Had I known How to Save a Life

Band-Aids Don't Fix Bulletholes

Chapter 55
*April POV*

My heart beats out of my chest every time I feel them kick. The joy it brings, it's indescribable. But the constant fear you have when you're about to be a mother, can only be tamed when you hold your baby in your arms. That's supposed to be the safest place in the world for them, when they're in your arms that is. But it can also be the worst when that's the place they take their last breath. It's like a bullet in the dark that goes straight through your heart.

I'm 37 weeks and want nothing more than to hold my little Allison and James in my arms. Jackson's about to go into work, we have an ultrasound today so I'm going in with him.

*Jackson POV*

At April's appointment the OB told us that it could happen any day now, even today.

I get a 911 page from the Pit, so I have to leave early, I kiss April on the head as I walk out the door.

When I arrive at the Pit, it's a madhouse. "Grey, Pierce, any idea what's going on?"

Meredith gives me a bad look...oh no. "There was a shooting..." She begins. My heart drops. "...at a high school."

I text April that and tell her I won't be able to make it back and that she should probably just hang out in the Attendings Lounge.

*Meredith POV*

I don't understand it. What in God's name possesses a person to enter a place with innocent people and fire an automatic weapon. I shake that off and get to work.

My patient is 16 year old, Allison Woodward. She was shot in the abdomen.

"Is Erin okay? Erin Payne, is she okay? There were so many bullets...they were, they were everywhere. She got shot in the arm taking on for me and then I took one for another friend, Hartley."

"You and your friend both took bullets for someone?" I ask.

"Yeah, I mean, we're all basically sisters. We'd do anything for each other. Like dying." She laughs but begins to puke blood.

"Okay well, I'll check on them, but first I need to focus on you." I say.

She's heading to CT so I look for her friends. "Erin Payne?" I ask.

"That's me!" I hear a voice behind me say. I turn around to see a girl, who can't be taller than 5'4", probably 100 pounds too.

"You're the one who took the bullet for Allison?" I ask

"Yeah and Jackson too" she tells me.

"Who's your doctor?" I ask, she has bandages over her arm and ribs.

"Dr. Pierce and Dr. Torres" She says.

Maggie walks up, "okay well, you're friend is doing okay she's about to go into surgery." I look to Maggie, "This girl's a hero take good care of her."

"Don't focus on me, there's other kids way worse." She says.

"Sorry, honey, band aids don't fix bullet holes." Maggie tells her.

These girls, they took a bullet for each other. They were willing to lay down their lives for each other. And the one badass girl Erin took bullets for two people and she's 15.

That was the kind of friendship Cristina and I had. That's the relationship Derek and I still have. I pray one day my children have that kind of friendship. Like the one I had and still have with Cristina.

I'm taking Allison into surgery, before we go in, she grabs my hand and says, make sure Erin is okay, and Hartley, and all my other friends. I can't live without them.

Her surgery is tricky because of the position of the bullet but I get it and Arizona assists. "So this girl and her best friends were all taking bullets for each other?" She asks.

"Yeah, there's another one Jackson is working on, Brooke, a bullet went through her friend and into her. She'd of died at the scene had the friend not stopped it." I say.

The shooters were identified by Erin. Amelia and Alex are working on them with Bailey and Webber. Amelia and Bailey's patient was like the ring leader and Alex and Richard's was like the little side kick.

We finish the surgery and I run into Derek before he goes into surgery with Jackson. "Hey you're okay right?" He asks me. "We've got kids shooting up kids and we've got a group of like 15/16 year old girls taking bullets for each other, it's crazy."

We kiss before her goes into surgery. And it's like I fall for him again every time.

*Jackson POV*

My patient, Brooke Moudy, has a bullet in her. The bullet went through her friend's hand and into her ear.

The operation goes on for hours. I'm trying to save her from being completely deaf in this ear.

I hear my pager go off, "Dr. Avery you have a 911 page..." The nurse says. The way she said it is strange. "Who's it from?" I ask.

"It's from Dr. Kepner. She's in the lounge and needs you ASAP."

"I'll take over go," Shepherd says. Wilson scrubs in and I scrub out.

I start running, my run turns into a sprint all the way to the lounge.

Out of breath, I ask, "Everything okay?"

"Yeah it's just these contractions are killing me, and I can't get up to go the bathroom." She says embarrassed.

I laugh a little and take a breath of relief, I walk over and help her up. When she stands up, we both lean in for a kiss. Which is quickly ended when April breaths out heavily and slightly bends over.

"What's wrong?" I ask quickly.

"I..uh..I think my water just broke" she says with the brightest smile on her face and eyes watering.

Author Note:

This was a way way way over due update! Omg it's been almost a month. The next update will hopefully be tomorrow or at the most later this week!! I love y'all so much, thank you so much for reading my story and commenting and doing everything you do!!

-Erin :)