Baby Grey (Grey's Anatomy) ABANDONED

Forty eight

Erin sat in the chair beside Izzie's bed, staring at the charts she had to do.

She'd woken up from a nightmare after twenty minutes of sleep, screaming the entire apartment down until Meredith, Callie and Arizona had been able to wake her up together. She had refused to go back to sleep then, getting up and lending a set of Arizona's clothes until she could get her scrubs from the hospital.

As soon as she'd walked in, Bailey had noticed the bags under her eyes, the way Callie, Meredith and Arizona were flanking both her and Cristina like guard dogs, and had promptly put Erin on scut in peds so that she wouldn't have to do anything major but could still be with Arizona, who was holding her hand tighter than Meredith was. Bailey hadn't asked, neither had George, Izzie or Alex, but Erin had a feeling that they would eventually, especially while she was taking a break in Izzie's room.

"Hey," Izzie said. Erin looked up from the charts.

"Hey," Erin smiled weakly.

"You look exhausted," Izzie said.

"I think I should be saying that to you, considering you're the patient," Erin said. Izzie smiled weakly.

"We're disasters, aren't we?" she said.

"Massive ones," Erin said. Izzie shuffled over and pat the space beside her.

"Come on. I think we both need a cuddle and I know we aren't as close as we used to be but you're still my family," Izzie said. Erin put the files down and climbed into bed beside her, wrapping her arms around Izzie's shoulders.

"You're my family, Iz. We're family and we're disasters together," Erin mumbled. Izzie leaned her head against Erin's chest and Erin kissed her hair.

"We'll be okay," Izzie said. Erin sighed.

"Yeah," she agreed. They both knew she didn't believe it.

"Hey," Jesse knocked on the door. Erin and Izzie looked up from the charts and knitting they were doing. "I thought you could use a little care package," he held up the pink shiny box in his hands.

"Hey," Erin smiled. He walked over and handed Izzie the box, kissing Erin's cheek.

"I was always in the hospital as a kid. I was clumsy and every time I was in there, my sisters made me a care package. Now, I'm not your sister or your brother, but you're Erin's family and that makes you my family, too. So, care package," he said.

"You didn't have to," Izzie said, blushing slightly.

"I know," Jesse shrugged. "Open it," he said. Izzie nodded and opened the box. Erin peered in curiously. There was a pink fluffy blanket on the top and Izzie pulled it out, rubbing it on her face.

"Oh, soft," she mumbled.

"It's a hit with the kids. I figured it would be good for you, too," he said. Izzie smiled and put it to the side.

"Oh, more wool for knitting!" she pulled out a basket filled with different coloured wools. Erin chuckled. She got some fluffy socks, a few puzzle books, a colouring book with a set of pencils and pens, and a photo frame at the bottom. She pulled it out and Erin smiled.

It held a photograph of Izzie, Alex, Meredith, George and Erin, taken during their first year. Erin didn't remember the photograph being taken but they all looked genuinely happy, laughing in Joe's bar together.

A tear slid down Erin's cheek but she wiped it away.

"Sorry," she mumbled.

"Don't be," Izzie grabbed her hand tightly. "It's okay," she said. She looked up at Jesse. "Thank you. Seriously. This is amazing," she said. Jesse smiled and stood up, hugging Izzie.