This is my contribution to the #SurreraCountdown on Twitter. Six days and counting
Robert
Robert couldn't believe he was in trouble. While there was some element of risk in every climb, it's not like you could decide to complete a solo climb of Mount Rainier on a whim. After he and Tash had decided to go their separate ways, he needed something to keep himself busy, and a hobby like mountain climbing, which combined pushing yourself to your physical limits with lots of time to just think, seemed like the perfect match for him. He needed to take a step back, evaluate where he went wrong in his two previous relationships, and figure out how to move forward. He considered seeing a therapist, but decided that his conversations with Richard and his weekly Narcotics Annonymous meetings provided him with enough "therapy." And once he began to seriously pursue mountain climbing, he found the solitude of the mountains gave him plenty of opportunities to reflect on why his relationships always seemed to end badly.
So, after several successful summits with a Seattle-based climbing group, he submitted an application for a solo climb to the superintendent of Mount Rainier National Park. It was a lengthy document that required him to detail the route he planned to take, the gear he would carry, and his emergency plan in case he ran into trouble during this three-day trip.
It was mid-May, still somewhat early in the climbing season, but he had chosen this time for a reason. He had the days off he needed, but he also wanted to avoid the crowds. As much as possible, he wanted this adventure to be about him and the mountain. He wanted the challenge and the solitude, and he had gotten what he wanted. He had used the first two days to work his way up the mountain, allowing his body to get accustomed to the thinner air as he climbed his way up to the over 4,000-meter summit. It was no Everest, but a formidable peak nonetheless, and one that had claimed over 400 lives in the past 100 years.
All had gone well until a freak storm had blown in as he made his descent. He had checked the weather before he had started and there was no snow in the forecast, but here he was, fighting his way through the wind and snow, wondering if he could make it to the base of the mountain or if should try to set up camp. Either choice had its risks: continuing on, he could easily get lost or seriously injured in a fall, but trying to set up a tent in the blowing snow would be near impossible, and if he managed to do it, it would be quickly covered by snow drifts, making it near impossible to see him if a rescue became necessary. He had a rescue beacon, one he hoped he wouldn't need to use. Not only would it mean admitting his failure, but he also knew it would do no good until the storm passed. No rescue climbers could start up the mountain, and a helicopter couldn't fly in this weather. For the foreseeable future, it was just him and the mountain. His survival would depend on his choices.
Andy
Andy groaned as her phone rang just after 7 a.m. It was her day off, and the freak Seattle thunderstorm and weird dreams had kept her up the night before. It only took a minute for her annoyance to turn to anxiety. It wasn't the department calling her in, she had a separate ringtone for that, and no one she knew would be calling her that early…unless something was truly wrong. She grabbed her phone off the nightstand, and seeing Ben's name, her anxiety began to rise.
She jabbed at the green button, and began to speak before Ben could say anything: "What is it? Is Pru ok? Miranda?"
As Andy began to list his family members, Ben interrupted. "No, Andy, everyone here is ok. It's not that…"
Ben paused. He had been a doctor for so long that he thought he would be better at this, but these sorts of conversations were never easy and the complexities of the relationship between his two friends and colleagues made things even harder.
"It's Sullivan…" Ben began. "Maybe I shouldn't even be calling you, but I guess you've managed to become friends again, and you loved him once, and I thought you would probably want to know even if..."
Ben was rambling, and he knew it. Whatever the relationship between Andy and Robert, he knew the next words would devastate her, and she had just begun to get her life back together after more trauma in a short amount of time than any human deserved.
At the mention of Robert's name, Andy felt sick to her stomach. They had been apart for almost 3 years and officially divorced for over a year. Ben wouldn't be calling her unless something terrible had happened.
"Robert? What happened to Robert?" Andy interrupted.
Doing his best to push down his personal feelings and summon the skills he had honed in his years as a doctor and first responder, he attempted to present the situation in as factual a way as possible, while still being compassionate.
"He was attempting to make a solo summit of Mt. Rainier and got caught in the freak storm last night. He had an emergency beacon, but they couldn't attempt a rescue until the winds died down. He put me down as his emergency contact, so I got a call early this morning. I didn't want to call you until I knew something more, but…"
Andy was growing impatient with Ben's lengthy explanation. There had been too much death in her life in recent years, first Ryan, then her father, then Dean, but as much as she wanted to avoid the truth, she needed to know.
"Ben," she interrupted again, "Is he dead?"
"He's not dead, Andy, but he's not in great shape either," Ben explained. "I'm a Grey Sloan right now. They just got him off the rescue helicopter. I'll know more in a little while."
"Oh, God," Andy mumbled as the reality of the situation began to sink in.
Robert & Andy
It was the afternoon after Robert's rescue, and while he was still somewhat tired, his color was better, his appetite was returning, and he was beginning to bother the doctors about when he could return home. The doctors, for their part, were amazed at his miraculous recovery. He had been severely hypothermic with a barely detectable pulse when they brought him in, but with a combination of heating blankets and warm fluids, he had quickly come around and had enough strength to complain about the hospital food.
After Andy had gotten the call, she quickly dressed and sped to the hospital. Ben met her at the doors to the ER, and they paced around the waiting room until Robert was settled into a room. He was under mild sedation to allow his body to rest so there was no opportunity to talk for several hours. When he was taken away for a battery of tests, Andy took advantage of a firefighter's ability to sleep just about anywhere and managed a decent nap in the chair next to his bed. When he returned, he quickly fell back asleep, but had awoken when the doctors returned to explain his test results. Despite the trauma from his time on the mountain, it appeared Robert was going to be ok. All of his tests were within normal range, and while they planned to keep an eye on him for the night if everything went well, he could return home the next day.
After the doctor left, Andy looked at Robert, a scowl on her face.
"Ok, now that we know you're going to be ok," she began, "can you please explain to me what the hell you were thinking going on a solo hike on Mount Rainier?"
Robert looked at his ex-wife for a moment as he pondered how he wanted to respond to her question. He could delineate the list of preparations he made, the uniqueness of the storm that had rolled in, and the fact that the superintendent of the national park had approved his plans, but he decided to take another approach.
"You know," Robert began, the corners of his mouth turning up into the slightest of smiles. "I really thought that one of the benefits of being divorced might be that you wouldn't yell at me any more."
Andy glanced up, and seeing the merriment in his eyes, decided to tease back.
"Yeah, you thought that, huh? Sucks to be that wrong," she said with a chuckle.
Robert laughed too, and for a moment they both just appreciated the ease with which they could tease one another. However, as he watched Andy, he could see the moment the reality of what had almost happened to him hit her.
"I'm ok, Andy," Robert began, attempting to allay her fears. "You heard the doctor. I need a couple of days of rest and then I'll be as good as new."
Andy smiled, but Robert could see the tears in her eyes.
"It's just…" Andy began, before pausing. What she wanted to say was that somewhere, deep down, even as they went their separate ways, she thought they might find their way back to one another. However, she couldn't say that, at least not today.
Taking a deep breath, Andy tried to find the right words.
"I just can't imagine living in a world without you in it," she said with a small smile, but despite the smile, her eyes continued to water.
"I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere," Robert said, as he opened his arms. When Andy was hurting, he had one instinct, and that was to comfort her. Seeing his gesture, Andy gently laid her head on his chest and allowed the tears to fall. As he had done so many times before, Robert held her close with one hand, stroking her hair with the other.
Twelve Months Later…
They were just three hours from Seattle, in a small waterfront cabin just outside Olympic National Park, but they could just as well have been on another planet. There wasn't another person or cabin in sight for miles, a perfect place for them to escape from the business of their lives They sat quietly together on the lounger, watching the sunset to the west of them.
"We should get married," Robert said without preamble. It was something that had been on his mind for the last few months. After he had recovered from his time on Mount Rainier, they continued to build back their friendship, which eventually turned into something more. This time, though, they took things slow. They dated, had some difficult conversations, and spent time with a couples counselor. Now, things were good, their bond was stronger than ever, and Robert thought it might be time to take the next step.
Andy looked at him, an unreadable expression on her face.
"No," she responded firmly, although it wasn't said with any malice.
"No?" Robert asked, more confused than concerned. They had, of course, talked about the possibility of marriage, and Andy's demeanor made it clear she wasn't upset or angry, so he wasn't sure why her immediate response was "no."
"If we're going to get married," Andy clarified. "I want a proper proposal. Not an off-handed remark like you're suggesting we order Thai for dinner."
"I don't think they have Thai in that little town we stopped in for groceries," Robert teased, but he knew she had a point.
Andy, ignoring Robert's last comment, continued: "A nice dinner, me in a dress, you in a suit…"
Robert interrupted with a groan: "Why do your special plans for us always involve me having to get a suit dry-cleaned?"
Andy rolled her eyes.
"Because, my once and future husband, with your height, broad shoulders, and narrow waist, you were made to wear a suit. It's just the price you pay for being so handsome."
Robert pretended to mull it over, but they both knew Andy would get what she wanted. Since his near-death experience, Robert had changed. He was still as devoted as ever to doing his job well, but in his personal life, he had learned to lighten up and appreciate the little things. And if Andy wanted a traditional proposal, he would happily give it to her.
"Ok," Robert replied. "A suit it is. But if you get to dictate my wardrobe, does that mean I get to dictate yours?"
Andy looked at him askance. While Robert never failed to compliment her when she dressed up, she was sure he didn't know an A-line from an empire waist.
"Sure," she said with a grin. "You can help me pick out a dress."
Robert looked her over, a little lasciviously.
"Robert!" Andy scolded. He was messing with her, she knew it, and she was happy to play along.
"Well, my 'once and future wife'" Robert responded, repeating her words from a moment ago. "With your petite frame, hourglass figure, and toned legs, you were made to wear an evening gown. It's just the price you pay for being so gorgeous."
Andy laughed and knew it was time to concede their little argument. "Ok, ok, you win. I get a proper proposal, and you can help me pick out a dress."
Hi Friends! None of us know what the season will bring for our faves, but if this happens to be my last Surrera fic, I wanted it to be a happy one. Thanks for all the comments and support over the last (almost) four years.