After the Storm

Chapter 27: Thirty-Eight Years

My eyes opened.

Except this time they opened in a completely empty, deserted place.

It was very dark, and I was alone. I wasn't in a hospital gown, for I was in completely normal clothes. My stomach wasn't big anymore, it was back flat like it used to be.

I panicked, because that meant the babies were gone?

Where were they?

Where the hell were my son and daughter?

Anxiety took over my body.

Where was I?

I walked out of my room into the deserted hallway of Grey Sloan. Everything looked exactly the same, except I was alone.

Was I dead? Was I in heaven? Was I in hell? Questions ran through my mind.

Seconds later, my heart skipped a beat as I heard footsteps behind me.

I jumped, snapping my head around.

A tall, muscular figure was approaching me.

"Who's there?" I called down the dim-light hall.

As the figure got closer and closer, I backed up against the wall.

"Chill, Robbins. It's just me," I heard that familiar sarcastic tone.

Could it be? Was I imagining this, or was it real?

"Mark!" I yelled, running into his arms.

"Hey there," he laughed, catching me, and squeezing me gently.

Tears streamed down my face.

"Don't cry now. It's all good," he said, wiping away the tears on my cheeks.

"How the hell are you here?" I sobbed.

"Well... it's hard to explain," he said.

"I'm sure I can keep up" I sniffed.

"Well, Robbins, you're in heaven. Before you freak out, no, this isn't permanent. So technically, it's purgatory,"

I stood there, frozen, perplexed as to how this could be. Was I just imagining this?

"I miss you so much, Mark. All of us do," I say as tears burn in my eyes again.

"I miss you guys, too. But don't worry, Lex and me, we're doing fine up here," he said.

"Lexie..." I whispered to myself.

"Where is she? I have to see her," I said, looking behind Mark for the girl.

"We'll see her later, I just want to show you something first,"

He waved me over as he began walking in the opposite direction.

We walked down the deserted halls of Grey Sloan.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked.

"I just want you to see something. Something that'll remind you why you're fighting," he said, placing his arm around my shoulder.

I don't know what happened next, but there was a whirring of light, at top speed. My hair flew around my shoulders.

Suddenly, everything wasn't dark anymore, and we weren't alone anymore.

We were in the usual, busy Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.

I saw Meredith, Cristina, Alex, April, and Jackson over by the nurse's station, speaking indistinctly among each other.