A/N: A new chapter! I hope you review it. I totally love reviews and comments and I'm very thankful for them. This chapter isn't from Meredith's POV, because she is sleeping, it's longer and mostly about the topic friends and family. And because of that I want to thank my best friend Tanja for re-reading it and helping me to sort out the mistakes. Thank you. =) Disclaimer: I own nothing; everything belongs to Shonda Rhimes and ABC. Only spelling and grammar mistakes are mine.

Fighting alone

Chapter 3: Friendly family and familiar friends

A good friend is cheaper than therapy. Strangers are friends waiting to happen. An ounce of blood is worth more than a pound of friendship. The family is one of nature's masterpieces. There are hundreds of quotes about family and friends. Which of them are true and which are false? Is blood really thicker than water? Even if the water was brought by a friend when you are in desert?

Cristina left her room and put Meredith's chart on the counter. She was exhausted. She would never admit it. She was the new cardio goddess. Cristina Yang, cardio goddess. It sounded great. She looked at her watch. 00:12 o'clock. Yesterday had ended. The worst day in the history of Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital was over. Yesterday had been exciting. Being happy with her person about little, healthy McBaby. Performing a surgery on her person's post-it husband. Watching her guy getting shot. It was enough. Cristina filled everything out and saw Lexie walking down the hallway.

"Hey, Little Grey, wait!" Lexie turned around and looked at her. Her eyes were red and swollen. Maybe of all the crying. She sniffed and took a deep breath.

"Please don't shout at me. I can't work now. I can't. I want to see after Alex and then go home. Please." Lexie almost started to cry again but Cristina raised her hand to stop her.

"Go home. I only wanted to know if Alex is her."

"Yes, he is here. Sleeping, but back from Seattle Presbyterian."

"Go home. I'm taking care of him." Lexie handed her his charts.

"He called me Izzie." she whispered. Cristina frowned and glanced at her in wonderment.

"What?"

"He thought I was Izzie. He thought she had come back. And I let him believe it." Lexie only wanted to tell somebody. And Cristina was somebody. Not the best somebody, but somebody.

"Stop crying. I'm neither your sister nor the person who solves your problems. I'm the person who makes your problems. He won't remember it. Go home, you will get over it." she answered and left her alone in the corridor. She couldn't stand crying women. Meredith; yes, but anyone else; impossible. The elevators still didn't work so she had to take the stairs. Although Alex was "Dr. Evil Spawn", he was the person who was like a brother to her. He was a half-time stupid, evil brother. She reached his room and saw him sleeping. Everyone was sleeping now. Owen was sleeping. Derek was sleeping. Meredith was sleeping. Alex was sleeping. Only she was still awake. She wondered if Izzie was awake now. Cristina immediately abandoned her idea when she thought about it. Bethany Whisper was sleeping. Maybe she didn't even know what had happened here yesterday. She had started her "new life" in Tacoma. Idiotic. His gasping jolted her out of her daydreaming. Night dreaming.

"Stop moving!" she commanded and pulled the tube out of his esophagus. Alex coughed and took a sip of water Cristina handed him.

"Thanks." His voice was croaky and quiet. She nodded and sank on her seat again.

"Why are you sitting here? Where is Lexie?" he asked and lent against the pillow.

"Everyone is sleeping. I'm bored. I sent Lexie home. She cried and looked horrible." she answered caustic as always. Alex raised the corners of his mouth to a smile, but it disappeared faster than it came.

"You know, getting shot is hell. It really hurts."

"Do you remember anything?"

"They couldn't anaesthetize me. That's all. What happened while I was away? The hospital has to be broke down because I was asleep." he almost laughed but then he remembered the pain and stopped. His humor was still there.

"11 people died. Derek and Owen got shot, but they're okay. And Meredith collapsed." Cristina's voice was calm and she didn't act like usually. She acted like a "normal" person with real feelings and she actually cared about her fellow men. She even thought about telling Lexie, that he remembered nothing.

"Wow, that was hell. Why did Meredith collapse?"

"Stress, fear, watching Derek being shot… Yes, I think it was one of those reasons." Cristina's biting sarcasm cheered his mood up, but he only wanted to sleep. Alex rested his head on the soft pillow and tried to open up his eyes. But it failed. Some seconds later he fell asleep. And she was bored again. Suddenly her pager went off. There was the number of a room flashing up. Meredith's room.

"Damn, Meredith." she called her name. Cristina stood up and let Alex alone.

I've chosen my personal quote for family and friends: Friends are God's apology for relatives who aren't around. Everyone should have a personal quote for them. For family and friends. Even if there are family members you don't want to see that often. Friends and family are both helping you when you need them.