The alarm went off again causing her to absently hit the sleep button for the fifth time without breaking her gaze with the ceiling. She just laid there remembering what it used to feel like to be in Seattle. Savoring the memory of what it felt like to love and be loved. Savoring the memory of her family and friends laughing around her. Savoring the memory of what Seattle used to mean. Now, it was replaced with the feeling of uncertainty, hurt, confusion, and emptiness.

I couldn't help but think back to the few hours leading up to my mother's arrival at the hospital. I can still remember the horrified look on Christina's face when I told her that I had a feeling. Without asking any questions about it, she advised me to go home and lay in bed or at least stay away from her for the rest of the day. I spent that hold day avoiding any surgeries or patients with massive trauma to the abdomen. The truth is that I really anticipated someone coming into the pit with a bomb in his stomach or that lightening would strike me if I left the hospital. But what happened in reality seemed much worse. For that day everything seemed to spiral out of control within a matter of hours. In a span of forty-eight hours my life crashed and I fled the city.

The alarm pulled her from her thoughts. Reaching up, she hit the sleep button again without glancing at the time. It had to be nearing nine and the kids were probably awake driving Richard up the wall, but she couldn't bring herself to get out of bed and face what the day held for her.

"Meredith?" She heard her stepfather's voice came as he knocked on the door.

She didn't answer at first. "Meredith?"

"What?" She called back feeling like a seventeen year old again right after Richard and Ellis had gotten married, and he was trying to take on a 'fatherly' role.

"Are you getting up?"

She could tell from his voice that he was still mad that she had never told he about Owen and Madi. "Yeah."

Rubbing her eyes, she forced herself to sit up as she swung her feet over the edge. Slowly, she convinced herself to stand. Grabbing her robe, she walked out and down the stairs to find Owen and Madi playing in the living room. After hugging and kissing them each, she headed into the kitchen where Richard was cooking. He looked up giving her a smile that she couldn't tell if it was forced or not. She gave him a small smile back as she walked towards him. She wrapped her arms around him.

"I'm sorry, Dad." She said quietly.

"I know." He whispered back hugging her tightly. "I'm proud of you. Owen and Madi are amazing." She smiled as she pulled back.

"Thank you. You're a Grandpa."

"Grandpa?" He smiled. "I like it. Do I get a cool Grandpa hat?"

She laughed. "If you want."

He held out a cup of coffee which she graciously accepted by taking a long sip from.

"So…?" His voice faded. "What are you going to do?"

"About…?" Her voice drifted well aware what that they both were talking about Alex, work, where to live, and her friends… but mostly Alex.

Rubbing her forehead, she sighed. "I don't know."

He put his hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Mer. Everything will be fine."

She gave him a sad smile. "I've been trying to tell myself that for years."

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"Hey." He sat down across from them at lunch.

"Hey." They all mumbled at the same time.

"So heard anything new?" Izzie said folding her arm on the table.

"You have to be more specific Barbie. About what?" Christina snapped.

"About the new attending?" Izzie said.

"God you are one of them aren't you." Alex commented stuffing a fry in his mouth.

"One of who?" She asked obviously offended by the comment.

"One of the people who run the damn gossip mill around here." He clarified sitting back shaking his head. "Isobel Stevens is a gossip addict."

"Shut up, Evil Spawn." Izzie snapped before looking at George. "George? What's wrong with you? You're quiet."

George moved his gaze from the place he was blankly staring at to the group. "Nothing… Just… Nothing."

"Oh come on, Bambi. Spill your deepest darkest secret." Christina mocked.

"Shut up." He snapped. "I'm fine."

"What crawled up your butt and bit you? Bambi has an edge today." Christina laughed.

"Wait," Izzie said suspiciously studying his face. "What do you know?"

"I don't know anything." He snapped.

"It this O'Malley is just PMSing." Alex laughed. "Is it that time of the month?"

"Shut up, Alex." Izzie hissed hitting his leg. "What do you know?"

"I said I don't know anything." He stood up pushing his chair back. "I have to go."

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The doorbell rang throughout the house. They were eating spaghetti for dinner at the kitchen table.

Richard chuckled at something one of the kids had said as he stood up. "It's probably just a salesperson."

He walked out of the room. Meredith watched as the kids at their grandfather's spaghetti. They had really connected with Richard and she was really glad they had.

He opened the front door surprised to see George standing there with the nervous look he had seen him holding on his face man times over the seven years he had worked at the hospital.

"O'Malley, as I'm sure you are aware it is five o'clock and I'm eating dinner with my company. So I hope this better be good or it better wait until tomorrow."

"Sir… Is Meredith here?"

"What are you talking about, O'Malley?"

"I've heard talk that the new attending might be Meredith…"

"From who? Where did you hear this? You heard this from Stephanie right?"

"No, no sir. You know the hospital. The gossip mill and all. Someone must have come up with the idea and it spread like a wildfire fact."

Richard looked at him skeptically. "So Stephanie said nothing?"

"No, she told me nothing. I swear. I'm sorry, Dr. Webber... I didn't mean to bother you." He started to walk away down the path. "O'Malley?" He called. George stopped and turned to look at him.

"Yes, Sir?"

"Come here."

"Sir?"

"Come here. As in follow me." He turned and walked deeper into the house. George looked around confused before following him in. As he crossed the living room, he heard voices including one that he recognized but couldn't place it to a person. Richard held out his hand motioning for him to stop and continued into the kitchen. Silence fell and he could hear a few whispers then a couple footsteps before little voices continued.

He heard someone say that they would be right back. He expected Richard to reappear but instead… Meredith did.

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Since my last update was so short. I made this one longer.