COMPLICATIONS | GREY'S ANATOMY

holding on

   MAGGIE CLOSED THE DOOR QUICKLY, then immediately went over to an overwhelmed Gisele.

She was breathing out a breath.

"Are you okay?"

"No. I'm not okay." Gisele snapped. At that moment all three babies started crying in sync, it made her feel like she was drowning.

Maggie could see how bad she was struggling, "You go upstairs and take a breather, and I'll stay and take care of them."

Gisele didn't need to be told twice and immediately ran all the way up the stairs.

Maggie turned back to the three infants and let out a long breath before going over to attend to them.

She had just gotten the babies to sleep after what felt like hours of constant rocking, cooing, and shushing. The silence in the room was a sweet relief, but it didn't last long. She sank into the armchair, rubbing her tired eyes and letting her body relax for the first time all morning. Her head was throbbing from the noise, and the thought of Gisele trying to juggle everything on her own made her heart ache.

Before she could even close her eyes for a second of rest, the front door creaked open, followed by the sound of footsteps. Maggie quickly sat up, looking toward the hallway, and saw Amelia entering with a concerned look on her face.

"Hey, what's going on? I heard some shouting earlier," she asked, her voice full of worry.

Maggie let out a long sigh and rubbed the back of her neck, feeling the tension there. "Jackson showed up... and things got heated," she explained, shaking her head. "Gisele's not doing well. She's upstairs trying to catch her breath, but it's bad, Amy. It's really bad."

Amelia's brow furrowed. She cast a glance at the babies, their peaceful faces a stark contrast to the chaos earlier. "Is she okay?"

"No," Maggie admitted quietly, "She's overwhelmed. She's holding it together, but I can see she's about to break."

Amelia didn't waste a second. "I'm going up to her," she said, her voice full of determination. Without waiting for an answer, she hurried up the stairs.

Maggie sank back into the chair, her thoughts swirling. She was relieved Amelia was there, but she also knew there was only so much any of them could do when the weight of the world felt like it was on Gisele's shoulders.

A few minutes later, Amelia's soft voice floated down the stairs. "Gigi, are you alright?"

Gisele's response was barely a whisper, but Maggie could still hear the rawness in her sister's voice. "I don't know, Amy. I don't know if I can do this anymore."

There was a pause, then Amelia's voice again, full of gentle reassurance. "You don't have to do it alone, Gigi. You never have to do it alone."

Maggie's heart squeezed as she heard the comfort in Amelia's words. She could already imagine the two of them hugging, Gisele finally breaking down, letting herself feel everything she'd been holding in. Maggie hoped it would help, even if just a little.

But then, just as Maggie was about to close her eyes again, she heard the unmistakable sound of the babies crying all at once—louder than before. Gisele's voice echoed down the stairs, heavy with frustration. "Not again. I can't—"

Amelia's footsteps were quick as she rushed back downstairs, her voice filled with a sense of urgency. "I'll help, Gigi. We'll handle it together."

Gisele didn't say anything. She didn't have to. Amelia's words were all the encouragement she needed.

As they reached the living room, Gisele's phone buzzed on the table. Maggie noticed the screen before Gisele did—Jackson's name. Gisele hesitated for a second, her finger hovering over the phone. Maggie's hand instinctively reached for it before Gisele could, but Gisele stopped her.

"I can't avoid this forever," she muttered, taking the phone from her sister. She unlocked it, her hands shaking slightly as she read Jackson's message.

"I need to see my kids. You can't just disappear and not tell me where you are. This isn't okay, Gisele."

Gisele stared at the message, her face tightening with anger. Maggie could see the familiar storm brewing in her sister's eyes.

"Unbelievable," Gisele muttered, her fingers flying over the screen as she typed back.

"They're not your possessions, Jackson. You don't control me. And I'm not dealing with this right now."

She hit send and shoved the phone into her pocket, not wanting to think about it anymore. Jackson wasn't worth her time, not right now, not with everything she was going through.

Without another word, they moved into the living room. The babies were still crying, and Maggie was already walking circles around them, trying to soothe them back to sleep. Her nerves were shot from the earlier chaos, but she gave Gisele a grateful look.

"I'm so glad you're here," Maggie said, her voice tinged with exhaustion. "I didn't know how much more I could take."

Gisele moved toward the cribs, her hands automatically reaching for one of the babies. "I swear, they can tell when I just need five minutes of peace," she muttered, her voice thick with fatigue.

Amelia quickly joined in, picking up another baby, and for the next few minutes, the three women worked in tandem, rocking, swaddling, and murmuring to the crying infants. The noise felt deafening, but there was something oddly calming about working together, each of them in sync, even if only for a moment.

As the babies began to quiet down, Gisele sank onto the couch, her body limp with exhaustion. She cradled one of the babies against her chest, her face softening as the baby's cries faded into sleepy coos.

"I don't know how you do this every day," Amelia said, looking down at the baby in her arms, her voice a mix of awe and empathy.

Gisele's tired smile was small but genuine. "Some days I don't know either," she whispered. "But somehow, I manage. Just like you."

Amelia sat beside her, leaning her head on her shoulder, and Gisele rested hers against Amelia's. For a moment, there was silence, the weight of everything not quite as heavy. They were still surrounded by chaos, but it felt a little more manageable, a little more bearable.

The house was quiet again, but Gisele knew it wouldn't last. But for now, she was grateful for the peace.

Authors note

Sorry for taking so long I've had the worst case of writers block and am having trouble continuing this story so enjoy this filler chapter