Chapter 3

Present time

Meredith turns around in her seat and asks Owen.

"Do you think Cristina has the flu? She has been claiming that but neither you nor I have got it and no one we knows. I would like to do some test on her. Can you pursue her to it?"

Cristina returns and curls into a ball in Owen's arms. Everyone but Cristina knows that Cristina loves Owen as much as Owen loves her.

Four weeks ago

"Did you get the email from Alex?" Meredith asks Cristina.

"Yeah, do you want to go?"

"I don't know, it would be fun seeing them but it is a long trip, almost half way around the world."

"Yeah, but we can show Bailey what superior surgeons we become."

"I would really like to see Bailey. Let's make reservations today."

"I'll do it. I just need to speak with Owen."

"OK, I'll see you on site in a few."

Meredith walks towards the car waiting for her. She is thinking about Dr Derek Shepherd, chief of Surgery at Seattle Grace Hospital. He became chief a year after she left. She had heard from Izzy that he is dating a scrub nurse. She wonders how it will be to see him again.

When she arrives at site she has no time to think about anything but sick, hurt and wounded people. Why can't people stop fighting? Here in Darfur people are starving and still trying to kill each other.

"Grey, I got something for you." Dr Hunt yells.

Here there are no pagers. If you want someone you yell or send someone after the person. She runs over and sees a young boy shot in his back. The bullet has passed the spine and maybe will she be able to save him from being paralyzed. She sends him to the OR and starts scrubbing in. Today is a good day since he arrived so early in the day that maybe they have daylight during the whole surgery. Spinal work in bad lightning is never fun or successful. She gets one of the new residents to help her out. He is pretty good at neuro but usually gets sloppy after more then six hours of surgery. She keeps that in her mind and sends him away after six hours. She finishes off by herself with the help of a scrub nurse. The nurse has also been keeping an eye at the anaesthetics. Here you do more then in an American hospital and you usually go in blind. She remembers going in blind on a spinal injury with Derek. She couldn't believe he would do that and now it is common practice for her. You use everything you can but in the end it is your gut feeling that tells you what to do. The boy makes it through surgery and might get lucky.

Chapter 4

Present time

"Please put your seats in an upright position. We will be landing in ten minutes."

They are here were it all started. Meredith puts her magazine in her purse and tries to relax. She is no fan of landing.

Owen and Meredith picks up their bags while Cristina visits the restroom again. Meredith is scanning the welcoming crowd trying to find Alex when she feels some arms wrapping her into a hug from behind. She turns and there is Alex. He looks at her and marvels at her look. She looks so much like she did before. Alex, she thinks, looks more mature. Not as much as a daredevil as he did five years ago.

"Where is Izzy?"

"She doesn't know that you are coming. I've kept you as a surprise. Where is Cristina?"

"She is coming with her own surprise. They are over there." She point at a couple standing a few feet away. "Owen this is Dr Alex Karev, Alex this is Major Dr Owen Hunt Christina's what so ever."

Alex and Owen exchanges greetings, until Cristina barks.

"I want to go now."

Alex laughs "And Cristina is still Cristina. Are you still Meredith?"

"Yeah, I'm still dark and twisty."

"Izzy, I brought you something." Alex yells at the door of Meredith's house, where they still live together with Dr George O'Malley.

"I'll be right there. I just got home, my surgery took forever."

Alex motions to Meredith, Cristina and Owen to go and sit in the kitchen and stay quiet. Cristina makes a dash for the downstairs bathroom. Owen and Meredith looks at each other a shake their heads. She will be next on their agenda. They can hear Izzy as she runs downstairs.

"What did you bring me? Pizza or Chinese? I'm starving."

She dashes through the door and comes to a shrieking halt. Her eyes go wide.

"Hi, surprise." Meredith says.

"You're here, you're back." She stutters as the smile grows on her face. "Meredith" she says and throws herself around Meredith's neck. "I can't believe it." Meredith hugs her back and takes a step back.

"I want you to meet Major Dr Owen Hunt. Owen this is Dr Isobel Izzy Stevens." Owen stands up and shakes her hand. Izzy's eyes dashes between Meredith and Owen.

"Is he your, are you two…" she trails off as the kitchen door opens behind her. Without turning around she says.

"George, look what Alex brought home. Meredith and …" she gets cut off by Cristina.

"He is not Meredith's he is mine." Izzy turns around and tries to hug her as well but Cristina is still no hugger. She glides away as the expert she is and sits down by Owen's side. Izzy turns to Alex.

"For how long have you known they were coming?"

"Since I invited them a couple of weeks ago and they said yes." He smiles at Izzy. "I'm starving, shall we order in or are you guys up for Joe's?"

"I would love to go to Joe's but what about you Cristina?"

Cristina claims to be better so Alex and Owen bring their bags in from the car. Cristina and Owen get to sleep in the den downstairs and Meredith gets her old bedroom. Not much has changed since she packed her stuff five years ago. She puts her few belongings away and heads for the shower. When she emerges has Izzy been there with clean beddings, Within 30 minutes are they all downstairs. Alex has called George to meet them at Joe's.