Home (Grey's Anatomy Series)

Family Dinner

Separated by the rest of the world, thousands of miles above sea level and hidden among the clouds, I cradled my legs close to my chest as the small world inside of the plane went silent. Catching people striding up and down the aisles, Jackson, who sat beside me, leaned on the armrest as the movie he had been watching came to a sad end. Side-eyeing him, I kept my lips tight as his bottom lip quivered before a quick tear ran down his cheek.

"Are you okay?" I chuckled, startling him.

"What the-, I thought you were asleep?"

"...I was. What were you doing?"

"I was just watching this new action movie...with fast cars, and guns...and-"

"I know Les Miserables like the back of my hand, Jackson."

Puppy-dog eyeing me as his screen credits ended, he turned his body slightly, wiping away the tears.

"Eponine died didn't she..." I mumbled, letting go of my legs.

"Yes. She deserved someone better than Marius...Cosette is like a bag of stale chips, no flavor."

"Honestly, I think Marius was gay and tried to hide it by marrying Cosette... Enjolras was his secret lover." I whispered.

"...what!"

"It's not canon, but I wish it was." 

"...Well, it does make sense now that you put it that way."

Peeling off my blanket, Jackson's eyes gazed past me and at the window where we have finally lowered enough to see the gridlines of New York. Separated by bridges, rivers, and parks, New York was its own world. Filled with cultures and languages, it would take the average person two weeks to actually enjoy the sights before being bombarded by angry New Yorkers as they hog up the sidewalks while taking pictures.

"How long has it been...since you've been home?" Jackson asked.

Stuffing the blanket behind my seat, I took a quick glance out the window, not awed by the sights.

"18 years ago...I was 13."

"...but you were just 8 years old when Elliot died, right?"

"Yeah...my mom thought it was best I should go back to Philly after that." I sighed.

'Ladies and Gentlemen, the seatbelt signal has been illuminated. Please take your seat, buckles yourself in, and prepare for landing.'

Tucking my purse under the seat in front of me, Jackson and I tightened our belts as the attendants started to stride down the aisle beside us and into their designated corner at the front of the plane. Holding on, I watched out the window as we flew past the highways and above other homes before the sound of the wheels started to propel down. The anticipation of the wheel turning with the wind and the free-falling weight of the plane had startled most of the passengers. 

Jolting a bit in the air and pushed back by the force of gravity, the plane finally landed, leaving it to run down the runways before coming to a complete stop.

'Ladies and Gentlemen, Welcome to John F. Kennedy International Airport. It was an honor flying with you today.'

Gripping his hand on mine, Jackson broke into a smile as the sound of seatbelts unbuckling echoed throughout the section. Waiting for the plane to reach the gate, Jackson quickly turned his phone off of airplane mode before he was bombarded with messages and calls.

"What's going on?" I whispered.

"...it's from one of the hospitals nearby."

"What do they want?"