❝𝐅𝐎𝐎𝐋'𝐒 𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃❞ ɢʀᴇʏ·s ᴀɴᴀᴛᴏᴍʏ

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.

"I think you should go to a psychologist," Izzie's voice startles her from beside her one morning.

Maddox lifts her head from the array of cakes on the table. The brunette knows it's Burke who set all that up, because Cristina would be incapable of getting involved like that even at her own wedding. The news still surprise her, but at least the cakes are delicious. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"You died for a few moments on a gurney with your organs frozen a few days ago and you're already back to work, not to mention saying you knew Meredith could be saved because you saw her in a strange dream."

"Why are you saying this to me and not Mer? My mother didn't die the same day I did and I did come back to life, and yet I'm back at work."

Izzie scoffs. "We already know she's dark and twisted. You're supposed to be the sane one," the blonde sits down in front of her, grabbing a slice of vanilla cake. "Oh, and I can go on. You have obvious mommy issues dating Addison —Dr. Montgomery," Izzie quickly corrects herself, bringing the plastic spoon to her mouth.

This elicits a gasp from Maddox. "I don't have mommy issues, I love my mom very much. You're just jealous that you don't have your own attending."

Izzie seems to think about it and blinks a couple of times. "Yeah, that may be true. I'm just saying that because I care, you know? You've had a lot happen to you in the last few months and you seem to be recovering well. I know you had a hard time with George's father dying, and the bomb inside that man, and now dying and coming back to life. I just worry that you don't think about yourself as much as you should," Maddox chews her piece of pie slowly, as if reflecting on the comment. However, Izzie adds something quickly and causes Maddox to dismiss her thoughts just as quickly. "I can call the psych ward for you."

"Call the psych ward for what?" Cristina's voice interrupts their conversation, and the smile freezes on Izzie's lips. Meredith, Alex and George enter right after her, all except for Cristina diving in to sample the pies Burke has brought.

"I'm just crazy about the red velvet cake," Maddox dissembles, winking at Cristina.

"What are you all doing here?" Bailey frowns, bursting into the room. "You have exams coming up, you should be studying. You'll appreciate not repeating your intern year. Now, now. Grey, Yang, go study. O'Malley and Stevens, to the clinic. Easton and Karev, go with Ava."

Alex motions to protest, but Maddox stops him before Bailey can see or hear him. "What's wrong with you?"

"What do you mean?" Alex frowns.

"You and Jane Doe. One day you're staying with her all night, encouraging her to pick a new forever face, creating all these inspirational stories, and suddenly you don't even want to see how she's doing? You're weird."

"Weird? She yelled at me saying it's not Ava, when the family who came to pick up her daughter said it wasn't her. I tried to help her, but it's clear to me that I never should have because that's the only response I get."

"Try to understand how she feels. Her life changed all of a sudden. A baby, a new face, no family, no husband in sight. Now she's alone, you're all she's known these days, so it's normal for her to blow up at you when things don't go as planned. I'm sure she's sorry," Maddox tries to reason.

"Could you just —go in by yourself?" asks Alex, exasperated. "You owe me. For being annoying and trying to be my psychologist when you're the one who clearly needs it," the boy heads for the nurses' desk, away from Ava's gaze in the room, avoiding entering her field of vision.

"I don't need one!" Maddox shouts behind him, catching the attention of the staff around her. He clears her throat, trying to hide inside Ava's room. "Good morning. How was your night?"