"Oh, baby's sleepin'. Oh," Bailey cooed over baby Bailey, holding him in her arms as Cristina took photographs, Arizona cooing at her side.
"Okay, we should get started. Um, Bailey, we have some board business that we need to disc-" Owen said. He, Meredith, Derek, Callie and Erin were around the rest of the room.
"I'm not going anywhere. Me and this baby got Bailey business to discuss. Don't we? Yes, Mr. Derek Bailey Shepherd. Yes, we do," Bailey cooed.
"What does Zola think of him?" Arizona asked.
"Oh, she wants to take him to day care for show and tell," Meredith said fondly.
"Where's Richard?" Derek said.
"I paged all the board members," Owen said.
"Well, Avery should be here, too," Derek said.
"Yeah, well, he was being a hero last night. He dislocated his shoulder saving a kid from the bus crash," Owen said. Erin rolled her eyes.
"Idiot," Erin said.
"What bus crash?" Meredith asked.
"She had a baby. She doesn't know things," Cristina said.
"So tell me," Meredith said.
"A church was evacuating some people, and their bus overturned," Erin said.
"Good news is, everyone survived, and there are no major injuries," Owen said.
"And the bad news?" Arizona asked.
"Everything else. The blood bank is flooded, and the ER looks like it was ransacked," Owen said.
"So, we need to close the ER?" Derek asked.
"We're dangerously low on meds. Personnel can't make it in due to the flooding," Owen said.
"So, we need to close the ER," Callie said.
"But can we do that?" Erin and Arizona asked.
"You are the board. I am telling you that ER cannot open today," Owen said firmly.
"What do we need? I mean, I can try to coordinate with our suppliers. I had a baby. I'm not dead," Meredith said.
"If they have it, then we want it. In the meantime, let's make sure that our inpatients are taken care of and discharge who we can," Owen said.
"Like me," Meredith said.
"No, you just had a major abdominal surgery. You're gonna stay right here," Erin said firmly.
"Alright, airport's just reopened. I just put Dr. Boswell in a cab," Jackson said, walking into the room with a sling on his shoulder.
"Who's Dr. Boswell?" Cristina asked.
"She's the woman who flew in for that surgery with Avery and me," Arizona said.
"She definitely had a crush on Arizona," Jackson chuckled. Erin raised an eyebrow at the two of them. "Well, it's not like Arizona flirted back. Duh," he said awkwardly.
"I told her I was very happily engaged with a little boy at home, and then stuck her with someone else," Arizona said.
"Good," Erin said. "Let's make arrangements for closing the ER, then," Erin said, clapping her hands. Everybody else nodded, getting back to business.
"Erin! Erin!" Meredith shouted as Erin ran past her room, arms heavy with medication, gauze pads and chest tubes.
"Wilson, take these," Erin shouted as Wilson ran down the hallway. Wilson took them and Erin hurried into Meredith's room.
"What's going on?" Meredith asked.
"So, Richard and Brooks got electrocuted. Ross found them in the basement. Bailey and Cristina are with Richard and Derek and Ross are with Brooks. I'll text you as soon as I know anything else but there was a massive mudslide and we've got most of the traumas here," Erin said.
"Text me," Meredith said.
"I will," Erin nodded, hurrying back out of the room to get back to the ER.
"Did I do the right thing?" Meredith asked Erin that night. Erin was sat on the couch in Meredith's hospital room, holding baby Bailey in her arms as Zola and Archie slept beside her, slumped against each other with their hands still firmly holding the dolls they'd been playing with before falling asleep.
"You did," Erin said. "He made you his power of attorney for a reason and that was to make these decisions. His lactate was nine. He had to go in," Erin said.
"You're right. I made the right decision," Meredith sighed. "How's the fiancée?" she asked.
"In surgery," she said. "Will be for hours," Erin said.
"So, you're done for the night?" Meredith asked.
"I'm all yours, Mermaid," Erin smiled. "Well, it's likely that I'll fall asleep, but I'll be here with you," she said.
"Thanks, Erin," Meredith chuckled.
"You think he put you in his will?" Cristina said, turning to look at Meredith. "Or you?" Cristina looked at Erin. "I mean, baby complex. Of course you're in it," she shrugged. Erin snorted.
"No," Meredith and Erin said.
"Next of kin. Maybe you get the house," Cristina said. Erin and Alex chuckled.
"I have a house," Meredith said.
"Well, you can give me his house. I mean, I could use a house," Cristina said.
"You live in my house with me," Erin rolled her eyes.
"He's not our father," Meredith motioned to herself and Erin. "We've been telling him this for years. He just feels guilty because he busted up our parents' marriage. That's not our problem," Meredith said.
"It is now," Alex smirked.
"Yeah, I mean, sticking me with his end of life care... doesn't ask, doesn't give me an out... That's real love," Meredith said.
"Well, it sounds like family to me," Alex snorted.
"Maybe he is your father," Cristina said.
"Banged your mom enough," Alex said.
"Did they know each other before you were born?" Cristina asked.
"They met when I was 3," Meredith said. Erin snorted.
"Mm-hmm. Yeah. That's what they told you," Alex said.
"Well, if they met just after you turned three, Erin could be his. Your birthdays are days apart so if they got busy pretty quick, they could've made Erin," Cristina said. Erin laughed.
"They met a few weeks after I was born," she said.
"Never mind, then," Cristina sighed.
"I gotta get back to the ER," Alex said, putting his magazine down and leaving the room.
"I should go and check on Archie and Zola in daycare," Erin said, blowing a kiss at Meredith before leaving the room to go and check on the kids.
"This whole storm has made a mess," Erin yawned, pulling her hair up into a ponytail as she sat in Meredith's room.
"I know," Meredith sighed.
"Derek said he'd take Archie home with Zola so I can help pick up anything the interns forget, now they're having the rest of the night off for Brooks," Erin said.
"Are you okay? Derek mentioned Arizona's parents are flying in, soon," Meredith said.
"I'm kind of freaking out but, I mean, we're getting married in a few weeks and the adoption papers for Archie were sent off yesterday so it's hardly like we can take it all back if they don't like me, but then I'm stuck with in-laws who despise me," Erin said.
"They'll never hate you," Meredith chuckled. "Have you told her yet?" Meredith asked.
"Told her what?" Erin said.
"Uh," Meredith trailed off. Erin frowned, turning around to see Arizona stood in the doorway with Derek behind her, Archie and Zola on their hips.
"We just brought the kids to say goodnight," Derek said.
"Told me what?" Arizona asked.
"I was asking that myself," Erin said, looking back at Meredith. Meredith made a face.
"I'm sorry," she said.
"Tell me what?" Arizona said. Erin looked at Arizona and then back at Meredith. Meredith made a face and Erin knew exactly what she was talking about.
"Oh. That. No, I haven't," Erin said.
"Tell me what?" Arizona said.
"I'll tell you when the babies are gone," Erin said, scooping Archie into her arms. "Be good for uncle Derek, okay?" she said.
"Okay," Archie yawned.
"And play nice with Zola. I don't want any fighting," Erin said.
"I know," Archie said.
"Okay. I love you," Erin said.
"I love you, mama," Archie said. He leaned in and kissed Erin's cheek. She chuckled and kissed Zola's forehead before handing Archie to Derek, as well.
"You okay with the two of them?" she said.
"Yeah," Derek said. Erin nodded.
"Thank you," she said.
"Be good, little man," Arizona said.
"I will," Archie said.
"Mama is gonna go and clean up a mess but I will see you tomorrow," Erin said.
"Okay," Archie smiled. Erin took Arizona's hand and led her into an on-call room.
"Tell me what?" she said.
"I got genetically mapped. I got Archie done, too. I was gonna tell you, I was, but the results I got weren't good so I didn't want to say anything and then there was all of the drama with Bailey and the staph infection so it got shoved to the back of my mind," Erin said.
"What results?" Arizona frowned.
"I have the markers for early onset Alzheimer's. Archie doesn't, he's gonna be fine, but I might not be. Meredith has them, too. They're just maybes but my mom got it so the chances are, we will, too," Erin said.
Arizona's face dropped and Erin looked down, feeling tears in her eyes.
"I didn't want to tell you because I'm terrified that you're gonna walk out and leave me so you don't have to deal with me getting sick down the line but I wanted to because I love you and I couldn't marry you without telling you the truth. If you don't want to do this anymore, Arizona, this is your out," Erin said.
"What?" Arizona said. Erin looked back up at her.
"If you don't want to do this anymore, this is your out. I'm gonna get sick. I'm gonna get sick and I'm gonna forget who you are and who Archie is and who any other kids we have are. I'm gonna lose my mind and you're gonna watch me disappear twice, once when I lose my mind and again when I actually go. It killed me to see my mom go through that so if you don't want to do this, I get it. If you want to walk away, you can," Erin said.
Arizona stared at her with wide eyes, those blue eyes burning into Erin's own green eyes. A tear slid down Arizona's cheek and she shook her head.
"Erin," she said, voice thick with tears.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. Arizona opened her mouth to talk but Erin shook her head. "Look, this is a lot. It's a lot to think about. I should've told you earlier but I am so scared that you are gonna take the out. So, I'm gonna let you think. Take as long as you need and then let me know what you want to do. I'll go and stay with Archie tonight and you call me as soon as you know," Erin said.
"Erin," she said again. She shook her head and kissed Arizona softly. Her hands brushed against Erin's hips and she stepped back.
"Take as long as you need. And, even if you want an out, you're not gonna lose Archie. He's yours, too, even if he's not biologically," Erin said. She turned and left the room before she could say anything else.
She walked down the hallway to Meredith's room again.
"I'm gonna go home to your place for the night," Erin said. Cristina, Alex and Meredith looked at her.
"Did she take it badly?" Meredith asked, noticing the tears on Erin's cheeks.
"I told her to think about what she wanted and let me know. I left before she could say anything," Erin said.
"Robbins loves you. A possibility of a disease isn't gonna change that," Alex said.
"I know. I just... It might change that. I'm gonna go," she said.
"Want me to come with you?" Cristina offered.
"No, stay," Erin said. "I'm okay. Promise," she said.
"Call me if you need anything," Meredith said. Erin nodded.
She left the room, swinging by the resident's lounge to grab her things. She got changed into her jeans and t-shirt, tugging her leather jacket on and walking down the hallway. She could hear talking coming from the intern locker room and she opened the door, smiling weakly when she saw Leah, Stephanie and Jo all drinking from plastic cups.
"I see Alex gave you guys our secret stash of booze," she said. They all looked at her.
"Yeah," Jo said. "Are you okay? Is Dr. Webber okay?" she asked.
"He's okay. Meredith's sending him back into surgery later," Erin said.
"So, are you okay?" Stephanie asked.
"I will be," Erin said.
"Is this Heather?" Leah asked.
"No," Erin shook her head. "This isn't Heather. I'm going home. I'm sorry for your loss," she said. They nodded and Erin turned, walking down the hallway.
"Hey, wait," Jo said. Erin stopped, waiting for Jo to join her halfway down the hallway. "Are you okay? Real talk," she said.
"I'm fine, Wilson," Erin said. Jo raised her eyebrows. "Okay, maybe I'm not, but it's not something I want to get in to when your friend just died," Erin said. "I'm gonna have the window fixed tomorrow, by the way, so you can go home soon," Erin said.
"Are you sure? You can talk if you need to," Jo offered. Erin shook her head.
"Not for you to worry about. Go and wait for Brooks' mom. I'm going home," Erin said.
"I'm here when you're ready," Jo said.
"Thanks, Wilson," Erin said, turning and walking away from her.
"Hey, what are you doing here?" Callie asked as Erin walked into Meredith and Derek's house. She had offered to stay with Derek for a few days until Meredith came home, to help him manage Zola by giving her a playmate.
"Avoiding my fiancée while she decides if she wants to marry into my fucked up genes and reproduce with them or not," Erin said, flopping down on the couch beside her. She took the wine and swigged it.
"Why?" Callie asked.
"Because I have Alzheimer's markers so I told her if she wanted an out, she could have one and I wouldn't hold it against her," Erin said.
The doorbell rang and Erin groaned, standing up. She walked to the front door and opened it, raising her eyebrows when she saw Arizona stood there.
"I told you-" she started.
"I don't care what genes you have," Arizona said, stepping inside. "I don't care if you're gonna get Alzheimer's or if you're not, if you're gonna get cancer or Parkinson's or any other freaking disease on the planet. I don't care because that will not change the way I feel about you. I am in love with you, Erin. I need you to understand that you telling me this won't change that or the fact that I'm gonna spend the rest of my life loving you," she said.
"Alzheimer's will ruin me," Erin mumbled.
"I don't want an out," Arizona said firmly. Erin nodded.
"Okay," she said.
"Okay?" Arizona said. Erin nodded, stepping forward and kissing her.
"I wanted you to have the option. This is a lot," she said.
"It's a maybe. You might not get it and even if you do, I'm gonna be there to look after you," Arizona said.
"Thank you," Erin whispered.
"Are we staying here tonight?" she said.
"Yeah. The new window is being fitted tomorrow so we're in my room," Erin laughed. Arizona smiled and closed the front door.
"Torres, what are we drinking?" she said, noticing the bottle of wine Callie was already drinking from to recover from the lack of sleep the storm caused.
"Anything to help me forget my best friend died on me and left me to raise my kid alone," Callie said.
"Challenge accepted," Arizona and Erin said, making their way to the kitchen to find some alcohol.
Erin sighed as she and Archie stared at the interns asleep on the living room floor.
"No beds?" Archie asked.
"Well, there's the spare bedroom they could've stayed in, and we just got two new couches. Why the floor?" Erin said.
"I don't know," Archie shrugged, slipping his thumb in his mouth. He looked up at Erin. "Breakfast?" he said.
"Yeah, what do you want?" Erin asked, leading him to the kitchen and putting on coffee for when everybody woke up.
"Pizza?" Archie said. Erin raised her eyebrows.
"Pizza?" she repeated.
"Yeah," Archie said.
"You know what, I'm not gonna fight with a toddler at six in the morning. Sure. What pizza?" she asked, opening the fridge to get the pizza boxes from last night's dinner.
"Pony pizza," Archie said. Erin put a slice of pepperoni on a plate and cut it into easy sized squares, sitting Archie in his highchair and putting the plate in front of him.
"Pizza for breakfast?" Jo groaned, walking into the kitchen with Leah, Stephanie and Shane following like zombies.
"If you want it. Coffee's ready," Erin said, getting out cups for herself, Arizona, Cristina, Alex and the four interns.
"You're a godsend," Stephanie groaned, pouring all eight cups.
"You like your pizza, Archie?" Jo asked, sitting beside him and stealing a square.
"Love it," Archie nodded, pulling a piece of pepperoni off to eat it.
"Morning," Arizona yawned, walking into the kitchen. She kissed Archie's forehead and then Erin's, grabbing a slice of pizza.
"Morning," Erin said. She checked her watch. "Okay, we're leaving in twenty minutes so nobody is late. Get your shit together," Erin said.
"You got it," Leah mumbled, sipping her coffee with a yawn.
"Erin?" Jo crept over to Erin as she got coffee from the coffee man.
"You want coffee?" Erin said. Jo nodded. "Another coffee, please, Tom," she said.
"You got it," Tom smiled, pouring another coffee. Erin paid and he handed the other coffee to Jo.
"What's up, Wilson?" she said, the two of them moving to sit on a bench.
"Why won't Alex have sex with me?" she said. Erin choked on her coffee.
"Okay," she coughed. "Alex isn't having sex with you because Brooks died a week ago and you've got your little friends over every night. He's being respectful," she said.
"I'm running out of sexy underwear. I'm literally wearing my last pair and it's so exhausting to groom myself every day on the off chance he might stick his hand in my hands," Jo groaned.
"Well, just put your washing in the washing basket in the bathroom and they'll get washed," Erin frowned.
"Who actually does the washing at your house?" Jo asked.
"I don't know. I put it into the basket and a few days later, it's done. I just sort it into rooms," Erin shrugged. "But, hey, if you want to have sex, tell him. He's only being nice because he thinks it's what you need. If you want sex, get your sex," she said.
"I'm gonna do it," Jo nodded.
"Tonight?" Erin said.
"Yeah," Jo nodded.
"I think I'm gonna take my baby out for a while before we come home, then," Erin smiled. Jo blushed slightly. "It's fine, Wilson. I still have to pick out a wedding dress before Meredith insists on making me one herself, so I should do that," she said.
"Oh, what style are you gonna pick?" Jo asked.
"I have no idea," Erin laughed. She stood up. "I have to get back to work but I'll text Alex and let him know when we'll be home," she said.
"Thank you, Erin," Jo said. Erin smiled and walked away to get back to work.
"Erin!" someone called as Erin hurried towards the outpatient surgery wing where Jackson and Owen had paged her.
"Meredith? Derek? You guys are meant to be at home! Where's my nephew?" she asked her sister and brother-in-law.
"He's with Bailey," Derek said.
"I came to give Richard his damn feeding tube," Meredith said.
"Yeah, I tried and he just ignored me until I left," Erin shrugged.
"You guys got paged, too?" Cristina said, hurrying over with Arizona on one side of her, Callie on the other.
"What happened to this guy?" Erin said.
"Apparently everything," Callie said. She opened the door to the outpatient surgery wing, revealing Owen and Jackson stood around a table and chairs.
"It worked. I cannot believe that that worked," Owen said to Jackson, who smiled happily.
"Of course it did," he said.
"Uh, okay. Where's the trauma?" Callie asked.
"There's no trauma. This is a meeting of the board," Owen said.
"There's no trauma?" Meredith asked.
"A meeting about what?" Arizona said.
"We're gonna have a party," Owen said.
"Is this... is this a trauma meeting or a party?" Cristina asked.
"I'm so confused," Meredith said.
"I'm so tired," Derek groaned.
"We're gonna have a party, folks," Owen smiled cheerfully.
"A big one. Gala fund-raiser. We're gonna invite the richest people that we know, and we are gonna charm the money out of them. But first, Dr. Hunt is gonna tell us exactly how much money we need and where it needs to go, starting with what used to be this room," Jackson said.
"So... let's settle in. This is gonna take a while," Owen said, motioning to the table. They all slowly sat down.
"You do realise we're planning a wedding right now, too, right? We still have to get outfits and arrange the menu and the seating and-" Erin started, motioning to herself and Arizona.
"April is arranging all of that as we speak. She said she'll send over the options tonight, you'll pick what you two want for the menus and the seating and then she'll book the outfit fittings for next week, when we all have Wednesday or Thursday off. You two have both, because I pulled some strings with Owen, so you can approve every outfit for everybody. I have it all sorted," Jackson said.
"Wow, you really want this party," Erin laughed.
"We need this party," Jackson said.
"Let's plan it, then," Arizona said.