Part Three (Final)
When Robert got to Andy's bunk he knocked on the door and after a few seconds of not hearing anything he opened it slowly and what he saw warmed his heart. His wife was cuddled into her best friend, head on Maya's chest while both women were asleep.
Robert pulled out his phone and snapped a picture of the two before walking out and closing the door, letting them rest.
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It was a couple hours later when Maya came into the lounge, rubbing her eyes.
"Is Andy still asleep?" Robert asked, noticing Maya first.
"She is," Maya said and walked into the beanery, Robert following her.
"Did she say anything to you?" Robert asked, concerned about his wife. Maya shook her head. "All right, I'm gonna grab some water and then go back to her bunk." Robert began to walk away after he grabbed a bottle of water when he stopped. "Captain," Robert called, getting Maya's attention. "Is it okay if she swaps with Gibson for the rest of the shift? I don't really want her going out on calls when she's like this and she was actually the one who suggested it."
"Yeah, that's fine," Maya told him. "Look, just stay with her, okay? She shouldn't be alone right now."
Robert nodded and rushed to the bunk room. He opened the door to see that his wife was still asleep. He put the water on the desk in the room, sat on the bed and pulled Andy into his arms as he slid down the bed, lying down.
The two had been lying there for what seemed like forever when Robert started to fall asleep. He was woken up when he felt Andy twitch. He sat up and saw Andy's brow furrowed. He raised a hand up and gently rubbed it and was relieved when it relaxed under his touch, despite everything he was still her safe place.
"I don't wanna fight anymore. I don't wanna fight my dad. I don't wanna fight you. I am so tired and sad and sick of being angry. And I, I just want to feel and to be in a safe place. And I don't know why or how, and I, I can't explain it, but you're the safest place I have."
Robert smiled at the memory of her just randomly showing up at his house which was now theirs. "You're the safest place I have too, Andy," Robert whispered and kissed her forehead. Robert continued to run a hand through Andy's hair, wanting to do anything he could to keep her calm. She needed her sleep, and he was grateful she was able to despite all the stress she had right now.
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Four hours later, Maya decided to see if Andy or Robert wanted anything to eat but quickly left when she saw that they were still asleep. She hadn't seen Andy and Robert do anything couple-like so it was adorable seeing them cuddling. She pulled out her phone, snapped a pic of them and then closed the door, leaving them alone.
Maya walked down to her office concerned. She didn't know how to make this better for Andy. She, like Robert, knew that Andy was struggling and spiraling. She sighed when she got into her office and leaned against the door. She hated this for her best friend.
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It was the end of the shift and Andy was getting changed in the locker room next to her husband. When she was done she told Robert that she was going down to the car and she'd wait for him and before he could say anything she was already gone. Robert sighed, finished getting a shirt on and rushed out of the station. Robert got in his car and started the short drive to Grey Sloan. When they got there they were met by Amelia, Maggie and Teddy.
"You sure you want to do this, Andy?" Robert asked, reaching for his wife's hand.
"I'm sure. I need to do this, Robert." Andy told him and pulled him into a kiss that lasted for several seconds. "I love you."
"I love you too, Ans," Robert said and after one last kiss, Andy exited the car and was given PPE to put on. Robert drove away to the parking lot where he'd be waiting until Andy finishes.
Andy sighed when she got out of the car, nerves taking form. She felt a hand on her arm and turned to Amelia.
"How bad is it?" Andy asked, putting on the PPE, and waiting for her to answer.
"The vent is breathing for her. Her oxygen levels keep decreasing." Maggie told her when Amelia wasn't able to get the words out.
Andy swallowed, a lump forming in her throat. Andy just nodded and followed Amelia and Maggie to Meredith's room. When she looked into the room her heart dropped. It was one thing to hear about what covid patients had to go through, but it was another to actually see them.
Andy saw Meredith lying in the bed, under the covers and her heart cracked. She looked like she was on the verge of death and her being on a vent didn't help. Andy swallowed again before walking into the room.
"15 minutes, Andy." Andy heard Richard say from behind her, she turned back and nodded quickly before closing the door and looking at Meredith.
Andy grabbed the chair that was in the corner of the room and moved it closer to the bed. She looked up at the window and motioned to Meredith's hand. When she saw Amelia nod she reached forward and held Meredith's hand.
"Dr. Grey." Andy's eyes teared up thinking about the first time they had met outside in the ambulance bay. "I...God, I don't even know what to say right now. I just... I know how serious your condition is right now and I know I needed to come by. No matter the protocol." Andy sighs. "God, I hate this. I hate this for you. I hate this for the hospital. And I hate this for your family. Mer, you need to get better for them, okay? They need you. All of them." Andy gently rubbed the top of Meredith's hand. "Sounds selfish but I need you, Mer. I cannot lose anyone else." Andy felt a tear fall. "I don't let many people in, but somehow you made it easy. You were there for me when I was falling apart after my dad died. You were the one, the only one who sat and listened. Who didn't judge me. Who didn't call me crazy. Who didn't assume grief was making me want to tarnish my father's memory. You were the only one who saw that I just wanted answers." Andy felt a few more tears fall down her cheeks. "I never got to say goodbye to him. I just know that coming out of that building..." Andy had to pause, beginning to choke up at the memory of that storage unit fire. "I saw his hat on our truck, thought of how we managed to get out and somehow I just knew. I knew he had sacrificed himself for us." Andy sobbed. "Mer, please hold on, okay? Please." Andy paused, trying to think of what to say, what she would have wanted to say to her father. Or whatever she would have wanted to say to Ryan that she didn't get to since he had died in her arms too quickly. Just the thought of Ryan's blood on her hands made her sob. "Mer, please hold on. Please. So many need and rely on you. I get with all your success you most likely also feel the weight of the world on your shoulders, right?" Andy rubbed the top of Meredith's hand. "I get how it can be crushing. I get that you, if you feel the same way I do, sometimes need to be relieved of that pain and I'm sure wherever you are right now you're not feeling any pain. But Mer, you have children. You have three amazing, sweet, perfect children waiting for their mommy to come home. You have friends waiting for you," Andy squeezed Meredith's hand. "You have your family at this hospital waiting for you to wake up because they cannot handle any more bad news right now. You have your sisters." Andy looked out the window and saw Amelia and Maggie standing beside each other, arms around each other's shoulders. "Mer, you have so many people here for you and I know that, like me, you've lost a lot of people, and you'd do anything to see them again, but you owe it to them to keep on living. You deserve to keep on living Meredith Grey," Andy said and looked down when she felt Meredith squeeze her hand. "Mer?" Andy questioned and the doctors outside turned to look inside. "Mer, squeeze my hand if you can hear me," Andy said and was surprised that she felt a squeeze again.
Andy looked out the window and spoke through her tears. "I thought you said she was doing worse?" Andy asked the doctors.
"Her vitals kept trending down. We did everything we could and when I saw her oxygen levels going down I thought that I should prepare for the worst." Teddy told Andy, watching as Meredith's levels started to stabilize.
"Well, she's squeezed my hand twice now," Andy told her. "So, I mean, wouldn't this be a sign of her doing better?" Andy asked and felt pressure on her hand again. "Oh, my God." Andy looked at Meredith's face and saw her eyes blinking open slowly. "Oh, Meredith." Andy let out a sob and looked up at the ceiling.
Thank you for not letting me lose anyone else.
