If I Lay Here {Book 1} - Grey's Anatomy AU

Deterioration of the Fight or Flight Response

Now she regrets making that decision.

Entering the hospital room, Mackenzie was absolutely horrified to see Izzie with a pair of scissors in her hand, Denny's LVAD wire cut in half, and hearing the dreadful flatline sound coming from Denny's monitor.

Izzie jumped and turned around, her eyes widening at the sight of the child in the room. "Ellie, get out! You don't need to see this."

"What did you do? You realize you could lose your medical license, right?! God, Izzie, what were you thinking?! You cut his LVAD wire," Mackenzie panicked.

"I did it so he could get bumped up the transplant list and get his new heart. I know what I'm doing, Ellie." Izzie assured. "Dr. Burke will be back any minute now with the heart.But you can't tell anyone — not your mom, not Addison, and definitely not Bailey or the chief. I mean it, okay? You can't tell another soul."

Mackenzie ran a hand through her hair. "I won't say anything, Izzie. But I hope you know that this could cost you in ways that you can't possibly predict. I just can't believe you were stupid enough to almost kill Denny so he could get a new heart."

The 11-year-old girl left, shaking her head in disappointment, anger, and shock at Izzie Stevens.

This just made today even crazier.

/ / /

Adele Webber pulls up a curtain in the E.R. to reveal Addison walking up.

"Addison! Thank you for meeting us."

Addison looked at the chief's wife. "You wanna tell me what's so important I'm keeping it secret from my Chief of Surgery?"

A young lady, Camille Travis, is on a hospital bed in full prom attire.

"I was chaperoning a prom for my niece. We had a little bit of a situation."

Addison reads the chart. "Camille Travis, 17, lost consciousness during sexual intercourse?"

"Oh, keep it down," Adele shushed.

Camille looks up at her aunt. "It's okay, Aunt Adele, I'm fine."

Adele tsked. "When your Uncle Richard finds out you were cashing in your V-card, none of us will be fine."

Two girls and a boy enter in their prom attire. Their names are Claire, Natalie, and Brian.

"Camille?" Claire asked.

Natalie sees Adele. "Mrs. Webber!"

"My God! Is she okay?" Claire questioned when she saw Camille.

Natalie starts to panic. "She has to be okay, right?"

"No one ever died from having sex, right?" Claire wondered.

Brian gulped when he saw Adele and Addison. "You're not going to tell my parents, right? I mean, I even used a condom and everything."

'I'm so glad that Mackenzie's not a teenager yet,' Addison thought to herself.

/ / /

Mackenzie found herself walking to a patient room after getting a page from Burke.

What she did not expect to see was Preston Burke lying in a hospital bed... looking like he'd just gotten out of surgery.

"Dr. Burke? I got your page. Are you okay?" Mackenzie asked gently and sat at his bedside.

Burke just gave her a tired smile. "I'm okay, Mackenzie. I just... I hope you don't mind staying with me for a little bit. I could use some of your amazing company."

Mackenzie let her eyes travel to his arm, staring at it for a minute or two. "You had surgery? Why did you need surgery, Dr. Burke?"

"It's nothing you need to worry about," Burke told her.

"I always worry about my friends, Dr. Burke. Please don't make me ask again. Just... just please tell me why you had to have surgery," Mackenzie pleaded softly.

Burke let out a sigh, knowing that he couldn't hide it from her. "I... I was shot."

Mackenzie felt her heart drop in her stomach. "You were... sh-shot?"

"Yes," the cardiothoracic surgeon confirmed. "I was shot. I had come back from Mercy West to check on Denny Duquette... and a man shot me. But I don't want you to worry, okay? I'm going to be fine. Your mother did an excellent job, and I'm very grateful for him operating on me."

Mackenzie nodded, also feeling grateful that Derek had operated on Burke.

Suddenly, Bailey entered the room. "Anything I can get for you, Dr. Burke?"

Burke shook his head at the resident. "No. I'm fine."

Bailey sighed. "Um, there... there must be something."

"It would be nice... to have some ice chips. And a touch of morphine if I'm allowed. And, uh... Cristina."

"Coming right up," Bailey said before she noticed something. "Where is Cristina? Where are... where are all of the suck-ups?"

Burke and Mackenzie both looked at Bailey. "Excuse me?"

"My interns. My ass kissing, surgery-hungry, competitive suck-ups. Where are they? Why aren't they here fetching you ice chips and morphine? Why aren't they here sucking up?" Bailey questioned.

She saw the knowing look on Burke's face, and immediately grew suspicious. "You know something."

"I'm a patient." Burke said.

"Preston Xavier Burke... what have you done with my suck-ups?"

Mackenzie was secretly relieved when Bailey left because she could take down her unreadable poker face.

But now Mackenzie feared what might happen if Bailey finds all of her 'suck-ups' and sees what Izzie's done.

/ / /

Much to Mackenzie's dismay... Bailey did find out.

Izzie got the worst of Bailey's wrath — being told she was no longer a doctor at Seattle Grace until Bailey believed she was.

Meredith, Cristina, and George were also receiving punishments from Bailey, but their punishments weren't as severe as Izzie's.

But by some miracle... Alex Karev had convinced Dr. Erica Hahn — a cardiothoracic surgeon from Seattle Presbyterian — to come to Seattle Grace and perform Denny's heart transplant surgery.

Now all they could do was wait and see.

/ / /

1177 words

Next Update:  Losing My Religion

*Still on the short side, but I did write a fair amount of drama. Also, next chapter is the final part of the season 2 finale! Have your box of tissues ready, and make sure to have 'Chasing Cars' on your playlist for the end of next chapter.*

Published:  8/26/2021