"I'll be damned," Derek breathed, scrutinizing the scans. Meredith and Emma stood behind him, their eyes widening as they too noticed the crucial detail on Katie's scan.
"Good catch, Greys," Arizona praised, turning around and winking at Emma. A subtle blush crept up on Emma's cheeks as she muttered, "Thank you, Dr. Robbins."
"There it is," the tech pointed at the screen.
"It's minor, but it's there. It's a subarachnoid haemorrhage. She's bleeding into her brain," Derek explained.
"I think you should have a scan on your head, now," Arizona said, turning around with a playful glint in her eyes, her gaze lingering on Emma. "Just a small fall did this to her, and you belly-flopped into a bed frame," she added with a teasing smile.
Emma chuckled, her playful banter mode kicking in. "Well, Dr. Robbins, I guess my head is as indestructible as they come. No need for scans, I assure you," she replied, matching Arizona's playful tone.
Meredith chimed in with a smirk, "Yeah, Emma here is practically invincible. Bed frames beware."
Arizona grinned, her eyes dancing with amusement. "Invincible interns, just what I needed in my life. Let's focus on saving Katie, shall we?"
"She could've gone her entire life without it ever being a problem. One tap in the right spot-" Derek said, leading the three girls towards the receptionist's desk.
"and explode..." Emma finished. "On second thought, I think I'd like that scan now," Emma said rubbing her head.
"Okay, Now we have to go and fix it. You two did great work. Love to stay and kiss your asses, but I gotta tell Katie's parents she's having surgery. Katie Bryce's chart, please," he said to the receptionist.
"Here you go," she handed it over.
"Oh, and Dr Shepard, you said that you'd pick someone to scrub in if we helped," Emma said.
"Oh, yes, right. Um, I'm sorry I can't take you both, it's going to be a full house. Meredith, I'll see you in the OR," he said. Emma turned slowly to look at Meredith, who looked like Derek had just shot her. She then looked back at Arizona who looked sad but quickly shook it off and smiled. "Good. Thank you," Derek said, leaving quickly with Arizona not far behind him, discussing the surgical plan.
"Emma, I'm so sorry; I should have said something—" Meredith started. Emma interrupted her by grabbing her shoulders.
"Hey! Look at me! It's alright. It's only one surgery; there'll be other chances. Plus, it's probably best; I don't think I'll be able to concentrate properly, ahah." Emma's fingers rubbed soft circles on her sister's shoulders, trying to calm her down.
"It's not okay," Meredith huffed.
"I promise it is okay. It's our first shift, so relax and enjoy it," Emma added. "Come on, let's go get coffee; I know that always manages to calm you down."
"Okay," Meredith nodded slowly, running her hand through her hair as Emma led her towards the elevator.
---
"We should visit Mum soon," Meredith said, sipping her coffee as they walked towards her surgery.
"Uh-uh, no way," Erin said, shaking her head and stopping in her tracks. "Not happening. She doesn't want me to be her daughter anymore, so I won't."
"But she's sick, Em. She doesn't mean it," Meredith tried to reason with her.
"It still hurts," Emma whispered, staring down at her cup.
"I know it does, and I'm sorry. I wish there was more I could do," Meredith said. Emma sighed and leaned her head on Meredith's shoulder.
"Just keep being you," Emma whispered, and Meredith kissed her head, offering silent support.
"Okay enough with the sappy shit let's get you to your first surgery." Emma said after gathering herself and they continued on with their path making it to infornt of the door leading to the scrub room.
"I'm a little scared Em" Meredith said biting her lip.
Emma, noticing Meredith's anxiety, placed a reassuring hand on her sister's shoulder. "It's okay to be scared, Mer. Surgery can be intense, especially the first time. But you're well-prepared, and you have Dr. Robbins and Dr. Shepherd guiding you. You've got this, and I'll be right here in the gallery cheering you on. Just take a deep breath, focus, and trust yourself."
"You're right okay." Meredith said shaking off her nerves and turning around and facing Arizona and Derek as they both walk up to the doors together as well.
With a giant smile, Arizona placed a hand on Meredith's shoulder and said, "Ready for your first surgery, Grey?"
Meredith took a deep breath, nodding. "Yeah, as ready as I'll ever be, I guess."
Arizona offered an encouraging squeeze on her shoulder. "You've got this. We're here to help each other out. And Emma, you'll be cheering from the sidelines, right?"
Emma grinned, joining the moment of camaraderie. "Absolutely. Break a leg in there, Mer. Metaphorically, of course."
The trio shared a brief laugh, and Meredith, feeling a surge of confidence, entered the surgery department with Arizona and Derek. The journey into the operating room marked a significant step in Meredith's medical career, and the support from her colleagues added a touch of warmth to the otherwise clinical environment.
--
As the group of interns walked back to their cars fatigue evident in every step, Cristina couldn't resist slipping in a playful comment, a sly smirk playing on her face. "So, Grey, how did it feel to be the brilliant detective and yet miss out on the surgery? Looks like the genius-in-training still has some lessons to learn," she teased, her competitive edge shining through.
Emma rolled her eyes, firing back with a grin, "Well, Cristina, not all of us need surgery to feel validated. I'm here to crack cases, not just to scrub in. But hey, you go ahead and enjoy your moment in the OR spotlight."
"I can't believe that you've just done brain surgery," Izzie looked at Meredith. She shrugged and rubbed her face tiredly.
"I don't think I can either," She replied.
"Can we go home Mer, I'm going to pass out very soon from sleep deprivation," Emma said leaning her head on her sister's shoulder.
"Yes, Yes, let's go" Meredith said walking away from everyone.
As they reached their car, Meredith unlocked the doors. Emma, still leaning on her sister, whispered, "I'm proud of you, Mer. You did great in there."
Meredith gave a tired yet content smile, "Thanks, Em. Couldn't have done it without you by my side."
