Shooting Stars

FOURTY FIVE

Aria stood beside Mark while they all waited for Derek to make his speech since it was his first shift back after the shooting. "Right. Hey, uh, yes, good morning. Thank you. Thank you very much. Good. Thank you. Thank you very much." Derek thanked all his colleagues as the applauded him as he walked in climbing up the stairs.

"It's, uh, it's great to be back. First of all, I'd like to thank Dr. Webber for stepping up in my absence. Thank you.Uh, I'm grateful for all of you, for all of your support during my recovery. Thank you. Uh, it's just, uh, so great to be back as chief. I'm grateful for the, uh...I'm sorry. That's a lie. That's what people say, and, uh, the truth is... hate being chief. I hate it. Chief Webber... Chief Webber is our chief. Um... And I'm sorry, but this giant... Sorry, I gotta go look at this chordoma. I, um, I'm sorry, but...I quit.Let's go, Kepner. Come on." Derek announced while all the attending's and residents exchanged a look with one another.

Aria looked at Mark slightly shocked by Derek's announcement before she bursts out laughing. "That's one way to come back." Aria laughed clapping Mark on the back before heading down the hallway
~
Aria sat staring as rain fell down the window almost as if it was painting a picture. Each splash of a drop adding a minor detail to the overall effect of the end result. "It's always rained in Seattle. I like it here but I wish it didn't rain. Maybe it just reflects that this place is full of pain and misery." Aria mumbled to herself and possibly Dr Perkins who watched her carefully.

"That's what you associate with this place pain and misery?" He questioned the resident who didn't even bat an eyelid at his questioning.

"It's all I've ever known here. Alcoholic father who walked out when I was 5. My mother who was a world renowned surgeon but a horrible mother. She died upstairs from Alzheimer's just over two years ago. My step mom died from the hiccups on the floor below. Death just seems to creep through the halls of this place." Aria replied while shrugging her shoulders.

"And Alex?" Andrew asked which quickly caught Aria's attention while she looked at him slightly.

"What you want me to tell you how I feel? Because I don't think I could tell you. I don't think even i understand how I feel. I can't bear to look at him let alone sleep in the bed beside him. Maybe the universe or something saw I was happy for a minute and just could not let it be." Aria shrugged watching Andrew as he shifted forward looking at her.

"You don't believe you can have happiness?" He asked her while she looked back at the window.

"I believe we get moments but long period of happiness I don't think so." Aria replied honestly while Dr Perkins watched her.

"Do you want to know what I think Dr Grey?" He asked while Aria looked at him with a small glint her eyes.

"You're going to tell me whether I want to listen or not aren't you?" She said smiling slightly at him while he chuckled before nodding response.

"I think you're scared to let yourself feel that happiness. Like it's not your own to have or that it will be torn from you in an instance. But we know that isn't what's going to happen. Alex didn't die he's still here and your sisters are fine maybe that's the universe or whatever." Andrew says while Aria chuckled slightly at him.

"You know I see why they say your best. This whole person/ situation analysis is good. You are good." Aria smiled slightly while he nodded in appreciation. He leaned over signing her sheet of paper.

"Thank you Dr Grey. You're cleared for surgery." He nodded handing her the yellow slip of paper while Aria thanked him before leaving his office.
~
Aria walked down to the basement where all the residents were eating their lunch while she heard April. "I just went to the cafeteria,And some nurse called me Reed.And then said,"I thought you died."" April tells them while Aria sat beside Meredith.