Family member | Merluca

Part 1

She won't die. She is fine. It is just her arm. Nothing bad happened. It was just… She won't …. She… Meredith thoughts turned faster and faster. She couldn't think clear anymore. Her breathing became heavier.

At some point she felt a hand on her shoulder but she couldn't move. She was still trying to get control over her thoughts and breathing again.

Earlier that day

„Hey, you paged" Andrew answered.

„Yes, I need your help. Zola was brought to the hospital. She fell from a climbing wall on the playground. The Nanny couldn't reach Mer. I need to find her and I need you to take care of Zola. She already knows you. Please take her to CT, she has a laceration on her forehead. It doesn't look serious, but I don't want to risk anything. And then take care of her arm. It might be broken. I already paged Dr. Link" Alex told him in a hurry, while he was already trying to find out where Meredith could be.

A few hours later

(Meredith sat in a chair next to her daughter's hospital bed, her head in her hands. Zola was sleeping.)

„Hey" Andrew put his hand on Meredith's shoulder. But she didn't respond. He squeezed her shoulder and tried again, this time a little louder. But he still didn't get a reaction. Then he carefully tried to raise her head so he could look at her. That was, when he realized the tears rolling down her cheeks. He also noticed her heavy breathing.

„Mer. Meredith... Zola is fine. She just broke her arm. She has a slight concussion. That's why she has to spend the night here. But besides that she is fine. Zola is fine. Do you hear me?" He wasn't sure if Meredith could hear him, so he repeated it.

Meredith finally nodded and began to calm down a bit.

Andrew took a chair and sat down next to Meredith. He put his arm around her and pulled her into a hug. She rested her head on his shoulder and was just thankful for his company. They sat there in silence for a while.

.

Until Meredith suddenly frantically jumped up from her chair. „I have to check if Bailey and Ellis are okay. I need to go home."

Andrew was confused, why shouldn't they be... „Why? Amelia is with them. They are fine!"

„Right… But can you check, if they are really safe?" Meredith breathing was getting faster again.

„Yes I will, I will call Amelia and check in with her" He assured her in a calm voice, hoping this would have an effect on her.

But Meredith didn't answer and her breathing didn't normalize either. Andrew walked over to Meredith, who was now standing a few steps away from her chair, and touched her shoulder again. He hoped that this would somehow calm her down.

„Mer. I will go and check on your kids myself, alright. You can stay with Zola. And I'll see how Bailey and Ellis are doing." Meredith wasn't able to say something so she just nodded thankfully.

Andrew texted Alex, before leaving to check on Meredith's kids.

„Do you have time. I am with Meredith, she panicked. She wants me to check on Bailey and Ellis, but I don't want to leave her alone like that. Could you stay with her."

The response came quickly „I'm on my way"

An hour later

(Alex has successfully managed to calm Meredith down. They sat in Zola's room.)

Andrew came in with Ellis on his right arm and Bailey on his left hand. „Look, there are your Mommy and Zola, but you have to be quiet because Zola is sleeping. Promised?"

„Promised!" both answered and ran over to Meredith.

Finally a smile appeared on her face. She hugged both of them at the same time. Maybe a little longer than necessary. But she couldn't help it. She was just glad to have all her kids around her, …to see that they were fine.

„Mommy?" A sleepy voice interrupted the hug. Zola woke up.

„Yeah, I'm here sweetheart. It's alright. How do you feel"

„My head hurts a bit" Zola answered.

„It's alright, sweetie"

(Alex got paged)

„I have to leave, there are patients waiting for me" Alex said as he was on his way to leave the room.

„Thank you" Meredith responded.

„Always" Alex smiled at her and finally left.

„I will give you some time alone" Andrew was about to leave the room, too, when Meredith stopped him.

„Don't. I would like you to stay" Meredith gave him a sign with her hand, what meant as much as come over here and sit down.

„Then I will stay. I'll just get another bed so Bailey and Ellis don't have to sit on the flor" he replied with a soft smile.

A few minutes later

(Ellis and Bailey sat on the second bed. Ellis was distracted with her toys, which Andrew brought along so the kids had something to play with and didn't get bored. Bailey and Zola were watching TV.)

„Thank You" Meredith whispered more than she said. She grabbed Andrew's hand and turned her head to look at him.

He looked into her eyes and squeezed her hand.

He wanted to lay his other arm around her shoulders, but wasn't really sure if he was allowed to, because of their rules. Earlier this day he did the same, but the situation was different. Meredith panicked and he had to calm her down….

Then he finally decided that they weren't really at work right now. Right now she was the mother of her children. So he continued and Meredith just went along and rested her head on his shoulder again.

After a short moment in silence she added „I am sorry"

She felt a bit sorry for how she panicked earlier and that she send him to check on Ellis and Bailey. She knew he had a job to do. But he went to check on her kids anyway. He even brought them here so she could reassure herself, that they were fine. She felt the need to apologize and thank him for that.

„Don't be. You don't have to apologize to be worried about your children" he answered with a reassuring smile.

„I know but I overreacted. And I know you were at work and I made you go to check on my children anyway. I am sorry."

„Hey, if I didn't want to check on your children, I wouldn't have done it. But I want to be there for you and for them."

Meredith had to smile.

.

„So do you want to tell me, what made you panic?"