Had I known How to Save a Life

Split Second

Chapter 50
*Meredith POV*

Life changes in a split second. In the blink of an eye. Faster than the speed of light. One moment you're standing tall and the next you're falling down.

Everything around me stops. I freeze for a split second as my brain processes what is happening. "Meredith? Mer-Meredith, are you okay?" April asks me.

I snap back into, I need to focus. He might have left me but with out him doing that, I wouldn't be the person I am today.

"Yeah, yeah. Page cardio...uh, get an EKG. He was supposed to be getting remarried in like 2 or 3 days, so call his fiancé. And just do what you have to do." I tell April.

"Got it. We're going to do everything we can." She says to reassure me.

I don't know why this is hitting me so hard. I mean of course I'm supposed to be shocked, he's my father. But he's not my dad. I guess in the past few years that we've reconnected, I've grown to like him more. And I was sort of looking forward to that wedding.

I try and stay focused. I walk to down hallway headed toward an on call. But I run into Derek and he pulls me into the one I was headed for.

"Hey, I heard about your father. How are you doing?" He asks me.

"I'm fine, I'm just shocked. I thought he and I could have a second chance, to I guess mend our relationship." I tell him as he puts his arm around me for comfort.

"Yeah I know. But you know, Maggie is an excellent cardiothoracic surgeon. So if anyone's qualified to fix him up, it's definitely her." He tells me.

We begin to kiss until his pager goes off, Callie needs a consult. So I just sit here. Owen probably already knows my dad isn't doing good so he's most likely taken me off the OR board.

I go to check the board and what do you know, my name isn't on there. Richard and Bailey have my surgeries.

Arizona and Jackson walk by me and Arizona says, "Hey Mer, how are you doing?"

"I'm fine. They took me off the OR board." I tell her.

Jackson cuts in, "Is something wrong?"

"My father is having a heart attack." I say, quickly trying to brush it off like its nothing.

"Oh God, I'm sorry to hear that. I hope everything goes well." He says.

I don't want to leave the hospital, but I can't exactly do anything productive. So I do what I love doing and go visit the kids at daycare.

I hold baby Ellis as she sleeps in my arms. And I smile when she opens her eyes and I see her face light up.

Zola sees me and runs up and says "Hi Mommy!!"

I decide I should probably explain to Zola what exactly is going on.

*Maggie POV*

I got paged during my transplant for a VIP patient that is having a suspected heart attack. I run into Richard in the halls and ask, "Hey Dr. Webber, who's this VIP patient?"

His face gets a little saddened. "It's Meredith's father." He tells me.

Oh my God. Meredith's biological father. She was just telling me how he invited her to the wedding.

I go see his fiancée to get some history on him.

She has blonde hair and tattoos. "So, we woke up this morning and I was running some wedding errands and he told me he had bad heart burn so he was just going to get checked out." She says.

"We need to get that EKG immediately," I whisper to Dr. Warren.

"On it," he says.

We get a rush on all the labs and the EKG. Oh yeah, he's definitely having a heart attack. We need to act fast to repair the damage in time. Okay Maggie, you can do this. You are excellent.

I go to see Meredith's father. "Hi, Mr. Grey, I'm Dr. Margaret Pierce, I'm a cardiothoracic surgeon." I introduce myself.

"Oh yeah, Meredith told me, you and her are half sisters. Nice to meet you." He laughs a little bit.

"And you too. I believe you are experiencing a heart attack, so you're going to need surgery to repair your heart immediately." I give him the news.

"Will I be out of here before Saturday?" He asks.

"Unfortunately, I don't think so." I tell him.

We're taking him up to surgery right now. I go to find Meredith first. I see her at the daycare.

"Hey, Mer, we're about to take your father up to surgery. How are you doing?" I say as I sit down next to Zola

"I'm good, I'm okay. Just anxious feeling I guess." She tells me.

I smile and promise her I'll do my best.

I walk into the OR after I've scrubbed. I stare at Thatcher Grey and tell him I'll see him in a few hours. I open him up and begin with the first incision. Dr. Warren is assisting me. I crack the chest open and begin my procedure.

*Meredith POV*

Maggie begins the operation on my father. I'm not nervous, she's done this surgery over 100 times. It's not different than any other time besides the fact that the man who helped make me is the one on the table.

Derek walks into the gallery and sits next to me and he holds my hand. I smile at just the presence of him.

Soon, basically all of our friends are in the gallery watching the surgery.

Time passes and the surgery should be ending soon, suddenly, his BP and heart rate drop. Maggie looks at the monitors, then at me up here in the gallery.

She uses the paddles to charge is heart. After 3 tries, his heart starts beating again. I can see a look of relief of Maggie's face even through her mask.

*2 days later*

My dad is getting remarried today...again. In the hospital. He's still under observation so they're having a priest come to his room.

I came up with the idea for them. It's definitely not ideal, but he thinks it's a funny. All of the doctors are here to watch the "ceremony".

Derek kisses me on the cheek and the smile he gives me is the best kind of smile. The kind that makes you happy no matter what, the kind that makes you fall in love with a person all over again.

The wedding was was nice, there was a small reception afterwards, my father pulls me to the side and tells me, "Thank you, Meredith, so much. You know, I'd really like to get to know you better."

"I'd really like that too." I tell him.

Derek and I walk into an on call room, and he says to me, "I'm never going to stop loving you. I don't tell you that enough. So I just want you to know it. I'll never stop loving you."

I bring him in close, and attach my lips to his.

We all make these big plans, we think that's when our life will change. But it's in these split seconds, that can change our lives. The little things are what can change everything.

Author note:

So, I'm so mad that it's been over a week since my last update. I tried so hard to get one up earlier but I was just so busy. School this year will honestly be the death of me. Anyway, I hope you all like this chapter, sorry for leaving you with that cliffhanger for so long.

I love you!!!!

-Erin :)