Chapter 4

When Alison came back in the trauma room the boy was still coding and Edwards still doing compressions. Amelia was checking his pupils and his head injury. Torres tried to catch Hunt's look, while they were waiting for Amelia's diagnosis.

''He's got a massive brain hemorrhage. Intracranial pressure must be through the roof. I need to open his skull to release the pressure right here, right now or he's going to die!'' – Amelia said looking at Owen.

'' Ouu noo noo... You can't do that here! We need to take him to the OR.'' – Torres strongly disapproved.

'' There's no time. He won't make it to the OR.'' - Amelia told with a great conviction. Then she looked back at Owen – ''Chief Hunt, do I have your permission to proceed?''

Hunt didn't answer right away. One could see the inner fight that was going on only by looking at his eyes. He didn't know what was the right thing to do here. It was very dangerous to open a skull in non-steril environment. But it seemed like they didn't have any other choice. The boy was dying and he couldn't let him go, not on his watch. That boy is going to live and he's going to face everything he did! That was the moment he made the decision.

''Go for it Shepherd!'' – he said, while avoiding Callie's look.

Callie sighed heavily. She disagreed, but the chief made his decision and she couldn't do anything about it. He seemed to trust 'the other Shepherd' waaay more than she did.

Amelia nodded and quickly started preparing for the procedure. There was no time to lose! Only a minute later she was ready. And right before she wanted to ask for a scalpel she remembered that she needed one more set of very steady hands. She needed someone to suction the blood when she opens the dura, or it would burst everywhere. If they where in the OR it wouldn't be such a big problem, but in a non-steril trauma room it certainly would.

'' Edwards, let the intern continue doing compressions I need your hands here.'' – Amelia said in a hurry.

''Dr. Shepherd, I'm sorry, but my hands are really tired and shaky. After all these compressions I don't think they will be steady enough.'' – Edwards shyly admitted.

Then Amelia turned to Alison and said – ''Go and find me a resident, now! This boy doesn't have much time left.''

Alison at first didn't notice that Amelia was talking to her. When she did, instead of rushing out to do what she was just told she answered – '' Maybe I could do it!?''

Three attendings in the room looked at each other trying to process what she just said. And Edwards couldn't believe what came out of Alison's mouth. She was getting angry.
''Go and do what you were told. Now's not the time to act like a smartass!'' – Edwards yelled at her intern.
Alison bit her lip thinking to herself – how could she be so stupid and say that?! She put her head down and finally moved to the door.

But Amelia said – '' Hey, stop! We can't lose any more time.'' – then she looked at the nurse and said – ''Gown her!''. She looked back at frozen Alison, who was being gowned, and mouthed – '' You're doing this. Don't mess up!''

Callie could not believe what she was witnessing. '' Oh my God! You are seriously going to do it here with the intern?! It's her first day, Shepherd!''

'' And this boy will die unless I do it, so I don't think I have any choice here! Don't I?'' – Amelia answered irritated with Callie.

Hunt and Torres were pressing hard on this boy's open injuries and looking at each other not sure what was going to happen, when Amelia said loud and clear – '' Scalpel!''
Seconds later she asked for the drill and started opening the skull. She removed a part of the bone, asked for a scalpel again, then she looked at a, little bit terrified, Alison and said – ''Okay, I'm going to cut the dura now. Be ready and fast! Follow my hand as I cut and suction.''
Alison swallowed hard and nodded.

At first when Amelia started cutting there wasn't that much blood to suction, but in one moment it started almost bursting out. Alison was fast, but the blood was faster. Amelia figured it would be a lot of blood, but not that much. She grabbed as much gauze as she could and started packing the wound, preparing it for the surgery when they get to an OR.
Amelia and Alison were like in a bubble, concentrated only on the bleeding, not paying attention on what was going on around them. As they were finishing packing the wound, they saw that Edwards stopped with the compressions on the boy's heart.
The look of relief showed on every face in that trauma room.
'' We have a rythm back. His heart is strong and steady. Good job Shepherd! Aaaand...what was your name?'' – Hunt first looked at Amelia then turned to Alison.

''Jean, sir.'' – she answered.

''Good job, Jean.'' – Hunt nodded approvingly and continued – ''Lets go. We need to get him to the OR. '' Alison smiled contently and moved away from the patient.

Torres and Hunt went with the patient straight to the OR. Amelia and Alison were taking their gowns off when Edwards said – ''Jean, rush the labs and order 4 doses of 0 neg. After that you can help with the sutures here in the ER.''

''But Dr. Edwards, I thought I could observe the surgery.'' – Alison answered unhappy.

''You're needed here, so do your job. No discussion, Jean.'' – Edwards cut her off and went to the OR.

Amelia just listened. She didn't want to interfere, but she thought the intern deserved to observe the surgery. Well it wasn't her call after all. She felt Alison's eyes on her, so she looked up, slightly smiled and said – ''For an intern on your first day, you did great.'' – she stopped for a second, then continued – ''How old are you...Jean? Right?''

Alison couldn't even start processing what happend few minutes before and what was going on in that second. Her hands started shaking. This was huge for her. She was here talking to her... then Amelia interrupted her thoughts – ''Are you okay?''

'' Yeah, sorry... I just...Never mind...I'm Alison Jean. I'm 18.'' – she said feeling her chest becoming heavier and heavier.

''Just 18, ha...and nice name.'' – Amelia looked away – '' I have to go.''

Amelia was almost running. She didn't now why, she wasn't in a hurry. But she felt something squeezing her throat and her heart so tight, making her legs move faster. That particular name. That particular age. Combined with those blue eyes. She couldn't help herself not to think about a life she left behind so long ago. Tears started burning her cheeks.

A/N: Thank you so much for reading. If you have time please review. I would really appreciate it. There's a long road ahead of Amelia and Alison. I hope you join the ride. ;)