Chapter 2
I barely look up as I hear the door to my lab open. Alex walks in with a takeout box in his hand. "Hey," is all I can muster as my eyes rest on the paperwork I've stared at for hours.
"Hey," Alex answers. He stands there for a moment before saying, "I brought you some food." He gently places the box in front of me. "Figured you could use something in your stomach."
"Thanks," I mutter, not looking up from the papers.
I feel Alex's eyes study me before he asks, "Have you even gone home?"
"Why on earth would I go home to my empty apartment?" I say, running my fingers through my hair.
"You need to get some sleep," Alex says. "And you need to eat. I haven't seen you leave this lab once since Hunt gave us the news. You need your strength up for when they find them."
"Find them?!" I almost growl as I look up. "It's been four days, Alex! Four days! You and I both know what they're going to find."
"You can't give up hope!" Alex says earnestly. "I know the odds aren't exactly in our favor, but hope is the only thing keeping me from going insane."
I look up at him with a furrowed brow before realization washes over my face, "You can't get over the guilt for being the reason Arizona was on that plane."
"I've played that whole week in my head," Alex says. "I knew for days about Hopkins being an option and I never said a word to Robbins. If I had been upfront with her, she may have been mad but not so mad to pull me off of this case. She would have had time to calm down and process it."
"You know she's only mad because you, A, didn't tell her, and B, because she doesn't want to lose her star student," I say. "She would have been so proud of you in the end that they were so impressed with you that Hopkins sought you out."
"I know," Alex sighs. "Which is why I have to hold onto hope. I need to know that me being a wimp didn't kill her." Tears prick my eyes and I turn away. "Callie?" Alex asks in a concerned tone.
"I've never heard it said out loud," I say, wiping the tears as they trickle down my cheeks. "The actual idea that they're dead. It's been implied, my gut has said it since Hunt told us the plane was missing, but it was never said out loud." I hang my head for a moment, ignoring the sound of the lab door opening.
"Callie," a different voice says. I turn around and see Teddy Altman standing just past the door to the lab.
"Teddy," I say surprised. "I thought you were leaving."
"I am, but I got word of the plane going missing so I stayed to help keep things running," Teddy says. I nod as Teddy pats a chair and says, "Callie, have a seat." My eyes grow wide as I study her face. It's too hard to read.
"What's going on?" I say as I slowly lower myself into my seat. I feel my heart starting to race and my breath quicken.
Teddy sits in front of me and gently takes my hands. "Callie, they found them."
I swear my heart stops. My throat tightens as I ask, "They…they found them? Did the plane crash?"
"Yes," she answers. "They found the wreckage in the mountains in Idaho."
I nod, trying to wrap my head around what's happening. "Are they…"
"They're alive," Teddy says with a small smile.
My brain can't even process what she's said. "What?" I say, convinced I misheard her.
Teddy's smile gets bigger, "Callie, they're alive. Both Arizona and Mark."
I am so overwhelmed with relief that I start to shake with sobs. I take my hands out of Teddy's and cover my face. She and Alex gently rub my back. "Callie, this is a good thing," I hear Alex say.
"I know," I say, finally sitting up, "I was just so convinced that they were dead. How did they not find them for four days?!" I wipe my face before asking, "How are they? Do they have any injuries?"
"We don't know that yet," Teddy says, taking my hand again. "They're being transported to the nearest hospital now."
"I have to go be with them," I say, standing and trying to bolt towards the door.
"Easy there, tiger," Alex says, blocking the door. He firmly puts his hands on my shoulders and guides me back to my seat. "You're in no condition to travel. You haven't eaten or slept in four days."
"Besides, Owen, Bailey, and Webber are all on their way up there now," Teddy says. "The hospital is going to triage them and as soon as they're stable, they'll bring them home."
I nod, my heart rate finally starting to slow down, "What about the others? Are they alive?"
Teddy sighs, "Meredith, Derek, and Cristina survived. Lexie is dead."
I close my eyes as a pang rips through my chest. Lexie Grey was the love of Mark's life. I had grown to know her throughout their relationship. Her bubbly personality was a light within the hospital and there would be a hole left without it.
Teddy squeezes my hand, "Why don't you go home, eat some food, get some sleep, and take a shower? I promise, as soon as we get word that they're headed back, we'll make sure you get here." I reluctantly nod and Teddy squeezes my hand again.
"Come on, I'll take you home," Alex says. He grabs the takeout box off the table and shoves it into my hand, "And you're eating this as soon as we get there." I simply nod as he helps me up and walks me home. Alex stays long enough to make sure I eat before he leaves. I take a shower before I plop onto my bed. Exhaustion finally takes over and I quickly fall asleep.
