Playing with fire (Amelia Shepherd) ABANDONED

Five

Mallie knocked on Amelia's ICU room door, Meredith looking up from the chart she was reading. Amelia looked over, her eyes widening slightly as she saw Mallie.

"She's not talking yet," Meredith said.

"That's okay," Mallie said.

"Good," Meredith smiled and stood up, stepping out of the room. Mallie walked to the seat and sat down, leaning back and putting her feet up on the side of the bed. Amelia made a face and Mallie rolled her eyes, putting them back down. 

"Sorry," she said. She sighed and looked at Amelia. "Can you hear me?" she said. Amelia nodded. "Right," she said.

Her phone beeped and she pulled it out, seeing it was Travis checking to see if Amelia had woken up. She tapped back a reply and then threw her phone onto the table with another sigh.

"Hey," Owen stepped into the doorway. They looked over. "I was just checking in," he said.

"I can leave," Mallie said, moving to stand up. Amelia's hand grabbed hers, pulling her back down into the seat. "Or I can stay. That works, too," she whispered, sitting back down uneasily. Her phone beeped again and she grabbed it.

"Do you have to go?" Owen said. Mallie looked up from the message from Vic telling her that she was scared of fire but to please not tell Andy and Jack, as the others were helping Vic manage it.

"No. Not now, anyway," Mallie said, leaning back as she started typing a response.

"How do you feel?" he asked Amelia. There was a tense silence.

"She can't talk," Mallie said.

"Oh. Is that temporary?" he asked.

"I don't know. Meredith said she wasn't talking yet, so temporary, maybe? I never was one for neuro," Mallie locked her phone and looked at Amelia.

"I forget you were a surgeon," Owen said.

"Well, we have operated at gun point together," Mallie said. Her phone beeped again with a call from Vic and she sighed. "I'm gonna be back," she said.

"You can go, if you have to go. I can stay with Amelia," Owen said. Mallie looked at Amelia, seeing she was already looking at Mallie. She shook her head and Mallie nodded.

"I'll be back," she said.

She stepped out of the room and put the phone to her ear.

"Mallie, good. How's Amelia?" Vic said.

"She's awake, not talking yet but we'll get there. Uh, listen," Mallie said, turning away from Amelia. "About three years in, I got scared of fire. There was a bad one, we lost a kid and it threw me. I worked through it alone, 'cause I was too scared to tell anyone at the station. But I got through it, and if I can, you can. You're a fighter, Hughes, and you're gonna be alright," Mallie said.

"How did you get through it?" Vic asked. Mallie turned back, seeing Owen was now gone and Amelia was looking at Mallie, waiting for her to come back in.

"I started small, worked my way up. I had people there if I needed them, even if I didn't tell them what was going on. We'll figure it out, but you're gonna be alright. Nineteen," Mallie said.

"Nineteen," Vic echoed. "Thank you, Mallie," she said.

"Whatever you need, Vic. I gotta go back to Amelia but I'll see you tomorrow," Mallie said.

"See you tomorrow," Vic said. Mallie ended the call and walked back in, sitting on the chair again.

"I'm gonna stay tonight. I have to be gone at nine for shift and to get a shower before it starts but I'll wake you up before I go to let you know I'm going," she said. Amelia nodded. "You're gonna be alright, Amelia," she said. Amelia nodded again, holding her hand out. Mallie took it, letting Amelia intertwine her fingers.