Izzie, hearing the door open, quickly let go of Casey.
They both looked at each other awkwardly, afraid they'd seen them. Still, that had not been the case.
Only Sam knew they were together, even if not yet as girlfriends.
- Elsa: "Case... Your exam results are already known. You'll have to rest in the next weeks..."
- Casey: "What do you mean?"
Doug remained silent, avoiding being the one to break the news. Elsa didn't knew how to say it so that Casey wouldn't lose her mind, but luckily for both parents Sam was there.
- Sam: "You have a serious injury to your left knee and you will have to stop training if you don't want to stop walking."
Casey's face had lost its color. Her eyes went dull. It was as a panic attack so intense it immobilized her.
Izzie felt her heart in her mouth. She kept thinking it was her fault.
A few seconds were enough to imagine all the scenarios she knew Casey had devised with her at UCLA.
- Casey: "What?"
Izzie, looking at her, interrupted:
- Izzie: "You will recover quickly. You won't have to stop for that long."
- Doug complementing with a hopeful look: "It's true. We all know your abilities. If there's anyone who has the strength to overcome an injury it's you."
- Izzie finally concluded: "Yes. Believe me. You'll be back soon."
Casey stared at the cold sheets covering her without any reaction.
When she managed to raise her head, she asked:
- Casey: "For how long...?"
- Doug: "It's not well known... It depends on you. You're going to have physical therapy sessions every day at home... You won't have to stay here. You're leaving today. You're just going to have to use crutches for now to give you some support."
Elsa had realized that the family's entry into the room had interrupted Casey and Izzie's conversation.
- She quietly suggested: "Doug, let's stay outside with Sam waiting for Casey. The doctors asked us to avoid taking too long."
The Gardner's left the room towards the exit.
Casey didn't look away from the window. Izzie pulled a chair to her side and sat down.
- Izzie: "Look at me. I know this is all my fault. Excuse me. I will be by your side ever single day. We will get over this together."
- Casey with a disappointed look: "I don't blame you. Of course it made no sense to me that you left that way, but you had no way of predicting that this would happen. I'm sad because I didn't want this to happen now but I'm going back to training and I'm definitely not giving up on UCLA. "
Izzie, looking at her with a tender smile, approached the stretcher again.
- Izzie: "It's your strength that makes you amazing."
Casey put her hand on Izzie's. Her fingers ran gently up her arm.
- Casey: "Do you remember where we were going when my family came in...?"
- Izzie with her roguish smile: "Hmmm I have a vague idea..." She got up. "Buuut we will continue later. Now the doctors are coming to get you out of here."
- Casey, grabbing her arm, pulled her back for another kiss: "Okay... But only because I doubt this stretcher could stand us..."
Izzie smiled and left the room to call the doctors.
