Code Blue | Grey's Anatomy // Book 2 // COMPLETED

5 | My Funny Valentine

"There's bleeding in the veins at the bottom of your esophagus." Webber told Karen as I helped clean up the blood-covered rags, "That's a symptom of late-stage liver failure."

"You have surgery in a couple of hours." Bailey checked Karen's blood pressure, "You have to try not to get worked up between now and then."

Karen sat back in her bed, "I told Dr. Grey and Dr. Forrest, I'm not having the surgery. I want to go back on the transplant list."

"There's no time for that, Karen." Meredith tried to convince her, "When these symptoms start, we can't wait any longer."

Marcy looked to her sister, "Karen, you're going to die. Don't be stupid."

"Okay, enough from you." Bailey hushed Marcy.

Karen thought for a moment before answering in a weak voice, "Fine. I'll take her liver."

"Thank God." Marcy sighed in relief, "Honestly, the things you put our family through. I'll call Harry and the kids. They'll be so thrilled you've chosen life."

The four of us shared a look as we exited the sister's room. "If my sister was like that, I'd probably risk death too." I joked once safely out of earshot from Karen and Marcy.

"Well, this one has a patio and a garage, but this one has hardwood floors and a washer/dryer." I heard April say as I entered the staff lounge for lunch.

"You sure you want to move?" Jackson asked her as he pulled stuff out of the fridge.

I leaned over Jackson and grabbed my sandwich from the top shelf, "Oh, moving. Fun."

"Uh, Meredith and Derek have a baby and you're living with you're ex." April said before looking to me, "Uh, Exes. We're moving."

"I'll move." Alex agreed as he walked in, "Zola's killing my game. Every girl I bring home wants a baby the minute they see her."

April faked a laugh, "No. I'm not living with you. I am trying to get away from you."

Alex looked to Jackson and me, "All right then, us three. You don't want to live with Mary Poppins."

Jackson shook his head, "No, she cooks, she cleans-"

"I'm also your friend," April added.

"What the hell?" Alex asked as Meredith walked in and stole the container from his hands.

Meredith kept the container, "I need food for Zola's party. I thought I was gonna have time to go to the store, but Richard's ten-thousandth surgery is gonna take forever. You think Teddy's gonna care if I take some of her widow casseroles?"

"No. Go for it." Cristina joined us with more casserole in her hands, "You know what? Take this one, too. It's turkey tetrazzini."

"Ohh, yum." Meredith took the casserole from Cristina's hands.

Cristina looked to Alex who was now sitting at the table with Jackson, April, and I, "You and, um, McQueen finally find a patient who's willing to let you operate on them?"

"Bite my ass." Alex retaliated.

"Oh, Mer, Proctology." Cristina suggested, "There's your specialty. Explore the mysteries of the butt."

April raised her eyebrows, "Why aren't you just going General like your mom? It's a no-brainer."

"And good marketing." Alex added, "I mean, when people hear the name 'Grey,' they know they're getting quality."

"No, you can't win following in the footsteps of a phenom," Jackson said with a mouth full of food. He tended to do that a lot I noticed.

"Said the lame, mediocre grandson of Harper Avery." Cristina filled a cup with some coffee.

Once I had finished my lunch, I made my way over to the E.R. where the liver transplant was taking place. "All right, Sir, are you smiling?" April asked Webber as a doctor pulled out a camera.

"I'm wearing a mask. I'm not sure it matters." Webber replied.

"Oh, yeah. You can see a smile in the eyes." April told him.

Webber sighed, "Oh, for the love of God, take the damn picture."

The doctor snapped the photo and everyone clapped. "Whoo!" people cheered.

"All right. Okay." Webber stopped them, "All right, now get out. Get on with your day."

"Nice job, Dr. Webber." someone said as the crowd of people exited the O.R.

Just then, Webber's phone went off. "Kepner, take a look." Webber started the surgery.

"Uh, it's...Sir, it says you're needed in the lobby." April read the message.

"Can you tell 'em that I'm in the middle of my ten thousandth surgery?" Webber continued to work.

April sighed, "Oh, you're sure we shouldn't just send an intern-"

"Handle it, Kepner."

"Got it." April set down the phone and left.

"Transect the parenchyma." Bailey told Meredith and me as we started the other part of the liver transplant, "Watch the aspirator, Grey."

"Got it." Meredith acknowledged what Bailey said.

Bailey nodded, "Nice. Nice technique. Well, you've certainly got your mother's hands."

"Don't get too excited." Meredith breathed, "I haven't declared anything yet."

Bailey looked up at Meredith, "Well, what else are you gonna do...Neuro, Cardio? Pfft. You want to waste your talent playing with one little predictable organ for the rest of your life? Nah, I'd rather spend my days leaping from the liver to the pancreas to the stomach to the bowel, and anyone could go wrong at any time. Okay, sure. There's nothing wrong with knowing one organ and knowing it well, just like there's nothing wrong with being fifth-chair viola in the back of the orchestra. But it's a hell of a lot more fun being the conductor. Now..." Bailey removed the healthy liver from Marcy, "This goes to the Chief."

Nodding, Meredith grabbed the liver and both of us took off to join Webber for the rest of his surgery. "I've attached the hepatic veins." Webber announced, "Now I'm reconstructing the portal vein."

Grabbing a sponge, I got rid of some of the excess blood as Webber continued to work. "Dr. Webber." we heard the intercom from the gallery turn on. Looking up, we saw Adele, Dr. Webber's wife, and April. "Richard, why are you doing this to me, to us?" Adele yelled through the intercom.

"Adele?" Webber asked.

"You lied." Adele screeched, "You said that you weren't working with her anymore."

April looked down at us, "Dr. Webber, I-I'm sorry. I didn't know what to do."

"Ellis! You let him go." Adele yelled at Meredith, thinking she was her mother, who Dr. Webber had cheated on Adele with a long time ago.

"Um, Dr. Webber, do you want me to-" April stuttered.

"No, no, keep the line open." Webber told her, "Adele...that's not Ellis, Adele."

Adele still didn't believe her husband, "What kind of woman would break up a marriage? Huh? Ellis Grey, what kind of woman are you?"

"I'm sorry." Webber turned to Meredith.

"Well, I-I should just scrub out," Meredith suggested.

Webber shook his head, "No, no, I need the extra hands."

"I will not have you down there with my husband." Adele was persistent, her Alzheimer's getting the best of her, "Do you hear me? I will not have it. Richard, you just send her away."

Webber sighed, "Adele...I'm right here. I'm not leaving you."

"Richard!" Adele cried.

"Tell her something that'll ground her." Meredith told Webber, "A happy memory. A happy memory, it worked for my mom."

"Richard." Adele continued, "Richard. Richard!"

"My funny valentine." Webber began to sing.

"Richard, you need to come outta there." Adele insisted.

Webber continued, "Sweet, comic valentine. You make me smile with my heart. Your looks are laughable, un-photographable."

Before long, Adele joined in, "Yet you're my favourite work of art."

"Is your figure less than Greek?"

"Is your mouth a little weak?"

"When you open it to speak."

"Are you smart? Are you smart? Don't change a hair for me. Not if you really care for me."

Adele kept singing the song as the three of us got back to the surgery. "It's our wedding day." Webber said once Adele has finished singing, "You were the most beautiful bride I've ever seen."

"Oh, Richard." Adele smiled as she wiped the tears away.

"And for our first dance, they played 'My Funny Valentine.'" Webber reminded her.

Adele nodded, "Because we're getting married on Valentine's day."

"Happy Valentine's day, baby." Webber stared up at his wife, "I love you."

"I love you, too." Adele giggled.

Webber looked down at us, "Tell Bailey to cancel the party." he said, referring to the party for his ten-thousandth surgery. As we finished up, April lead Adele out of the gallery and most likely back down to the lobby. I couldn't help but smile for the rest of the procedure. Wasn't love a funny thing?