On Call | Grey's Anatomy // Book 3 // COMPLETED

10 | Notice

Over the past twenty years, one of the most valuable tools a doctor has is the algorithm. Your patient's main complaint goes into a box and then the formula helps you decide what to do next. But what happened when the problem doesn't fit into a box? Well...you're suddenly on your own, unexpectedly, with about a thousand paths to choose from.


"Cristina was supposed to fly out with us this morning and she didn't show," Meredith spoke on the phone with Derek as we sat on the plane.

"Her phone's still off." Owen huffed as he hung up his cell.

I shook my head, "She won't respond to my texts."

"No, uh, Derek, all...all she said was, 'That's how it goes.'" Meredith continued to speak with her husband, "Last night after the ceremony. And then that smug idiot's speech was a twenty-minute ode to himself."

"Ma'am, we're shutting the doors." the flight attendant approached us and looked right at Meredith.

"She'll just be one second," Owen told her.

Meredith went back to her conversation, "His research wasn't even research. I read his paper on lymph nodes. It sounded plagiarized."

"I'm very sorry, but you'll need to put your phone away." the woman returned.

"I heard you." Meredith snapped before ending the call, "Uh, I'll call you when we land."

Hanging up the phone, Meredith sighed loudly as she sat back in her chair. Minutes later the plane took off and the three of us left Boston without Cristina.

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Hours later we walked through the E.R. doors and I was happy just to be back in familiar surroundings again.
"You're back!" April chirped as we wanted over to her at the desk.

"You're gonna want to stay away from me today," Meredith warned her.

April, like usual, continued to talk despite the very clear warning. "Where's Cristina? She must be devastated. If I were her, I'd be face first in a pile of chocolate-chip cookies."

"Stop it!" Meredith snapped, "Cristina Yang doesn't need your pity. She was robbed! And you robbed her!"

"Oh! I did?" April tensed up.

Meredith nodded matter-of-factly, "Yes! You! You're an Avery by association. And that pack of fools can't tell their asses from their elbows, never mind an award-winning surgeon versus some half-wit who tinkers with science kits in his mother's basement! I told you to stay away from me today, didn't I?"

"Mm-hmm." April hummed and kept her head down as Meredith stormed off.

My eyes were wide as I looked between Owen and April. "It's good to be back." I sighed as I headed off to change into my scrubs.

Even though I wanted to be thrown headfirst into some incredible surgery to get my mind off of the Harper Avery award, I had been gone for a day so therefor I had no surgeries scheduled. I, of course, did end up doing a lot of consults and small procedures since I was one of the only Trauma surgeons available. Both Owen and April were in on a surgery so a lot of patients were directed to me, but nothing big.

What I really wanted was a long surgery. One that would make me forget about Cristina and would leave my legs aching by the end. However, I got the very opposite. Instead of lots of surgery and no award talk, I did minor consults and was called into a board meeting that night. A board meeting all about the Harper Avery Foundation and how they wanted to cut research projects.

"They want us to be the center of innovation, but they don't want to pay for it." Arizona complained.

"They love it when we innovate." Callie said, "They nominated Yang for an award."

Meredith huffed, "She was robbed. They're boneheads."

"Cristina deserved that award." I nodded in agreement with Meredith.

Derek let out a sigh and sat back in his chair, "We can't give with one hand and take with another. We have to stop this."

"There's no stopping this." Jackson told us, "Guys, they own the place. We are just their managing board. This conversation is our relationship now. Best we can do is try to guide them to make the right decision. That's by making our own decision, as tough as that might be. Look, this is my report, all right? All the projects are here...operating budgets versus progress to data."

All of us grabbed a paper and started to read. "Best to worst." Jackson continued, "Take a look, but the decision is pretty clear to me."

Just then there was a knock on the door. "Uh, y-you got a second?" Alex poked his head into the room, "Never mind. I'll come back."

"No, no." Arizona stopped him, "Alex, come in."

"You okay?" Derek asked as Alex stepped into the room and closed the door behind himself.

Alex nodded, "Uh, yeah. Yeah. I, uh, just wanted to let you know that, uh, my fellowship is, uh, almost done and, uh...well, I got an offer from LeBackes Pediatric Surgery Clinic, Oliver LeBackes' practice, and, uh...well, I gave it some serious consideration, and I've decided to take it. So, I guess this is my notice."

Although the room was full of shocked faces, I couldn't help but be happy for Alex. He was finally going to do something that he wanted to do.

So, what do you do? How do you decide? When you're left in the dark? How do you make sure you're not making the worst mistake of someone's life? You close your eyes...you block out everyone and everything around you...and pray that the voice inside you...is right. Because once you've decided...you can't ever go back.