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

35 | Passing Holidays

It had been months since Meredith had disappeared and there was still no word from her. She didn't respond to emails or texts or even answer the phone. I tried calling her every day at different times, just hoping that I would get lucky and she would answer...but it never happened.

"We should try to find her." Maggie said as her, Alex, and I sat on Alex's porch, "She's not a rogue agent. She's not on the lam. She's a single mother with two kids. How hard could it be?"

"Really freakin' hard." Alex answered, "I called anyone I could think of...Cristina, her father...and then I thought maybe Webber was right, maybe she followed is Ellis's footsteps. So, I started calling hospitals in Boston and asking for Dr. Grey just to see if anyone would answer."

Just then, fireworks went off in the night sky above us. It was the fourth of July and a few of us were celebrating together, but honestly...nothing had been the same since Meredith left.

"Oh. Wow." Maggie gasped.

Alex cracked a small smile. "Yeah. Here we go."

"This isn't why I came to Seattle." Maggie said as applause for the fireworks could be heard in the distance, "I didn't know exactly why I was coming, but...I knew it had to do with finding out about my family, and I found Meredith. And then she...I never felt abandoned by my birth mother. My parents never let me, not for a second. We were meant to be a family. I believe that. I know that. But...but I think this is how I would've felt...if I had."

Pulling out his Phone, Alex called Meredith again and left a message. "Look, cut it out. It's not fair to any of us. Just tell me that you're okay and that you're safe. That's all. Just do that."

Silently, the three of us just sat there and watched the rest of the fireworks. They really were beautiful even though it was hard to be happy these days.

═══ Thanksgiving ═══

Sitting down in on Alex's couch, I sighed as my stomach grumbled. I was so hungry and Jo wasn't exactly doing the best job at cooking. However, Alex came in seconds later with burgers to save the day. Handing them out to Maggie and Jo, he sat down beside me and gave Meredith another call.

At this point, I never even watched anymore when he did, so imagine my surprise when Meredith answered and her face filled Alex's screen. "Hey!" Alex smiled, completely shocked, "Hey, you're alive!"

"Alex, listen I'm fine. The kids are fine. We're okay. I'm fine. Please stop calling." Meredith said before she hung up.

Even though Meredith only said a few words, I felt this giant weight being lifted from my shoulders. She was okay, and that was all that mattered.

═══ Christmas Eve ═══ 

"Oh, I ate too much pizza." Arizona sighed as she threw her paper plate onto Alex's coffee table.

"Second batch!" Maggie walked in with a big bowl of eggnog, "Deck your halls, y'all."

Alex sat forward. "I always hated eggnog. Why is yours so good?"

"Mine's mostly hooch." Maggie admitted, "It's basically a bourbon milkshake."

Alex smiled as he filled his glass again. "Cheers to that."

"Karev, that is definitely the saddest tree I have ever seen." Jackson glared at Alex's Christmas tree that only had one string of lights on it.

Alex huffed. "Tell Robbins."

"No, uh, it's better than no tree." Arizona defended herself, "Alex was like, 'Why bother?' and I said, 'You have to have a tree at Christmas.' Otherwise, your soul is just curdled and you've given up on joy, so I got a tree. I started decorating it, and then some woman went into labor, so I gave up."

Maggie walked over and picked up a present from under the tree. "To Zola, from Sofia." she read.

Arizona took a deep breath. "Sofia keeps asking, 'Mommy, maybe at Christmas, we'll see Zola. Shouldn't we get her a present?' And I don't...I don't know what to say. I mean, I don't know if they're ever coming back."

"Hmm, I know the feeling," Jackson grumbled, and I nodded in agreement. It had been well past three months and Owen and April had still not returned home yet.

"So, I caved." Arizona finished the story, "I got a gift, just in case."

"That's the spirit." Jackson nodded as the doorbell rang and Webber walked in.

"Hey, Merry Christmas!" Webber held up a large pink box.

Maggie looked to Alex. "Oh, I invited Richard 'cause he seemed a little sad and lonely. Is that okay?"

Alex nodded, "Yeah."

Just then, my phone went off. Fishing it out of my pocket, I saw that it was Owen and I excused myself. Walking upstairs, I entered one of the bedrooms and answered the call.

"Ellie?" Owen's voice was choppy.

"Hi." I couldn't help but smile, "How are you?"

I heard him sigh. "I'm good. I can't talk for long, but I just wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas."

"Thanks, you, too," I told him.

"Ellie...I...you." the audio started to cut out as I could hear loud booming sounds in the background.

I checked my service before bringing the phone back to my ear. "Owen? Owen, can you hear me?"

And just like that, the call ended. Groaning with frustration, I shoved my phone back into my pocket before heading back downstairs.

As I got to the steps, I saw Jackson sitting at the bottom. Walking down, I sat beside him. "Did you talk to April?" I asked, noticing the phone in his hand.

"Uh, yeah." he paused, "Did you talk to Owen."

"For like two seconds." I chuckled, "God, I just want to talk to him. I keep looking forward to his calls but I don't even know why I bother because it's basically just 'Hello' and then 'Goodbye.'"

Jackson nodded, "Yeah. Did Owen say when he was coming home?"

"No. Did April?"

"No."