"The kind of metastases you have are prone to spontaneous bleeding. So there are considerable risks to the surgery,"
Derek, Renee and Bailey were working together on Rosemary Bullard's case, she had been Renee's patient and has undergone many surgeries for her cancer and she survived them previously but this time they weren't sure if she'd survive, the metastases from her previous cancer had spread to the brain and resulted in brain tumour.
"Are you saying this one might be dicier? Might be a little dicier?"
"Much dicier than previous surgeries. I want to be clear. You can live with this tumour for months if not longer," Renee said seriously.
"Not ... not like this. Not feeling this bad. I understand that risks are part of the package. That's why you people make me go cross-eyed signing all these forms." Rosemary said as she held up the forms.
"You're signing a "do not resuscitate" order?" Derek asked surprised.
"They do this every time..." Renee said with a sad smile.
"If it's my time to go ..." Rosemary said as she looked at her husband.
"She doesn't want to be on a life support kind of thing. She'd hate that." Ed Bullard said.
"I'd just hate lying around like that. I don't want that."
"Okay. Good-bye, darling." Rosemary said as she and Ed shared a kiss.
"Good-bye, love. Oh, sorry. We ... we do this every time. She signs the paper, we kiss good-bye, and then after the surgery, we say hello again."
"Well, that sounds like a plan to me. You rest up." Derek said as they exited the room.
"We'll be bringing you up soon. okay. That there is the holy grail of marriage. Something to aspire to,"
Derek looked over at Renee who still ignored him and then looked at Bailey who just walked away not interested in getting involved in their drama, he just sighed as he followed Renee towards the coffee cart where she was getting her daily drink.
"One latte and sandwich," Renee said as she handed 5$ to the barista who handed her the coffee and her sandwich. Derek was still following her as he too grabbed his coffee and took seat opposite of Renee on one of the benches.
"Mark Sloan's the only one standing with you?" Derek asked sarcastically. Renee didn't answer as she continued to eat her sandwich.
"You're not serious, are you? Mark?"
"What about me?" Derek looked up to see Mark standing there with his hands tucked into his coat and he looked over at Derek with a smirk.
"You have created problems between Renee and me,"
"Mark's not the one it's you," Renee said simply as Derek looked offended.
"Is there something going on with you? Please don't tell me you're getting back together. Ren, you know-"
"I know what I did. I don't need to hear it from you," Mark shot back.
"I'll just introduce myself later," a ginger-haired man said.
"Uh-"
"Captain Owen Hunt, Trauma," the man introduced himself as Derek and Mark narrowed their eyes.
"Dr Renee Foster, surgical oncologist,"
"Dr Foster, what a surprise?"
"Mr Sheilds, good evening,"
Renee smiled as she walked towards Benjamin, she was on one of her rare moments of coming to Joe's, she had come for having a break after she watched Rosemary Bullard flatline and her husband performing CPR continuously. It was heartbreaking, Ed didn't give up on her for a long time, he continued to perform the CPR despite the doctors telling him that his wife as gone. Renee had hired a nanny for Ilaria after much consideration and she had to admit, it was nice to have some free time for herself and not worry about the baby.
"I didn't know doctors drink," he said.
"Doctors are known to be alcoholics and chain smokers,"
"I can't imagine you being an alcoholic or a chain smoker,"
"I am not, I came for my cranberry juice," Renee said as she looked over at Joe who already knew her order.
"You came to a bar for juice?"
"It sounds stupid but I have to drive home,"
"I don't think it's stupid, I'd use the word responsible. I can't tell how many people from the hospital have drunk and drive cases on their heads,"
"Is Dr Taylor on that list?" Renee asked as Benjamin laughed.
"I can't tell that Dr Foster, it against the oath....but I'll tell you this, he's my most frequent client,"
"Here's your drink," Joe said.
"Thank you, Joe," Renee said as she placed a couple of dollars on the table.
"Cheers," Benjamin said as he raised his beer bottle.
"Cheers,"
Over the next hour or so, Renee and Benjamin sat at the bar table in what someone would call comfortable silence, they chatted lightly about their work lives and how stressful everything is these days.
"I'll have to take your leave, Dr Foster, I have an early meeting with Dr Webber in the morning,"
"Goodnight, Mr Sheilds,"
"Goodnight Dr Foster,"
Renee was in her bed flipping through her magazines when there was a knock on the door, it was late and she wasn't expecting anyone at the moment, she grabbed her night robe from the chair and threw it on before opening the door. Callie stood there, her eyes red and swollen and before Renee knew Callie hugged her.
"Erica's gone," Callie whispered.
"I know you're not talking to me but please I need my best friend," Callie said as she looked at Renne with tears in her eyes.
"Come in," Renee sighed as she stroked Callie's hair as the ortho doctor broke down again.
"She left. Without any warning, without anything,"
"Any reason for her leaving?"
"Erica, she confronted the Chief about the Izzie and Denny Duquette situation and he refused to dig it up. Then she told me that she'd go to UNOS and compromise with Izzie's career and the hospital's reputation......I...told her it wouldn't do anybody any good and she got mad and left,"
Callie said as she laid her head on Renee's lap. Renee stroked Callie's head as she continued crying.
"I am sorry, Ren. I swear it just washed right out of the brain, I had even bought a present for Ilaria, the ER was very busy that night,"
"The ER's always busy,"
"Yes, I am sorry, very truly sorry,"
Renee knew someday or the other she had to forgive Callie and Derek, they were part of her family and she couldn't stay away from her family for so long.
"Hot cocoa?"
Mark was in an empty gallery overlooking an empty OR, he had tons of paperwork to complete and he just couldn't concentrate, Derek had warned him to stay away from Lexie but Mark was sure that he wasn't going anywhere near Lexie but more than that Derek's choice of words hurt him 'Little Sloan', he huffed, nothing about Mark Sloan was little. Mark would've told Derek to ask Renee about his little Sloan and as if God wanted to get Renee involved into this mess, Renee appeared at the gallery. Her eyes into her chart as she carried heaps of paper, her reading glasses on her nose as she sat down in the front row successfully not noticing Mark's existence.
"Do you think I'm little?" Mark asked with a smirk and laughed as he watched her jump in her seat and look at him with a hand to her chest.
"When did you get here?"
"I was always here, you came and stole the peace," she just rolled her eyes.
"You didn't answer my question,"
"What question?" she asked as she continued her paperwork.
"Do you think I'm little?"
"Little? What are you talking about?" Mark just raised his eyebrows and tilted his head slightly.
"Oh my god, Mark, what's wrong with you?"
"It's just that Derek told me to keep little Sloan away from little Grey,"
"Little Grey? I didn't know Lexie was your type,"
"She's not,"
"Well, she's young and you're you know-" Renee shrugged.
"We're the same age," he said with a blank face.
"That's the thing, you're too old for her,"
"I am not trying to date Little Grey, I am more offended with the Little Sloan part. Nothing about me is little, nothing," he huffed.
"Yes, yes, Mark Sloan's not little,"
"I do not appreciate your sarcasm,"
"Your dad won't be out of surgery. For at least another hour. You could have a little nap. What, you're 13, You're hitting the hard stuff?"
"I like the taste,"
"I was raised by parents Who weren't very interested in having kids. They had friends, they had lives. They weren't around much at night. And before I went to bed, I'd turn on all the TVs ... Every light in the house, even in the closets. Still couldn't sleep. It's hard to sleep When you don't feel safe in your own house, isn't it? Give me that. You are going to sleep,"
"No."
"I'm not taking no for an answer."
"Did you ever feel safe again?" Ivy asked. Mark looked at her before looking up again to see Renee standing in the lobby with her baby on her hips as she waited for somebody, probably Callie. He sighed as he looked back at the girl and patted on his shoulder.
"Close your eyes. I'll be here. Go on ... Close your eyes. Close your eyes."
"And people say Mark Sloan won't be great father,"
Mark didn't look up to know Renee sat beside him, her perfume and presence were enough, he could hear her sighing as she sank into the chair mostly tired from her day. After some time he looked at her to her eyes closed and her daughter sleeping as she tightly clutched onto Renee's shirt.
"I would be a terrible father,"
"Stop putting yourself so down, you might be a little arrogant, cocky, egoistic, pompous-"
"Thank you," Renee laughed.
"But you're a good person and you have a good heart.....for the most part."