The End

Chapter 6: Morning Sun

Patrick's head throbbed to the beat of his racing heart. He ran his hands through his hair. Disheveling it completely with one stroke. The light in his bedroom was too warm to have much of the morning left. He glanced to his phone on the bedside table. Last night's events rushing in like tsunami.

He could only pull himself out of bed with the promise of coffee. Patrick padded to the kitchen. Jillian sat at the countertop working on her computer. "I thought you were going to sleep all day."  Patrick groaned and kissed her forehead.

Reality setting in more and more as the seconds passed. Patrick admired his wife for a moment. Last night's feelings fleeting a bit. He was happy with where he was in this life. It was uncomplicated and whole.

His kids joined him in the kitchen. They were in the middle of bickering about something. "You can't do that!" Tallulah yelled at Darby.

"Chill out Tallulah," Sullivan spit back. He was always coming to his brother's defense.

Patrick winced at the sound of their raised voices. His hang over getting the best of him. "Guys, Guys," he tried to quiet them.

Jillian turned from the computer to resolve the conflict, "What is happening?"

"He's sabotaging my internet connection so he can play his stupid game." Tallulah said with an annoyed but mature tone.

"Darby," Jillian looked at him with narrowed eyes, "She has class," she shook her head, "and so do you for that matter."

"Thank you," Tallulah shouted and turned to head back to her bedroom. Darby stormed off too.

"Leave it until class is over Darby," Jillian called after him. Patrick winced again. Jillian laughed lightly, "You need an advil." Patrick agreed with the shake of his head. "There's some in that drawer." She watched as he popped a couple and chugged a glass of water. "Too much vino?"

"Way too much vino," he shook his head. He looked up at Jillian with a smile as the sun caused the lighting in the kitchen to completely change. The light peeping through the shade in long streaks.

There was a strange quietness about an empty backlot. The light flickered through the Airstream window and across Patrick's face. He squinted a little. The moody noir feeling it created was fitting of their early morning rendezvous. Though the truth was that they had never made it home the night before. Time was passing so quickly and the hourglass was running out of sand. They took advantage of these moments when they presented themselves. Wrapping at 3 am was the most ideal.

"You know," Ellen said softly lighting up the remaining darkness with only her voice, "my trailer is way bigger than this." She gestured to the fact that the bed that they found themselves in was converted from a kitchen table.

"Hmm," he kissed her shoulder, "But then I'd have to be further from you." His voice was genuine even if his words were cheesy. She breathed a laugh.

"Some of the crew members will be getting here soon," their faces so close that he could feel her breath on his lips. "I'll have to go back to my trailer."

"No way," he held her tighter. "You have scrubs here. No one will know." Patrick pecked her lips lightly.

Ellen sat up pulling the blanket with her. Patrick groaned. She leaned against the wall and looked at him longingly. "It's weird that Meredith and Derek are fighting right?"

"Yeah," Patrick nodded, "Especially considering..." his voice trailed off as if he'd regretted bringing up the inevitable.

"The fact that Derek is about to die," Ellen eyed him.