flatline [m.s]

lxxxix.

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i had this memory game when i was a kid. a bunch of cards, face down, in rows. each card has a picture. you turn one over, look at it, then turn it back over. then you have to try and remember where its matching card was.
- - -

"hey, you can't go in there," a nurse warns lia and richard as they attempt to make their way through the hallways of boise memorial clinic. the nurse uses her best efforts to stop them.

"don't tell me where i can go," lia ignores the nurse, proceeding down the hallway.

lia turns her head to the side to see meredith in a hospital bed, fighting against nurses and doctors in an attempt to get out of her bed. richard gently pushes the nurse to the side so he and lia can enter.

meredith immediately stops fighting against the nurses and doctors when she notices richard and lia stood in the doorway.

"hey," lia breathes nervously, stepping further into the room towards meredith. she then turns back to look at richard with a look of concern, due to her sister's current state.

■ ■ ■

after checking on meredith, lia is in the hallway, leaning with her head back on the wall. she lets out a deep sigh, and screws her eyes shut until she hears someone crying.

she turns her head to the right to see julia rushing out of a patient room, tears running down her cheeks. lia's eyes go wide in horror, automatically assuming the worst.

once julia has left, lia hurries down the corridor and into the room, where she finds mark lying, awake on his bed.

"oh, thank god you're not dead," lia lets out a sigh of relief under her breath. she then proceeds into the room and takes a seat next to his bed. "are you okay?"

"i broke up with julia," mark announces, and lia's jaw drops slightly.

"you- y- wh- what? why?" lia stammers in shock.

"because i'm in love with you, lia," mark tells her.

"mark, you don't have to say it just because i said it," lia assures him.

"i'm not," mark shakes his head. "i've always loved you. and when that plane crashed; all i could think about was that i might not get the chance to see you again, and tell you how i really feel."

"i love you," lia takes his hand, as her eyes fill up with tears.

■ ■ ■

derek, meredith, mark, arizona, and cristina are all strapped to gurneys, heavily sedated below the plane as lia and richard are sat, clinging on to whatever they can.

"oh!" lia winces as the plane rattles, jostling them both about. "i wish they had put me out, too."

"yeah, i know what you mean," richard agrees.

"all i keep thinking is, we're gonna crash on some tropical island and get attacked by a polar bear," lia tells her father.

"now... i don't know what you mean," richard turns his head to her slightly and furrows his brow.

"you should watch more tv," lia scoffs, and richard nods, rolling his eyes.