Stitches of Survival

Catastrophe and the Cure

Chapter Sixty-Eight: Catastrophe and the Cure

*~*~*~*

"So Bailey has you babysitting me?" A scowl filled Alex's lips as he and I made our way through the emergency room his first day back at the hospital-- Meredith having posted his bail.

"I don't know about babysitting--" I began.

"You're babysitting." He cut me off with an eye roll. "It's the whole reason you decided to stay behind while Sloan and Robbins took the kids to New York to see Sofia, right?"

"Or maybe I just wanted to be here to support my friend. Ever think of that?" I countered.

"You're a crappy liar," he told me.

"A crappy liar that's letting you crash as her house," I reminded him.

"Dr. Karev, Dr. Sloan, this is Zach Thompson." Ben introduced us to the little boy lying in the ER bed once we reached them, preventing Alex from saying another word to me on the matter at hand. "Six months post-renal transplant, complaining of abdominal pain."

"I know the history," Alex assured the resident, having been the one to perform Zach's transplant.

"Dr. Alex," Zach grinned at the man.

"Hey, buddy." Alex offered the boy a smile as he pulled on a pair of gloves. He spared a glance over his shoulder at where I stood at the end of Zach's bed, not wanting to get in the way. "Zach, this is my friend Dr. Beth. She's gonna be helping me today, okay."

"Hi," I offered both Zach and his mother a smile.

"Hey, Reena. I didn't want to see you guys here again." Alex spoke honestly as he pulled Zach's shirt up to examine his surgical scar. "When did the pain start?"

"This morning. It came on kind of gradually," Reena explained. "I got scared. His kidney is so new, and I worry."

"Ow!" Zach winced when Alex carefully prodded his side.

"Sorry, bud," Alex apologized.

"No, I'm fine," Zach insisted. "Don't make me give my kidney back."

"Well, look, I'm gonna have to run a few tests, and I need you to be brave. But remember what we say?" Alex reminded the boy, his words only making the small smile on my face grow. It never ceased to amaze me how much my friend had grown since we were all interns. "No matter how bad it gets, no matter how scary..."

"Nothing's as bad as broccoli," Zach finished for him.

*~*~*~*

"So, they're just charging you today." Meredith noted as she, Alex, and I made our way through the courthouse later that morning. Bailey having agreed to let Meredith and I leave work for a little while to be there for our friend. Not wanting to leave his to face the music on his own.

"I know," Alex nodded.

"It'll probably be a misdemeanor with probation," Meredith guessed, having actually taken the initiative to read up on what he could be facing.

"I know, Mer." Alex nodded again, having already heard this from her several times.

"How about we just shut up and go in there?" I suggested as we reached the doors to the courtroom we'd been directed to. Meredith shot me a look but neither said a word as we made our way inside. Meredith and I both slipped into a free row on the defense's side while Alex was ushered towards the front by his lawyer. As I took my seat I didn't fail to spot DeLuca sitting on the other side of the room. His face still bruised and his left arm in a sling, though he'd been discharged a few days ago.