Echoes of Resilience

34

"Why did you kill Derek?" Isabella's voice cut through the tense air as she confronted Burke, her eyes fixed on him and his lawyer seated across the table.

Burke's response was swift, his frustration palpable. "Isn't it obvious? He's the reason I'm in here! If only he had disposed of that rope instead of keeping it as a trophy, no one would have linked him to Rose's murder or realized he was in cahoots with someone. That rope and the phone he had me smuggle in sealed my fate."

Isabella countered, her tone unwavering. "We suspected he had an accomplice, but we never imagined it was you until the tragic demise of Izzie Stevens."

Burke's voice rose, his agitation evident. "Let's be real. The FBI was brought in to pressure Derek into revealing my identity. He would have thrown me under the bus without a second thought to save himself. Whether I took out Izzie or not, you would have uncovered the truth and arrested me."
The room fell silent, tension thickening as accusations and justifications hung in the air. Isabella's gaze remained fixed on Burke, searching for any hint of remorse or truth in his words.

"What were you doing at the hospital? What was your plan?" Isabella inquires, folding her hands on the table in front of her.

"Well, considering the circumstances of my arrest, I never had the opportunity to clear out my office, and there were certain items I wished to retrieve. Upon my arrival, I discovered that Richard had already hired someone for my position and my office was emptied. I decided to bide my time, hoping to uncover who had assumed my role and to locate Cristina so we could escape together. To my astonishment, Cristina walked through the door of my office. If it weren't for Dr. Altman's military expertise, Cristina and I wouldn't even be in this country right now," Burke elaborated.

"You previously expressed your desire to address the charges here before being extradited to Louisiana for Marla's murder. Initially, I had no objections to this arrangement. However, I have now decided to keep you in Washington. If Louisiana wishes to pursue prosecution, they can request your transfer, but you will be serving your sentence here," Isabella declared, rising from the table and heading towards the exit.

"You have no authority to do that!" Burke protested, slamming his hands on the table in frustration.

"Actually, I do. I know you only want to serve time there to be near Marla's body while serving your sentence in Louisiana, but I am not inclined to grant you any favors at this time," she retorted, walking out and allowing the door to shut behind her.

As Meredith and Addison prepared for Meredith's therapy session at the hospital, a sense of reluctance loomed over Meredith, casting a shadow on the impending visit. Despite Addison's gentle demeanor, Meredith found herself grappling with inner turmoil, evident in her resistance to the idea of going to the session.

"Sweet girl, please open up to me. I want to understand what's troubling you," Addison implored softly, taking a seat on the bed beside Meredith, who had sought solace under the comforting embrace of her blanket.

"I just can't bring myself to go," Meredith retorted, her voice tinged with a mixture of frustration and vulnerability, before succumbing to tears. Witnessing Meredith's emotional turmoil, Addison sighed, lifting a corner of the blanket to meet Meredith's gaze.

"It's alright if you don't want  to go. I won't push you, but I can't help you if you shut me out," Addison reassured, a solitary tear tracing a path down her cheek. "Please, don't shut me out." Moved by Addison's display of compassion, Meredith emerged from her blanket cocoon, sitting before Addison as she gently wiped away the tear that had escaped Addison's eye.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you," Meredith whispered, her gaze averted, her fingers fidgeting nervously. Sensing Meredith's distress, Addison interlocked their hands, offering a silent gesture of support and understanding.