How To Save A Life (Grey's Anatomy)

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter 16

Season 2, Episode 18

     It's been a while since the bomb exploded at the hospital. They managed to rebuild most of the wing that the bomb exploded in and pretty much everyone has gone back to work. It traumatized a lot of people, I heard the Chief even had a heart attack and I'm not surprised. Something traumatic like that affects everyone differently.

    I, for example, have been drowning my sorrows at Joe's bar almost every night since it happened. Most of the time I only have one drink, I've only gotten drunk four times but I think I have a good excuse. I guess Meredith has a better one though, she watched as the bomb exploded and had her hand touching it for hours.

    "Usual?" Joe asks me when he walks up to me.

    "You know me." I give him a slight smile before he walks away to grab my drink. It feels kind of pathetic, sitting at a bar alone on a Friday night, but everyone else is at home sleeping. I did dress nicely for once in my career at Seattle Grace. Lately, I haven't had time or energy to dress up but I felt that if you're going to go to a bar alone, you should at least look decent.

    "Can I buy you a drink?" I hear a voice from beside me and I turn to see a very handsome man standing beside me. He has just enough facial hair to look mature, but not so much that it looks messy. When I don't answer for a second he holds out his hand. "Sorry, I should introduce myself. Mark."

    I take his hand in mine, he has a firm grip. I give him a smile and try my best not to stare too long at his bright blue eyes.

    "Audrey." I manage to say which earns a smirk from him.

    "Beautiful." He sits on the stool beside mine. "So, about that drink?"

    Before I can answer, Joe walks over to me with my vodka soda and places it in front of me. I look over at him with a sheepish smile. He returns it before fishing a bill out of his pocket and placing it in front of Joe on the bar.

    "I got this one." He says as Joe picks up the money and takes Mark's order. He turns back to me, eyes sparkling and I can't help but smile like a teenage girl talking to her crush.

    "Thank you," I say with a smile, attempting to act calmly. "Do you come here often?" I ask him and mentally slap myself for one of the cheesiest lines in the book but he doesn't seem to mind.

    "No, my first time actually. I'm here visiting...a friend." He explains. "Can't say I'm too fond of the rain though."

    "Yeah, that's Seattle for you." We laugh together as Joe brings him a beer which he starts to drink. "Where are you staying?"

    "The Archfield hotel." He states and I raise my brow.

    "Wow, that's a nice place. I've never been." I comment before taking a sip of my drink.

    "Well, I could show you around, if you'd like." He smirks and I know what he's doing.

    "I might need a second drink before that," I say and he laughs, holding his hand up to get Joe's attention before pointing at me.

    "Another round for the lady." He says as I start to down my first drink.

    To my surprise, the two of us were actually able to keep up a conversation for quite a while. We both took our time on our second drink and stayed at the bar for almost an hour. He seems like a nice guy, probably a total player but I don't mind. All I need is one really good night to take my mind off of everything. At least this time I'll be going to his place so I can sneak out the next morning instead of having to kick him out.