F | Anybody Have a Map? (Grey's Anatomy)

EIGHTEEN: "Can't Get You Out Of My Head."

'She's going to need surgery.' Amelia says. 'And given my history with Emma and having a similar tumour, I can't do it. I'll call Koracick.'

'I need some air.' Owen states, standing up. 'I'll be back in a couple of minutes.' He walks out of Emma's room and walks out of the breezeway where Emma's group counsellor, Charlie, is standing. 'What did she say? About the tumour? What did she say?'

'Dr Hunt, like with you guys, we have a strict confidentiality policy. What's said in out therapy sessions stays in our therapy sessions.' Charlie informs Owen.

'I'm her father, I have the right to know.' Owen says, frustrated. 'She has a brain tumour. She's going to need surgery. We need to know what she told you.' There's a few moments of silence.

'Let's go somewhere more private.' Charlie says. 'Don't tell my boss about this.' They both walk back into the hospital and Owen leads him to an empty room. Owen closes the door. 'In our therapy session, Emma told us that the shrink she saw in Zurich ran a CT to rule out any physiological to the way she's been acting. The shrink consulted with a neurosurgeon and that's when they found the tumour. Apparently the shrink then did an assessment to rule out BPD. She said that she forced the shrink and neurosurgeon to say that she has BPD and told them to not tell anyone about the tumour. She told us the tumour was only small.'

'Well, it's not.' Owen shakes his head. 'It's big. Pretty big.'

'I am so sorry, Dr Hunt.' Charlie sympathises.

'I've got to get back to my daughter.' Owen states. 'Thank you.' He then walks out and makes his way back to CT. He sees Amelia and Koracick talking in the hallway outside the scanner room. 'You got here quick.' Owen says to Koracick.

'I was already in the hospital.' Koracick replies. 'I've reviewed the scans and the surgery is do-able but as you know, surgeries like this come with great risks. Brain damage. Stroke. I think, seeing as Emma is already sedated and tubed, we should take her to surgery. Do I have your consent?' Owen stands silent for a minute.

'Yeah.' Owen nods. 'Do it.'

.

It has been a few hours. Owen is sat, impatiently, in the waiting area. As he's family, he has not been allowed up into the gallery, however, Amelia has been updating him every half an hour. Betty walks into the waiting area, holding Leo. She sees Owen and walks up to him.

'Hey, Amelia called.' Betty states. 'She said Emma was brought in?'

'Yeah.' Owen states as Betty sits in the chair next to him and places Leo on her lap. 'She's in surgery.'

'What's wrong with her?'

'She has a, erm-' Owen starts, taking a deep breath. 'She has a brain tumour.'

'Oh my God.' Betty gasps. 'Here.' She hands Leo over to him. 'He's been asking after you.'

'Hey, little man.' Owen smiles, stroking Leo's cheek.

'She's going to be okay.' Betty tells Owen. 'She's stubborn.'

'Yeah.' Owen agrees. 'She is.' Just then, Amelia walks up to them.

'Koracick will be a while.' Amelia tells him. 'Why don't you go for lie down in an on-call room?'

'I'm fine.' Owen shakes his head. 'I don't want to sleep. If I'm asleep and she-' His eyes fill with tears. 'And she dies, I will never forgive myself.' Amelia looks at him sympathetically.

'Will you at least eat something?' Amelia asks.

'I'll get something in a bit.' Owen nods.

'Good.' Amelia smiles. She then looks at Betty. 'Take care of him.' Betty nods and Amelia walks away.

'I'll go to the cafeteria.' Betty says as she stands up. 'What do you want?'

'I'm fine.' Owen shakes his head.

'I'll get you a sandwich and a coffee.' Betty states.

'Betty, I said that I'm fine.' Owen replies.

'You need to eat.' Betty raises an eyebrow. 'I'm getting you a sandwich and a coffee.' She then walks away.

.

It has been almost six hours. Betty has taken Leo to an on-call room so that he can have a nap. Owen is still sat in the waiting area. His elbow is on the arm of the chair and has his face rested against his palm. Amelia and Koracick walk up to him.

'Owen.' Koracick starts. Immediately Owen stands up. 'Emma's surgery went well. We got all of the tumour out.' Owen sighs with relief. 'She's being settled on the ICU as we speak. You can go and see her.'

'Thank you.' Owen nods and Koracick walks away. Owen turns to Amelia. 'She's really going to be okay?'

'She's going to be okay.' Amelia smiles. At this, Owen steps forward and hugs Amelia, crying on her shoulder. 'Go on.' Amelia rubs his back. 'Go and see your daughter.'

.

The next day, Owen is sitting in Emma's hospital room. Emma has been extubated and has a bandage wrapped around her head. He's holding her hand when he hears something.

'Dad?' He hears Emma's hoarse voice. He looks up at her and smiles.

'Hey.'

'I'm sorry.' Emma says, before Owen can say much more. 'For not telling you about the tumour. I know you know because I'm hospital and have this splitting headache.' Owen laughs softly. 'I'm guessing they took it out?'

'They did.' Owen nods. 'They did a biopsy to make sure it wasn't cancerous and that came back clear.' Emma smiles. 'You know that you can tell me anything, right?'

'Of course.' Emma replies.

'Then why didn't you tell me about it? Why did you make the doctors in Zurich lie?'

'I didn't want to believe it.' Emma responds. 'Then I thought I could handle it. Plus, I didn't want to send you in downward spiral.'

'You could never send me in a downward spiral, Em. Don't you dare think like that.' Owen tells her, more aggressive than he intended.

'But the tumour that I had was similar to the one that Amelia had, right?' Emma questions.

'You were also thinking about Amelia.' Owen catches on.

'I'm sorry.'

'It's okay.' Owen strokes her head. 'The main thing is that you're alive and that you're okay.'

'I want to carry on my rehab. Make sure that I stay clean.'

'You've just had major brain surgery.' Owen reminds her. Emma just looks at him. 'But I guess we can work something out.'

'Daaaaddd.' Emma smiles like a child.

'Whaaatt?' Owen mimicks her voice.

'Can I have some ice-cream and strawberry Jell-O?' Emma asks, hopeful.

'Coming right up.' Owen laughs.

~~

This story will soon be taking a "turn", so to speak, in a couple of chapters or so 😉

I'm not entirely happy with this chapter but it'll do! Let me know what you think!

Much love