dream a little dream of me

ch13: if this is the last time

"When we arrive at the scene, civilians don't see us. Not really. They don't see past our gear, our uniforms. The uniform inspires confidence. The uniform makes people believe everything's going to be okay. Even when your whole house is burning down. Our uniform is our armor, our protection, our hard-candy shell..."

"We're 19. We fight the fight together."
Warren spoke as he was entering the ICU ward along with Gibson, Bishop, Miller and Captain Herrera.
Sullivan was standing with Montgomery. Dead worried about his wife and the future of his friendship with the Seattle Fire Chief.  Meredith Grey was the one who got them in the hospital's nest. Trying to ease the pain for young Herrera-Sullivan. Even if it was breaking the protocol and dr.Grey knew, damn right, when was the right time to break it.
Andy still didn't say a single word. She was just sitting in the corner of the room, praying for her best friend's life, who was still hooked up to the machines and the only company she had in the cold hospital room was her husband. Who didn't sleep, didn't eat. Or even bother to talk to anyone else but Victoria and dr.Pierce.
On the other side, Meredith was trying to get Andy to talk or at least do something. Anything to express what she was feeling at the moment. But didn't have any success, at least not til Warren didn't say that sentence which managed to hit Andy's nerve.

"No, Warren! There is no us. We're not 19. We're not a team- unless a team member leaves one of their people behind! Then we are a team! Right, Gibson?!"

Andy now stood up from her chair. Looking at Jack who tried to explain himself. Maya was standing close to him, rubbing his arm.

"Andy, I-"

But she immediately broke him off.

"You what?! You left your teammate behind! You left one of your people in a burning skyscraper to die! To choke on her own blood, to burn! Alone! And now you're trying to justify yourself with 'save the life you can save-'! You broke the code 19 was built on. The 19 my dad has been building and creating all these years!"

Pruitt heard his own daughter yelling in the empty hospital room and knew he had to do something to stop her before saying something she will regret.

"Andrea..Andrea!"

But then Robert lifted his hand up to tell him to stop and let her express her emotions the way she wants to express them. Dr. Grey gave him a nod to stay back and let her be. Because she needed to let all of the anger and sadness out.

"You don't dare to speak to him like that. Andy, this is affecting all of us. It's not just you. Not everything is about you. We all have feelings and feelings of all of us are valid. Not just yours. So tell me- what was he supposed to do? Break the protocol and let that little girl die in a fire? When she had the better chances for survival. You know, Andy, not everyone is you, going behind everyone's back and marrying your Battalion Chief for a promotion!"

Maya immediately fired a comeback to protect her boyfriend- which caused Andy to almost fall of her feet.  But then again Pruitt's voice was heard.

"Bishop, that is enough! All of you! It is enough!"

But silence didn't last long.

"I married the man I love! And don't you dare to speak to me like that when you ended up jumping my ex behind my back. Pretending to be my best friend and taking the job that was promised to me and earned by me!" 

Andy sighed looking around the room, feeling dizzy. It looked like the whole room was spinning around her.

"So, there is no us, Warren. There is no ninet-"

And with that she fainted collapsing down on the floor.  Robert caught her before she could seriously hit her head.

"Andy!"

He shouted kneeling down as he held his wife's head on his lap. 
Meredith Grey had to take the charge of the scene.
"Helm, get me a gurney. All of you leave! Immediately. Montgomery, you can stay with Hughes since Ripley approved it. Sullivan, captain Herrera, you come with me to the ER."

Soon the crowd was gone and dr.Grey was rolling her towards the ER, followed by her husband and father, who were both seriously upset. Meredith immediately hooked her up to the I.V's and let her to rest for some time.

"I need the both of you to go and have a drink. Take some fresh air to calm down. I promise I will call you back as soon as the labs come. And, she will be okay. Hey, she's Herrera."

Meredith tried to comfort the men as much as she could. She got back inside and sat down by Andy's bed. Checking on her vitals. Soon Andy woke up. Looking around and trying to remember what has happened.

"R-robert?"

She muttered her husband's name but Meredith squeezed her hand.

"Herrera, it's me, dr. Grey. You fainted. It's probably due to exhaustion. I have run your labs, still waiting for the results. You're gonna be okay, but I need to ask you a few questions?"

Andy just nodded, looking at the blonde surgeon. 

"When was the last time you ate proper food?"

Andy shrugged, trying to remember.

"I have no idea. 48 hours ago?"

Meredith nodded, listening to her and writing something in the chart.
"Have you experienced any recent dizziness?"

Andy shook her head. She really didn't feel dizzy til the moment she fainted.
Meredith nodded.

"When was the last time you were on your period, Herrera?"

Andy paused for a second.

"8 weeks ago?"

She was too weak to even process what she just said. Meredith just nodded. She was about to respond when dr.Helm ran in.

"Dr. Grey, dr. Grey, dr. Grey!"
Helm shouted all in rush.
"I am here; Helm. What is it?!"
Meredith ask as she stood up from her chair. 
"Mrs. Hughes Ripley is in V-feb! Schmitt and I have been trying to get her heart rhythm back into normal for 4 minutes!"
Andy's eyes widened as she looked up from Helm to Grey.
"What?!"
Meredith immediately started walking towards the ICU, finding her pager and paging Maggie Pierce.
"Helm, I need you to stay here, give mrs. Herrera Sullivan some more vitamin fluids and page dr. Carina DeLuca! Now!"

Meredith ordered as she was running like an Olympian. Towards the ICU where the heart of Victoria Hughes Ripley was fighting it's best to work properly. Good enough to keep her alive.

"If this is the last time, please come close
I love you with all my heart, you know
I don't wanna cry, I'm bad at goodbye
If this is the last time..."

Like I said... "Our uniform is our armor, our protection, our hard-candy shell. It protects what's under the surface. But the truth is that no amount of armor can protect you from everything."