Chapter Five: Chasing Cars


"Forget what we're told

Before we get too old

Show me a garden that's bursting into life

Let's waste time

Chasing cars

Around our heads

I need your grace

To remind me

To find my own

If I lay here

If I just lay here

Would you lie with me and just forget the world?"

- Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol


Location: Montpelier, VT

Date: Saturday March 28, 2015

Time: 2:01 A.M.

The doctor just informed Maya the news. Maya's along with everyone else's jaw dropped as tears fell from their eyes. To say she was dumbfounded was the understatement of the year. They were all shocked. She was speechless; she couldn't believe what the doctor just told her. She was feeling dizzy as she sat down, with her eyes about to pop out of her head. Overwhelmed wasn't a word, her brain was spinning with questions. 'How was this happening?' 'What was going on?'


Seven Hours Earlier

Date: Friday March 27, 2015

Time: 6:51 P.M.

The stoplight changed to green as Olivia stepped on the pedal. There was an eighteen-wheeler who thought he could make the light. He was speeding up to make it. Olivia was sobbing so she wasn't paying attention to her surroundings and didn't see the eighteen-wheeler coming towards her passenger side. BOOM. Olivia's car went sliding; her entire right side of her car was crushed. Her forehead slammed against the steering wheel giving her whip flash. Her eyes fluttered opened as she could hear her mother screaming her name, her phone died so it was immediately disconnected. A bystander came rushing over towards her.

"I call 9-1-1 the ambulance is on the way," the bystander said. Olivia was hallucinating; she was imagining the guy helping her was Fitz. She started sobbing as she stared into his eyes.

"I'm… I'm sorry." Olivia was having trouble breathing, and trying to talk was making it worse. "Fi… Fitz… I… I love… you… I'm sor… sorry." Olivia's eyes started to close as she began to lose consciousness. "I'm… sorry… please… please don't… leave… me." was Olivia's last words as she started to black out.


Time: 6:51 P.M.

When the call was disconnected, Maya lost it. Her daughter was just in a car accident, and she had no idea where she was. Her immediate reaction was to call Huck; she knew he would be able to track her phone down. She dialed his number.

Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring.

He didn't pick up. She was now getting upset; she needed to know where Olivia was so she could help her. She needed Huck to answer now. Tears were streaming down her face now as she tried OPA's number.

Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring.

He still didn't answer. She ran out to her car, forgetting to inform her husband or her other daughter that Olivia was in a car accident. She decided to go to OPA; she knew someone was there, whether it be Quinn, Huck, Abby, Harrison or Stephen. There was always someone there. She drove there as fast and safely as she could, she made it in 15 minutes. When she arrive there. Huck heard the elevator chime letting him know someone was at OPA. He walked out of his office and was meet with a hysterical Maya, he knew immediately that something was wrong.

"What's wrong?" Huck asked a panic washed over him think that something bad happened to either Olivia or the kids were injured.

"Liv… Liv was in a car accident… I don't know where she is..." She was breathing heavy as she spoke. Huck ran back into his office typing on his computer. He was searching up Olivia's cell phone, hoping to find a signal to get a location. The phone died so it was going to be harder for Huck to get a signal. Five minutes later he finally got it a signal, her cell phone was located at 15 Barre street, which was right in front of Angeleno's Pizza. He grabbed his jacket and left with Maya to go to the scene.


Time: 7:13 P.M.

The ambulance and fire department finally arrived. The paramedic was talking to the man who had been helping Olivia. He told them she had been unconscious for about fifteen minutes, but she still had a pulse. When the paramedic looked into her car, he noticed that she had metal from the car's door impaled into her side. From the angle that the metal went into her body, it looked like it hit her lung. The bad thing was, that if it hit her lung it was slowly filling with blood. Olivia didn't have much time left before her lung collapsed; she needed help now.

The car was damaged way beyond repair. The paramedic could not open the door, which meant only one thing. The Jaws of Life. They need to cut her out of the vehicle. The firefighters called for the Jaws of Life the second they got there. As the equipment arrived, they opened the hood to Olivia's car.

They disabled Olivia's air bags because some of them didn't go off in the car accident. Once the firefighter gave the go ahead, they grabbed the 'cutter' and began to cut the top of the car off. Once they had cut the top of the car, the firefighter placed a jacket on top of her body to shield her. They removed the top piece, a paramedic got into the car putting an IV into her arm. Olivia was becoming conscious and was now in excruciating pain. She tried to cry out, but couldn't speak over the noise. The blood was filling up her lung causing her to not be able to vocalize any pain loudly. The firefighter next used the 'spreader' to break her door. When they finally got her car door open, they put Olivia's body on the stretcher and lifted her out of the car.

The paramedic put her body into the ambulance. Then they started working on her immediately rushing her to the Central Vermont Medical Center as quickly as possible. Olivia was finally able to whisper something only loud enough for the paramedic to hear, she needed him to know before she lost consciousness again. Once she told the paramedic, she became unconsciousness once again.


Time: 7:43 P.M.

Speeding wasn't a word for how fast Huck was driving. He was trying to get to Olivia as quickly as possible. Maya and Huck were stopped about a half a mile away from where Olivia's phone signal was coming from. Traffic was backed up which was common when there was a major car accident. Huck put the car in park and told Maya he would be right back. He running as fast as humanly possible, trying to get to the scene. All he could see was flashing lights, there were parts of Olivia's car shattered everywhere. He could see blood spots in the road. Just as they were about to close the ambulance Huck got a glance at her, her lifeless body was laying on a stretcher with a piece of metal in the side of her body. Huck ran back to the car so he could get Maya to the hospital the same time Olivia would get there.

"Was she there? Did you see her?" She was speaking fast while she was still sobbing.

"They were putting her in the ambulance," Huck said not looking at her, he could tell her mother that there was a piece of metal impaled in the side of her chest.

"Was… was she okay?" Maya said looking at him with pleading eyes. Huck wasn't looking at her; he had his eyes focused on the road.

"Is she alive?" Maya said now with tears streaming down her face like a waterfall. Huck turned his head to look at her, his eyes looked so hurt to have to tell her this.

"I don't know. She had IV's in her arm, but…" Huck couldn't finish his sentence when Maya interrupted him.

"But?" She let out this sound; it was like fingernails on a chalkboard. Huck let out a deep breath knowing he was about to shatter her heart.

"She had a piece of the car's metal impaled into her side," Huck said.

The car was filled with Maya's piercing screams, as she called for Olivia. If Huck didn't know any better, he would think she was in physical pain. The sound was the sound of a mother yearning for her child; it was a prayer to God to bring her baby back to her.


Time: 7:56 P.M.

The trauma doctors were outside waiting for the ambulance to get there. They saw the accident on the news and knew they would be there any minute. As the ambulance was rushing to the entrance of the hospital, the doctor started speaking.

"All right everyone, multiple blunt trauma protocol lets go." As they rushed to the ambulance, the back door swung open as the paramedic handed the head of trauma the file.

"Tachycardia and hypotensive en route, obvious chest injuries," he said as he looked at the six-inch piece of metal impaled into her chest. They were checking her injuries out immediately.

"She's hemorrhaging."

"Maintain c-spine immobilization."

"Vitals?"

"Last one was 80 over palp."

"She's lost a lot of blood."

"Extraocular movements intact."

"Pupils equal and reactive."

"Out of the way" The doctors screamed as they were rushing her inside.

"Out of the way. MOVE!"

As Olivia's body was moved into ER room number three, they immediately lifted her body off the stretcher and on to the hospital gurney. There were over ten doctors swarming around her trying to help.

"One, Two, Three."

"Get those IV's up."

"And make sure her lines are patent."

"Tell CT to get ready for her."

"No obvious spinal deformities."

"Hang two bags of O negative."

"No breath sounds on the right. Set up a chest tube."

"Temps at 35 degrees."

"Keep giving her warm fluids so she doesn't get hypothermic."

"She needs a central line."

"Call upstairs and tell them to prep an OR."

*monitor beeping rhythmically*

"Her lungs are filling up with blood."

"Hemothorax."

"Tell the OR to set up for an emergancy thoracotomy."

*piercing flatline sound on heart monitor*

"V-fib."

"She's crashing."

"Start bagging her."

"Come on, get her on her back."

"Starting CPR."

"Get me an intubation tray."

"Ready to intubate, hold in-line stabilization."

The doctor grabbed the paddles from the crash cart to bring her back because Olivia was still flatline.

"Charging to 120. Clear."

*paddles thunk*

*piercing flatline noise*

"Still in v-fib."

"All right. Charge paddles to 200."

"Charged to 200. Clear."

*paddles thunk*

"Sinus tach."

"She's back."

Now that she was back, they needed to move her to the OR immediately. She needed surgery on her lung or it was going to collapse and Olivia was going to die.

"Let's move."

"Grab that. Grab that."

"All right GO! GO! GO! Let's move go."


Time: 7:50 P.M.

Maya arrived at the hospital, but it was too late. Olivia had already been taken to the trauma room. Maya was exhausted. Her eyes were bloodshot red and she had a massive migraine from all the crying she had done. Huck grabbed his wallet pulling out a B.C. powder to help her migraine. Once she took the powder medicine substance, Huck took out his phone to dial Abby's number.

Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring.

"New client came in? Is that why Liv isn't here yet?" She spoke before Huck could talk.

"Olivia was in a car accident." Abby dropped the magazine she was reading and it was now floating in the water that her feet were in.

"WHAT?!" Abby screamed and the entire nail salon looked at her.

"She's been in a car accident, we are at the Central Vermont Medical Center," Huck said as he hung up. He knew Abby wanted to know everything, but right now Maya was his priority, she needed to be okay for Liv. When Maya saw Huck on the phone, she realized that her husband and daughter were probably looking for her. She had several missed calls from Eli, Vanessa, and Amelia. She also had one text message from Amelia.

Amelia Grant: Olivia and Fitz got into a nasty argument, she left here pretty upset. Do you mind calling and checking on her? I don't want her to have another panic attack.

After reading her text, she decided she would call her husband and tell him and Vanessa. Then she would call Amelia and give her the horrible news.


Time: 7:57 P.M.

"Major car accident with one fatality and one with critical injury's on Barre street, more on this news coming up at eight o'clock."

Amelia was sitting in the kitchen on the bar stools. She couldn't believe how this day went. First her son came barging into her home being disrespectful towards her and Rebecca. Then he started shouting and cursing at Olivia. This was becoming very stressful for her. Fitz turned off his phone so she couldn't speak to him, and Preston phone was no longer in service because they were too far out. Rebecca was still having trouble at school, from people calling her names and making fun of her. On top of it all, Olivia left her house upset and Amelia was worried about her having another panic attack. Her phone started ringing as she checked it; it was Maya. Just as she answered it Kathleen was walking into the kitchen; when she heard her mother's voice she stopped.

"Hey, how is Olivia? Is she okay? Did she have another panic attack? I'm really worried about her." Amelia asked.

"Are you sitting down?" Maya asked now more calm after talking to her husband.

"Yes, why? What's going on is Olivia in the hospital again?" Amelia said.

Kathleen now figured out, it been Olivia, it was Olivia who has been sick this whole time. She's been the one who had been in the hospital. She felt sick to her stomach.

"Olivia had a panic attack and was in a car accident," Maya said as calmly as possible trying her best to not cry.

"What?" Amelia whispered where Maya could barely hear her.

"Turn on you TV, and then meet me at Central Vermont Medical Center." Maya had hung up before she began to hysterically cry again. Amelia turned around on the bar stool and then dropped her wine glass. It shattered into a million pieces as the blush red fluid spilled everywhere. The entire family eating in the dining room ran into the kitchen as Amelia turned up the volume.

"Tonight around 6:50 P.M. There was a fatal car accident on Barre street. A single car was driving when an eighteen-wheeler ran a red light slamming into the vehicle." *shows video of the car accident scene* "The unidentified driver of the eighteen-wheeler died on the scene. The John Doe wasn't wearing his seatbelt and was thrown out of the vehicle. As for the victim of the single car, Central Vermont Medical Center will not release a name yet, but has commented that they are currently in surgery doing everything they can to save them. We will keep updating this story throughout the night when we get more information. Back to you Carla."

"Oh my God. Was that Olivia's car?" Kathleen said still not believing what she saw.

"Yes." Amelia responded immediately feeling light-headed, she ran to the kitchen trash can throwing up her entire stomach until there was a yellow acid. Big Gerry came behind her rubbing her back and pulling her hair back out of her face.

"Elizabeth and I are going to go try and find Preston and Fitz. He needs to know. I will try to get to them as quickly as possible. Everything will be okay momma." Kathleen said even though she didn't believe herself. She clutched her purse as her and Elizabeth ran out of the house.

Big Gerry grabbed his car keys and Amelia's purse. He was holding out his hand to assist Amelia, she was still in shock and he didn't trust her to walk on her own. Rebecca grabbed her phone and iPad as she walked out to the car too. They all got in, put their seatbelts on and drove to the hospital.


Time: 8:19 P.M.

Olivia had a CT and was on her way to the OR room. The doctors rolled her into the OR room, then they lifted her body placing her on the table. Olivia was lying on her left side with her arm above her head. She was still unconsciousness. As the anesthesiologist was finished washing his hands, he walked into the operating room as the nurses place gloves on. He walked to Olivia and sat at her head. He placed the needle into her central IV line giving her general anesthesia. When all of the anesthesia was injected, the nurse on call was watching her oxygen levels making sure Olivia was getting enough.

The head of trauma walked into the operating room with her hands dripping as a nurse handed her a towel. Once her hands were dry, the nurse assisted putting her gloves on. As she stood next to the table, she asked the nurse next to her to give her the history on the patient. Once she had the information she needed, she turned to the nurse to her right.

"10 blade."

The doctor cut open the incision under her breastbone so she could pull out the six-inch piece of metal that was lodged into Olivia's lung filling it with blood. Slowly the doctor pulled out the metal so she would not cut Olivia open bigger than the metal already did. Once the object was removed the doctor called for the chest tube tray. Once the nurse placed a chest tube tray close to her, she then picked up the tube. The doctor placed her finger into Olivia's body wondering if the incision in her lung was too big, too small, or just right. As she pushed her pointer finger through the muscle tissue, she noticed that the metal went into her chest but barely even nicked her lung. For the doctor, that was great news because there would not be too much damage to her lung. The doctor placed her hand out, a spoke to the nurse that was right next to her.

"Forceps."

The nurse placed the forceps opening up the lung a little bit more. Her chest was emptying the blood that was filling up in Olivia's lung restricting her from breathing properly. Once the tube was placed into her body correctly, the blood started flowing through the tube leaving the body. As she was doing the procedure, a nurse walked in holding a mask over her face as she spoke.

"Her family is in the waiting room, is there any update I can give them."

"Tell them, that the procedure is going just as planned, we are getting the bleeding under control at the moment, but we still have about two to three hours to go." The doctor responded.


Time: 9:53 P.M.

The waiting room was a cold, empty room; there were only couches, side tables, a TV, and tissues. It was a lonely room, filled with cries. Everyone's eyes were bloodshot red as they blew their nose in a tissue. This was the room where they found out if their family members were still here on earth, or if they had left and only a soulless body remained lying on an operating table.

Everyone was at the hospital except Elizabeth, Kathleen, Fitz, and the kids. Everybody was waiting for an update from a nurse or doctor; they hadn't spoken to anyone about Olivia since they arrived and she was getting a CT. Maya was starting to panic, why hadn't they spoken to her. Was Olivia okay? Was she still okay? Every worse scenario was in Maya's head, and the top one was she was dead. She was scared for Olivia, for her grandbabies, but she was mostly scared for Fitz. If Olivia died so would he, especially because they fought right before she got into the car accident. Just as she was turning her head, she saw a nurse walking towards her. Her heart was racing at an unbelievable speed as she stood up.

"Mrs. Pope."

"Yes." She said barely audible.

"Dr. Kristen Price is still in surgery with Olivia, the procedure is going just as planned. She is currently getting the bleeding under control right now at the moment, but she still has about two to three more hours to go." She said smiling trying to give the worried parent some relief.

"Thank you." Maya let out a breath she didn't know she was holding in. She turned to Eli, sobbing. She was happy her baby's surgery was going well but wouldn't be relieved until she saw her with her own eyes and touched her. There wasn't a dry eye in the entire room except for Big Gerry and Huck. Big Gerry was staying strong for Amelia, he couldn't break in front of her, and Huck was dealing with his problems internally.

Amelia tried to call Kathleen and Elizabeth for over thirty minutes. Their phones must have died, or they lost service because they weren't answering their mother's phone call. Amelia was emotionally preparing herself for Fitz. She was trying to get out all of her crying now because once Fitz got there he was going to need his momma.


Time: 11:44 P.M.

Dr. Price was still working on Olivia making sure that the metal that was lodged in her chest had not punctured anything else. As she was still searching with her finger, she couldn't find the bleeder. The area was filling up with blood slowly so she knew it was small. She closed her eyes as her finger was still inside her body.

"We need to get this bleeding under control."

She still had her eyes closed as she ignored what the people around her were saying. She knew they needed to get the bleeding under control, but she needed everyone to shut up so she could concentrate on finding the bleeder. The resident that was assisting on the surgery spoke up.

"More lap pads."

The resident was absorbing the blood with the lap pads as Dr. Price's eyes were still closed and her hand still searching for the bleeder. The monitors started beeping, which was a bad sign.

"Her pressures dropping."


Time: 11:47 P.M.

Abby walked out of the waiting room and was now sitting on the floor in the hospital bathroom. She was in the handicap bathroom stall with her legs crossed; her purse was thrown on the floor with everything dumped out. She had been trying to look for her inhaler. She pumped the inhaler twice, finally opening her airway. She heard the bathroom door open and footsteps walking closer to her.

"Abby."

"Abby are you in here?"

Quinn heard a sniffle and knew Abby was in the stall. She gave her space until she was willing to open the door on her own. A couple minutes later Abby unlocked the bathroom stall and cracked it so Quinn could walk in. As she walked in she saw Abby's face. She looked horrible. She had thrown up on her dress; her hair was now pulled back into a messy bun. Quinn took off her jacket and began to grab wet towels to clean Abby up.

"She's my best friend."

"She's my best friend."

Abby repeated twice still bawling her eyes out. Quinn was able to get most of the throw up out of her clothing. She now just had a big wet spot on the center of her dress. She handed Abby her jacket, so she wouldn't have to walk out of the bathroom with a throw up covered dress. Once the jacket was on, Quinn grabbed her pulling her in for a hug. Abby fell apart in her arms, as Quinn just held her, rubbing her back and hair.

"Olivia is going to pull through. I promise."

She didn't know why she was making a promise because she didn't know Olivia's condition or even know if she had a chance to make it. However, she needed to calm Abby down, she didn't need both of her best friends lying in hospital beds.

"Olivia is a gladiator in a suit, she will pull through."

Once Abby pulled herself together, she wiped her nose and her eyes. She took a deep breath, as Quinn helped her off the floor. She walked to the sink and rinsed her face. She zipped the jacket all the way up and walked out of the bathroom. Abby went into the waiting room once again waiting for a doctor to come out and tell them about Olivia.


Time: 11:51 P.M.

"Forceps"

Dr. Price needed to open Olivia up a little bit more to find the bleeder. As she opened the cut more, there was some bleeding, but that was common.

"Give me some suction."

She needed the field to be cleared in order to find the bleeder. Just like she thought she found the small hole bleeding, she placed her pointer finger on it.

"Clamp."

*monitor beeping signaling flatline*

"Damn it."

"Pressure is down, 55 systolic."

"We're losing her."

"Put another bag of O negative."

"We've already replaced her entire blood volume."

*monitor continues beeping signaling flatline*

"Push one of epi."

*still flatline nothing changed*

"Start manually doing CPR."

"Okay, push three of epi and another atropine."

"Come on. Come on."

*the monitor was still emitting a continuous flatline tone*

*the monitor stopped it continuous noise and was now a steady beat*

"Okay there it is, she's coming back."

"Systolic 70 and rising."

"Got it, bleeding is under control."


Date: Saturday March 28, 2015

Time: 12:30 A.M.

A man in his late thirties walked into the waiting room carrying multiple bags of sandwiches, chips, and sodas. He walked in and immediately walked to Vanessa; she looked like a spitting image of Olivia, and he knew she was related to her. As he reached her body, he took a seat next to her after he placed all the food on the table.

"You are her sister, aren't you?" he asked. Everyone turned around to look at this man.

"Huh?" Vanessa said.

"The girl who got hit by the eighteen-wheeler, you are her sister." He said again.

"Umm, Yes, how do you know? Who are you?"

"I'm Michael, I was at the scene, I called 9-1-1. I talked to her and made sure she had a pulse until the ambulance got there. I knew some of her family was most likely here waiting for her to get out of surgery. I went out and got all of you some food. I know you may not be hungry, but if you are there is plenty."

"Thank you," said Eli and Big Gerry.

They all were eating the food that Michael brought when he said something that made all of them nearly choke on their food.

"Who's Fitz?" When Michael spoke, he saw their reaction and quickly spoke again. "Never mind, I'm sorry I asked."

"Why?" Rebecca answered because everyone still couldn't believe he said that. His eyes looked around the room still not sure if he should say something or not.

"Umm… before Olivia lost consciousness, she was calling out his name in a plead. She just kept saying sorry, and that she loves him. She said, please don't leave me. I just wanted to let you guys know."

Maya and Amelia instantly broke down; they couldn't handle this. If Olivia died, her last words would be pleading her sorrows to Fitz and if Fitz found out. Let's just say it would kill him. He would emotionally die. Michael regretted it immediately after seeing their reaction.

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine. Thank you for telling us, they are just very emotionally right now." Big Gerry responded as he wiped a tear trying to escapes his eye.

"Okay, well I have to go, I hope everything goes well with her surgery." Michael left the waiting room to go back home.


Time: 1:06 A.M.

Dr. Price was now sowing Olivia incision up; she had just finished the procedure. Everything had gone as smoothly as possible except for a few minor complications, which shouldn't affect Olivia's recovery at all. As she stitched her last stitch, she took a deep breath in and a deep breath out. She mouthed thank you to God; then she turned to the doctor sitting down.

"Do we still have a heartbeat?" She could hear it, but still need to know.

"Yes."

This was a major surgery for her, and she did it perfectly. She couldn't be any prouder of herself. She turned to the nurse about to wheel Olivia out of the operating room.

"Put her in the ICU, I want a doctor in there watching her at all times. Any questions or problems page me. I'm on call tonight."

Dr. Kristen Price removed her gown and gloves. She walked out of the OR room and washed her hands once again. She needed to prepare herself to go and talk to Olivia's family. It wasn't often as a trauma doctor you got to tell the patients family good news. She opened the door and walked to ICU to make sure Olivia was fine and then she walked out to Olivia's family."


Time: 1:17 A.M.

Everyone was sleeping, except for Maya. She was watching the TV, which wasn't the smartest idea since all that was on the television was the news. Her eyes started flickering, as they were getting very heavy from exhaustion. Her body needed sleep, but her mind wouldn't allow her to until she heard about her baby's surgery. Just when she was about to walk to the nurse's station to get an update on Olivia's surgery there was a very small faint knock on the door.

The door open and a woman in her early forties with curly strawberry blonde hair and a white doctor's coat walked in. She nudged Eli's side to wake him up. When he whined, she said Olivia's doctor was here. Everyone's eyes shot open as they looked at her waiting for her to speak.

"Olivia came in with multiple blunt trauma to the chest, and with a six-inch piece of metal impaled into her right lung. We did an emergency thoracotomy and we were able to remove the object and drain all of the blood from her lung. She still has a tube in her lung to make sure no more blood gets in there for now. We should be able to remove it in a few days. The surgery went almost perfectly." She said smiling. "Olivia and the baby are both doing just fine."


AN: I love you all so much that I decided to update a little earlier than I usually do. So I dropped another cliffhanger. I promise this will be the last cliffhanger for a while. So Olivia is pregnant! To the people who guessed it, you were right. What are your thoughts? All of the medical information I got for this story was from online, and Grey Anatomy. If there is some medical stuff that is incorrect, please forgive me. I am not a doctor, or anything in the medical field so please understand that I may get some stuff wrong. We didn't see Fitz in this chapter, we will see his reaction in the next chapter which I will be updating on Wednesday. This chapter is shorter than most of my chapters, I promise that the next one will be longer. Please leave me reviews. I'm so excited to see your reaction to this chapter. Until next time. XOXO.