"Every Halloween we make a choice about what kind of costume we're going to wear. Something sexy, maybe we'll be someone scary, or you could be a superhero, which is what I'm trying to be this year. Halloween is not for the faint of heart. There's a surprise around every corner. Some of the surprises are good, and some of the surprises are bad. What's important is that you can't let the fear of the surprise stop you from getting dressed up and wandering to a stranger's house to ask the question. So, what'll it be? Trick... or treat?"
-Meredith Grey, S10E7, "Thriller"
"Glioma, fibroma, blastoma. Whatever the tumor, people assume you approach it the same way. You find its hiding place in the body, then you open the patient up, and you cut it the hell out. But you're not just fighting the one tumor. You're actually in war with over a billion cells. So, how do you beat the odds when it's one against a billion? You stand strong, keep pushing yourself past all rational limits and never let yourself give up. But the truth of the matter is, despite how hard you try and fight to stay in control, when it's all said and done, sometimes you're just outnumbered."
-Meredith Grey, S10E8, "Two Against One"
"Doctors never mean to screw up. You make a bad call and the unthinkable happens. It's not like we do it on purpose. It's not like we want to hurt anyone, but sometimes we do. Sometimes we make mistakes and when we blow it, we're sorry. Not that being sorry really matters anymore. No apology in the world matters now. We've all done things we aren't proud of. I understand that. I know nobody's perfect, but how do you live with it? How do you get up every morning and face the world, knowing you could've done better? That you should've done better? Is being sorry enough? Can an apology actually heal our wounds? Ease our pain? Can it undo the hurt that we've caused?"
-Callie Torres, S10E9, "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word"
"The body is an infinitely complex mass of interacting systems. People like to think doctors see it all clearly. But it's not always obvious what's a hiccup in the system and what's full-on medical disaster. We figure that out in our first year of residency. We spend the rest of our careers lying about it. It's just a cold. Muscle through it. It'll pass. Nothing's really wrong. We're doctors. We'd know if something was wrong. We're all be fine. Nothing is wrong."
-Meredith Grey, S10E10, "Somebody That I Used To Know"
Halloween came and went. It was now nearing Thanksgiving. Meredith and Cristina were still hostile with each other, Meredith continued working on her research with her new 3D printer for the hospital, Callie and Arizona were still seperated, Dr. Webber was recovering in the hospital, and April and Matthew's wedding date was getting closer.
"They're incompetent. It's not their fault," Dr. Bailey said, entering Dr. Webber's room, "Because it's how they were raised. These days, parents think all of their kids are geniuses. And everyone gets a trophy just for being on the soccer team."
"And... they're not the problem. You are." Richard told her, "I'm trying to teach them, and you won't let them learn. I can barely get out of this bed. I can't operate. Who knows if I ever will? The only thing that gives me some meaning, hell, some days the only thing that keeps me going... is teaching them. And- and you're standing in the way of that. So I'm gonna have someone else supervise 'em."
"You're not kicking me off this case."
"Yes, I am. This is why when I fire someone, I like to do it in their office. So I can walk out. Walk out, Bailey."
Dr. Bailey walked out of his room, ticked off and mumbling to herself, as Dr. Webber spotted Anna from the hallway and called for her. Anna sighed, hoping she could've just left after checking on Zola and Bailey at the daycare.
"Hi, Dr. Webber." Anna stood in the doorway, unable to meet his gaze, as she remembered the last time she saw him... it was all yelling.
"How was your Halloween?" He asked.
"Good... uh, Zola dressed up as a butterfly. Our dad even sutured the wings so they would flap." Anna told him, as he chuckled. "How are you?"
"Well, busy teaching, telling stories... working on regaining my strength so I can pass my stress test and get home." He revealed.
"That's great." Anna nodded.
"I want to-"
"No. Seriously, Dr. Webber. You don't need to apologize to me. I'm-" Anna finally looked at him, giving him a smile, "It's good to see you. If you're really sorry, apologize to Meredith. She's the one you hurt. She'll deny it til she's blue in the face, but... she's just stressed. So... talk to her. And start getting up and walking."
"Another one telling you the same thing!" The patient next door, CJ, yelled from her room. "I'll do a lap if you do!"
"Mind your business!" Dr. Webber shouted back, shaking his head as he looked at her, "I'll talk to Meredith. Have a good day, Anna."
"You too, Dr. Webber."
~ GREY'S ANATOMY ~
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for saying that you were the wrong choice to be in charge of my care, for saying that you should have let me die. I'm sorry for ever feeling that way. Because I've remembered what it is to live for. I would have never gotten here if it hadn't been for you. So I'm sorry. Meredith, please. Help me teach them."
~ GREY'S ANATOMY ~
"I- I need the printer." Cristina approached Meredith and Alex as they exited to OR.
"It's my printer, Cristina." Meredith replied, with an attitude.
"It's the hospital's printer, and..."
"Which I got for them for my research, for my grant."
"Which is important research, but at this point, it's research, Meredith. And what I'm talking about could save a life."
"I can't stop it in the middle. It will completely destroy the model. Just because I printed a fork does not mean my research is a joke."
"No one said it was a joke. But see, I could... I could print a scaffolding and- and make a biological condult for a baby's heart."
"They're not even doing that yet."
"They are in Japan. So if I get compassionate release..." Cristina tried to explain.
"I don't have time to argue. Submit a proposal to the board if you want to use the printer."
"It's time sensitive, Meredith."
"Well, then you better get to work." Meredith said, watching Cristina leave, as Alex scoffed, "So that's what it was about in there? You and Yang? She calls you a lousy doctor, and suddenly you have something to prove?"
"This is not what this is about." Meredith denied.
"Oh, so y- you take it out on my patient."
"I did not take it out on your patient."
"Look, you need to be told you're good? Fine, Mer. You're good. But Yang was right. You're a lousy doctor today." Alex stormed off.
Anna waited until Alex left before approaching Meredith, "Hey."
"Hey." Meredith replied, not looking up from her phone, "Is something wrong with Zola or Bailey?"
"No." Anna cleared her throat, "Remember, you wanted me to buy new plates and silverware for the Thanksgiving dinner thing?"
"Oh!" Meredith looked up, "I already sent you some pictures of the colors I like. If they don't have something that looks exactly like this, it's okay. Just get something similar. These will look good with our kind of table."
"Alright." Anna nodded, "I'll go... look for something like that."
"Can you be back in time to pick up Zola and Bailey?" Meredith asked, "I wanna make sure my printer doesn't stop or glitch."
"Okay. Bye." Anna headed to several different stores looking for the color scheme Meredith wanted. She even picked up some cute cups that weren't requested. And plates, bowls, spoons, forks, and knives led her down the rabbit hole to... couch pillows, picture frames, rugs, and blankets. She didn't mind. She found it peaceful shopping.
~ GREY'S ANATOMY ~
"I really don't think so, dad. I- It's not enough. Just because she says she's sorry..."
"You're married. You took a vow. You don't walk away from that. If things get hard, you work harder. I mean, you have a child together, for God's sake."
"She cheated on me."
"I cheated on your mother."
"What? I'm sorry. What?"
"A long time ago. We- we- we were young. I was stupid. Uh... but your mother found it in her heart to forgive me."
"Why? Why would she do that?"
"Why? Because she believed we were stronger than one mistake, and I thank God everyday that she did. Because otherwise, I wouldn't have you. 38 years. We've shared a life. And it all started after that one mistake. Now things between you and Arizona might not work out. You know, you might not be able to fix it. But how will you know if you never try?"
~ GREY'S ANATOMY ~
Meredith and Cristina were still not speaking, Ben noticed something was wrong with Miranda, April invited Jackson, Stephanie and Anna to her wedding, Owen's girlfriend planned to help make Thanksgiving dinner at the Shepherd's, Dr. Webber finally passed a stress test and got discharged, Callie and Arizona were together, Arizona revealed her relationship with Leah, Cristina and Shane were sleeping together, and Bailey was crawling.
Not to mention, at the end of the year, Anna would turn nineteen and be entering her second year in college, Zola would turn four, and Bailey would be one.
"Anna?" Meredith asked, looking through the bags sitting on the floor, "Why are there a dozen bags on the floor? We're not feeding fifty people."
"No. No. See," Anna pulled out the fluffy white pillow, "Feel it, Meredith? It's so soft. It would look so nice on the couch."
"A couch pillow?" Derek asked, entering the livingroom, "You bought couch pillows?"
"And, apparently, candles?" Meredith pulled one out from the bag, "Mmm. This one's apple cinnamon."
"Okay!" Anna pointed, defending herself, "You can't get mad at that! That's, like, in season... I got a pine one too... also a cranberry one."
"And who paid for this?" Derek sat on the floor, taking the items out of the bags.
Anna look at Meredith, and then at her dad, "Don't be mad at me. Meredith's the one who gave me your credit card."
"You gave her my credit card, Meredith?"
"What? I didn't know she was a shopaholic!"
"I'm not a shopaholic!" Anna grabbed a box, handing it to Derek, "Dad! Dad, before you get mad... open this."
Derek opened up the box of brand new knives and smiled, "Okay. These are really good knives.... and ours are old and dull."
"Look at this house," Anna said, "A few extra things aren't gonna put you in debt."
"Oh, my God!" Meredith laughed, holding them up, "Stockings! It's not even Christmas yet."
"It's right around the corner." Anna shrugged, "And we love Christmas. Right, dad? I got a cute one for Bailey. C'mon, it'll be his first Christmas..."
After Derek pulled out a blanket, he and Meredith started laughing hysterically, "I am never giving you my credit card again!"
"Smell the candles! Atleast smell the candles!" Anna grabbed one, "And, hey, that blanket is super soft!"
All in all, they had a good Thanksgiving.