Lover // g. o'malley

Deterioration of the Fight or Flight Response

Human beings need a lot of things to feel alive. Family. Love. Sex. But we only need one thing... to actually be alive. We need a beating heart. When our heart is threatened, we respond in one of two ways. We either run or we attack. There's a scientific term for this. Fight or flight. It's instinct. We can't control it. Or can we?

Denny is flatlining on his bed and Izzie is still standing next to him with the pair of scissors in her hand. "Izzie. His heart is barely beating. We need to call a code now. I can't even feel a pulse on the neck or wrist. Izzie, we need to call a code now!" I tell her.

"No! I have a plan here," Izzie says.

"He's crashing! I need to call the..." George begins to say.

"No! If we call a code, they will rush him to surgery and replace his LVAD and then he will stabilize. He needs to get worse before he can get better," she explains.

"Izzie I'm sorry but this is actually crazy. I'm not having any part in this," I tell her as I walk over to the door, about to leave.

"I won't say you helped or anything Rachel. Please, just stay here with me. I need someone," she says.

"You have George here," I say while pointing at him.

"Please Rachel? Just stay," Izzie begs me. I huff and roll my eyes at her.

"Fine, but I can't and won't defend you for this," I tell her before walking back over to her.

"We have to call a code," George mutters again.

"No! You press that code button, and I will physically hurt you. He has to get this heart. He will die waiting for another chance. You both know he will," Izzie whines. George sighs and walks over to us as we stand over Denny's bed, watching him flatline.

George and I are looking at a tiny computer together while Izzie is pumping Denny's heart manually. Then, Meredith runs into the room. "George's page said it was an emergency," she says, out of breath. I cant' help but roll my eyes

"You really had to page Meredith?" I ask him.

"We need help Rachel!" he gulps.

"What the hell is even going on in here?" Meredith asks the three of us. Then Cristina walks in the room too.

"What the hell is going on here?" she asks.

"Exactly what I said," Meredith tells her.

"She cut his LVAD wires!" I tell them, pointing at Izzie.

"Are you trying to kill him?" Cristina asks Izzie.

"I'm trying to save his life actually. All I have to do is confirm that his condition got worse, than Burke can call UNOS and he'll move up on the transplant list and he will finally get his heart he deserves," Izzie explains to Meredith and Cristina.

"Actually about Burke..." Cristina begins to say.

"Everything will be fine Cristina! When Burke gets here, everything will be fine. He will know what to do" Izzie yells.

"He's been shot Izzie!" Cristina yells over Izzie since she's been talking over her. George and I both look over at Cristina in shock. Since when did that happen? George now has to step in to pump Denny's heart since Izzie is frozen in fear.

"Burke's not coming here?" Izzie asks.

"No, Izzie. Burke is not coming. I know you're having problems here with your possible murder charges and you're incredibly stupid idea about stealing a heart, but Burke's kind of busy trying to stay alive too right now!" Cristina yells at her.