dismissal with good humor. A few days before, during a particular revealing AA meeting, she had found out through Richard Webber that Maggie Pierce was his biological daughter, and half sister to Meredith Grey. The thoracic surgeon didn't know this yet but Amelia was pretty sure the secret wouldn't be kept much longer. "Don't worry, you'll get used to it. I am sure."

"Then there's my resident, who simply won't do what I tell her," Maggie carried on, ignoring the interruption. "And there's the chief, who's hired me but then treats me like I am incompetent and not up for the job."

Amelia didn't know why, but Maggie's impression on Owen Hunt intrigued her more than the one about her sister in law.

"How is that?" She asked, trying to sound indifferent. "I mean, I am not prying, it's just that I have also just been appointed Head of Department and don't want to deal with any unpleasant surprises." She hurried to make up a believable excuse for her interest.

"I don't know…" Maggie sighed again, feeling better already just by having confessed her feelings to someone. "It's like he won't let me do my job. Maybe he thinks I am beneath his ex wife, maybe he thinks I am not as good as her but…"

"Well, she left." Amelia pointed out and then frowned at herself for doing so.

"Yeah and I am here," Maggie said, feeling a wave of empowerment. She looked at Amelia, as if the neurosurgeon had just given her an answer and proceeded to get up. "She left and if she was better than me, she would have stayed for the job. I don't have to prove myself to anyone, I am well aware of how capable I am," Maggie decided with renovated vigor. "Thank you, you were great!" She said with honest gratitude before holding her head high and walking out the door.

Amelia was left with amused disbelief, wondering what exactly she'd done. Later that day, she and Maggie would meet again and after discussing nearly fatal sex injuries, Amelia would realize she actually enjoyed the other surgeon's company. They were both young, talented women who had recently arrived at the hospital. The duo also had to put up with people thinking they couldn't do their jobs on a daily basis and therefore, had a lot in common. Maybe Maggie could really become a rather welcomed new friend. Amelia certainly had enjoyed watching her operate and eating a bag of chips while they talked and she chanted the ode Maggie's parents had made up for their daughter. Amelia felt strangely touched. It was obvious Maggie Pierce had proud parents and a supportive family. Those were things the neurosurgeon had longed for all her life. Amelia had felt comfortable enough to share she had three sisters and a brother, who are all very put together, while she had always been the odd man out. It was interesting to interact with someone who'd clearly had a traditional upbringing.

Maggie Pierce seemed to have a funny way of functioning and even though they hadn't spent more than a couple of hours in each other's company, Amelia already liked her a lot.

.

Owen felt like kicking the coffee machine inside the attendings' lounge. Yet again, he was having one of those days. They seemed to happen quite often lately and he wasn't at all excited about the things he had left to resolve.

"I really have to say this… I love working here!"

Owen turned around to meet the excited face of Amelia Shepherd. The young neurosurgeon made her way in, swiftly taking control of the coffee machine Owen had visibly been struggling with and he didn't know whether to feel angry of grateful.

"That's good to hear," He added in a bad mood, only because he felt he should say something. But the woman was so excited about whatever she was cheering about that he doubted she noticed his heavy expression.

"Maggie Pierce has just diagnosed a patent foramen ovale on a twenty year old who had a stroke," Amelia shared, excited about the case. "I just watched her close it with a catheter. It was such a good catch," The neurosurgeon excitedly went on, easily getting the machine to work and pouring two cups. Owen thankfully took the one she was offering him and quickly got busy drinking it, so he wouldn't have to take part on the conversation. "You know, she is amazing."

"Who is?" Owen asked distractedly, just realizing he wasn't paying attention to what she was saying.

"Maggie Pierce," Amelia replied like it was obvious.

"Oh," Owen recovered his senses, doing his best to focus. He shrugged and breathed in before finally making eye contact with the newest head of Neuro. "You're right, she is incredible… She uh," He hesitated, embarrassed to say he had almost put a brake on her brilliance because of his stubbornness. "She actually was able to solve a case after it had been thoroughly searched. Everyone had given up on it," He admitted, thinking about how Maggie found out the cause for the McNeils cardiomyopathy, linking it to a genetic mutation. "I had given up on it." He confessed humbly.

"Well, I am glad she is here," Amelia admitted for selfish reasons. For once, she wasn't alone. Maggie was also the young prodigy whose capacities and experience everyone always doubted. Amelia could relate to that.

"Wait, did you say you had a twenty year old with a stroke?" Owen asked with genuine interest. After an entire week of being asked out by Derek and Jackson, dealing with residents issues and handling a feud between Meredith Grey and Maggie Pierce, it was nice to find some distraction on something he really enjoyed. He hadn't been in the OR for a while and honestly missed it.

"Yes!" Amelia replied with enthusiasm, carried on after seeing he was interested in the conversation. "Luckily for the patient there were no deficits but it could have been much worse." She added before getting a sip of her own coffee, finding comfort in the hot beverage.

"How did that happen?" Owen asked, unsure if she had already said while he hadn't been paying full attention.

"She had a leg clot and after vigorous sex, the clot traveled back to her heart, passed through her PFO and went up the carotid," Amelia explained, impressed by the situation. "Can you imagine it?" The neurosurgeon shook her head. "I mean, of all the sex injuries I've ever imagined or seen, this one I could have never predicted…"

"What?" Owen asked with a hoarse voice, suddenly feeling tense. Why was she talking to him about sex? And asking if he could imagine it?

"I once had this patient that…"

Amelia went on rambling but Owen found it extremely hard to keep paying attention. His mind was assaulted by the vivid image he'd seen through the window, a couple of weeks before. Involuntarily, his mouth got dry and his breathing got heavier. He could still clearly see it: Amelia gracefully moving around wearing shorts, her shapely firm thighs in evidence as she playfully entertained the children. Her slim shoulders and curvy waist were also exposed, making up the delightful vision.

What the hell was wrong with him?

Owen loathed himself for allowing his thoughts to take that direction. He knew he hadn't had sex in a while, and that was probably adding to his already bad mood, but he couldn't keep imaging the woman that way. She was his employee. Amelia worked for him. The least he could do was treat her with respect and not objectify her like his brain seemed so determined to do.

"… so after hours of blindly looking, we were finally able to figure out where that rash was coming from." Amelia ended her excited tale, failing to notice how uncomfortable Owen seemed. "Hey, do you want more coffee?"

"Sure," Owen replied automatically, trying to use that time to regain control.

But as Amelia turned to her side and went to the coffee maker, his eyes fixated on the image of her profile.

"I have to admit, despite the stroke I kinda envy those two," Amelia chuckled, pouring more coffee into the cups. "I mean, how many women do you know who can say they had such a mind blowing orgasm, if you know what I mean…" Amelia joked, intentionally making a pun.

Oh God, Owen thought, painfully aware of how close she stood. Why did she have to say words like orgasm and ask him a question in the same sentence? His body immediately took it like a challenge and Owen was assaulted by images of that woman lying underneath him on a bed, her wonderful brown hair against a fluffy white pillow while he…

Damn it. Owen forced himself to stop thinking. Why was that happening?

"I have to go," He cut her short and strode to the door, not even bothering to grab the coffee she had offered. But Owen noticed the look of confusion on her face as she was basically left talking alone.

Amelia stood still, caught off guard by the way he had suddenly left. Had she said anything to offend him? Amelia didn't think so, but who would know? Owen Hunt was so mysterious and so moody that the best thing she could do was simply stay under the radar, avoiding his presence completely. That way, not only she wouldn't have to deal with his strange mood, she could also stop wondering about him and why he was so annoyingly fascinating.

.

Amelia finished gathering her things, ready to call it a day. It had been a fun one. She had really enjoyed getting to know a bit more about Maggie.

"This has probably been the longest shift of my career," Maggie exaggerated. She'd had longer and rougher days during residency but today had been especially hard.

"You took on so many cases," Amelia pointed out with a gentle smile, seeing how her colleague looked exhausted. "But don't worry, there will be others tomorrow," The neurosurgeon added with a wicked grin.

Maggie chuckled and finished changing from her scrubs to her regular clothes. She had just closed her locker when she remembered:

"I can't believe you got asked out by the patient's boyfriend."

"Well, technically he didn't ask me out," Amelia corrected her with a smile. She knew Maggie was talking about the date of the patient who'd gotten a stroke while having sex. "He just asked for my number."

"He looked like he could only think with what was in his pants," Maggie shook her head in playful disapproval. "That kid can't be more than twenty two, did he seriously think you were going to accept his offer… He probably hasn't even left college yet," Maggie realized. "Are all college guys like this?" She wondered out loud.

"Well, don't you know?" Amelia gave her a look of surprise. Maggie had gone to college too. How come she didn't know?

"I was way younger than everybody," The thoracic surgeon confessed with a sad grin. "Plus, I had gigantic braces and carried a heavy physiology textbook anywhere I went. Muscular gym guys hardly found that attractive," She joked at her own predicament.

"Well, sometimes it is good to think with body parts other than the brain," Amelia advised with a chuckle, noticing how Maggie had blushed.

At that exact moment, the door to the lounge opened but the two surgeons were too caught up with their own conversation to notice the tall, broad shouldered man who had entered.

"Are you serious, though?" The neurosurgeon gave up putting on her jacket, looking at Maggie with comic disbelief. "You didn't enjoy that part of college?" Amelia asked, scandalized. "I swear to God, I should have gotten that guy's number and given it to you. He surely looked dumb enough but no one dates a guy like that to discuss rocket science, if you know what I mean…"

Maggie blushed at Amelia's words but she felt her entire face turning red when she noticed the chief of surgery had walked into the room. He definitely had heard a part of the conversation and the fact that he looked livid and serious made the thoracic surgeon even more anxious. Maggie felt like she had somehow been caught misbehaving.

"Is everything okay?" Owen asked with a heavy expression.

"Yea." Both women replied at the same time.

Maggie noticed how while she was alarmed and clearly uncomfortable, Amelia was the portrait of innocence. Owen kept staring at the head of Neuro for a second longer than necessary, as if expecting her to say something else, but on the face of Amelia's indifferent silence, his eyes fell upon Maggie one more time.

"I was looking for you, Pierce," He confessed, clearing his throat before talking. "I…uh," Owen hesitated, uncomfortable by the presence of Amelia. "I just wanted to say you did great today," He encouragingly added. Owen had noticed how, after solving the mystery to the McNeils case, Maggie hadn't gloated or bragged that she was better or worse than anyone. She had simply gone on to finish her job and he admired her attitude. "With all your cases."

"Thank you, chief," Maggie let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding, relieved to be hearing those words instead of the reprimand she was sure they were going to get. "It's been a long day."

"Get some rest and I'll see you tomorrow," Owen said, watching as the two women prepared to exit. He waited on purpose until they were both at the door and called out. "Shepherd, can you hold on for a second? I want to talk to you."

Amelia noticed by the stiffness of his jaw that he wasn't really asking and she silently said goodbye to Maggie before turning back and closing the door after herself, leaving the two of them alone in the room. What did he want now? She hadn't forgotten the way he'd left her talking to herself earlier that afternoon. That man really was impossible to figure out.

"Something wrong?" She forced a polite smile, unsure of why he was looking at her with angry impatience.

"Need I remind you the hospital has a very strict policy regarding dating patients?" Owen started, feeling the bitter taste of the words as they left his lips.

But he couldn't help it. He had walked in on the two women and caught Amelia Shepherd making a joke about getting a patient's number. Deep down, Owen knew it was probably harmless and he doubted she had even meant it, but today that impulsive and passionate young neurosurgeon was really getting to him. He knew he should have held her back, but his temper got the best of him.

"What?" Amelia asked with a heavy frown, unable to believe what he was saying. If she already had been angry with him for his behavior from before, now she was undoubtedly irritated.

"I just heard you telling Pierce something about getting a patient's number?" Owen said with a heavy tone, knowing he was being excessively strict. "You know the hospital has policies against that."

"Oh, the guy wasn't even a patient, he was the boyfriend of the girl who had the stroke," Amelia justified herself. She had never dated a patient or their family members and she was well aware of work and ethical policies. It had obviously been a joke, so why was Owen Hunt so worked up about it? "And besides, he asked me for my number, not the other way around. I don't go around flirting with patients," She took a step in his direction, getting angrier at his inexistent accusation. "I certainly don't encourage it, but it's not my fault if they flirt with me," Amelia added in a tone of defiance, knowing there was no need to go that far.

But she couldn't help it. The guy got on her nerves too easily.

"Well, I sure hope so." Owen said between his teeth, sustaining her look. "Have a good night, Dr. Shepherd," he added, letting her know that conversation was over.

Amelia left but before she turned her back on him, Owen noticed her blue eyes were sparking with rage. He knew he was being unfair. Had it been anyone else, Owen probably would have let it go but Amelia Shepherd had already haunted him enough that day.

Earlier in the afternoon, she had innocently trapped him in a conversation about sex and Owen immediately started to have thoughts he should be ashamed of. But then she'd gone on and joked about a guy and Owen made an unpleasant discovery:

Even more disconcerting than fantasizing about Amelia Shepherd with that gorgeous alabaster skin hot and flushed as she had an orgasm was to involuntarily imagine her in someone else's arms while at it.

Owen was disturbed by how fast and how intensely his thoughts had escalated. He really wasn't in a good place. Being a guy, of course he often noticed women and felt attracted to them, but never before had he been so flagrantly unable to properly function because he was having dirty thoughts about a colleague before.

Especially not one who was as tiny and delicately shaped as she was fierce, daring and challenging.

It was probably not even about her, Owen tried to convince himself. He just had a lot on his plate at the moment. Maybe he could use a distraction, something he enjoyed doing that could keep him busy. That was it. He needed a new hobby.

Feeling more optimistic than he had all day, Owen strode back to his office. Maybe it was time to revisit an old project he had, involving war veterans. Callie Torres had a whole new lab and her research about robotic limbs was a success. It was definitely a better idea to keep his mind focused on prosthetics and amputees, people who really needed the assistance and resources he had available. And it was much more comforting to channel his energy on helping people who needed it than using all of it to stop picturing Amelia Shepherd without her scrubs on every time she directed those scandalous silver blue eyes at him.