(Their is a four episode time jump)
As surgeons we live in a world of worst-case scenarios. We cut ourselves off from hoping for the best because too many times the best doesn't happen. But every now and then something extraordinary occurs ...
(Cristina is sitting on her bed playing with her ring. George and Callie are in the elevator. Izzie and Bailey are outside of SGH looking at the sign that says Denny Duquette memorial clinic. Isabelle is in the studio getting a morning dance in)
...and suddenly best-case scenarios seem possible.
............
Izzie: Eight days, eight million dollars
Bailey: And we are open for business.
And every now and then...something amazing happens.
(Ellis is at the nursing home, Meredith is watching her.)
Mrs. Henry: She woke up this morning completely aware. She's her old self. It happens. Medically we don't know why. It's just a random gift.
Meredith: So she's lucid? She remembers?
Mrs. Henry: Pretty much everything except the last five years. And of course she doesn't realize she has Alzheimer's. We thought she should hear it from you.
Meredith: So, she'll know me? I'm gonna walk in there and she'll know who I am?
Mrs. Henry: She's been asking for you.
And against our better judgment, we start to have hope.
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When I get to work I am put on Burkes case, I am grateful as this means I am not on clinic duty.
Burke and I walk into the ambulance bay where a patient is being unloaded, all of a sudden we see Meredith come out with her mother Ellis as the patient.
Meredith: She had sub-sternal chest pains...
Ellis: ...chest pains and sycopy. My pace was in the 200's but that rate has resolved on it's own.
I help Meredith out of the ambulance.
Meredith: She's completely lucid.
I raise my eyebrows in awe.
Burke: She's what...
Meredith: She's aware. She's herself again.
(They enter the hospital)
Ellis: My god, is this... are we in Seattle Grace?
Meredith: Yes mom, this is where I'm doing my residency.
Burke: Your daughter is one of our finest interns. Following in your very big footsteps.
I smile at Meredith.
Ellis: Do you know a Richard Webber? Is he still a doctor here?
Isabelle: What the Chief?
Ellis: Richard Webber's the Chief? Of surgery?
I am now doing tests and a check-up on Ellis.
Ellis: You and Meredith are good friends? I can tell. Because you're afraid to look at me. As if I might ask you some personal question about her and you'll accidentally slip. But you don't do anything accidentally, do you? Has Meredith chosen a specialty?
Isabelle: That's a personal question?
Ellis: For surgeons, the most personal question you can ask. It tells you who they are.
Isabelle: My grandmother would want to know if I have a boyfriend, and my mother wouldn't give a crap.
Ellis: You're grandmother sounds like a frivolous woman.
ISabelle: If I chose pediatrics, what would that say about me?
Ellis: Pediatric Surgeons are patient, communicative, and observant. Your hardcore due to the fact that symptoms can be less viable, so you have to advocate for patient and deal with the troublesome patients. Pediatricians must be persistent, open-minded, and hyper-observant, never letting a sign or symptom elude or confuse them. The ability to pick up small clues or subtle changes in behavior can be key in deciphering what's at stake and informing a plan of action...Meredith says I'm part of an Alzheimer's research study. I want a neuro consult with the doctor who put me in the trial.
I nod before going to find Meredith and warn her about her mother and Derek
.............
I walk into the Ambulance bay to see Meredith.
Isabelle: Hey, Mer. I've been looking for you. Burke has me on your mom. Are you ok?
Meredith: I'm avoiding her. I'm avoiding the gift.
Isabelle: Yeah, well, uh...your gift wants to meet Derek.
Meredith: What? What did you say?
Isabelle: No, no, no. Not Derek your boyfriend, Derek the neurosurgeon. She's gonna know that's he's your boyfriend anyway. (I take a breath) She has ways. I'm kind of not hating her, by the way.
Meredith: she has that effect on people who aren't her daughter.
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I enters Ellis' room
Isabelle: Dr. Grey. Your holter monitor shows your having multiple runs of tachycardia every hour. So, Dr. Burke would like to do a radio-plation.
Ellis: Why would he recommend surgery when medication can keep it under control? (She stops and processes the reason) Because Alzheimer's patients aren't always compliant with their meds.
I give her a sympathetic look: And...apparently, Meredith says, your particularly difficult.
Ellis: I could elect not to treat it at all.
Isabelle: Your stress test shows coronary artery disease. That coupled with the tachy arrhythmias could cause too much stress on your heart. Which would, eventually...
Ellis: What would you do? If the thing that defines who you are, was taken away. Tell Dr. Burke...I don't want the surgery.
Isabelle takes a breath: I'm...I'm very sorry, Dr. Grey. But technically that decision isn't yours. It's Meredith's.
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Ellis' room, her monitor is beeping
Nurse: Looks like SVT.
Isabelle: Push 10 of adenocine and page Dr. Burke.
Nurse: He's already gone into surgery. I'll get the adenocine.
Ellis: Carotid massage. Do the carotid massage.
A lightbulb goes off in my head, and I understand
Isabelle: Carotid massage can regulate the heart and stop SVT. Ok, hold on. Hold on. Hold on please. Hold on, hold on. ( I continue cardiac massage and finally she goes out of SVT) Ok. Ok, ok, ok, ok.
Ellis: You're good. Sharp under pressure. You'll make an extraordinary surgeon.
I smile
Isabelle: Dr. Grey, I need to ask you. Will it get in my way? Can I have both. Can I be a great surgeon and have a life? Cause in the future I want a family, and I know you tried to have both and you split up with Meredith's dad and I know this is none of my business.
Ellis: It is none of your business. And I didn't try hard enough.
Isabelle: Thank you.
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At the end of the work day, I meet Connor, Natalie, and Alex at the bar, and we have had a couple drinks.
Isabelle slightly tipsy whines : you know, why don't I have a boyfriend? I mean I am attractive right? I'm sexy.
Natalie giggles: Sexy as hell, you can get any guy with one look.
Isabelle looks around the room before looking back at them: So why am I guy less. ( I look at Natalie and point to Connor) your not guyless.
Connor takes a drink of bear before reassuring me: Its all good, your just focused on career right now.
I wrinkle my nose: But I want both. Alex do you want both?
Alex casually replies: I want sex
Natalie laughs: Pig
I take a sip of beer before interpreting him: Yup, you want both
Alex rolls his eyes as if he disagrees with my statement : Whatever
I look at Natalie and Connor and mouth to them, "Im right".
They both chuckle and Alex rolls his eyes
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I am waiting outside the bathroom door thinking Izzie is inside. All of a sudden I see Izzie emerge upstairs holding two cups of coffee. I looo at her confused and annoyed.
I scoff: You weren't in the bathroom
Izzie: Uh, no.
I frown: Than why am I waiting out here.
Izzie: Dont ask me girly. Coffee?
I smile: I love you
Before Izzie can respond Meredith and Derek enter the hallway from her room.
Meredith: I was taking a bath.
Derek: That's not a bath. I know what a bath looks like.
Meredith: Drop it.
Derek: Look, your mother
Meredith: Drop it.
Derek: Your mother...she was lucid and she said things and now she's...
Meredith: Gone. Everything's back to normal, it's not a big deal.
Derek: Yeah, except she's having heart surgery today.
(Meredith sighs and Derek cups her face.)
Derek: Hey, you want me to talk to the Chief? I know you have that triage thing today but he'll give you the day off.
Meredith: Stop! I do not need rescuing.
Derek: You would have drowned in the bathtub had I not been there.
Meredith: I'm a surgeon. I do the rescuing. You are not my knight in shining...whatever.
Derek: Oh, so we're gonna fight because I pulled you out of the tub.
Meredith: You have a place. You could sleep at it. And then you don't have to pull me out of the bathtub. You're everywhere, all the time, saying things.
Derek: This is the happy ever after part and in the happily ever after part the guy is there, all the time, saying things. And the girls love it.
Meredith: Go to work. I'll see you there.
Derek: Just for the record, I am you knight in shining...whatever. (He kisses her)
Derek: (To Izzie and I) Morning.
He walks up to me and gives me a side hug, before exiting the room.
Meredith: I did not try to drown myself in the bathtub.
Izzie: Hey, I ate everything out of the fridge last night, everything, including a tub of butter. There's no judgment here.
Isabelle nods as if she relates: I'm single
They look at me as my situation is so minor compared to theirs. There judgmental stares make me uneasy.
Isabelle shrugs and defends herself: What it's got me in my feelings.
Meredith ignore me: You ever feel like you were just disappearing?
Izzie: All the time.
Meredith: Why can't I just be that happily ever after person? Why can't I believe in that?
Izzie: I don't know what I believe in anymore.
Isabelle states off into the distance... of the hallway saying :I say except the happily ever after before it disapeers, and your gray and wrinkly.
Izzie looks at me confused:You good girl.
Isabelle: As I said, I'm single, and a bit horny.
I then enter the bathroom to get ready for the day.
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We are in the locker room getting ready for the day, Meredith to my right looking all angry, and Christina to her right smiling.
Meredith looks at her and snaps: What?
Cristina: Nothing. (Cristina looks disappointed that Meredith isn't happy. She is still smiling.)
Meredith: What?
Cristina: Ok, cranky. Forget it.
I look at chrisitna and raise my eyebrows questioning what she is saying and she just waives it off and indicates she will tell me later.
Alex: Am I the only one that thinks this triage test is a waste of time? There's a patistoplasty on the board. I had Sloan all prepped to let me scrub in.
Isabelle: Maybe it will be exhilerating
Alex laughs as if that is the funniest joke ever
Isabelle sighs agreeing with his statement: Your right who am I kidding, fake scenarios. I want some action today, I dream enough of fake scenarios.
Alex rolls his eyes before placing his arm around my shoulders: Relationship crap again, get over it just score someone from the bar.
I roll my eyes and smack him on the arm as we leave the locker room, hearing Izzie try to convince George to move back in as we leave.
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The clinic, Sydney is laying in bed acting like a patient
Izzie: A lot of arm swelling but good distal pulses so...we can rule out compartment syndrome. I suspect a radius fracture so I'd splint and get an ortho follow up.
Bailey: Anything else?
Izzie: No.
Bailey: Ok. Then I guess this means...
Callie: Time.
Sydney: And I'm dead.
Izzie: Dead. (Sydney pretends to die)
Bailey: You sent her home. The bone punctured through her skin.
Izzie: Yeah, but she had multiple wounds and...abrasions.
Sydney: A puncture over a break is an open fracture until proven otherwise. Yeah, I got septic and I died at home, thanks to you.
Izzie: Whatever.
Sydney: Not whatever to minor dead puncture wound that's not guy.
Bailey: You have to be quick and thorough while using your instincts. You can't be fooled by what your eyes see. If you assess wrong, your patient could die while waiting for treatment. Karev, you're next.
Izzie: Just think, I already kill her, you can't do more damage than that.
Bailey: People, triage is one of the most important tools a doctor has. In a real emergent scenario, you'll have only minutes...
Callie: And it's something you'll be tested on in your surgical exams. (George snaps a Polaroid)
George: Sorry.
Callie: George!
George: I was just recording the drill. (Callie and George step to the side)
George: Yeah.
Callie: We're working, George.
George: Yeah.
Callie: Ok, I'm your boss right now.
George: Ok.
Callie: All right?
George: A very sex one...
Callie: No. You cannot undermine my authority in front of the other interns, in front of my peers.
George: No.
Bailey: O'Malley take that back to the clinic where it belongs.
George: Yes, doctor.
I heavily cringe from that entire conversation
(Richard enters)
Richard: People, look I'm sorry. I have to interrupt the session for a moment.
Sydney: Chief, I like your new hair. Really brings out your eyes.
He ignores, her and now I feel sick from how cringey the last couple minutes have been.
Bailey: Do you need something sir?
Richard: We just received word of a mass causality incident nearby. All available level 1 trauma centers have been asked to respond. I need to send a team into the field immediately.
Cristina: Is this a part of the exercise? Are we supposed to act appropriately, um, tense?
Richard: This is not an exercise or a drill, Yang. This is an emergent situation and I need all hands on deck.
Izzie: Seriously?
Bailey: What happened?
Richard: I don't have details just orders.
(Bailey and her interns are in the OR preparing their triage kits.)
Cristina: Meredith? I have a thing. News.
Meredith: You're not pregnant again are you? Cause I can't handle the extra months of bitchiness.
Christina looks at me questioning what her deal is.
Isabelle: I don't know, Derek is to everywhere or something.
(Bailey walks up)
Bailey: We're catching a ride with Seattle 34, space is tight. So hold your kits on your lap.
Alex: Where we going?
Bailey: We'll know when we get there.
Izzie: Fire? Flood? Volcano? I'm not really dressed for a volcano. (They enter the ambulance bay)
I look at Izzie shaking my head to stop.
Bailey: Stevens.
Izzie: Sorry, inappropriate. Sorry.
Paramedic: Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. I'm hauling supplies, I only have room for six.
Bailey: Yang.
Cristina: Yes?
Bailey: Stay with the Chief, take care of the incoming wounded. The rest of you come on.
Cristina: Stevens was inappropriate.
Izzie gives her a look
Meredith: Hey, what was your news?
Cristina: Forget it, forget it.
The doors close to the ambulance, and we speed through Seattle.
Bailey: Oh everybody. Move your id's to the outside of your jacket. When we get there remember triage. Karev?
Alex: Green tags non emergent, yellow tags delayed care, red tags needs immediate treatment.
Bailey: Good. Assess carefully, tag, then get all critical patients into the ambulances as fast as possible. Don't get in the way of search and rescue and stay calm.
Isabelle: Any word yet on what happened?
Bailey: All we know is there are multiple traumas.
(They ambulance arrives and George helps the others out of the bus. Each of our faces is that of utter shock.)
Izzie: Holy mother of...
There are injured people and support personnel everywhere. There is an ferry boat on fire and the devastation is massive.
Izzie: Dr. Bailey, where do you need us?
Meredith: Where should we start first?
Izzie: Dr. Bailey?
Bailey: Ok, um, I don't have time to hold your hands. You know the protocol. Go do it.
Alex: Do what?
Bailey: Go help people.
we all take our kits and scatter looking among those who need help, to find a patient.
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After helping out some people I run into Meredith who has a child clinging to her hand.
I ask: What's with the kid?
Meredith: She's lost, hey can you take her and find an officer or something?
I frown: Why me?
Meredith: Because I have had her for a while, just, please. You are better with kids
I sigh: Fine, okay hey sweetie. Want to come with me.
She looks at Meredith who nods.
She grabs my hand and we walk off as Meredith goes a different way.
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I help another patient, the little girl named Lisa staying by my side the entire time, when I see Meredith struggling with a patient to my left and officers to my right.
Isabelle: Hey. I need you to take this little girl, her names Lisa, to the triage tents.
Officer: I gotta get back to my unit.
Isabelle: No, I need you to take this little girl to the triage tents for me, please. (To Lisa) You're gonna be ok. You're gonna be fine. I promise sweetie. Thanks.
I woke over to Meredith and the man on the dock as the officer and little girl start to walk away. A man shouts for help and the officer goes to help
Officer: Stay right here.
Lisa looks lost, and just stares at Isabelle and Meredith work.
Isabelle: Hey you need help.
Meredith looks up: Sure, wheres lisa.
Isabelle: police
the man groans
Meredith: What happened?
Businessman: Some metal, something hit my leg. I was thrown off. God, it hurts. It hurts.
Meredith: Ok.
Businessman: I started swimming. I need to go. I've got a meeting. (She puts a bandage on his leg and he starts screaming)
I take some gauze and put pressure on his arm which also has a deep wound, so I take care of that while Meredith does the leg.
Meredith: I'm sorry. I'm sorry, sir. But try to stay still.
All of a sudden Lisa walks up and taps me on the shoulder.
Meredith looks at me wide eyed.
I look at her and instead of questioning her presence I give a reassuring smile and say ; Don't look. Turn around. I need you to be brave for me. Just stand right there and don't move. And don't look.
Meredith: Ok. Damn it. We need another hand.
Isabelle: hey, what you need. i can help.
Meredith: okay
Isabelle to Lisa: Sweetie, listen to me. I need you to turn around. I know I told you to face away from me but we need to all work together to save this man. I don't talk either when I get scared. Neither of us talk when bad things happen. You don't have to say anything but I need your help. (Lisa turns around) Ok. Don't look down. Don't look at the blood. Look at me. Look at me. Can you be our assistant? (She nods yes) Ok, good. we can't move our hands from where they are right now so I need you to go over to my kit and pull out the things they look like, um, like tweezers. You know what your mommy uses to pull a splinter out with?
She nods, and walks over to grab them.
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Later
Meredith finishes sewing the lag wound and me the arm wound
Meredith: Ok. It's ok. Uh, I have to deflate the blood pressure cuff and see if this makes...Ok.
I smile at Lisa: We saved him. You helped, that was such a great job. We just have to bandage him up and find someone to take him to the hospital and then we're gonna find your mom ok.
The man is shivering. Meredith takes off her coat and covers him with it.
Businessman: Oh, I can't stand the pain. I gotta get out of here.
Meredith: Sir, don't move. Don't move.
The man tries to stand up and when he does he pushes Meredith over the dock edge and into the water. I rush over to the edge and look over.
Isabelle: Meredith! Mered...
Before I can finish, the man begins thrashing around and his leg swipes me ankle, sweeping me off my feet.
I try to gain my balance, but it is no luck and I slip over the edge. my hand reaches for something to grab but instead all I feel is a searing pain in my head before a cold feeling encloses my body, and my eyes start to feel heavy and against my will they close.
I feel numb
pain,
and then all of a sudden ...
I feel nothing.
.........
Above the water, on the dock Lisa stands there, the man now passed out and Lisa just stares sadly into the water before walking away.
Hello please let me know your thoughts, their are gonna be some special guests in the next chapter, so stay tuned.