Survivor

Chapter Seven

Meredith is up from her seat instantly, disregarding her crutches and a broken leg, makes a mad dash for the kitchen. Knowing she won't make it to the bathroom in time, it's a struggle even to make it to the sink as her stomach rolls and everything she'd eaten that day comes back up. 

After heaving a couple of times, she braces herself on the counter, head still hanging over the sink as she tries to catch her breath. She's suddenly aware of someone next to her, and she jumps.

"It's okay, it's just me, I'm gonna pull back your hair okay?" Cristina's voice is soft next to her. Meredith nods and relaxes, her hair now out of her face, and she heaves again. Cristina hesitantly places a hand on her back, and when Meredith doesn't respond negatively to the touch, the cardio suregon begins to rub soothing circles into her back. 

"He what?" Alex demands, standing up from his seat in the living room.

"He's pleading not guilty, and somehow managed to find enough money to get Annalise Keating as his lawyer." Quinn sighs.

"What does this mean?" Jo cuts in, her tone worried as she glances at Meredith over the sink in the kitchen.

"Let's wait until they're back before saying more..." Quinn drawls, following Jo's gaze. After a few minutes, Meredith's stomach finally settles and she rinses the taste of puke from her mouth before limping with the help of Cristina back into the living room.

Something about Meredith's demanor changes as she sits, her eyes are empty and she shifts tensely on her chair, Cristina standing at her side. 

"So, what does this mean? Alex repeats his girlfriend's question.

"It means our preliminary hearing is in two weeks, where us lawyers will present the evidence and give statements to a judge. Then, we have another hearing, one that will probably last three or four days in front of a jury where we will go over evidence and call witnesses to give testimonies and all that."

"What's the deal with this Annalise Keating woman?"

"She runs her own firm, a team of lawyers who will put up a hell of a fight. It just means that our case is going to have to be completely airtight, they like to dig way back into people's pasts and pull out anything they can use against them."

"Is the case airtight?" Meredith's shaky voice finally joins the conversation.

"It will be. Derek, I'm going to need Vanessa on this, Annalise likes to play dirty, so we will too." Quinn decides.

"Anything." Derek nods. 

"Can we still get him on death row?" Cristina cuts in.

"That's the plan...I will not go any shorter than life in prison though, William Dunn doesn't deserve anything else."

This statement gets nods in agreement from everyone in the room.

"But-but he thinks he can get away with it?" Meredith asks, dropping her gaze. A chours of no's from everyone in the room immediately answers her.

"He probably only hired Annalise because he wants to shorten his sentence as much as possible, there is no way he's going to get away with this." Quinn tells her firmly, her voice confident and her tone unwavering. This seems to make Meredith feel better, and she nods slightly. "I know it's late but I'm here because I need to know anything and everything about your pasts that could influence the case."

"Lohan can't dig up whatever you need from the dark web?" Derek asks, narrowing his eyes.

"Well if you're honest here, she won't have to."