How To Save A Life (Grey's Anatomy)

Chapter Twenty

Chapter 20

Season 3, Episode 1-4

If you asked me what my favourite part about being a surgeon is, I wouldn't know what to tell you. The obvious answer would be the thrill of the cut, having someone's life in your hands, but lately, I'm not sure. A couple of days ago, I would've said the best part is the reward of saving someone's life. Today, however, the bad cases where the patient dies seems to outweigh the good.

"Izzie! Izzie! Come on." Alex says while knocking on the bathroom door. After we got home last night, she closed herself in there and hasn't come out since. All of us stand in the hallway, unsure of what to do.

"She's been in there all day. We have to do something." George says looking at the door and we all nod in agreement before turning to Meredith.

"Why are you all looking at me?" She asks us.

"Well, this is familiar territory for you." Cristina comments and I scrunch my nose. Maybe not the best way to put it.

"There is nothing familiar about this. Unfamiliar. Denny died. The man she loves died." She defends herself and I shrug.

"Yeah, but you're all dark and twisty inside," I say and she looks at me offended.

"Dark and twisty? You're dark and twisty."

"You know what I mean," I say and Cristina nods.

"Yeah, the mother with the Alzheimer's thing and the father you don't talk to." She says, going along with my comment.

"And the tequila thing and the inappropriate men thing," Alex adds.

"You are dark and twisty inside, Meredith, and now Izzie is dark and twisty inside," George concludes for us and we all nod.

"So all of a sudden I'm the president of people with crappy lives?" She asks us, sounding even more offended.

"Seriously, we have to do something. Someone has to go in there." George says, looking over at the door again. I sigh before stepping forward and knocking on the door.

"Izzie?" I call out. After no answer, I continue. "I'm coming in, okay?" I give them a look before opening the door and walking inside. I close the door behind me and look down to see her lying on the bathroom floor.

"Oh, Izzie," I mutter in pity. The poor girl is still in her dress lying chest down on the cold floor. I walk around her and lie down on the floor beside her. When I look at her face, it's almost like she isn't even there. "Hey, do you want to get out of that dress? I can go get you something more comfortable." I try to offer but she doesn't say anything. "Do you want a blanket?" I look at her exposed arms and shiver. I'm in a sweater and the tile is already making me cold.

"Stop it." She says quietly and I look at her, waiting for her to say more.

"Izzie, I'm just trying to talk to-"

"There is nothing to talk about." She cuts me off. "Do you understand me? There is nothing to discuss."

I'm not sure how to respond. She just lost someone she was planning on spending the rest of her life with. I can't imagine that kind of pain.

"I'm so sorry, Izzie," I whisper. It's all I can manage to say. After a couple of minutes of lying with her, I leave the room and grab a blanket from my room before putting it down beside her. I can't force her to change or be warm but I can give her the option.

After getting dressed, I make my way downstairs into the kitchen where I find Meredith and Cristina making a lot of sandwiches. I walk over to them and look at the counter which is covered with food. We don't get a lot of days off and when we do, we're normally at the hospital trying to find something to do. For the first time, I have a reason to say home on my day off.