IZZIE
"I met a boy. A great, gorgeous dude, a funny cool-ass guy and guess what? He's a surgeon…" Izzie said giddily in to the phone as she stepped out in to the bright, crisp, Seattle morning.
"Well for a moment there you had me excited until you said the 'S' word." Addison, Izzie's best friend replied from the other end of the phone.
Ignoring her scepticism Izzie carried on, saying excitedly. "Okay, so let me set the scene. I get the call in the middle of a photo shoot. I rush in to the ER, all flustered, excepting some old guy with a beard and bad breath and then in walks this guy who admittedly at first I thought was a little arrogant, but then turns out to be just…."
"Uh, okay…let me stop you there, Iz." Addison said as Izzie heard the familiar sound of her Christian Louboutin heels cluttering down seventh avenue, the busy New York street sounds in the background, hitting Izzie with a sharp pang of homesickness as she carried on listening to her friends bubbly voice, saying, "despite this guy's appearance, Izzie, surgeons are all messed up. They're socially awkward and strange, they're basically just butchers."
"Can't be any more messed up than dating an A-list movie star? And for the record, Addison, you are the least messed up and socially awkward person I know and you are a surgeon."
"Ah, I'm the exception. You know that?" Addison replied playfully. Addison was a first class OB/GYN and neo-natal surgeon and she had been Izzie's best friend ever since Izzie had visited her office as a patient the first week she had arrived in New York years before. The two had instantly hit it off and had been through everything together ever since. Izzie even being Addison's maid of honour at her wedding the previous year.
"Oh, come on, Addie. You know how long it's been since I've liked someone, like really liked someone. I'd all but given up hope that all the good guys hadn't been taken. So what are the odds that I meet a guy that happens to be Sarah's doctor."
"Well, I'm reserving judgement…. Anyway, how is my beautiful God-daughter? Am I going to have to come over to Seattle and kick some ass?" Addison said sharply, changing the subject.
"She's doing okay. They had to operate on her yesterday, but she seems brighter this morning. Oh, do you know anything about Derek Shepherd?" Izzie said as she sipped her coffee.
"Do I know anything about Derek Shepherd? Let me see, only that he was Mark's best friend at med-school. They grew up together, went everywhere together, used to drive me crazy. But they don't see a lot of each other now. Not since Derek got married and moved away. He's a brilliant surgeon though, the best. If you've got him on Sarah's case you can't go wrong, Iz. He was actually at our wedding, you must remember him. He's not the kind of guy you'd forget. He looks like he's just stepped out of a menswear commercial, perfect hair, teeth and he has the perfect charm to match."
"Addie, there was like five hundred people at your wedding." Izzie said chuckling.
"Well, you should know. You organized it." Addison replied
"How could I forget. Well, you never know, maybe you can return the favour and organize my dream wedding soon." Izze said excitedly.
"Whoa, Iz, a word of advice. However great this guy is, you might not want to let on that you're already planning your perfect white wedding to him just yet." Addison teased.
"I am not planning anything." Izzie protested as she twirled a loose strand of hair around her finger. "Besides nothing's even happened yet. We just spent the night talking, but you know when you just know?…."
"I know." Addison said thoughtfully.
"Speaking of which, how is Mark?" Izzie said.
"I caught him in bed with one of his interns again last week. But he's agreed to go in to couples therapy finally."
"Seriously, Addie. How many chances are you going to give that creep?" Izzie exclaimed.
"This is his last one I promise. ….See, surgeons, seriously bad news, Iz…You don't want to end up like me." Addison sighed as she added. "Mark played golf with Denny the other day too. He really misses you."
"I know and despite how much you guys and Sarah love him. Denny wasn't the one, you know that."
"I know that. Listen, I gotta go. But call me later let me know how it goes with Shepherd. Oh and I want updates on your future husband too." Addison replied.
"Okay," Izzie said chuckling as she hung up and made her way back in to the hospital.
"Morning princess. It's a beautiful day, I've just been on the phone to your Aunt Addison, she sends her love." Izzie said to her daughter as she waltzed back in to Sarah's hospital room, to see she was sat up watching TV, picking at some cereal on a tray in front of her. As a nurse stood beside her checking her IV drip.
"Is she coming to visit? I miss her so much and Uncle Mark, I miss New York, Mom. I want to go home. I hate it here." Sarah whined sulkily.
"She'll visit soon, I promise. But first we have to get you better and remember what we agreed. You're going to give your new life here in Seattle a chance. Don't you want to be nearer Grandma and Aunt Jade." Izzie said as she moved over to sit behind her daughter on the bed, picking up a hairbrush to brush Sarah's hair, pulling it back in to a ponytail.
"Oh, Mom, get off. I'm in hospital no-one cares what I look like." Sarah said fidgeting and complaining.
"It doesn't matter where you are, you should always take pride in your appearance, Sarah…. There, beautiful" Izzie replied as she leaned back and admired her daughters neat hair.
"Yeah, right. Only if you want to try and impress the doctor." Sarah mumbled.
"I don't know what you mean and none of that cheek either." Izzie said blushing, embarrassed as she caught the eye of the nurse in the room who had been silent up until this point.
"Just wait until you reach the teenage years, I've got four daughters. This is the easy stage." The nurse said laughing kindly as she reached for Sarah's empty food tray and added before she walked out. "Buzz if you need anything else. The doctor should be along shortly."
"Thanks." Izzie replied, and as the nurse left the room she quickly reached for her hand mirror, checking her hair and adding a quick slick of nude lip gloss. Glancing across at her daughter to see Sarah was rolling her eyes, turning back to watch the TV.
….
Izzie had just zipped up her bag, when there was a knock on the door and as it opened she was met with a sea of curious faces staring back at her and there was no mistaking exactly who it was stood at the front of them. He was every bit as handsome and charming as Addison had made out, and he flashed Izzie a dazzling smile as he moved towards her and said. "Morning Ms Stevens, I'm Dr Shepherd." Shaking her hand confidentially as he grinned some more, looking at Sarah then and saying, "And you must be Sarah."
He then gestured to the pretty brunette doctor stood to his right, who immediately gave Izzie a friendly smile as Dr Shepherd said. "This is Dr Grey, she's working with me today and these are her interns."
Izzie was a little taken back, she knew Seattle Grace was a teaching hospital but she hadn't expected this many people in her daughters room, as she glanced over at the group of eager interns surrounding Dr Shepherd and Dr Grey. This was her daughter's life, but to them it was just another lesson, another interesting case to observe.
"Oh and you already know Dr Karev. Sarah's paediatric doctor." Dr Shepherd then said, causing Izzie to feel a swarm of butterflies as she looked past the interns to see stood at the back of the room, leaning against the wall with one hand in his pocket was Alex and he gave her a shy smile, as she felt her cheeks go annoyingly pink. He looked so cool and handsome.
"Right, who wants to present?" Dr Shepherd said as a tall mousey girl stuck her hand up eagerly, saying. "Sarah Stevens, post op after being rushed in as an emergency patient yesterday after experiencing seizures, loss of vision and black outs."
"Okay, Sarah. Can you look straight ahead for me." Dr Shepherd said as he shone a light in to her eyes and proceeded to examine her.
"How do we proceed, Dr Grey?" Shepherd then said turning to address his resident.
"We schedule an MRI scan immediately. Then we review the results and discuss treatment it could be….." And she lost Izzie then, as she rattled off a long list of medical jargon and possible causes for Sarah's mystery symptoms. Izze was impressed though, this girl clearly knew her stuff, even though it all sounded a little scary. Izzie's eyes then flickered back to where Alex was stood at the back of the room, to see that he was giving her little girl a reassuring smile as Sarah stared back at him her eyes, wide and scared. As Dr Shepherd and his students continued to discuss her.
"Very good," Dr Shepherd said appraisingly to Dr Grey as he turned back to Izzie and said. "Okay, Ms Stevens. There's no immediate concern, we'll know more when we have the scan results. I have surgeries all day, but I will come back and speak to you when we have the results. In the meantime Dr Grey will be back to take Sarah for her MRI scan shortly."
Izzie glanced at the younger female doctor then as Dr Grey gave her another warm smile, before turning to walk out followed by her interns, all nosily still discussing the case and clearly trying to impress Dr Shepherd in the process.
Izzie was then left alone in the room with Alex, giving her a fresh rush of nervous excitement, as she caught his eye and he took a step towards her saying. "A lot to take in huh?"
Izzie simply nodded, he smelt amazing she thought as he got closer, his presence was certainly a comfort when she was feeling so anxious about her daughter. Alex then turned to Sarah and said gently. "It can be a little scary when everyone's staring at you, but honestly all those people in here, they just want to work together to get you better and Dr Shepherd is the best… And…. You want to know what everyone calls him around here?...Mcdreamy." Sarah's frightened face softened then as she giggled and Izzie felt her heart melt a little. For a guy without kids, Alex sure had a special way with them.
Alex then turned to walk out as he said. "I'll let you both get some rest. I'll come back and check on you later and I'll try and free my schedule so I can come and oversee Sarah's tests too."
"That would be great." Izzie replied as she looked over to see Sarah smiling for the first time that day too.
"Dr Karev…." Izzie said as she followed him out of the room. "You got a sec? I just had a couple of questions."
"Sure, I was just going to grab a coffee actually. Haven't stopped all morning. You want to walk with me?" Alex replied, sounding more relaxed and laid back than he had the day before, having lost the overly confident edge he'd had on their first meeting.
"Okay, I could do with some caffine too." Izzie said as they walked down the busy hospital corridor together and she smiled and said. "Do they really call Dr Shepherd, McDreamy?"
He smirked then as he replied. "Yep. Oh, come on you're a chick, you must think he's all dreamy too…"
"Well, maybe, but he's not really my type. Too smooth." Izzie replied flashing him a flirty look.
"Good, because he's married to one of my best friends." Alex replied as he glanced sideways at her.
Izzie swallowed then as she said more seriously. "Okay, be honest with me…what are we looking at?"
"Honestly…" Alex said, just as a trolley was rushed past them, causing him to lightly brush against her, and a tingle of electricity instantly rushed over Izzie with the feel of his skin on hers. Seemingly unfazed though Alex continued talking as they started walking again and he said. "Honestly….I think we aren't going to know anything until we've run the tests. So, it's best not to worry for Sarah's sake."
"You're right." Izzie said as they reached the line for the coffee cart and a petite Asian doctor in scrubs walked past them, raising an eyebrow and shooting Alex an amused look as her eyes sharply ran over them both and she said. "Dr Karev.."
"Dr Yang," he replied as he looked away ignoring her as she busily walked past them.
"Ah, my neck…" Alex then said as they waited in line and he stretched out his arm. "The on call beds here are so damn uncomfortable."
"Sounds like you could do with a good massage.." Izzie said blushing.
"You offering?" He replied a little suggestively as they both laughed a little awkwardly and looked away.
"Nooo…So you slept here last night?" Izzie said slowly as she looked at him through her long eyelashes.
"Yeah, wasn't a whole lot of point in going home after…" he stopped mid -sentence as his pager beeped. "Damn it…" He muttered as he turned to rush off, quickly saying. "I gotta go…I'll catch you later."
"Yeah, later…" Izzie said to herself as she just stood and watched him disappear off in to the distance.
"Your little girl is beautiful, she looks just like you." Dr Grey said kindly, smiling at Izzie as they watched Sarah go for her MRI scan.
"Thanks," Izzie replied. Dr Grey had agreed to let Izzie accompany Sarah while she had her scan. Izzie had told her about her plans to go to med school earlier. They'd chatted for a while about it and the two had really hit it off. Dr Grey seemed so sweet, genuine and smart. A complete contrast to the shallow, self-obsessed people Izzie had to spend a lot of time with in the fashion business. Dr Grey even almost reminded Izzie of a younger version of her best friend Addison. Which was probably why she felt so at ease around her.
Izzie then continued to watch her daughter anxiously, just as her cell phone went off nosily. "Oh, sorry. It's my agent calling to hassle me about a photo shoot I'm meant to be flying out to Hawaii for tomorrow. I'll call her back later. Sorry, I thought I'd switched it off." Izzie said awkwardly as she looked at her phone, hastily turning it off.
Dr Grey didn't say anything as she started examining the screen in front of her, concentrating intently.
"I know what you're thinking." Izzie suddenly blurted out. "You're thinking why would I want to swap my glamorous life style, the jet setting and pampering, the celebrity parties and free designer clothes. For a life of endless studying, then starting out at the bottom as an intern completing 48 hour shifts working for next to nothing…"
Dr Grey looked embarrassed then as she sad. "Oh, it's none of my business. You must have your reasons."
Izzie sighed as she said. "The truth is most days I hate my job. I love it, but I hate it, if that makes sense. It's meant that I've been able to save and provide very well for my daughter. But a lot of the time it all seems so meaningless, and all I've ever wanted to do is be a surgeon. My best friend back in New York and her husband are both top surgeons and I know that one day I will be too."
Dr Grey looked her straight in the eye then as she said. "I get it. Being a surgeon it's all I've ever wanted to do too. I guess I followed in the footsteps of my older half- sister Meredith, she's an attending here and I've always looked up to her and her mother. She's a lead surgeon here too. Ellis Grey…"
"Ellis Grey works here?" Izzie said her mouth wide open. Dr Ellis Grey had been a big inspiration to Izzie. She was partly what had made Izzie pursue her dream of medicine. Izzie had read many of her articles and followed her career for years.
"Yes and her husband Dr Webber, he's chief of surgery. Oh and I forgot to mention Dr Shepherd, he's married to my sister Meredith too." She said as she turned to look at Izzie her lips curling up in to a smile.
"Wow, talk about keeping it in the family." Izzie replied as they both laughed.
Izzie looked away then as she fiddled with the end of her hair and said a little nervously. "So, umm… Dr Karev, is he seeing anyone?"
"Who, Alex?" Dr Grey said making a face and looking away as she said. "No-one serious that I know of. But honestly guys like Alex, they're not the serious girlfriend and settling down types. I mean he's a lovely guy as a friend, but anything more than that, he's a walking disaster." She added almost a little bitterly.
"Oh." Izzie said trying to hide the disappointment in her voice, that wasn't quite what she had wanted to hear, or what matched the impression she'd already formed of Alex, as she replied. "Well, maybe he just hasn't met the right girl yet and when he does then he'll want to settle down."
"Believe me, Alex has had plenty of chances to settle down." She added even more bitterly. Causing Izzie to strongly suspect that there was a little un-spoken history there.
"Okay, all done. You can take Sarah back to her room. I'll bring you the results as soon as we have them."Dr Grey then said changing the subject and smiling genuinely at Izzie as she turned to look at her.
"Thanks. You've been great." Izzie replied, smiling back at the pretty fresh faced brunette stood in front of her.
"Try and get some sleep." Izzie said to Sarah later that evening as she kissed her on the forehead, stroking a loose strand of her hair across her eye as she watched her eyes slowly close.
As her daughter fell asleep. Izzie sank back in to the chair by Sarah's bed and her mind wondered to Alex again and in particular her earlier conversation with Dr Grey. She had made it sound as though Alex was a player and not someone you'd want to fall for. Izzie had experienced her fair share of play boys over the years and the last thing she wanted was to fall for one again. But she couldn't help but think Alex was different. At first admittedly he had come off as a smug jerk. But the way he had handled things with Sarah, how caring and in control he had been, it had really made Izzie feel that there was more to him that met the eye. Plus, the way they had connected the night before when they'd spent the night chatting in Sarah's room, Izzie had seen something in him, he was guarded but there was a vulnerability and hidden depth that she was pretty sure she'd never seen in a guy before.
She then started to wonder if Addison was right and maybe she was getting a little carried away. Despite the brief conversation on the way to get a coffee earlier, there had been no sight of him. The only doctor she had seen that day had been Dr Grey. Alex hadn't even stopped by when Sarah was having her tests.
But then before she had the chance to fret any further, the door to Sarah's room slowly opened and Izzie looked up to see Alex peering his head in, before he tentatively stepped inside. He was still in his scrubs and he was clutching a large envelope in his hand and he looked uncomfortable.
"Hey," Izzie said quietly, unable to stop the small smile creeping on to her lips at seeing him.
"Hey," he replied a little uncomfortably and his gentle brown eyes met hers straight on, as he said. "Can I speak to you outside?"
…
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