xxi. narnia
10.03

Atlas sits on one of those green hospital chairs that are placed beside the patients bedside. He holds a book between his fingers, flipping at the end of each page and continuing on, taking small breathes in between sentences.

"Once a King in Narnia, always a King in Narnia." Atlas speaks softly, placing his bookmark in between the pages and closing the book, allowing for the residents who stand outside the door to step in without interrupting. "I'll come back and read later, okay, Richard?"

The older man nods, and shows Atlas a smaller smile as the heart surgeon leaves the room.

"How's Meredith and Oliver?" Alex asks as he and Grayson Morris step into a pace walking beside Atlas. "And the baby?"

"Good!" Atlas smiles so brightly when he turned his head towards Alex, whom is nodding along. "Meredith finally feels better, and Oliver is sleep deprived, but they're both sending me photos on the hour."

Greyson chuckled as he moved out of pace and stepped into where the nurses station was. "I have to grab a chart, but I'll catch up later?"

Alex nodded and waved quickly, something Atlas picked up on but wouldn't mention right away, maybe down the line.

As he continued his walk through the halls, he and Alex were stopped quickly by one of the woman he had met once when dropping off his daughter and son at daycare. Lavender Chen, a paediatric surgeon who left the field of work after a patient had passed away and she couldn't get the screams of grieving parents out of her head. Now she works in the hospital daycare with the children, and she's surrounded by much more happiness than death.

"Atlas, Alex, hi!" Lavender smiled as she approached the two. "How are you both?"

"Good!" Atlas grinned back, nudging Alex who just shrugged in the ribs, which prompted a mumbled good from the cheerful lady. "How about you?"

"Busy as always. Those kids — your kids — keep me on my toes, but I love it!" The lady spoke as she moved closer towards the side of the hallway so others could pass by them. "Alex, do you find that the kiddos keep you on your toes too? I had some ideas to pick your brain about, maybe we could have a cup of coffee?"

For a second, Alex was sure she was asking him on a little date. How could he tell her that he's secretly having these feelings — should he even call them feelings ? — for another surgeon he works with. How does he say no, but without sounding like a dick which would match his reputation.

"Sure, lunch?" Alex nods quickly, faking an awkward smile. He was about to turn to Atlas, to invite him to the lunch, but his mouth clamped shut when Lavender turned towards him once again.

She looked away from her pager, casting a quick glance at her surroundings and the fast walking interns who passed her. "I wanted to have some guest speakers visit the children in the daycare, I know you'd have some connections, so we'll talk later, bring a list, Alex!" She waved over her shoulder and ran off, her pager beeping more angrily at her.

╚═ ☆ ═╝

Atlas stood in the middle of the outpatient surgery wing, which had been destroyed in the storm a few days previous. His sister, Eliza, April Kepner and Owen Hunt stood together.

"YOU brought me back, Owen!" Eliza cried out with an angry expression and a red face. "And now you're telling me that until this is fixed, my neonatal department is closed?"

Owen threw his hands upwards as April moved closer to Eliza, a warm soft hand reaching out but moving back quickly. "If the board got together and we could fix this, than we'd be able to re-open your department!"

Atlas frowned, shuffling on his feet and adjusting his weight from side to side. "El, it'll be open soon, we can all sit down and find a way to fundraise some money for the hospital, and your department as well."

Eliza whirled on her feet towards her brother, sticking out her arm and pointing at him. "Atlas Peter Lee-Sunny Shepherd, you have a whole cardio department, and a clinic too. You have everything, and I have nothing!"

Atlas nods, realizing how deeply ruined his younger sister is. He can see the pain and anger radiating off of the once so happy and kind person she was. It's covering her body and he can tell that his sister is still in there somewhere, it just needs a little help in digging its way back out.

"We can share some of the funds from cardio, yeah?" April suggests, her voice calm and so steady too. She gently moves Eliza further away from Owen and towards where there's a table and chairs, she pulls one out for Eliza, who reluctantly sits with a frown. "Or from others departments as well. It's not fair that Eliza and her department is the only one that'll suffer, Owen."

Atlas moves towards the table as the out patient door slides open and in steps Christina and Derek, both making small talk about what could be happening.

"Hey, love." Atlas waves, "Hey, C."

"Hey, baby." Derek moves towards the table and takes a seat beside his husband, wrapping an arm around him. "What's happening?"

"They're fighting about —"

"I'll leave Owen. You find a way to fund my department before the end of the week, or I leave." Eliza stands and pushes away from the table, just as the rest of the board members step into the room; Callie, Arizona, Jackson, Oliver and Meredith.

"You aren't leaving." Jackson announces as he steps into the room, smiling at everyone and flashing his pretty green eyes. "Because we're gonna have a party."

Christina made a face and leaned back slightly. "Is this a meeting about a party?"

"Yes, we're gonna have a huge party. A gala, fancy outfits and drinks and money." Jackson told the group as he sat down. "To fund the hospital, and so you'll all have money for your departments."

Owen looks between everyone. "We understand that this year has been hard, on everyone." His gaze focuses on Eliza for just a few extra seconds. "And so we have decided that everything we raised will be out towards the out patient surgery, and whatever is left over will be decided and go towards each department. The nurses and custodial staff will receive a benefit if we can raise enough as well, because it's been hard on them too."

Jackson pushes a file forward. "This is how much we need. Let's hear some ideas for this party people..."