Happy Finale Day Friends! With all signs pointing to Surrera's reunion in S7, the Muse is happier than usual… So let's just go with it shall we? Thanks for reading, voting and sharing the love of this fictional couple with me. Xx – Ash!
"Hughes, I know. I don't write. I don't call. I'm so-" Robert joked as soon as he answered the phone.
He and Vic had developed a bond over the past year that he was fond of. Growing up an only child and losing touch with his family after the plane crash that took his parents meant he didn't have much experience with certain relationship dynamics. But he imagined this is what it would be like to have siblings or cousins.
"Sully," Vic interrupted. "It's Andy." She choked out the words.
Helmet tucked under her arm, standing next to the engine while the rest of the team continued to work on getting out the structure fire. Vic couldn't believe the call she was making.
Her tone and those two words struck fear in Robert immediately. His knees buckled and he found himself grabbing ahold of his desk to stay upright.
Barely able to speak. "Is she..." He questioned.
Vic responded quickly to fill in the gaps. "She's hurt, but alive. There was an explosion. It all..."
She was still at a loss herself about exactly what had happened and finding out that Andy was pregnant had been like getting hit by a mack truck. They were all shocked and bewildered. No one on the team seemed to have a clue, but Bishop and Warren which... was a feeling she'd deal with another day.
"The baby?" Robert asked.
It was automatic. The most natural place to go except he knew the woman on the phone hadn't been included in the very small circle they'd told about Andy's pregnancy. There were reasons and later it could be explained, but that wasn't something he'd concern himself with right now.
"I don't know, I'm sorry." Vic replied back honestly. "Warren and Bishop just took her to Grey Sloan. We're still on scene…"
"Was she conscious?" His voice was shallow.
Heart pounding, mind racing, Robert was trying to make a mental plan, but his normally calm demeanor was compromised. Andy and his baby were hurt. His family was in trouble and he wasn't there. He didn't know how bad. He didn't know what happened. He couldn't do anything.
"In and out," Vic said quietly.
"This can't be happening..." Robert murmured to himself. "Not again."
Moment by moment he tried to get his brain online so he could kick into gear, but fear and panic were quickly souring in his gut. Before he knew what hit him, Robert found himself making a break for the bathroom in his office to empty the contents of his stomach.
He dropped his phone to the counter next to the sink as his body contracted and released, hurling the minimal contents of his belly into the white porcelain toilet.
"Sully?" Vic questioned gently after she'd heard his retching stop.
She pulled the phone away from her ear, held her own breath and squeezed her eyes shut. This was killing them as Andy's family and they were there. Just minutes from the hospital. They'd wrap the call, take 19 out of service and sit vigil, but he was hours away.
She couldn't imagine how he must be feeling.
He must have been rinsing out his mouth, because she heard a steady stream of water. When it stopped, Vic called Robert's name again.
"Sully!" Vic raised her voice to get his attention. "I'm sorry, but..." Her voice was firm and determined. "You can be sad and scared later. Right now you need to focus. Your family needs you. So call Chief Dearborn and get your ass on the road."
Leaning over the sink, Robert nodded his head, appreciative of the direct communication. He knew what needed to be done, but his limbs were heavy and his mind was somehow both slow and racing at the same time. It was hard to think clearly about what to do next.
"Got it. I'm o-" he tried to add he was okay, but Vic's voice interrupted him.
"It's a 4 hour drive. It's gonna feel like you are dying a thousand deaths every single minute of it, but we will call you every hour. More if there are changes or updates. Okay?"
"Okay."
Less than 15 minutes later, having spoken to Chief Dearborn, Robert was going 80 miles an hour down I-90 West headed to Seattle. Vic was right. Every minute that passed felt like he was being cut repeatedly. With each intrusive thought, every worst case scenario and what if... he tried not to go back there. Tried not to flash back to Claire, bleeding from the head, no pulse, lying in the middle of the road and the pain that followed.
He had to stay present. Hold on to what he knew. They were both alive.
Robert's heart pricked because he knew not only was Andy physically in pain, but she had to be terrified. Afraid of what could happen. Slipping in and out of darkness. Beating herself up for letting herself get injured. All he wanted to do was be there, reassuring her, holding her hand, chasing away whatever demons she was wrestling with.
"How is she?" Robert asked when he answered the call via bluetooth. He'd seen Warren's name across the screen and answered with a click of a button.
"They're rushing her to surgery," Ben replied quickly.
"I need to talk to her." Robert said urgently.
"She can't-" Ben began, but his words trailed off.
He'd never seen Andy look so pale and frail. Despite her petite stature she was always a force of nature. Always powerful and imposing. Right now, she was none of those things. Going in and out of consciousness with an oxygen mask covering the lower half of her face. Part of him was glad Robert wasn't there to see it.
"Please," Robert insisted.
He knew it was a ridiculous ask, but damn it, if something happened and he didn't get a chance to tell her he loved her... Robert didn't think he'd survive it.
"I don't th-" Ben was looking in the direction of the double doors Andy had just been wheeled through.
They didn't typically use first names. Firehouse tradition meant last names, but it somehow seemed appropriate now.
"Ben, please," Robert said again.
Hearing movement and Ben yelling out to "Stop," Robert took a few deep breaths in anticipation.
"You got 30 seconds," he said. "I'll hold the phone up to her ear."
Robert waited a beat before talking, not completely sure if Andy could hear him, but knew he didn't have much time.
"Baby, it's me. I know you're scared, but you're gonna be okay. You're both gonna be fine. You have to fight, though. Our baby needs you to fight and I know you can because—" Robert's voice cracked and he swallowed down the emotion clogging up his throat.
"... you're the strongest woman I know. I love you. I love you so much. And I'm sorry, I'm not there. I will be when you wake up. I promise."
It all seemed so silly now... the waiting.
The not being together just for the sake of the baby. It was so obvious that he was in love with Andy and the only thing that had held him back from acting on it was fear. Of moving too quickly, of what other people would think, of how they'd make it all work.
"They gotta take her back, man." Ben said, putting the phone back up to his ear as he watched the team take Andy through the doors of the OR.
Robert was silent for a moment. "How bad is it, Warren? Tell me the truth. Don't sugar coat it. No doctor speak. Just..." his voice trailed off.
"The good news is, the shrapnel missed her uterus completely. The baby's heartbeat is strong right now, but…"
"But?" Robert breathed out, his fists tightening around the steering wheel.
"The shrapnel is lodged in her upper left abdomen. They aren't sure if there is any damage to the spleen or left kidney. And she's lost a lot of blood. Her BP is down which isn't good for the baby...there's just… there's stuff they can't know until they get in there."
Robert nodded though Ben couldn't see him. "So it could be worse?"
He was trying not to spiral, but his brain was like an annoying computer pop up flashing worst case scenarios across his mind. He knew what worse looked like and how it felt. Everything in his body said to brace for bad outcomes.
"Don't do that, Sully," Ben said firmly.
He couldn't help but remember how it felt when he'd learned Bailey was in the hospital for her heart. He'd never felt that much fear and terror in his life. He knew Robert had to be hanging on by a thread.
"Andy's strong and she's gonna fight like hell to get through this in one piece. There's no way she isn't..." Ben was hesitant to confirm anything.
He knew how dangerous it was to promise an outcome. Surgery was unpredictable. Anything could happen, but right now he wasn't going to tell his friend that.
"The baby's gonna be fine and Andy's gonna be fine. That's what you have to focus on. The surgeon, Addison Montgomery, used to work at Grey Sloan. She's the best in the world. It's a miracle that she's in town. She doesn't even work here anymore."
"She's gonna be fine." Robert muttered to himself a couple times. He wanted to believe it. Hoped that maybe if he said it enough times it wouldn't feel like a lie.
"I'll call you as soon as we hear anything," Ben finally said.
"Thank you for being with her," Robert said.
"We're family," Ben replied simply.
With that the two men hung up the phone. Robert rubbed a hand over his eyes. They felt dry from the tears that had both fallen and been blinked back. Vic's words rang loudly in his ears. "You can be sad and scared later...your family needs you."
He hated that the only thing he could do is drive. He hated that even if he were at Grey Sloan right now he'd be in a waiting room. Sitting there like an exhibit in a museum. People watching him, not asking the questions they all would want answers too. The answers he didn't feel ready to give.
It had been Andy's choice.
She wanted to get through the first trimester. Wanted time to wrap her head around how things would change without fielding questions and responses from well meaning people in her life. And because of the updated SFD policy, as long as she could continue to perform her job, she didn't have to disclose until she was ready.
She, along with her doctor, could decide when it was time to go on light duty or aid car calls only. Having just been promoted to Captain, finally getting her dream, she was terrified of being mommy tracked.
They'd fought about it.
And in the end, as much as it pained him, as much as he hated it, Robert had respected her wishes. His only ask was that they let Bishop and Warren know. He was no longer in the field with her, someone else had to keep an eye on her. Despite how much he trusted Andy, he knew she had a tendency to push herself and take risks if she believed it would save a life.
"Three hours to go," Robert murmured to himself as he checked the time.
Continuing the drive, he thought back over the past few months and everything that had transpired. It was crazy just how different life looked now.
FLASHBACK...
"We need to talk, Sully." Robert rolled his eyes and sighed deeply as he read the text.
At this point he was tired of talking to Tash. She'd outted them to the union with complete disregard for him, his reputation and career. Saving herself seemed to be her only priority and that was a truth he couldn't ignore anymore.
Maybe if her self-serving actions were the first time she'd done something to undercut him, he could move past it but this wasn't the first time and frankly it just felt too big to ignore. When he'd learned of the pictures initially he was ready to go to battle to defend them both against what was being said.
Hearing that Ross had unilaterally decided something so important was a punch to the gut. A wake up call really. He could no longer ignore the red flags in their relationship and hope they'd go away.
Putting thoughts of another potentially failed relationship on the back burner of his mind, he shoved his iPhone back in his jeans pocket and knocked on the door. There was something more important to take care of right now.
He wasn't totally sure what he was doing there. It was a risk. She could slam the door in his face, but he had a strong feeling she wouldn't.
Just as Andy felt herself drifting off into a light slumber, she heard a knock at her front door.
"Unbelievable," she grumbled.
"What kind of person just showed up randomly at someone's house without calling or texting?" she thought to herself.
All she wanted was sleep. Her exhaustion, like the chill outside, felt bone deep. It was technically Spring, but Seattle had failed to get the memo. The skies blocked from view by her shutters, with their darkness and graying hues, matched her blend of sadness and restless discontent, perfectly.
She could feel it. That thing she so often avoided trying to overtake her. Feeling herself teetering a bit, she worried she'd be sucked into the dark hole that had consumed her a few years ago.
The last few days had left her feeling like she'd gone ten rounds with a heavyweight boxer. Andy couldn't help but wonder how her dad had managed to support everyone at the firehouse in different ways without buckling under the pressure.
She felt weird about Travis and Eli even though she hadn't really been interested in him. Definitely pissed at Robert on so many levels, but also oddly protective of him. When Ross said she wanted to be the one to tell him about the pictures, something in her, a feeling she wasn't quite ready to name, made her worry for him.
Then the call.
Even after Ben had made it out of the house, a little bruised up, but okay it had been hard to fully relax. What she'd seen poked at the grief buried deep within her.
She needed to rest, regain her footing. Which is exactly what she had planned with 48 hours off shift in front of her.
The agenda: sleep, eat and watch trashy TV.
She hadn't slept much at the station last night and after shutting all the blinds, taking a hot shower, Andy had crawled into bed with extra layers and a prayer that rest would meet her.
It's what made the knock at her door even more annoying.
Laying there a while longer, Andy hoped they would go away if she didn't answer. Hearing another knock, this time louder, she knew she wouldn't be so lucky.
Crawling out of bed, she headed towards the front door and that's when she heard Robert's smooth baritone voice coming through.
"I know you're home," he said.
Yanking the door open, Andy did nothing to hide her annoyance. "What are you doing here?"
Robert took one look at her and knew he'd made the right call stopping over.
Messy bun, oversized sweater, joggers and fuzzy socks... he knew she was cocooning. Doing that thing she did where she walled off, shut down and tried to avoid whatever was going on under the surface with sleep.
He'd wanted to be there for her following the assault, but it didn't feel like it was his place. He did his best from a distance. Comforted her when she came to him, but they were only just starting to find some semblance of friendship again and Robert didn't want to push it. Knowing Hughes and Gibson were keeping a close eye had given him some peace of mind.
However, the last several months had been different. The tentative dynamic that crested under the surface of their interactions post divorce was gone. In its place was something more than friendship, but not romantic. They'd bonded again, reconnected and were leaning on each other much like they had before.
It's why he'd felt so much guilt every time she'd asked about Natasha and he'd lied. He knew she deserved better. He knew the truth inevitably always came out and he'd have to face the consequences. While he didn't owe her an explanation for moving on, outright lying violated her trust and he was sorry. He knew why that mattered to her so much.
Robert's lips curved upward slightly at her obvious agitation.
"You know why I'm here," he replied plainly.
"I'm…" Andy went on to say.
"Not fine," Robert interrupted and walked through the doorway, not waiting to be invited inside.
Heading towards the kitchen as if he'd been there before, he dropped two bags on the counter, slipped off his jacket and threw it across the back of a dining room chair. Andy looked on in slight awe as Robert grabbed two bowls from the open shelves and began opening drawers.
"Second from the left," she said begrudgingly as she took a seat at the bar and witnessed what was clearly a hunt for eating utensils.
She couldn't deny the familiar swirl of energy in her belly as Robert's large, built frame moved around her open kitchen. Dressed in jeans and a snug fitting dark sweater his muscles were on full display and how good he looked was impossible to ignore.
"I really need to get laid," she thought to herself. Surely any attraction she was feeling for her ex was due to her lack of action in the bedroom. Right? It had been way too long since…
"So?" Robert said as he faced Andy and leaned against her counter. He could tell he'd pulled her out of a weird thought.
Only offering a blank stare, she replied, "So."
While she wasn't turning down food, she had no intention of making whatever this was easy on him. As Robert unpacked broth, noodles, veggies, sauces and meats from Queen Ca Phe, she chose silence.
It had been a few uncomfortable moments before Robert figured he'd just jump right in.
"You watched Warren fall through a roof," Robert said matter of factly. "I know it stirred up dust. And in NA... when you're not talking about it, that's when we worry."
Her harsh expression softened at his words. "You're worried about me?"
His head tilted just a bit and he gave her a look that said, seriously. "For months you've been doing your "keep the family together thing"… it's bound to take a toll. Especially after a call like yesterday."
"Yeah…" Andy responded and picked nervously at imaginary fuzz on her sweater.
Despite not wanting to open up, she knew it was pointless to pretend he was wrong. He'd been with her every day after her dad passed.
He knew her.
"What I've learned," Robert continued. "It might sound dumb or obvious…" his voice trailed off a bit.
Somberly, Andy grimaced, "Doubt it."
Placing the finishing touches on two bowls of Pho, extra jalapeno for Andy, Robert spoke thoughtfully.
"Life doesn't stop and..." He struggled to find his words for a minute and Andy waited patiently to see where he was going. "When whatever is going on is too hard to talk about… that's when you run, numb or..." his shoulders shrugged slightly.
"Wanna use?" Andy finished for him.
He had only been there a few minutes, but the simple exchange between them was softening her hardshell.
Robert nodded as he placed a bowl, broth spoon and chopsticks down in front of Andy at the bar. After doing the same for himself, he took a seat next to her and nudged her a little.
"So we're gonna eat Pho from your favorite place, even though it's not as good as my favorite place." Looking over, he caught Andy rolling her eyes with a slight grin on her face and chuckled softly. "We're NOT gonna talk about the thing we're not talking about and you are gonna tell me how you are."
Andy took a small sip of broth and pondered how to respond. "How am I?" She repeated. "Well, for starters, furious with you."
Even as she said the words, she could feel the heat from days prior had dissipated some.
Digging into his own soup, Robert's shoulders rose and fell. "What else is new?" Andy shot him a dagger and he smiled in an amused way that seemed to disarm her. "Don't worry. You can go back to being mad at me tomorrow."
They sat side by side eating in silence for a few minutes before Robert decided maybe putting himself out there first would help Andy open up.
"I'll start then," he said.
Andy stopped eating and looked over at her ex-husband. There was no denying that this moment felt both strange and new but also familiar and comforting. No matter what had happened between them, no matter how their marriage had ended. They leaned on each other and it was hard to imagine a world where that just wasn't true.
"I'm frustrated. A little angry." He sighed. "Relationships are...I don't know. Hard."
Andy listened intently.
Casually she shot a glance in his direction and saw the lines of worry just across his brow. Looking at him, it occurred to her that she couldn't remember the last time he was happy. He didn't seem to be doing badly, but definitely didn't have a light in his eye that was for sure.
It was a look she recognized in herself.
"It's been years since my demotion and I'm still fighting so hard to get my career back on track. And I'm unsure about a lot right now," Robert added.
He hadn't intended to be the one getting support, but once he began, the words just seemed to tumble out. Robert couldn't deny that just having Andy listen had helped. He felt lighter after airing out some of his concerns.
"I also wanna crawl out of my skin admitting any of that," He added with a nervous chuckle. "But I'm sober. I'm not running from the hard stuff and I do a job every day that I love... so it's not all bad."
"It's not all bad," Andy repeated after him quietly and nodded her head.
Setting down her spoon and chopsticks she ran both hands up and down her arms to try and warm herself up. Despite the layers and soup she still felt cold. Andy thought for a moment about what to share before continuing.
"I didn't see my dad fall," she swallowed hard and forced herself to put words to her secret thoughts. "All this time I've just had fragments, mental snapshots of my experiences venting roofs strung together creating the picture."
Robert nodded his head and let her know he was with her.
Hugging herself lightly, Andy continued.
"Seeing Warren like that... watching it happen. I..." Her voice cracked. "I can't unsee it. I can't stop the bottom from falling out of my stomach each time I mentally go back there... I can't stop the low grade panic that courses through my veins. I..."
Her voice trailed off.
"It's like war... sometimes you see things that make you question if there really is a God out there." He said soberly and let silence rest between them.
Rubbing a hand across her arms again, she added, "I wonder sometimes if grief will always feel like this."
"Like what?" Robert questioned gently.
"Like a sleeping giant. This big, scary thing that gets lulled to sleep with time and space." Andy described the dark, hairy monster she felt trying to pull her downwards.
"When you least expect it, something happens that jostles it and it's awake…" She shook her head slightly.
"…and all you wanna do is get it back to sleep so you don't have to feel the ache anymore," Robert finished for her.
"I hate that you still get me," Andy said begrudgingly as they held each other's gaze.
She didn't really hate it though. There was something so comforting about being understood.
"I hate that you still know when I'm lying," Robert countered.
Yeah, he felt guilty. He'd have to own up and apologize. His conscience wouldn't let him rest until he did. But there was also an unexpected feeling. Gratitude. No matter what the circumstances, Andy still pushed him to be better and was only upset or disappointed when she felt like he wasn't living up to even his own standards.
A weighty silence stretched between them and Andy, needing something to counter the exposed feeling she now had, stood up and moved to put their dishes in the dishwasher.
Robert didn't rush to fill the quiet instead, remembering how many times he'd seen her rub her arms turned towards the fireplace. It wasn't surprising that she'd have one with real wood. She had always complained about the lack of a fireplace in his apartment. Laying a couple logs down, he maneuvered them a bit and it wasn't long before a perfect blend of red and orange roared to life.
Andy had made her way from the kitchen to the couch and watched whimsically at the scene playing out in front of her. He hadn't asked if she was cold, just started setting the fire because he knew she needed it. She was reminded of how good he was at taking care of her and her heart ached with subtle longing.
"I could've done that," she said with a light smile as Robert moved from kneeling to standing and sat next to her on the couch.
"You're welcome," he returned easily, dropping the iphone he'd just pulled from his back pocket onto the table.
Andy covered her mouth and yawned loudly.
"Not much sleep last night, huh?" Robert questioned. It was borderline rhetorical. He knew she hadn't slept. When she got like this, rest was always hard to come by.
"You saying I look tired?" she teased with a mischievous look in her eyes.
Robert chuckled lightly. "No way. Definitely not walking into that landmine." His eyes were warm as he spoke and his words got a laugh out of both of them.
Tucking her feet up under her, Andy let her head rest gently on Robert's arm and took a deep breath.
"When I was standing outside waiting to see if Warren would make it out…" she swallowed back the emotion she felt bubbling near the surface. "I just kept thinking please God, no. Not again. Pru can't lose someone else… I can't lose someone else."
The last few words were a whispered admission.
"Understandable," Robert said with a gentle nod, though he knew she wasn't looking at him.
"It's selfish, I know," Andy replied. Her far away tone, letting him know she was lost in thought.
"It's normal." Robert said, his voice low and reassuring.
Andy sighed long and deep. "Do you ever wonder why we do this job?"
He paused for a moment before answering. "All the time." Taking a breath he added. "I think it's because we can't NOT do this job. We're just wired to be the people that run towards hell when everyone else is running away from it."
"I question my sanity sometimes," Andy said dryly.
"Me too," Robert replied easily.
Yawning again, Andy muttered the request she'd been on the fence about making. "Will you stay awhile?"
She hadn't needed to ask. He wasn't going anywhere. Kicking off his shoes, Robert reached forward and grabbed the remote to the TV.
"I'll stay," he whispered.
Robert leaned back into the couch to get comfortable. Lifting an arm, Andy snuggled into what used to be her favorite place to fall asleep. He could feel the inhale she took against his sweater and wondered if the familiarity of it all brought her the same comfort it brought him.
For some time, it was just the low hum of the TV and the subtle crackling noise from the fire. Robert wondered if maybe Andy was drifting off when her soft voice pierced the quiet.
"My memories of him are getting fuzzy. Like old pictures losing their color. Details that used to be crystal clear are blurry or take longer to come into focus now. It terrifies me." Her words felt like a confession.
Robert's insides clenched as he heard the pain in her voice. He knew the feeling exactly. It had happened with his parents, with Claire, with Luke. He didn't stop that often to recall the amount of close losses he'd faced in his lifetime, but every now and again he realized just how many it was.
"I wish I could tell you that you'll remember it all, that you'll hold onto it all...but you won't. The details blur... but what you never forget, is how they made you feel". He took a breath before adding.
"Loved. Supported. Taken care of... those feelings will always be there when you think about your dad. That's how you know he's always with you." Robert spoke from the heart and hoped that something he said soothed her.
"I miss him so much," Andy breathed and a hand covered her eyes as she felt the tears pool.
Robert nodded, offering a barely audible, "I know."
That simple admission was Andy's undoing. It pulled a torrent of emotions right out of her and she couldn't help the sob that slipped past her lips. Robert held her tighter, rubbed her back gently and kissed the top of her head.
He wasn't sure how much time had passed. Andy had settled down and her breathing had grown heavy. He knew she was exhausted and hoped she'd drifted off to sleep, but that's when he heard her whisper.
"Don't ever die on me okay," she murmured the words into his slightly damp sweater.
Robert had told a lot of lies lately. Lies he'd regretted, but this wouldn't be one of them.
"Okay." Kissing the top of her head, he knew he was agreeing to something he couldn't control and Andy knew it too, but it made them both feel better.
He wasn't hers anymore, Andy knew that.
But for a few hours today she would pretend that he was. That maybe the last two years hadn't been what it had been. That it was a normal thing for them to snuggle up on the couch and fall asleep with the fire going and a TV show humming quietly in the background.
Today she'd relish in the comfort and safety she only felt with one person.
Him.
All this time, all this history and he still felt like home.
The smaller fire was the first thing Andy noticed as her eyes cracked open. Clearly they had been asleep for a couple hours at least. She was more comfortable than she wanted to admit and it felt like they were playing a dangerous game.
He was in a relationship with someone else and while no lines had been crossed, the intimacy of today was definitely flirting with too much.
"How long did we sleep?" Robert asked as they unfolded their bodies from one another.
"Not sure," Andy replied as they both snuck glances at one another. "Fire is smaller though, so a few hours."
"I should get going," he said, reaching for his phone and standing up.
The problem with Robert's words was… he didn't actually want to go. He knew he should, knew things were getting more and more complicated for him by the moment, but despite the circumstances that brought them together today, it felt good. Being there for Andy, felt like it's exactly where he should be and he was having a hard time denying that.
Andy watched as Robert opened the blinds in her kitchen first, then the dining room, before slipping on his jacket.
"What are you doing?" Confusion furrowed her brow.
Robert's reply was simple. "Casa brillante…"
"...corazones brillantes," Andy joined in unison to repeat. She offered him a warm, watery smile.
He remembered.
"You're making it hard to stay mad at you," Andy said with a reluctant grin.
"Something tells me you'll manage," Robert replied easily.
Grateful to see some of the light returning to her eyes. She was still sad, but he knew she was better than before and that's what mattered. They both chuckled lightly and Robert opened the door to head out.
Pausing for a moment he turned back.
"You get to feel sad, Andy. You just can't let it swallow you up. Gotta let the light in." Her slight nod let him know his words had landed and with that he headed down the building hallway.
"Robert," Andy called out after him. When he turned back she said, "Thank you for pulling me back."
The words were heartfelt and marbled with knowing and appreciation. He'd seen her at her worst and didn't let her get swept back up in overwhelming grief.
The smile on her face did something to his insides. There was so much she was saying without using words. How was it possible that two ex's could still share entire conversations with just a look?
Robert returned her warm smile, "Anytime."
Andy closed the door, shut her eyes tight and leaned up against it for a moment.
She was screwed and she knew it.
Robert had crawled in the deep dark hole she was about to set up shop in and carried her out. Without needing to be told how to support her, take care of her or give her what she needed, he did. A little pushy, a little intrusive, but a soft, safe place to fall apart. She could put down all her armor and just be and isn't that what love was supposed to be?
He was screwed and he knew it.
Showing up for Andy, even when he knew she was mad at him, had been the most natural thing in the world to do. Taking care of her, even opening up about his struggles, it was easy. And it was occurring to him now that maybe the reason it was so easy is because that's how it was meant to be.
PREVIEW…
He was making good time and grateful for it. The traffic on I-90 had been kind to him so far and Robert could only hope that would continue. Hughes had just called and 19 had made it to Grey Sloan, but there was no news or update. So for now, he just kept telling himself they'd both be fine.
And all he could do now was keep driving and get there.
Seeing an unexpected name flash across the screen of his SUV Robert took a breath before answering.
"Slow down," the woman's voice came through the bluetooth speaker loud and clear.
Robert glanced at the dash quickly and saw he'd been inching past 85. The speed limit on certain stretches of the highway was 70 so it wasn't as bad as it sounded, but she was right. The last thing he needed was to waste time getting pulled over for a speeding ticket.
"Didn't expect to hear from you," Robert said as he eased off the gas pedal.
"Contrary to how it might seem, I'm not actually an Ice Queen," Natasha said.
They both chuckled and it lightened the mood.
"And you drive too fast on a normal day… today is not a normal day," she added.
Thanks for reading, friend. Honestly, I didn't plan to start a whole new fic. It was supposed to be a one shot, but I follow the inspo. So, let me know what you think and anything you might be hoping to see in a Surrera fic w/ a baby.