Stitches of Life

Time After Time

"But if my face looks completely different, then what good would pictures do?" Ava asked, confused.

"I was able to maintain aspects of your bone structure, so your face bears some similarities to your old face, plus, your hair and your eyes are the same." Sloan pointed out.

"You think- Do you really think someone might recognize me?" Ava looked to Alex, having bonded with him since we was the one that I had found her and brought her back to the hospital.

"I think you should smile." Alex raised the camera again to take another picture, this time with her smiling.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Do you know what's going on?" George asked me as he glanced over at where Izzie was standing in the hallway, looking as though she were about to be sick or something.

"No." I shook my head as Bailey walked over to us, setting a few charts in front of George. "Okay, discharge beds one and three. Two needs a social worker. Hold this down for me, O'Malley. I'm gonna be out for a while. Watley, you're with me."

"Why?" George asked. "What's going on with Izzie?"

"What's going on with Stevens is none of your concert. What is your concern? Sick people- all these sick people- until I get back. Understand?" Bailey told him. "Come on, Watley."

"Dr. Bailey, just did a consult in trauma one." Meredith stopped Bailey and I before we could get out into the hall. "The guy has a perf. Can I scrub in?"

"No, you cannot scrub in. Uh, you're here with O'Malley for now." Bailey shook her head before she continued out into the hall as I followed behind her.

"Izzie, are you okay?" I asked my friend once we reached her, confused as to what was going on.

"It's Hannah." She told me, her voice uneven. My brows furrowed together for a moment, trying to remember who Hannah was. After a second, though, it hit me. "She's here."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Hannah is in there right now?" Izzie asked as she, Bailey, and I stood outside the cancer wing of the hospital, where Hannah was staying, having been admitted with acute myeloid leukemia.

"She is." Bailey nodded as Izzie took a seat in one of the chairs. I glanced at Bailey before she and I sat down on either side of Izzie. "You see her, you'll know what to do. Must be nice to know she has parents like this, who fight for her, think about what she wants, try to make her happy like you would've. Doesn't mean you don't want that girl to want you."

"Yeah," Izzie gave a small nod as I herd a door slid open and I looked over to see two people walking out of Hannah's room, from the way Izzie perked up at the sight of them I knew that they were Hannah's adoptive parents, the Kleins. We all got to our feet as they walked over to us, Bailey and I standing a couple feet behind Izzie as she faced the couple."

"I'm..." Mrs. Klein trailed off, glancing at her husband before she looked back at Izzie. "She's so, so tired."

"We left it up to Hannah, and, uh, she's just not ready." Mr. Klein said. "I'm sorry."

"We don't want to force it." Mrs. Klein added. "Maybe another time?"

"When she's feeling better." Mr. Klein nodded in agreement with his wife.

"No, of course." Izzie nodded. "I understand."

"I'm sorry, but... the transplant?" Mr. Klein asked.

"Izzie." I spoke up when my friend stayed quiet. I watched as she turned around and walked back over to Bailey and I, tears in her eyes.

"Hey, look at me." Bailey whispered to her. "Look at me. You girl... you can want her to want you all day long, but she has to be here if she's ever gonna have that chance again."