" Remember when you were a kid and your biggest worry was, like, if you'd get a bike for your birthday or if you'd get to eat cookies for breakfast? Being an adult? Totally overrated. I mean seriously, don't be fooled by all the hot shoes and the great sex and the no parents anywhere telling you what to do. Adulthood is responsibility. Responsibility, it really does suck."
- Meredith Grey_____
As they prepare to take the patient off by-pass, George, Delilah and Cristina watch from the gallery. Delilah sat at the top, where lesser people were. George is jealous that Meredith got to hold a heart. Cristina tried to look uninterested and said," A monkey could hold a heart."George smirked at Cristina,"You're mad Burke didn't ask you."
Izzie came in and sat down next to George and remarked," I need more ice and chips."
George asked, while chewing on a protein bar," Who else did you invite?" Cristina looked at Izzie and said,"We said the list was jocks only. Surgery, Trauma, Plastics. Who else?"
Izzie casually stated, not looking at her,"Just some people from Peds."
Cristina then told her," You invited the preschoolers to Meredith's house. The next thing you'll say is you invited the shrinks."Izzie looks away."She invited mental defects. This party's D.O.A."
Alex came in and sat next to Delilah and said to the group, "I heard there was a party tonight at Meredith's house."
Cristina, uninterested said," Oh really, party?" Izzie spoke," Uh, news to me."George also said," No party."Delilah just rolled her eyes at the immature behavior of her friends.
Alex inquired, watching the operation," Are we losing her or what?"Burke stated,"She should be doing this on her own."He strokes the heart and there was a flat line." C'mon, Mrs. Patterson. Paddles.There, we have rhythm. Reluctant heart. All right. Let's close. Keep an eye on her. Good work, everyone."
Delilah then quietly whispered to Alex,"There is a party and I am inviting you." She then walked out of the OR.
______
Richard, Bailey, Delilah and George are reviewing chest films for Mrs. Drake. Bailey asks George what he sees. George then answered,"Hyper-inflated lungs, clouded with bullae, seriously diminished capacity. She must be having trouble breathing."Bailey asked Delilah,"Course of action?"
Delilah answered her," A bullectomy procedure, remove the bullae, reduce the pressure."
Webber informed them, reading her file,"Says here we operated on her back in '99, so Mrs. Drake as been through this before, but talk her through it anyway. And resist the anti-smoking lecture, she feels bad enough already."
George asks Bailey if she thinks they put this lung scan on packs of cigarettes if people would stop smoking. Delilah punches him in his arm and says," I know smokers and she is not one." George says that the scan doesn't lie.
_______
Mrs. Drake told the two interns in her room, as they were prepping her,"The surgery before was supposed to help, but it...it never felt right."She takes off her glasses.George mumbled, not quietly enough,"Probably would have been a good idea to quit smoking." Delilah punched him in his stomach.
Mrs. Drake snapped,"I did! Four pack a day habit. Oh, it was hell."
George said," Really? Because it looked, I mean, from the damage, we all thought you probably were still smoking."
Mrs. Drake told the two,"Cold turkey. Five years ago. What do I get for my trouble? I still had to quit my job at the restaurant. But even sitting, it hurt. Nobody believed me. They all said it was in my head."
Delilah patted her hand in comfort and said," I've seen the films. It's not all in your head. I believe you." They start wheeling her away.
Mrs. Drake smiles at Delilah and asked her,"Do you think this is going to work this time?"Delilah replied,"I think it's your best option."
_______
Burke comes up to Cristina at the nurse's station and slides a coffee to her. She looks up at him as he's sipping his own, clearly confused. He says it's just coffee. Cristina awkwardly accepts the coffee as they go their separate ways. When she turns the corner, Burke peers back watching her with a smile. Delilah saw the interaction.
________
Richard informed the two interns,"We call this a spaghetti procedure. We cut and deflate the bullae to facilitate gentle manipulation of Mrs. Drake's lung."Webber asked the resident , after seeing something unusual in the field," Dr Bailey, do you see that?"
Bailey, still surprised after see that,"Sir? Oh my ever-lovin..."
Webber stated and ordered the OR staff, "We need to open her up. I'm taking out the scope. Lights. Let's get set up. 10 blade. Get the scalpel ready. Towel."
Richard makes the incision as Bailey assists. Richard then pulls a towel from inside Mrs. Drake.
Bailey remarked in disbelief, "Something careless this way comes."
_____
Delilah, George, Cristina, Bailey and Webber walking in a hallway.Cristina asked, thinking she heard wrong, "A towel?"
Webber just said, deep in thought," Not good."
Delilah then informed them, "She complained about pressure on her chest. Said nobody took her seriously."
Webber said again,"Not good for the patient, not good for the hospital. Not good."
Bailey instructed,"Cristina hit the files. Find out everything you can about that initial operation. Who was in that room, who was responsible for closing. Delilah, you stay with the patient. Keep her happy, she seems to like you."
_____
In the patient's room, Mrs. Drake spoke with difficulty,"Told me I had a towel inside me." Delilah asked gently, "Who told you that?"Mrs. Drake said," A surgeon, uh, older man, handsome."
Delilah informed her, listening to her heart,"Dr. Webber, he's our chief."
Mrs. Drake said while her voice was breaking,"Who would do that? That doesn't seem right, does it?" Delilah was holding her hand and said," No, ma'am, no. It doesn't. I apologize that something so horrific happened to you."
____
Cristina enters an office and starts going through files looking for information on Mrs. Drake's initial surgery. She finally finds a post-op report listing Dr. John Davies as the surgeon, and Dr. Preston Burke as the surgical fellow on the case. She brings the information to Bailey and asks what happens now. Bailey tells her to keep it to herself while they work it out.
_____
At the house, Delilah went in the same time as Alex who said," Thanks for inviting me, but I do not think your friends will be happy with you."Delilah walked into the living room and started to drink a beer and said," Who cares, we are stuck with each other for who knows how long and we should make the best out if it. You might be an ass, but you seem like a good person to have on their side." She then walked to her room and went to bed early.
YOU ARE READING
Little Bird ( Rewrite )
Fanfiction"Within the walls of hospitals and clinics, dressed not in capes but in scrubs, doctors battle the villains of disease and injury." Delilah Thompson has overcame many obstacles in her life from being left at the firestation as an newborn, attempted...