Hell's Angel

Chapter 54

My whole world feels like it is coming crashing down, I feel numb, unreal. "Andy! Us attendings are all going out for a drink later, you in?" I hear someone I know I should recognise but my brain isn't processing anything. "Andy?" The voice asks and I am grabbing by the shoulders, someone comes into view. Derek. "Someone get Karev." I hear him say as he takes me in, apparently no one moves as he shouts "someone get Alex Karev. Now!"

Derek leads me over to a chair I didn't realise was there before and he stand in front of me, hand on his chin. We stay in silence, my body trembling until I hear rushed footsteps and someone rounds the corner. "What happened?" Alex asks coming over "Shepherd what happened?" Derek stands up straight and shrugs his shoulders "I don't know I just found her like this."

Alex knells down in front of me and cups my head in his warm hands. His hands are really really warm. "Andy, baby, what happened?" He asks softly "are you hurt." I open my mouth but no sound comes out so I shake my head. He sighs in relief and gently strokes a thumb over my cheek "ok, what's wrong?" He asks softly again and this time I do manage to speak "my dad." My voice breaks despite myself.

"What about your dad?" Alex presses gently and I suddenly stand up, more aware of myself then I have been since the call. I look at Alex who now gets up off the floor "my dad is in the hospital, I need to go to him." Alex flicks his eyes to someone behind me and I remember Derek. I spin around and say "tell Owen where I've gone, I promise I'll be back for my major surgeries in a couple of days."

He has his arms crossed as he nods "I will, go." I start down the hall and Alex follows after me"I'm coming with you." He says but I shake my head. I stop in the middle of the hall and look over at him "this is your boards year, I can't distract you from that." He rolls his eyes and takes my hand in his giving it a gentle squeeze "in sickness and in health." He says and I snort darkly "we aren't married yet." I muse.

He leans closer to me "well, better start practicing." He says before kissing me. When he pulls away he adds "let's get to the airport."

-

We arrive at the hospital, after Alex shouting at several people at the airport and breaking several road laws to get here. We race over to the nurses desk, Alex clutching my hand tightly. The nurse sitting behind the desk looks over at me "yes?" She snaps as though I have ruined her day just by existing. I clear my throat, dried tears on my face "uhhhhh I'm here to see my father." I say, my voice quiet.

"Name?" The woman asks, her eyes wandering over to Alex although I am not in the right head space to even think about her batting her eyelashes at him. "Tearney." He answers shortly, wrapping an arm around my shoulder now, she clears her throat and turns to her computer "he is in room 407, floor 3." She tells us and we make the elevator.

The elevator is too slow and I bounce from foot to foot while Alex stays completely still as though any type of movement will make me start crying again. And maybe we will. Finally the doors open and my fiancée leads me through this strange place. We arrive at room 407 and my mother and sisters are already inside.

"Andromeda." Mum says spotting me and standing up. She motions me forward but I am frozen in place. Dad is lying in bed, paler then I have ever seen him and hooked up to machines which are beeping along with his pulse. "What- what did the doctors say?" I ask stuttering slightly, Alex pushes me into the room gently, keeping close behind me.

Mum wipes her mouth with a shaky hand "it's now taken over his skin, heart and lungs. There isn't anything to do but wait." She answers and I have to use all of my strength to keep myself upright. I go over to the empty chair beside my father's bed, next to Arabella. She is usually bubbly and full of life but now she is miserable as we all are.

"I'll wait outside." Alex says after a few moments but my mum shakes her head and motions for him to come closer "stay Alex, you are as much a part of this family as we are." Alex comes over to me and places a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Do you know how long he has?" Veronica ask, her voice low and dark. Mum shakes her head "the doctors said it couple be hours or days."

My throat goes dry and I look over at her, she looks ill as though she has been awake for a long time and it is finally catching up to her. "Hours?" I repeat just above a whisper, my throat feels like it is closing up and my mum nods sadly. I look back over at my father and notice all of the needle marks where doctors have poked and prodded at him.

"Can we take him home?" I ask "if there isn't anything they can do, he would want to be at home when he passes." Mum shakes head, tilting it and looking softly at her husband. "I tried that Little Star, they said they want him here so that they can make him comfortable." I shake my head and stand up. "Who's his doctor?" I press and her eyes brim with tears "Dr Harken." She answers and I leave the room.

I go over to the nurses station and lean over it "I would like to speak to Dr Harken." I say and the man looks up at me. "He has just come out of surgery he-" He starts but I cut him off finally having something to focus on "good then he will be able to talk with me." The nurse sighs dramatically but pages the doctor anyway.

When the doctor comes over he has a solemn look on his face "you wished to speak to me." He says clasping his hands together. We are standing outside my fathers door, I know my family are listening on the other side. I flick a piece of hair out of my face and take a deep breath, Alex is rubbing my back in a soothing motion.

"I want to take my father home." I say and the doctor puts his hands in his lab coat pockets. "I don't suggest that, we have machines and medication that can help ease him, if you took him home he would be in immense pain, Miss Tearney." He explains as though I am a child and I wonder if that's how I talk to the family of patients. I straighten up, my voice firm "it's Dr Tearney and I am fully aware of how much pain he will be in but as a family with three doctors in it I am sure we can scrape together some knowledge to ease his pain from home."

The doctor stands in shock for a moment before clearing his throat and wringing his wrists "well, I will uh, get the paperwork for you." And he walks away. I turn to Alex and he kisses my forehead, I close my eyes and sigh "I am so proud, you showed him who's boss." I smile weakly clutching onto him tightly. My home.