What Could Have Been

Right Here Where You Left Me

In the cab ride to the hospital the next day Stacey couldn't stop fidgeting. If last night's events had taught her anything, it was that her father wasn't the same man anymore. He was different. His hair was long instead of freshly cut. He wore a worn-looking tan trench coat instead of his custom-fitted designer coats. His left hand was bare instead of accented by a silver band.  He was dating and had a girlfriend instead of being the picture-perfect family man that he was known to be in New York. How was she supposed to talk to him?

Her mother must have sensed the tension coming off of her because she had slipped her hand into Stacey's and held it in a firm grip, squeezing it twice. Her parents always used to do this when she got nervous or scared. It calmed her down as if saying that it was all going to be okay somehow. It was reassurance that someone would be there to catch her if she were to fall.

"I requested Meredith be put on my service today." her mother said with her eyes trained ahead of her. Her back was straight and her chin held high. She seemed to be growing more poised and stiff as they got closer to the hospital. Her walls were coming up. Her high society upbringing shifted into gear.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Intruding on her dad's claimed territory had been one thing, but asking to work with his girlfriend? That might be pushing it. Her mother's shoulders square before answering, "I'll have to get to know her somehow. And if your father took any interest in her, it's safe to say that she isn't a completely incompetent intern." Stacey flicked her gaze to her mother, wide-eyed, mouth slightly agape. An intern? Her father was seeing an intern? That couldn't make the girl that much older than she was.

"She's an intern? Seriously?" Her tone was incredulous as she pondered over the fact. Her mother nodded but kept her gaze stilled forward. That would mean that Meredith was closer in age to her than she was with her father. A twisted feeling started to curl in the pit of her stomach. She felt nauseous. This wasn't how her life was supposed to turn out.

"I have to get changed and then round on my patient, will you be okay on your own?" her mother asked as they got out of the cab. "Yeah I'll be fine." she replied as she looked at the face of the hospital. It didn't look so menacing in the daylight yet she was still apprehensive about entering. "Okay, but remember that if you need anything you can always ask one of the nurses to page me, alright?" her voice sounded relaxed to the average person, but they didn't know Addison Montgomery-Shepherd. Her voice was higher, more posh-sounding. Mentally and physically preparing herself for a rough day ahead. Stacey nodded and squeezed her mother's hand twice as if to share strength. Her mother gave her a grateful smile and kissed her on the top of her head before heading off to get changed into scrubs.

It was still early and Stacey didn't feel like a confrontation would be the best way to start the day. So instead of looking for her father, she made her way over to Richard Webber's room. Richard was the reason they found out that her dad had been in Seattle the whole time and not six feet underground as she'd once thought about after he left. He brought them to Seattle under the guise that he needed her mother for a TTS case where needed the best of the best, which her mother was in her field. Although Stacey was grateful for this chance, she wondered if this trip was slowly becoming a huge mistake.

"Good morning sweetheart. You're here early." Richard greeted her as she entered his room. She gave him a sweet smile before giving him a kiss on the cheek. "I wanted to come see you. We didn't exactly get to finish our conversation last night." She said as she sat down on his bed. Richard looked at her with sad eyes. He was looking at her like she was a bird with a broken wing. "I'm fine uncle Richard." She said before Richard could open his mouth. She didn't want his pity. She gave him a soft smile as he rubbed her arm in a comforting manner.

Not long after, a nervous intern with a messy mop of hair and a baby face that made him look way younger than he probably was, entered the room. He looked like a lost puppy wondering why the chief had asked for him. Stacey wondered if he was friends with her dad's girlfriend.