My Safe Place to Land

Chapter 3

Ellen's POV:

While walking into set, Patrick and I were holding hands and I did not want to let go. I felt him trying to let go but I didn't want to. I felt so safe with him.

When we walked into the building we unlinked our hands and I took my head off his shoulder since all of our co-workers were there. Sandra was talking with Justin so I went to go talk to them while Patrick went to go talk to Eric. I approached them and Sandra danced her way to me and sung a little tune saying,

"How is Mrs.Ivery!!!"

I laughed and smiled and said, "I'm doing great like I usually am, you?"

Saying that sentence just hurt. I didn't want everyone to know what was happening between Chris and me on our first day back. Which reminded me, I have to tell Patrick not to tell anybody since I wanted to keep it quiet for our first few days back. However, I couldn't tell him now since I was talking to Sandra and Justin.

"I'm doing well. Just like the Oh is always doing.", replied Sandra.

"That is good, I'm glad to hear," I said while smiling.

All of a sudden, Shonda uses a megaphone to call all of us into the table read room. We all walk into the room and sit at our assigned spots. Mine was right next to Patricks however, I couldn't tell him now with everyone in the room so I decided to wait until the table read was over.

"Okay, everyone! The next episode that we will be filming ties around a woman who intentionally hurts herself and finds herself at Seattle Grace Hospital. She intentionally hurts herself because she is apart of an abusive relationship and she is trying to find her way out of it.", said Shonda.

The second Shonda said the storyline was about someone who is a victim of abuse my heart dropped to my stomach. I was trying so hard not to run out of the room but I had to keep myself looking professional. Patrick put his left hand on my upper thigh to show that he was there for emotional support. I placed my right hand on top of his hand for a subtle 'thank you'.

Then Shonda said, "Alright Pomp- sorry I mean Ivery, go ahead and read your narration!"

I smiled and laughed at her and said, "No, you're good" and I started to read the narration for this episode.

After about a 2-hour table read, we were all done and we started to walk through the episode on set. We all got into positions, on our marks and we were ready to begin.

A walkthrough of an episode can usually take 5 to 6 hours tops since there is a lot of medical dialect and most of the cast can't get it right the first time. After the walkthrough, Shonda surprised us with smorgasbords of all sorts of different foods. While I was going to the table of food, I saw Patrick and I decided this was the perfect opportunity to tell him not to tell anyone about my issue. I know he wasn't going to since he respects me so much but I just wanted to make sure he wouldn't.

"Hey Paddy, can I talk to you?", I ask.

"Sure Ellie", he said and we walked to a private hallway where no one was at.

"What's up?" he said concerned

"So regarding to what I told you earlier, about Chris, can you try to keep in quiet? I was planning on telling people this week but now that this episode is about someone going through abuse, I don't want people to feel bad for me.", I said to him with a concerned tone to my voice.

"Of course Ellie, anything you say will be safe with me. Once you are ready to tell other people, I'll be your support system and I'll help you through it all.", replied Patrick.

God. What a perfect co-star. I just wanted to kiss him but I don't think I'm emotionally ready to do that.

"Really?", I asked him.

"Yes, of course. Remember?" he said

"We are each other's safe place to land.", we said to each other at the same time.

"Thank you.", I said to Patrick. I hugged him and he kissed me on the cheek and we walked back to the party.

That kiss on the cheek made me feel some sort of way. I don't know how to explain it but ever since I met Patrick, he has always made me feel some sort of way, even if I was dating Chris. I guess he is truly my person.