It's always been you, April Kepner

ellis

She's leaving home (part 2 of 2)
season 11 ep 23

🎵What Was I Made For-Billie Eilish🎵

"think I forgot, how to be happy"

~~~~~

New Year's Day

"Sir, I hear you saying that you have no answers, but I need you to have some damn answers!" Madelyn yells down the phone "That...." she slams the phone down in frustration, sinking into her seat as she does so

"Hey" Arizona says i'm a concerned tone closing the door behind her "Is everything okay?" she asks

"No, everything is not okay" Madelyn replies "She should never have gone. April should never have gone to a freaking combat zone"

"I know. I know it's hard" Arizona says taking a seat opposite the brunette

"It's not just hard. It's..."

"She lost a leg" Arizona says "You know, with everything that happened this past year with you and your baby, she...she lost a leg. And she's learning how to walk again and you...you have to let her do that"

"You know what. I am so sick of everyone pitying April for what happened to our baby, and then acting as if I didn't go through the exact same thing. So if she lost a leg then so did I, in fact I'd argue I lost both my legs trying to walk for the both of us, and then I lost my freaking arm because the world decided my brother just had to die too" Madelyn says "But guess what, I still get up every morning, I face everyday. I don't get to jump on a plane and fly halfway across the damn world so that all that April has left of me is some crappy memory of me yelling at her from a picture on a phone!"

"Wait. What happened?" Arizona asks

Madelyn sighs "We were talking, and then there was gunfire, a lot of it, and the call got cut off and I have not been able to get ahold of her since. I don't know where she is. And the last time I didn't know where someone was, it was because they were dead"

~~~~~

Madelyn is standing alone at a nurses station, trying to get through her paperwork,

"Hey" a voice says making her freeze for a moment before she turns to meet the redheads gaze "Sorry, I should've  called" April says as Madelyn searches for any sign that April was harmed in anyway "They ordered us out really suddenly and I was hopping planes and then I thought maybe I'd surprise you" April says walking towards Madelyn "But I can see by the look on your face-" April is cut off by the brunette who places her hand on Aprils jaw so she can pull her in for a kiss

"I don't think you realise how grateful I am to be able to do that" Madelyn says when they pull away

"Madelyn I-"

"April" Madelyn says cutting her off "Right now I don't want to do anything other than hold you in my arms and never let go, so please just let me do that"

"Okay" April nods "I'd like that" she says resting her head on Madelyn's chest as the brunette runs her fingers through the redheads hair

~~~~~

"Hey" Madelyn says standing in the doorway "Apparently i'm your emergency contact" she says

When Meredith smiles at her she takes that as her cue to walk over

"I had a baby" Meredith says

"I know" Madelyn smiles

"Derek is dead"

"I know" Madelyn whispers taking ahold of Mer's hand

"Baby's name is Ellis. Did you see her?" Mer asks "She's beautiful"

"I bet she looks just like you" Madelyn says

"She does" Mer replies "But she has those Shepherd eyes"

"Oh well, she's set for life then" Madelyn replies making the blonde chuckle

"I didn't think I could do it" Mer says "Part of me thought what if I have this baby and just die? And then she arrived and I saw her face and I saw him in her. She's beautiful"

-

"Come on Zozo, let's get bailey and your little sister settled in" Madelyn says walking into the house, knowing Meredith would need a moment alone

-

Nothing was normal. Nothing was the same. But, everyone is coping.

Meredith watches from the kitchen as Madelyn okay with Bailey and Zola. Her gaze only shifts when she sees Amelia walk unit the kitchen with baby Ellis.

The three women don't speak the loud part out loud, there's no need. But for now, the silence is comforting.