After The Storm | Grey's Anatomy

// IV. //

"Do you have a secret tattoo?" I asked Owen one day.

At first he looked at me in a puzzled expression, but it soon shifted to embarrassment. He started  to fiddle on the buttons of his coat. I wonder if he's purposely trying to get me curious, or is just really bad at being cool. "What is it? Chinese characters?"

"It's not."

"So you do have a tattoo?"

He vigorously tap the tablet. The tablet is where we keep informations about our patients updated. From this baby, we could also check previous medical records of them. "It's barely a tattoo. I bet you do have too. A big one." Now he's accusing me. I wonder how Christina could ever win with him.

"Don't make this about me, Hunt."

"You're impossible." He grunted in annoyance, and left me.

Today, the hospital is moving slow as ever. I guess it's a good thing for most people. It means there's less chances of someone dying. And a day where no one dies, is always a good day.

Today, the shift is rolled. It's a part of residency program. "I got Edwards on my service." Stephanie Edwards is determined, fast-moving, smart, with a big dose of darkness. Kind of like I was. A level below, though.

"Damn it! I thought I'll finally work with Jo." I don't understand how or why Alex is so...I wouldn't put clingy because that's too extreme, but clingy with Wilson.

"You want to make sure of each other's availability, so you could do her in the on-call rooms, don't you?" I accused.

"You're getting more delusional by the day."

Suddenly, my pager went off. "Bailey is calling me to her office." I couldn't find any reason on why Bailey would ask me in her office. It's a Tuesday, and Tuck's caretaker comes over on Tuesday. "Tell Edwards I'll be down in a minute."

I was greeted by a silhouette of someone facing backwards. "Excuse me, do you see Bailey?"

When this person turned around, my jaw hung to the floor. What the hell is Amelia doing here, instead of Los Angeles? "Meredith," she sucks in her breath.

Amelia, Derek's little sister is in this hospital. For what? God, don't tell me that she's moving here. It'd be too much. I can't even look at her! with that similar pair of green eyes as my dead husband, I can't work!

At Derek's funeral, we didn't get to exchange words. I wasn't even the one who called her because I was too devastated. I was the one who called 911 on him. I was the one who found his wrecked car a block away from home. I was the first one who found him dead, lifeless, cold on the pavements.

"Wha-What are you doing here?" I stuttered. Great, I can't even form a structured sentence.

Saved by Bailey she was.

The door slammed open and there she was, the chief. "I see you two have met." I glanced at her carefully, trying to understand the whole situation.

She sat on her leather chair and excused us to sit. None of us did.

"Amelia here is going to repla- fill in Derek's position. She's a great surgeon. Fit in for the job."

Seriously, she should work here? Amelia? Is there no one at that department, qualified enough to be the chief or neuro?

I didn't say any of my thoughts out loud though. Not when Amelia is standing there with her leather jacket and shades that hides her eyes. It's not even that bright here."Great. Can I go now? I'm going to do an appendectomy."

Bailey watched me in doubt, but let me out anyways. Just a few seconds later, I heard footsteps walking towards me. "Look, Mer, do you have any problem?"

"No, not at all." I said shifting uncomfortably.

"Amazing."

***

"Alex!" I yelled at the phone after he finally picked up. I am currently in my car, in front of Alex's house. It is pouring outside and my heater is a no use.

I just received a text from Amelia, saying that she needed a place to stay. At three in the morning. Panicking, I rushed over to Alex's place. I haven't replied to the message because if I said yes then I'll have to make a conversations with her. And the only thing that ties the both of us is my husband. And my husband is dead. And I would hate to be bonding over my dead husband.

"What?" At the end of the line, I heard Jo's grunt. For once I'd like to smack her in the head and tell her that I won't call Alex before the crack of dawn if it's not important. Well, now that is. Before Jo came into the picture, we both, sometimes with Cristina, talked nonsense until the crack of dawn.  "Meredith?" He slurred in annoyance.

"I'm in front of your house, and Alex, it's very cold. And-" Before I got to finish, I started feeling Derek's presence on the passenger seat. At this point, he would probably be annoyed at me for even thinking about this. He'd probably want me to embrace his blood sister with love and comfort, and as my own sister. If he's here...he'll probably ask me to get a good night sleep and let Amelia have her's too.

"My house?" When he said that, the front door opened. He took an umbrella with him, and walked to my car. I opened the window, letting the loud cackling thunder and sound of raindrops fill my ears. "It's three in the morning" He stated the obvious, as he hung up.

All day, I haven't told him about Amelia. I didn't let the thought of her invade my mind today. Not even a second. I acted like she never came here, and all I know the day is ending and I have no other choice than face the reality. "I know. I'll go now."

"Is anything wrong?" It wasn't concern his face showed. It's more like an accusation. It's like he's saying : what the hell didn't you tell me about? but using his eyes only. Well, this is bound to happen, since we have been friends for years. He knows me by the twitch of my eyes, and that could be annoying sometimes.

Before I decided to lie and open my mouth, he started putting his hands inside the window. He waved his hands inside of the space of my car. "What are you doing?" I questioned skeptically.

"Your heater isn't on"

"I know. Thanks for the information, captain obvious."

"Why isn't your heater on?" Alex asks a lot of questions for a sleepy person. I thought I'd get used to it after some time, but turns out I don't.

I huffed, "Look I'm gonna- Alex, what are you doing?!" He unlocked my car, and let his wet self in.  He took my hand, and touched my fingertips.

"You're cold. Your heater isn't on. It's three in the morning, and you're lurking in front of my house. What's going on?" I bit the bottom of my lip, and once again argue on whether or not I should tell him about how I feel towards Amelia. If I do, he'll see me as a delusional bitch, and I'd spent the rest of my life receiving judgmental glares from him.

"Go back to your girlfriend. I'll cope." I sounded like a bitch for a second there. And I regretted it almost immediately. "Sorry, but I'm tired and I never should've came here."

I gave him a small smile. "I'll be okay, Alex." I continued.

"You don't have the right." He suddenly said, glancing at the rearview mirror. "You don't have the right to make me worry like this, and not let me do anything about it. I don't...you don't have the right."

With that he left me shivering by his driveway. At that same time, I replied a yes to Amelia and give her the permission to stay at mine. Sooner or later, I'll have to deal with Amelia. And no matter how long I stretch the time, she would still be my sister. A half sister, but a sister eitherway.