Chapter 13: Where to Turn

Richard Webber had known Thatcher Grey for a very long time. He had always respected and felt bad for the man. He was basically the reason that Thatcher Grey's life fell apart in the first place so he'd always felt guilty for him. He broke up Thatcher and Ellis' marriage which was the reason he left her and Meredith behind to find a new family. He was the basis of Meredith's hatred for her own father. He'd always carried around a heavy burden for what he'd done to the man. So when Richard had learned of Thatcher's drinking he'd wanted to help the man. He'd helped him get back on track and he then respected the man for doing that too. But now…Now there was nothing. Every single ounce of that respect was completely gone. All he felt was anger and disappointment. This man was the reason his own daughter might not make it through the night. He was the person that put her into that hospital bed. And she was a fine surgeon. Just as good as her sister, maybe even better due to her exquisite knowledge and learning and memory capabilities and capacity. Plus she was a nice girl, a good person. She was gentle, and caring, and sweet. She didn't just fix patients, she also cared for them. She didn't deserve some of the crap she'd been put through, especially not this.

Webber watched as Thatcher gazed around the room in a state of oblivion and awe. After staring him down with a hateful, disgusted glare Webber stepped into Thatcher Grey's view.

"Oh, Chief Webber," Thatcher greeted after recognizing the man's presence.

"It's just Dr. Webber now Thatcher," Webber corrected.

"Oh sorry,"

"Don't be sorry about that. You mind telling me what you're doing here?"

Thatcher's stupid grin dropped. He went silent for a moment and then spoke up trying to defend himself. "I know. I know I'm an idiot. I know that I just risked my health. I know that what I did was wrong and that I took it overboard. I didn't even realize that I had been drinking until I was so drunk that I had to be brought here. It's just that my…my girlfriend…she left me and I…I was really upset and I… I didn't know where to turn."

"So you turn to family…You turn to friends who will be there to help you through it no matter what. You turn to the people in your life that matter the most to you. You turn to the ones who love you unconditionally and want nothing but your happiness and well-being…Not a 50 dollar bottle of scotch and an old Kenny G record. Ive been there. I know what that's like. I know how it feels to shut yourself out from the world and just live in your own bubble where all there is in your life is a day of work and a couple of drinks to toss back so you can get through the night. I was drunk for years. I sobered up though. Sure I slipped up a couple times too but I'd never touch the stuff again. Especially not after taking a liver transplant from the daughter I left behind when she was five years old and forgot about until she was in her twenties. Now that… That I'd never ever do." Webber commented angrily.

Thatcher looked horrified at the man who was rambling about ethics at him.

"Do you realize what you've done? Do you? I don't think you know just what you did." Webber leaned in closely to him, still yelling.

"I...I am not going to take up drinking again. I swear. This…This was just a one time thing. I'm done. I'm done now.

"I'm not talking about you realizing that you were drunk…I'm asking if you realize what you did while you were drunk." Webber gave another deathly glare.

"Nuh…No…Wha…What did I do? I did something bad? Am…Am I under arrest? Did I break the law? Is that why I'm cuffed? I thought that the handcuffs were for…for my own safety."

"No you ignorant fool. You assaulted your daughter. Your own daughter. You smashed her in the face with your bottle and then kicked her while she was down so many times that she had internal bleeding. You put her in a damned coma. She just came out of it and we found that she had brain damage so she's in her second surgery. All because of you. She may have permanently lost her visions if she doesn't lose her life. Do you understand the seriousness of this now?" He gave an epiphany to Thatcher.

"Is…Is that what Dr. Shepherd was talking about? I…I did that? Oh...Oh my God. I can't. I can't believe that I… "

Webber realized that his outburst was out of line. He frankly didn't care but it was against hospital policy and everyone was starting to stare and worry. He wanted to be the better man in this situation.

"Why don't I leave you to ponder that? Maybe then you'll realize your mistakes. You know…I always understood…Why you left Ellis…and Meredith even. But this…This I'll never understand. Treating your new family…The ones who loved you and cared for you through it all no matter how big of an idiot you were. Treating them like crap…I'll never get that." Webber whispered into his ear with disrespect.

"I want to see her….I need to apologize."

"I won't take you to her. You can find someone else. I wouldn't dare deliver such an awful thing to that poor, sweet girl. And I'll tell you right now. You're in for a lot of trouble. Everyone hates you for what you did. You're going to need much more than an apology if you even think you can win that girl back. You're done hurting her now." Richard responded to his request. And with that he walked away to get to the OR and see what he could do to help…And to make sure they hadn't killed Lexie Grey.