How To Save A Life - Grey's Anatomy

The less I know, the better

''Thank you Amy! I love you, thank you.'' I pulled away from the hug and brushed her cheek with my hand. I quickly moved to the side of Meredith's bed and grabbed her hand and held it in both of mine. Her eyes remained closed as she was still coming off the anaesthetic, the machine next to her beeped steadily. 

''So, when she wakes up we'll tell her then rush her to surgery?'' I asked Amy while I continued to admire Meredith. 

''That's the plan. Derek, do you want me to do the surgery? Or maybe Tom... I just think it may be better if the surgeon isn't related to the patient. We may not be blood sisters but- you know, I consider her my sister.'' Amy walked around the room a bit, something she did when she was anxious. 

''Would you be able to do the surgery? Would it be too hard on you like it was for me? If so, I trust Tom enough to do it. He has some brownie points for saving your life.'' I said with a small smile at the end. 

''That's right, he did save my life. He was also my mentor, he taught me everything I know. Derek, I don't think I can do this, the biopsy was challenging enough.'' I nodded in response. 

A part of me was glad she couldn't do it. If anything was to go wrong under Amy's watch, I would have blamed her forever. It would have ruined our relationship and created chronic anger and hatred between the two of us. Another part of me didn't fully trust Amy with Meredith's life. Everything Amelia went through, I saw it all. I couldn't help but remember those hardships and my brain kept re-visiting them while I was waiting for the biopsy. 

I felt a small movement in the grasp of my hands, Meredith was waking up. I looked up to her face and her eyes fluttered open. When her eyes immediately met mine, relief flooded my body. I removed one of my hands from hers and grabbed the cup of water from the table. I brought the straw to her mouth and she gulped the liquid down. 

''Hey.'' She said breathlessly. 

''Hey.'' I exhaled as I rubbed my thumb over her cheek. 

''You d-don't look sad, your eyes are all dreamy. Does that mean it's not m-ma-malignant?

''It's benign. You've got a grade 1 temporal lobe meningioma. Your stuttering isn't as bad.'' I reciprocated her growing smile.

''So, s-surgery? Where's the papers?'' I nodded and handed them to her. I handed her a pen and she signed on the line. 

''Since we fast-tracked your biopsy we can take you into surgery tomorrow. How's that sound?'' She nodded with a smile as I brought her hand to my lips. I kissed it gently. ''I love you, I can't lose you Meredith. The worst case scenarios have been playing through my mind since you collapsed in the OR. First, I thought it was alzhiemers, then when we found the tumour I thought it was cancer. I just- I can't lose you.''

''I don't want you to lose me. I'm just so grateful that it's nothing too serious. No cancer, no alzhiemers yet, no-''

''What do you mean 'yet'?'' I cut her off. 

''Well it's in my DNA. I have the gene, I'm gonna get it. You do know that, right?''

''You might not. Miracles happen, don't go all dark and twisty on me.''

''Oh! S-speaking of 'dark and twisty', can you p-please get me Cristina. Please?''

''Of course. Thank you for not dying.'' I kissed her one the lips before walking out of the room to find Cristina. 

Within minutes I found Cristina and directed her in Meredith's direction. 

Cristina's POV

''Hey!'' I said as I walked through the door of Mer's room.

''Hey! Meredith propped herself up straight and patted her hand on the bed next to her, indicating for me to sit there. I sat down