Season Five, Episode Twelve
Sympathy for the devil
Max was not happy to be woken up at 2:30 a.m but her pager said 9-1-1 from Miranda Bailey so of course she rushed out of bed, gave Mark an explanation to where she was going and got ready as soon as she could.
Luckily she lived no more then ten minutes away, make it five f she was speeding just a little. When she got inside the hospital she turned left to go up the stairs and to the elevator to the Pediatric wing.
"Okay, I'm up and I'm here. What's wrong? Is Jackson okay?" Max said rushing to Miranda's side, she didn't pay any attention to the annoyed Arizona Robbins that was standing by the door.
"Okay. Uh, Jackson's B.P. its a little down from yesterday, no big deal but if we make a few calls, get pushy, maybe we could get him bumped a few spots up on the transplant list" Miranda looked at Max, she was hopeful.
Max looked at Arizona and then back at Miranda, "Miranda, you paged me 9-1-1 and I'm assuming you paged Dr. Robbins as well and at 2:30 in the morning no less, just what, chat?"
"Uh, you...you guys like to chat, you never shut up either of you. You're chatty" Miranda explained, poorly.
"Rude and not at 2:30 in the morning! I am seven months pregnant for gods sake" Max chuckled a little, she was getting delirious.
"Look, he's young. He's near the top of the list U.N.O.S. will find him his organs when they find them his organs and god knows that staying up all night chatting about it is not gonna help" Arizona said stepping closer to the two, "I'm gonna get some sleep, I suggest you do the same"
"He's running out of time" Miranda said her voice cracking slightly.
"They always are, Miranda. We are trying the best that we can, have faith in the process" Max gave her a reassuring hug, Peds was not easy and it never was going to be.
"Welcome to Peds" Arizona added, giving Miranda a sad smile before walking away.
Max was lucky that she was able to fall asleep in the on call room, nowadays sleeping was hard without Mark next to her. It wasn't until her alarm went off when she finally got out of the bed, 5:30 in the morning was usual for Max so she hardly complained considering she was used to it but today was different, today she got woken up at 2:30 for nothing.
She had gotten a text from Derek telling her to meet him in maximum security area, she had heard about his patient and if she was being honest, she really didn't want to go down there but she made her way over there anyway.
"Shep? What's up?" Max said walking past the guards and into the hallway, "Oh wow, that ponytail is very high. Is there a reason for that?"
Meredith turned to face Max, "Derek mother is in town" She said giving Derek a pointed look.
Max turned her heels so that she was facing Derek, "And why wasn't that important to tell me? I just talked to her and she didn't say anything about coming down"
"I guess it was a whim thing, she wanted to meet Meredith and she talking about meeting up with your Mom to play some game, Bridge I think" Derek explained sheepishly.
"Right, We haven't spoken in awhile so we got all caught up, she mentioned coming down but I didn't think it would be this soon" Max said remembering the conversation she had with Carolyn.
"Yes well, thank you for that. Now Meredith is wearing a skyscraper as a ponytail" Derek said pointing to Meredith head.
"You're welcome" Max said with a smile, "So you texted me to meet you down here so you can tell me that your mother is in town?"
"Pretty much" Derek gave her a matching smile, Max rolled her eyes before turning back around so she could exit the hallway. She had yet to check on Jackson and see the progress of the organs, that was her next stop.
Standing next to a group of doctors, Max looked as Mrs. Prescott was pacing back and forth.
"Any word form U.N.O.S.?" Mrs. Prescott asked Max.
"Not yet, Dr. Karev is staying in constant contact with them" Max reassured.
"How much longer will we have to wait? Are lovers and intestines hard to find?" Mrs. Prescott asked, she was concerned and it was very obvious.
"Well, Jackson's blood type is O-positive, it shouldn't be too difficult to match" Sadie told the Mom.
"But he's had blood transfusions, which means there could be extra antibodies that are hard to match so we need to be patient, Melinda. In the meantime, um, I need to run some test on Jackson to check his electrolytes" Miranda said after Sadie, even Max could tell the Miranda was slightly irritated.
"We're going to do everything we can to help your son, Mrs. Prescott. All of us" Max gave her a slight smile before walking off with the group.
Mark had brought Max some fruit, he had put it all in a plastic leftover container that he brought from home, there were Grapes, sliced up oranges and apples. He knew that she should be eating extra calories and plus she always got hungry during midday.
"I love it when you bring me food, it's like I have a boyfriend and a servant in one!" Max said smiling slightly, she had one arm around his torso and had the bowl of fruit in her other.
"That's sweet of you to say, maybe I should find a sexy servant costume" Mark said giving her the look, which Max laughed at.
"Is that Maxine Mallard?" Said a voice from Max's side.
"Yeah" Derek smiled.
"Maxine Mallard!" She said again which made both Mark and Max turn to walk over to her.
"Mrs. Shepherd! I have missed you so much" Max said to her pulling her into a hug, making Carolyn yelp in surprise.
"She gets affectionate when she's pregnant, don't mind her" Mark said smiling down at his pregnant girlfriend.
"The Maxine that I knew was always affectionate, she just has to like you" Carolyn said giving Mark a slight glare.
"Oh, damn. Catch up later?" Mark said suddenly looking at his pager that beeped before scurrying off, bringing Max along with him.
Max stood along side of Arizona in the break room, she was making coffee and Max was drinking fruit juice, "You know, I would love to have you over for dinner. Mark had this great idea of inviting out friends over as like a meet and greet, I hated being the new guy"
"That's sweet, you're so nice!" Arizona said cracking a smile.
"I also have an Ten year old daughter who is very um, strange? so I hope kids aren't a problem" Max warned her.
"Oh no problem as long as they aren't mine" Arizona said chuckling nervously, "Oh no! I mean I don't want kids personally but it's great that you do" She must've saw the weird look Max was giving her.
"I understand, don't worry. I've got a brother and a sister in law that don't want any children either" She said trying to make the situation less awkward.
"Okay, I made a list of the pest pediatric G.I.s in the country, I figure between the three of us we can't get one of these guys to come down and do a tips procedure on him" Miranda said rushing into the room with a price a paper in hand.
"Doing a tips on a kid who needs a knee liver?" Max asked confused.
"Yeah"
"That's like putting a band-aid on a bullet wound" Arizona finished.
"Well, you have a better idea?" Miranda asked the two.
"We do. Waiting for U.N.O.S., trusting the process, why can't you do that?" Arizona looked at Miranda.
"Because I'm tired of waiting while this kid is getting worse. Jackson's tired, his mother is, too. The only ones who is is happy to sit on their ass and twiddle their thumbs is you two!" Miranda yelled at the two, which made Max jump back in surprise. She had never been yell at by Miranda before.
"Woah. We have been patient with you, especially me. We have been nice, but I am really over-" Arizona began telling back at Miranda.
"Hey"
"-you constantly telling me how to do my job"
"Okay, somebody has to-"
"Dr. Bailey"
"I've got ten other kids in this hospital-"
"I'm concerned about this one child-"
"Shut up!" Karev yelled louder.
"Oh thank god" Max sighed when the yelling finally stopped.
"Respectfully, all right? Respectfully, shut up. Because we've got organs" Karev told them as he held up his pager.
Max didn't seem to get the memo of just standing there with her mouth open because she screamed, really loud and did her happy dance.
"Dude!" Arizona said from beside her.
"She's always like this when she's happy. Get used to it" Miranda spoke up from beside Arizona, Max furrowed her eyebrows at that, kinda mean but okay.
Max couldn't go with to get Jackson's organs, she and the rest of the group decided it would be best if Max and her seven month pregnant belly stayed back.
Which she honestly didn't mind because she was starving and Mama Shepherd had invited her to join her, Meredith and Derek for lunch.
She wasn't sure if saying yes was the best idea.
"Derek tells me you-you, Uh, grew up right here in Seattle. Are your parents..." Carolyn says trying to make conversation.
"Mm, dead" Meredith tells her simply, she had on a weird smile that was making Max uncomfortable, it was creepy.
"Mer's mother died last year" Derek added.
"Oh. Oh, I'm so sorry, and your father?" Carolyn looks at Meredith again with questioning eyes.
"Oh. You know, I... should go check on the patient, who's the serial killer, who's here. Not killing people, so that's good" Meredith let out a nervous chuckle, "I should go"
"Yeah" Derek said grabbing ahold of her hand comfortingly.
"Family isn't really her favorite topic" Max tells Carolyn with a smile, she looked over at Derek who seemed a little annoyed.
"She's had a rough time of it" Derek added onto what Max was saying.
"I didn't say a word" Carolyn defends herself.
"Yeah, but we know what you're thinking" Max gave her a tight lipped smile before taking a bite from her turkey sandwich.
"I was thinking... it must be awful for you...treating a murderer" Carolyn looked at her sons face before she had said anything, she was testing the waters.
Max furrowed her eyebrows and reached under the table and grabbed Derek's hand, she remembered going to his Dads funeral and Derek made them promise to never bring him up, so even for her it was a line that should never be crossed.
"Dad died a long time ago, I'm fine" Derek told her, even she wasn't convinced.
"How about Maxine? Are you doing okay?" Carolyn asked directing her attention to Max.
"Although I am sad, he wasn't my Dad so I'm not sure what to tell you" She shook her head at Carolyn, she was confused to say the least.
"You were still there weren't you, that night?" Carolyn pressed.
Max blinked her eyes a couple of time, growing up she had learned to push down all of her feelings, she didn't care what had happened to her or her up bringing but she did care about the Shepherd family and if she was strong for Derek and Amelia then everything would be okay.
"Mama Shepherd! I cannot believe you didn't tell me you were coming, I mean I am your favorite after all" Leo walked up to the table, which Max was grateful for.
"Leonard Mallard, I have been waiting to see you!" Carolyn looked up from Max's face and to Leo's but Derek gaze moved to Max's and gave her hand a tight squeeze.
"I just got out of surgery so I'm all yours, what brings you down here?" Leo sat down on the chair that Meredith just got up from.
"Oh, I don't want to talk about me, tell me how is that wife of yours" Carolyn looked at him with a tense stare, Leo looked over at Max with wide eyes. He was busted.
He let out a nervous chuckle, "I tried calling you, I swear. I never would get married without tell you first, I promise"
"You have that same look that you had when you were ten years old when you and Mark put Derek's favorite frog in the microwave" Max laughed a little at the memory but Derek lightly kicked her under the table, still must be a sore memory.
"We never even pressed start!"
Max stood in Jackson Prescott's room with Miranda, she was checking Jackson's vitals to see if he was even ready for the transplant.
"Are my new organs here yet?" Jackson asked Miranda.
"Mm, not yet, but we're gonna get you all prepped now so that we can put them in as soon as they get here, when you wake up you're gonna be a brand new boy with brand new parts" Miranda told the little boy.
"I can't believe this is it, the thought of us getting to live our lives outside of the hospital... don't get me wrong Miranda, I love our chats" Mrs. Prescott looks at her son and then too Miranda.
"But it'll be nice not to see my face everyday?" Miranda gave her a knowing smile.
"So freakin nice" Mrs. Prescott says as she starts to cry, Miranda pulls her into a hug as they both laugh.
Max watched as Miranda comforted the Mom, it wasn't something she did when she was a General Surgeon but it was something that you have to get used to if you wanted to become a Pediatric Surgeon.
Max and Lexie stood side by side next to the counter, they were talking about the gathering dinner that Mark and Max were holding for Arizona. Max liked to plan and write things out and Lexie was a little manic so they were writing a list of dishes that needed to be made.
"I think the best idea is too just cook everything at my house, I have a big kitchen and it'll be easier then bringing the food" Max looked at Lexie with a nod, they were finally getting somewhere.
"I can come over a couple of hours earlier and help you, I'm not much of a cook but I can follow a recipe" Lexie offered, "I can buy the stuff for the homemade Mac and cheese and the pasta salad"
"Oh nonsense! This was my idea, I wouldn't expect you to pay for anything. I could use extra hands so that'll be perfect payment" Max put a check next to Homemade Mac and Cheese and Pasta Salad so she knew that she needed to get stuff for it from the store.
"Deal! I am pretty sure that Izzie is going to bake a couple of things so we won't need to make dessert" Lexie told her. Max was happy about that, she hated baking there was always such a mess to clean up.
Max looked for some easy recipes of her phone that wouldn't be to time consuming or hard. She felt Lexie move from next to her so she lifted up her head to see what was up.
Carolyn Shepherd was what was up.
"Can I help you with something?" Lexie asked politely, "Were you look for Dr. Shep-" Max let out a gasp when Carolyn grabbed Lexie's face.
"Mrs. Shepherd!"
"Oh hush" Carolyn told Max, "Are you a good girl?"
"I-What?"
"A good girl" Carolyn said louder, "I don't mean perfect. I mean... relatively speaking. Are you?" The older women continued to stare at Lexie.
"Yes" Lexie said nervously.
"How many sexual partners have you had? I won't judge" Carolyn asked.
"Mama Shepherd!" Max said again.
"Um...Six. No, seven. Kinda six but kinda seven"
"Criminal Record?"
"Speeding ticket"
"How fast?"
"12 miles over"
"That's fast" Carolyn jumped back in surprise, finally letting go of Lexie.
"Well it wasn't too- it wa- it was way too fast but I was- I was downhill and I was- I was- I was coasting Ma'am" Lexie stutters out, Max felt bad so she rubbed the girls back for comfort.
"Now I don't suppose you can tell me... where the gift shop is?"
"First floor, east wing" Lexie stared at her as Carolyn began to walk away.
Max let out a hard sigh, she was thankful that it was over.
"What the hell was that?" Lexie turned around and looked at Max.
"I'm Uh, I think Graham must've told her about you?" Max's voice went higher the expected.
"Graham? What?"
"Mrs. Shepherd came to visit when I first had Maeve, she met Graham and I'm pretty sure it was his British accent that pulled her in. His Mom isn't in the states so he doesn't see her all that much and She has a son that rarely calls her, I think that's why him and Mrs. Shepherd are so close, they fill that gap" Max explained, she was nervous to tell Lexie this in the first place. She knew how much Graham liked the girl and If Lexie felt too overwhelmed then Max knew it was her fault.
"He's telling people about me? Like he's not talking about me just as friends?" Lexie sounded hopeful and Max was actually getting emotional.
"I wish I could just fold you up and set you in my pocket and just carry you everywhere" Max pulled the girl into a hug, not a comfortable one considering Max's bump was pretty big, "I am so happy that Graham met you"
Max was sure that Arizona was capable of doing a simple transplant but after everything with Dr. Kenley, she couldn't be too careful. So she stood in the O.R. watching Arizona and Miranda and anyone else that was operating on that boy.
"Finishing the vena Cava" Arizona announced.
"Anastamosis looks good" Karev told them as he observed.
"Now all that's left is to release the clamps"
"You should do the honors, Miranda. He's your patient" Arizona said looking at Miranda.
"Thank you, Dr. Robbins"
Max turned her body to stand next to Dr. Robbins, she looked at the boys intestines and noticed a darker spot, she turned her head and leaned a little closer.
"Wait, wait!" She called out, "There's a spot on the duodenum, you can't release the clamps"
"What the hell is that?" Miranda shouted, "He's clotting! Is there a source? This can't be happening, this just cannot be happening not to this little boy. This is not happening. This is not happening"
"His organs are dead, Dr. Bailey" Max told her as she pushed Dr. Robbins out of the way, "If you keep them in there they will make him sicker, it'll do more harm them good"
"M2, maybe if-"
"He will die if you leave them in" Max looked at the black organs and then back at Miranda.
"He'll die if we take them out, Max"
"Fine, Fine. Maybe we could try a portacaval shunt, it'll keep the circulation going and bypass the liver but it's just a temporary fix, we will have to find him new organs" Max looked at Arizona and then back at Miranda, it wasn't a solution but it could help save his life.
"Anybody got any better ideas?" Arizona asked the group, who just shook there heads.
"Then I don't see what other choice we have, Miranda" Max told her softly.
"How much time do we have to find him new organs?" Karev asked the group.
"24 hours" Miranda told him.
"Get some more laps in there, too" Max instructed as Arizona tried to preform the portacaval stunt. She watched as they teamed together to make sure this kid had extra time to get what he needed and she hoped to god that time would give them what they needed.
Max stood in the elevator with Callie, Mark and Graham. They talked about there day, the good and the bad and they talked about Mrs. Shepherd.
"You guys wanna get a drink?" Callie asked after she finished laughing.
"I would but I'm not really in the mood to watch you guys drink" Max told her with a sad smile.
"Yeah and I think I'd rather sit home with my girls. Sorry" Mark lifted his arm so that it was spying against Max's shoulder.
Callie then looked over at Graham, "Sorry Cal, I've got plans"
"Right" She gave them all a fake smile.
The elevator door opened and revealed Lexie waiting on the chair for Graham, unfortunately this was also Mark and Max's stop so Callie had to ride the elevator by herself.
"Walk Tall" Mark told her as he stepped off.
"What?"
"All you can do is be brave enough to get out there. You fought. You loved. You lost, walk tall, Torres" He stood closer to Callie so that nobody heard him but it was enough for Callie to hear.
"Get home safe, Okay? I love you, Cal" Max told her before the Elevator door shut. She turned around and gave Lexie a huge smile and the four of them walked out of the hospital together, they were happy even though they knew of the possibilities that tomorrow could bring.
\\
Not edited!!
This chapter was ALL over the place lol
Anyway, give me some kid actors. I don't care about the age or race and you can give me some as siblings.
For those of you worried that you won't see Maeve's reaction to Mark and Max telling her that they're pregnant, it will be added at the end as a Bonus chapter!
Paper Ring - Taylor Swift