7.11
Disarm
Derek grumpily made his way into the kitchen and made his cereal with a deep scowled fixed to his face. He had a horrible night sleeping on the couch as he was greeted by the sight of Meredith and a stranger in bed. The others told him that the stranger was Meredith's childhood friend.
"Rough night?" Jackson queried as he made himself coffee.
"Slept on the couch. How do you think that went?" Derek rhetorically replied.
Jackson chuckled. "Oh, I heard, you got kicked out of your bed."
"Who is she? And, where did she come from?" Derek frowned while eating his cereal.
A voice interrupts. "I'm Aurora and I came from Switzerland. If that helps answer your questions." Aurora awkwardly smiled before making herself a coffee.
"Aurora and I are childhood friends. We have known each other since we were babies." Meredith explained.
"Well, it's nice to meet you Aurora." Derek replied. "I'm Derek."
"I know. You're McDreamy. You know Mer, I kinda see it now. Cristina was wrong." Aurora said, sipping her coffee.
Derek raised his eyebrow. "What has Cristina said about me?"
"Oh, just something like McBastard or McBoring." Aurora retorted. Just as she finished her sentence the rest of the sentence, the other members of the house came into the kitchen.
They sat in silence as Aurora gave an amused but awkward look to Meredith.
"Stop staring." Meredith said as everyone diverted their attention.
"What's happening?" Alex strolled into the kitchen. "Oh, coffee." He said happily taking Aurora's coffee, causing her to slap his arm.
"Go ahead." Aurora told, causing everyone to look at her. "Ask me whatever questions you have in your mind."
"What's your full name?" April asked with her perky voice.
"Aurora Rose Bianchi." She replied.
"Rose is her middle name." Meredith interjected.
"What do you do?" Lexie asked.
"I'm a surgical resident at the hospital in Switzerland." Aurora replied.
"What are you going to specialise in?" Derek asked curiously.
"Most probably pediatric surgery or cardio. I'm still not sure." Aurora replied.
"Why don't you work at Seattle Grace Mercy West?" Jackson asked.
"I was originally going to do my internship here but then I got an offer from a hospital in France so I decided to go there instead." Aurora replied.
"How old are you?" April asked as she ate her breakfast.
"I'm 28. 2 and a half years, basically 3 years younger than Mer." Aurora answered.
"She's a baby." Alex said while he drank Aurora's coffee.
Aurora looked at him with an annoyed expression. "I'm not a baby."
"You sure do look like one." Alex snorted.
"Well, you sure do look like a pig." Aurora responding, Meredith looking at her proudly, as the other laugh at the look on Alex's face. His smirk fell from his face.
"How long are you here?" Derek asked causing Meredith to glare at him. "What? I need to know how long I'll be sleeping on the couch."
Aurora laughed. "I'm here for another week but don't worry I'm not staying here. I have a hotel room booked."
"Anyways, if that's all, I'm going to leave because I have to meet Cristina." Aurora spoke before grabbing her coat. Everyone shook her head and she said bye and left.
________
Cristina and Aurora walked along the streets of Seattle into the unknown
"This map does not make sense." Aurora whined her and Cristina stared at the map like a difficult maths problem. "How about we ask him?" She pointed to a man with a bicycle.
They walked up to him and Cristina asked, "Excuse me. Can you direct us to the Space Needle?"
The man looked up from his bike. "It's your, uh, first time in Seattle, huh?"
The girls look at each other awkwardly. "Um... sure, okay." Cristina replied.
"You're just gonna want to west on Union about eight blocks or so, then you turn north and you should..." The man explained but paused as a couple of ambulances drove by with the loud sirens. "Must be a bad accident."
"Yeah, it looks pretty bad." Amara comment to the man. Cristina held her arm as she followed the direction of the sirens.
The man called out. "Hey, that's not west. You're going the wrong way." Aurora just look at Cristina confused but followed her lead.
________
Cristina and Aurora arrived at the school where the shooting had occurred. They saw kids being taken into ambulances.
Aurora notices Cristina looking at one of the patients. She looks at Cristina who moved to help a patient and Aurora rushed to help the paramedics.
"I'm a surgeon, I can help." She exclaimed to the paramedics.
________
The surgeons of Seattle Grace Mercy West watch as the ambulances pile in. Derek and Meredith ran towards the second ambulance that arrives.
"What do you have?" Derek asked as the doors of the ambulance opened causing them to see Aurora inside. Meredith looked confused. "Aurora?"
"Professor John Sturgeon, 48, fell out a fourth-story window, has an open skull fracture and a blown pupil." Aurora explained as she help get the gurney out of the ambulance.
"He fell?" Derek asked confused.
"He helped a dozen kids out the window and up onto the roof, then he tried to go himself and slipped." The EMT replied.
Nobody notices the new presence around as they are occupied by the incoming ambulances.
"Where's Cristina?" Aurora asked Meredith.
"Cristina's here?" Derek asked confused.
"One minute we were trying to find the space shuttle and the next we are following the ambulances." Aurora replied as she pushed the gurney inside the ER. "She got on one of the ambulances."
"He's herniating. Get him to the front of the line, get him to the OR!" He announced out loudly, Meredith and Aurora pushed the gurney towards the OR.
________
Meredith informed as she walked into the room. "Intracranial pressure's getting higher. Are we doing a craniectomy or a craniotomy?"
"Craniectomy is our best bet."
"Can I scrub in?" Aurora asked.
Meredith looked at Derek expectantly as his blue eyes glanced at the brunette who was like a stranger. "Yes."
Aurora jumped happily before situating herself beside Meredith and started to scrub in. Meredith looked beside her and smiled at Aurora which Derek noticed.
Suddenly, the scrub room door opened and the face of a nurse appeared. "Dr. Shepherd?"
"Yes?" He asked, glancing at the nurse.
"The Professors wife just arrived. Can someone speak to her?" The nurse said causing Meredith to look over.
"I'll go. I'll be quick." Meredith said as she dried her hands off and ran out, leaving Aurora and Derek in complete awkward silence.
"You can trust me." Aurora said, causing Derek to shoot a confused look.
"I know you don't know me but you can trust me in the OR." Aurora replied.
Derek looked at her. "I guess we will find out." He said nonchalantly.
________
Aurora helped Meredith suction and clean the brain as Derek worked. Meredith and Derek talk as Aurora quietly suctions. "Well, I'm going to go update the wife."
Derek looked up annoyed by the actions of Meredith. She seemed to be more interested in updating the wife than spending time in the OR.
The husband and wife argue until Derek reluctantly lets his wife go. Aurora bites the inside of her cheek as she watches Meredith walk outside of the OR.
She wants to defend Meredith but she knows it's not her place.
"Do you have anything to say?" Derek asked, glancing over at her annoyed. First of all, he was annoyed. His wife who is a surgeon seems to be more interested in updating the wife. Second, he's next to this person who is a stranger in his eyes. The person who came out of nowhere and seems too secretive.
________
Dr. Yang and Dr. Altman watch as he few of the scrub nurses and Jackson leave the OR. Cristina knows that they need all the help.
"Somebody get me Aurora." Cristina announced. "She'll be with Dr. Grey." Teddy looked up confused but restricts herself from asking any questions.
They continue to work on the man until Aurora bursts into the OR.
"You asked for me?" Aurora said as walked inside the OR.
"We are down some people. This man on the table is the suspected shooting. You can stay but if you want to leave you can. The choice is all yours." Cristina informed.
"I'll stay." Aurora replied.
_______
After all the surgeons finished their work, they entered the only gallery that was open. They watched as Cristina was finally back into the OR.
"Thirty-seven degrees." Cristina announced.
Teddy Altman replied. "Should be any minute now."
The three looked at the heart expecting it to beat again. Dr. Altman tapped the heart. The heart started beating once again. Aurora looked at Cristina proud.
Aurora looked up into the gallery and saw the surgeons with tears in their eyes but laughing.
Back in the gallery, Richard looked into the OR only to see a third unknown surgeon.
"Who's the other girl?" He asked confused.
"Oh, you'll see." Meredith replied smiling.
A moment after, the Chief turned to Arizona, who stood next to the door. "I was holding a grudge. I can hire you back. But you're gonna have to work under Stark." He walked out of the room after
Cristina and Aurora walked out of the OR with smiles on their faces.
"You're back!" Aurora exclaimed happily, throwing her arms and pulling her curly hair woman into a hug.
"No, you're back?" Cristina noted, after pulling over from the hug.
"Only for a week." Aurora told Cristina who makes a face.
"That's not long." Cristina said.
"I know, I know but it's the best I could get." Aurora replied. "I missed you."
They walk towards the nurse's stations where all the other surgeons stood. They applauded Cristina for completing surgery and being back in the OR.
"Congratulations!" They said.
"Good to have you back Yang." Richard commented. "Now why didn't anyone tell me my niece was here?" He said looking at Meredith. Mark looks at Aurora with wide eyes remembering that she was the girl he slept with.
"There was a trauma." Meredith retorted.
"It's good to see you." Richard said pulling the young girl into a hug. She replied. "You too."
"How do you guys know each other?" Jackson Avery asked, recognising the girl, causing everyone to look at him. "We all know you guys were thinking the same."
"Her mother was a surgeon who worked with Ellis and me." Richard replied nonchalantly.
"Wait, so you and Meredith grew up together." Arizona Robbins asked.
"Yes." Aurora and Meredith said simultaneously.
"This is Owen. Mark. Callie and Arizona." Meredith introduced as Aurora gave them a kind smile.
"Well, drinks on me for a successful day." Owen said as the group of surgeons made their way to Joe's.
"Please don't tell me that Mark is McSteamy." Aurora pleaded to Cristina.
Cristina looked at her face and made a shocked face. "You slept with him."
"It was my first night here and I was lonely." Aurora admitted.
"You're like Meredith three years ago." Cristina said.
"I didn't mean to. Well, I did but if I knew that was Mer's sister's boyfriend, I wouldn't have." She stressed with wide eyes.
"Oh calm down, Pumpkin. They didn't even start dating till yesterday." Cristina hushed. "I'm going to Joe's. Now, go do what you came here to do." Cristina encouraged, knowing that Aurora doesn't show up unannounced if it was for no reason.
Aurora builds up some courage and walks towards Mer and Richard.
"Can I talk to you?" Aurora asked Meredith and Richard. They both nod and take her to the conference room to talk. Cristina notices this and looks at them suspiciously before following the others.
"It's great to see you in Seattle." Richard happily said. "Now, please tell me you want to complete residency here. I'm sure Tony and Savannah would agree with me. You should tell them to give me a call, I haven't spoken to them in ages."
"Uncle Richard." Aurora said causing him to stop his rant.
"Pumpkin, what's wrong?" Meredith asked concerned for her person. She knew something was bad had happened from the moment she saw her face.
Aurora takes a deep breath. "Earlier this week Mom and Dad were coming back home from a date. They didn't notice the truck that was coming towards them." She explained as tears came into both Meredith and Richard's eyes.
She continued. "Dad died on the spot and Mom is on a ventilator. Her will states that she will be taken off the ventilator after 30 days and her organs should be donated." She blinked away the tears building up in her eyes as she looks at the table not being able to meet their eyes.
"That's why you came back." Meredith stated.
"You, Meredith, became close with my parents. And, Richard, you guys were really good friends. I had to tell you. I'm sorry." She said as a tear fell from her eye.
"You shouldn't be sorry." Richard said speaking for the first time. "It wasn't your fault."
Meredith just looks at Aurora and holds her tears knowing she has to be strong for her. She grabs her hand and holds it showing her support.
_______
Meredith walked into her house and placed her coat on the rack. She saw Lexie, Jackson, Alex, and April watching surgical tapes.
She walked inside her bedroom and saw Derek flipping through a magazine. "You know you've never really mentioned an Aurora before."
Derek looked up from the magazine after he received no response. He saw that Meredith was sitting as she leaned against the door.
"What's wrong?" He asked walking towards her. Meredith wraps her arms around him as she lets down a few tears. They lay in bed until Meredith falls asleep.
Derek decides to go to Joe's after what happened with Meredith. He walked inside the bar to see Aurora. She's the person who walked in and changed a lot. He could feel his frustration and anger.
"Who are you? You come out of nowhere and cause all this chaos. I get it you're Meredith's best friend but where were you? And why are you back? Did you know that Meredith cried herself to sleep?" Derek spoke with anger causing Aurora to look at him abruptly.
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to make her cry-" Aurora apologised.
Derek interjected. "You aren't sorry though. You weren't there for Meredith. Where were you? Where were you when Meredith was at the bombing? When she almost drowned? When she lost her mother? When she lost her friends?" He exploded.
Aurora pushed her drink towards Derek as he drank it in silence.
"When the bombing occurred, I was going to come but a good patient mine's had to go into surgery. When she drowned, a few days before the hospital I worked at had a lockdown." Aurora trailed off as Derek's eyes go wide.
"We had prisoners who got loose because they stabbed their guards. The reason why they did that was because they wanted to kill a prison guard who was in surgery. I was in the OR when the lockdown happened and it turned out that one of the prisoners got inside the OR. She grabbed a scalpel and successfully stabbed the patient about 4-5 times and it stabbed me." Aurora reveals causing him to feel guilty for his actions.
"So, believe it or not, I didn't mean to ruin Meredith's life and I've also been there for here one way or another. I've known what's happening every single minute in her life. Now, I am not going to yell at you only because you are Meredith's husband but the next time you come yelling out at me it won't end well." Aurora said releasing all her frustration and grief out on the person in front of her.
She stood up and made her way towards the entrance, however, turned around to face Derek and continued. "You asked why I'm back to Seattle. The reason I am back is that my dad died and my mum is on a ventilator. Meredith has a right to know that so sorry for being such a hassle but I'm going to leave."
Aurora left the bar leaving Derek with all his guilt. Derek knows the pain of losing a parent but not both. He lost his father because of a shooting inside his father's store and knows the pain and remorse a person goes through.
"She's not bad, you know." Joe commented, cleaning glasses.
"You know her?" Derek asked looking up to stare at him.
"Who doesn't? She's a great girl and Meredith always talks about her when she is drunk." Joe replied, filling Derek's glass with vodka.
"I didn't mean to yell at her. She came out of nowhere and I didn't even know who she was but somehow Karev, Richard, and Cristina know her." Derek ranted.
"Of course, Cristina knows her." Joe said, Derek, shot him a look of confusion. "She went to Cristina and Bourke's honeymoon in Hawaii with them."
Derek stared ahead with his blue eyes staring at the wall. He knows the pain of losing his father and couldn't imagine what she must be going through. But losing both her parents must be harder.
Change is good. We all experience it at some point in our lives. It is something we have to accept in life to be able to continue. The quicker we accept it, the quicker you'll be able to adjust to it. As surgeons, change is constant. Change is inevitable.
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words: 2955
A/N
hello guys! in this chapter I wanted to introduce Aurora more so you can get to know her and her backstory.
yikes! the confrontation between Derek and Aurora. that was scary. however, my plan is for them to have a good relationship and for my story, I thought this would be the way Derek would've reacted. especially, since everything he's been through after being shot and the miscarriage.
hope y'all enjoyed the chapter and comment down below how you felt about the confrontation between Aurora and Derek