Lean On Me- Merder

Second Opinion

Derek
I sat with my head in my hands, exhausted. I was at the Seattle Police Department, and I had been all night.

After finding Meredith's car in the ditch I had called to report her a missing person. Soon, I was swarmed by flashing lights. They searched the scene, and towed away her car for evidence.

"Sir." I lifted my head to see Officer Pete, who had introduced himself earlier. He was offering a cup of coffee, which I graciously accepted.

"Is there anything I can get for you?" He asked, genuine concern in his voice. I shook my head.

"I need to get to the hospital, tell the staff what's going on." He nodded.

"I'll go with you. Call ahead and arrange an emergency staff meeting." I lifted myself from the chair and dialed Bailey's number.

Pete and I walked into the conference room full of Meredith's friends and colleagues. Their faces displayed confusion, tiredness, and worry.

"Derek, what's going on?" Alex asked from
the front row. I shook my head, but it provided comfort to know that Meredith had a village looking out for her.

"Doctors." The officer spoke loudly, and all attention was directed to the uniformed man.

"We have reason to believe that Doctor Meredith Grey was kidnapped and taken hostage."

The room took a collective gasp, and began to bombard the men with questions.

"If we are going to find your colleague, we will need full cooperation. We are flying in the countries best detectives and investigators. You will be observed. You will be questioned. Please do not resist, and if anyone was prosecutable evidence, speak up."

A finality resounded after the officer's last sentence. The large crowd began to disperse, as attendings and residents alike returned to their patients.

The conference room door swung shut, leaving only Derek, Bailey, Alex, Richard, Amelia, Callie, and Maggie.

"Derek, do they know anything?" Maggie questioned, sounding defeated.

Derek shook his head sadly.

"Have you tried calling her?" Bailey asked, pulling her phone from her pocket. Derek simply held up her cellphone, which he had taken from her empty car.

"Pager!" Amelia explained. The surgeons gave her strange looks.

"She always keeps her pager in her pocket." I murmured, realizing. It was a long shot, but they might be able to get a hold of her.

Richard pulled out the device and typed a short message.

"WHERE ARE YOU." He pressed send, and leaned back in his chair, sighing.

Meredith
I slowly regained consciousness, becoming more aware of my surroundings with each passing second.

The room was small and dark. I sat on a cold slate floor. My spine dug into the stone wall behind me. A throbbing pain radiated from the back of my cranium.

I groggily raised a hand to my face, only to find it handcuffed in place. I groaned and rested my head against the wall.

Seconds later, or maybe it was hours, a familiar noise pulled me from my daze. My pager! I scrambled to grasp the small beeping device.

It was too late. Someone else had heard the noise, and the stairs began to groan under the weight of someone walking down them.

I concealed the pager under my leg and feigned sleep. I heard heavy steps growing closer, only stopping when they were close enough to waft the foul stench of alcohol towards my nostrils.

The figure landed a sharp kick against my chest, and I could feel my ribs snap under the blow. A loud ringing occupied my ears, and I could faintly see a rough hand grab the pager from under me, and throw it at the wall.

"I know you're awake." My blood went cold as the unsettlingly familiar voice penetrated my ears.

All I felt is fear.

Fear that bubbled up like boiling water, threatening to breach the surface, to tear me apart at any moment.

I opened my eyes, and slowly raised my head to meet the man in front of me. His dark eyes struck me like daggers, and I drew in a gasp.

I was face to face with Paul Stadler.