chapter sixty-eight ━ happy halloween
( season ten, episode seven )

❝She better be able to fly after all
this.❞

"NOW HERE COMES the fun part!" Ellie exclaimed, setting down a bag of chocolate chips on the kitchen island. "Everyone grab a fistful of chocolate!"

"Chocolate!" Zola and Sofia echoed and the blonde laughed lightly.

The two little girls were spending their weekly night at Ellie and Jackson's apartment, and she was beginning to realize that it was becoming a little small with two squealing children running around. It was a win-win for everybody involved; their parents could have a night off, the girls could spend time with their best friend, and Ellie got to spend quality time with her nieces.

Jackson would often end up being the muscle and pizza pick-up person.

Baby Bailey would get his own night once he was a bit older.

This particular night, however, Jackson was spending the night at the hospital due to a late-night surgery which left Ellie alone with the two hyper-excited girls.

"Should we do more?" Ellie asked, smiling down at her nieces who both nodded enthusiastically. "Oh, your parents are going to kill me..."

Zola looked up at her with a hopeful glint in her eye. "Can we add sprinkles, too?"

"Sprinkles and chocolate chips in cookies?" she playfully asked, putting her hands on her hips. "Well, I don't know. What do you say, Sof?"

"Yes!"

Ellie laughed quietly to herself. "Then let's do it," she said with a nod. "But here's the real question, girls... rainbow or pink sprinkles?"

"Both!"

Ellie shook her head in amusement but obliged nonetheless. She helped them shape the dough into little balls and placed them on the baking tray. After telling them to wash their hands, she sent them to find a movie to watch while she put the cookies into the oven.

"Did you find one?" she asked them, looking over from the oven. Zola held up the DVD and she tilted her head. "Mary Poppins? I knew you girls had good taste."

Halfway through the movie, Zola fell asleep against the armrest in what Ellie described as a "cookie coma". Sofia, however, was still wide awake and cuddled against her aunt.

"Aunt Ellie?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you miss Daddy?"

Ellie paused and looked down at the little girl. She smoothed back Sofia's black hair and nodded, resting her cheek on the top of her head. "All the time."

"Can you tell me something about him?" Sofia asked, her little voice echoing in Ellie's eardrums and making her heart break with every phrase. Mark deserved to watch his little girl grow up.

She let out a small breath and lifted Sofia off the couch onto her lap, cuddling her close. "There was one day when I was in kindergarten and it was Parents' Day," she said quietly, letting her play with the engagement ring on her finger. "My parents didn't come, but do you who did?"

"Daddy?"

"Yeah." She smiled lightly and nodded. "Your daddy was... well, he was the best. And, sure, he made mistakes, but he was the best. The best brother, the best mentor, and the best dad to you."

"Do you think he's around?"

Ellie hugged her tightly. "You're a philosophical little lady, aren't you?" she asked with a chuckle. "I think he is. He's always here, even if we can't see him."

"I'm excited to meet baby," Sofia said tiredly and Ellie looked down at her niece as she fell asleep, her head against her aunt's chest.

"Me, too, Sof."

☀️

"ARE YOU GONNA hate me for how much sugar I gave your daughter last night?" Ellie asked Derek the next morning and he looked at her. "In my defense, she runs a hard negotiation."

He chuckled. "You couldn't resist saying no to her, can you?"

"Of course I can't!" she exclaimed with a whimper. "Have you seen her and Sofia together? They're adorable. And you can't convince me that you say no to that girl. She's had you wrapped around her little finger since you met her." She looked down at the purple object he was holding in his hands. "What is that?"

"Wings for Zola's Halloween costume," he replied, holding them up to the light. "Apparently they need to be mended."

She hummed with a smile. "Well, it's a good thing that her dad is the second-best neurosurgeon I've ever met."

Derek paused and furrowed his brows. "Second best?" he repeated. "Who's the best?"

"Her Aunt Amelia," she said as though it was obvious and he rolled his eyes. "Don't argue with me, you know I'm right."

He let out a breath. "Are you going as anything for Halloween?" he asked, changing the subject and she shrugged. "It's your last one before becoming a mom."

"I have a very nice pumpkin shirt with a jack-o-lantern on it that is screaming my name," she said and he raised his eyebrows. "And Jackson is going as... whatever he decided on..."

Derek nodded. "Nice," he mocked. "Good effort."

"What do you want from me?" she asked with a chuckle, hitting him playfully on the shoulder. "I'm six and a half months pregnant! Me in a pumpkin shirt is the most you're getting out of me right now."

He held up his hands in surrender. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. How is that baby?"

"Oh, you know, always kicking," she replied with a sigh. "It's like they know when I'm about to drift off to sleep and then boom! They strike."

Derek chuckled to himself. "Well, just think about it this way." She looked up at him. "In a few months, you'll be snuggling your little baby."

Ellie smiled softly at the thought. "Yeah... I can't wait."

"Any thoughts on names yet?"

"We have thoughts," she said, nodding. "But we're not telling."

"I still think you should use my suggestion."

Ellie rolled her eyes. "Derek, for the last time, there will not be a baby named Derek," she said with a small frown. "Your son is already named after you! The world does not need a third one." She patted him on the shoulder before continuing down the hallway when April suddenly appeared at her side. "Ah!"

"I've been looking for you everywhere!" the redhead exclaimed and the blonde raised her eyebrows. "It's wedding planning time! Come on, you!"

"But—" April grabbed Ellie's hand and dragged her in the direction of the cafeteria, promptly sitting her down at a table and dropping a large bag of binders in front of her. "Where did this all come from?"

"So!" April said cheerfully making Ellie let out a breath. "Mine and Andy's wedding is in December and yours is in January?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Truthfully, I haven't thought much about the wedding. I've been a little preoccupied with having a baby in two and a half months."

"I know," April replied, opening a third binder. "That's why I'm here to help! Our colors are pink and white and yours is... blue and silver?"

Ellie shrugged. "It's a good winter theme, right?"

"I like it." April grinned. "Do—?"

The two women looked down when a phone ringer went off and Ellie pulled out hers. "Oh, I gotta go. Catherine needs to talk about Richard's progress."

"Nothing like a lovely chat with your future mother-in-law," April said with a chuckle and Ellie snorted. "Go ahead. If I have any questions, I'll ask Jackson."

"Oh, I love you."

☀️

"I THINK WE need to move."

Jackson, who had only come up to Ellie to give her a muffin, stopped abruptly and raised his eyebrows. "Uh—why?"

"Because I spent an entire evening with Sofia and Zola," she said, taking the baked good from him. "And it made me realize just how small our apartment feels with kids. And..." She let out a breath with a shrug. "We're building a life together. We should find our own spot. It is technically the apartment we shared with April and Alex."

He nodded. "Alright. We can start looking tonight."

She smiled happily before frowning when she heard a loud clunk. "Ow!"

"Edwards, are you okay over there?" Ellie asked the intern who had just recently gotten Lasik surgery. "Wilson is keeping you steady like you're about to fall over at any moment."

Stephanie nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just didn't realize how narrow the doorframes are."

"They're the same size they were three days ago," Ellie replied, chuckling in amusement. "Go home. Rest. Surgery will be here when you get back."

"All due respect, Dr. Sloan, but I am perfectly capable of being here," Stephanie said, pressing her lips together. "Ma'am."

Jackson chuckled at the sudden nervousness from the intern. Ellie nodded. "Alright," she agreed with a shrug. "But you won't be doing any surgeries until the two days are done. I don't know why you wouldn't want to be at home with a tub of ice cream after having a laser in your eyes. That's what I did."

"You got Lasik?" Jo asked.

Ellie nodded. "Right before med school. I had the worst vision of anyone you'd ever meet. Absolutely terrible."

"I bet you looked adorable in glasses," Jackson said, leaning against the desk.

The two interns glanced at each other before quietly slipping away. "Please, I rocked those thick frames like my life depended on it," Ellie teased, pecking his cheek.

"Sloan!" They turned when they heard a voice and saw Bailey standing at the bottom of the stairs. "You ready?"

She nodded and handed Jackson the rest of her uneaten muffin. Catherine had decided to make Ellie her stand-in for anything regarding Richard and his recovery. This meant that more often than not, she was on the phone with Catherine several times a day, giving her the same updates as hours before.

She truly admired how much Catherine loved Richard, but it was becoming a little excessive in her opinion.

"How's Ben?" Ellie asked Bailey as they walked the familiar route to Richard's patient room. "I haven't seen him in a while."

"I think he's doing well," she replied with a nod. "Intern year is still going. It still sounds weird to me, that I'm married to an intern."

Ellie shrugged. "Not that different to Meredith and Derek in my opinion. Though, maybe much less dramatic than them."

"That is amazing," is what the two surgeons heard when they walked into Richard's room. All four interns were already inside, chatting excitedly with Richard.

"What's amazing?" Bailey asked.

Ellie quietly sat down in the chair next to Richard's bed and smiled softly at him. They had become much closer in recent weeks. Some of it was that she was giving Catherine several updates a day, but she was the person he saw the most.

"Dr. Webber wants one of us to do his surgery today," Stephanie told Bailey and Ellie with a smile.

"Oh..." Richard cleared his throat and shook his head. "Not you. No—No offense, but I heard you walked into a wall this morning."

Ellie chuckled quietly and Bailey looked at Richard. "Uh—why not me?"

"Well, you can supervise," he said with a nod. "They know this procedure inside out. They're—They're ready."

Bailey scoffed. "I beg to differ."

Richard looked to Ellie for assistance and she caught his eye. "Oh, should I do my best Catherine Avery impersonation?" she asked before clearing her throat. "Richard Webber, you're allowing an intern to do your surgery?"

He rolled his eyes. "And now as you?"

Ellie looked up at the group of interns. "How do you do a trans gastric approach?" she asked them, tilting her head.

"Anterior gastrotomy for access and cystogastronomy creation through the posterior wall," Shane replied.

Richard nodded, looking pointedly at Bailey. "And what about the posterior approach?"

"That is a single gastrotomy in continuity with the pseudocyst," Jo said making Ellie and Richard both nod.

"Good," Ellie said. "And which is the easiest approach?"

"It'd have to be the intra-luminal approach." They all turned when they heard the voice to find Ben Warren standing in the doorway. "Unless you're a fan of the intraoperative bleeding, in which case, do what you like."

Bailey furrowed her brows. "I thought I wasn't seeing you until the weekend," she said, hugging her husband.

"Ah, I couldn't miss trick-or-treating," Ben replied. "Just didn't seem right."

Richard nodded and Ellie offered him a smile. "Good man."

"That's a bold move, letting the second year try a procedure like this on you," Ben said to Richard. "How you gonna pick?"

"Bailey, watch them in the ER today," he said to the general surgeon who frowned. "Tell me which one deserves it."

She crossed her arms. "None of 'em do."

"It's either you or Ellie who's gonna pick," he countered. "But you're the surgeon on my case. I'd prefer it to be you who decides."

Bailey huffed. "Fine. Move it, all of you!"

The interns quickly dispersed while Ellie stayed in her seat. She pulled out an ultrasound picture from her coat pocket and handed it to the man beside her. "The latest one."

"Thank you." He smiled and looked at it. "Growing well?"

She nodded. "Right on track," she confirmed before taking out her phone. "Now it's time for the Catherine questions." Richard sighed and slumped down in his bed.

☀️

"HOW'S RICHARD?" JACKSON asked Ellie as the two of them made their way to the ER for the Halloween traumas.

"He's good," she replied with a nod. "He's requested that we consider the name Richard for the baby for a boy."

He chuckled. "So we have Derek gunning for Derek and Richard for Richard. Seems fitting."

She shrugged. "At least we have options. We won't use either, but we have options."

"Have you thought any more about names?" he asked her, pushing the ER doors open and she nodded.

"Yeah." She looked up at him. "And I think I have the winner for a boy's name."

"Are you going to tell me?"

They both paused, looking around at the busyness of the ER. "When we don't have Halloween traumas." He nodded in agreement and they went their separate ways, Ellie walking over to Jo and seeing a young girl in a wizard's costume laying on the bed. "I'm here, Wilson. Hi, Taryn." She smiled at the girl and her father. "I'm Dr. Sloan. I love your costume! Now, I hear you have a stomachache. You don't know any magic spells to fix it?"

"No," she pouted and Ellie snapped her fingers, clicking her tongue.

"We had some candy last night during the movie," her father explained to her and Jo while Ellie began to examine her abdomen. "And she got sick... a few times."

"Ooh, candy for dinner. You lucky duck."

"Ow."

Ellie nodded. "Okay." She looked up at Taryn's father. "She has some guarding and a fever, so it's likely not the candy. I'd like to do further testing, and draw some labs."

"I still get to trick-or-treat, right?" Taryn asked.

Ellie paused at the end of the bed and tilted her head. "Sweetie, you came to the best place for trick-or-treating in all of Seattle. Right here on the peds floor. You go around with these huge pillowcases and everyone hands you as much candy as you can carry."

Taryn's father smiled. "Thank you."

☀️

"TARYN'S LABS SHOW a slightly elevated white count, and some of her electrolytes are off," Jo told Ellie, finding the attending at the nurse's station. "Is she gonna be here overnight?" Ellie raised her eyebrows. "It's just that her dad wants to know if he should change his flight."

She nodded. "Well, I would recommend it. She may need surgery, plus recovery time. I'd say yes."

"Okay."

"Wilson." Jo turned back to her. "Is everything alright between you and Alex? It's just... well, he asked me to take your page instead of him. And he's been on edge lately."

Jo shrugged. "Something about his dad, I think. We're fine. I'll go order that CT."

Ellie nodded and played with her pen before closing her chart and leaving the ER. She passed by one of the labs and paused, poking her head inside. "What are you doing?"

Ben and Derek, both of whom had headlights and glasses on, looked up at her. "Fixing Zola's wings. I told you that already."

"I just didn't think it would need to be a two-person job," she said with a shrug, glancing between the two men. "That's not the point. Have either of you seen Alex?"

"I think he was in the NICU when I saw him last."

Ellie nodded. "Thanks. She better be able to fly after all this. Good luck, gentlemen." She made her way to the peds wing to find her temperamental best friend when she saw April come up to her. "Is this more wedding planning? Because I have other things going on—"

"No," April interrupted with a shake of her head. "You have a package that was delivered to the ER."

The blonde furrowed her brows. "A package?" she repeated in confusion. "From who?"

"Catherine Avery."

Ellie sighed and nodded, following April back to the ER. "I was just there. How did I miss it? And why did she send something here?"

She stopped abruptly at the sight of what looked to be a large crate in the middle of the waiting room and a disgruntled delivery man. "Elizabeth Sloan?" he asked her and held out a clipboard. "Sign here, please."

"What—uh—what is it?"

"Hell should I know," he grumbled, setting down the crate in front of them. "All I know is it's a pain in the ass to carry."

"Right." She cleared her throat. "Sorry about that, sir. Happy Halloween!" She turned to the nearest nurse. "Could you page Dr. Avery, please? Thank you."

"What do you think is in it?" April asked, looking curiously at the large crate. "Can we open it?"

"Do you have a crowbar?" The redhead nodded and Ellie blinked slowly at her. "You actually have a crowbar?"

April shrugged. "We had to confiscate it from a patient," she replied with a smile. "I'll be right back!"

Jackson suddenly appeared at Ellie's side, breathing heavily. "I'm here," he huffed and she raised her eyebrows. "Is everything okay? You? The baby?"

"Everyone's fine," she reassured him and he let out a breath of relief. "Your mother on the other hand... well, she might be losing it?"

Jackson nodded. "And?" he asked. "We already knew that." She gestured to the large crate in front of them just as April returned, crowbar now in hand. "What the hell is that?"

"Question of the day, apparently," Ellie said with a shrug. "Open it, Apes."

April pried open the top of the box and let the lid fall with a loud thump. They all peeked inside to find dozens—dozens—of baby items. There was a carrier, several onesies for both a boy and a girl, a car seat, different types of strollers, toys, books, a crib, and a bassinet.

"She..." Ellie's eyes went wide. "She got everything. She even got me a birthing book."

April tilted her head. "That's one gift to receive from your future mother-in-law," she said before picking up one of the onesies that looked like a little brown bear; ears included. "Aw, your baby is going to be so cute in this."

Ellie looked at it and smiled softly at the sight. Jackson was examining one of the strollers when she noticed a note attached to the crib and pulled it off.

Ellie and Jackson —

"Why are you always greeted first?" Jackson interrupted with a frown.

"Because it's a known fact that she likes Ellie more," April told him and he huffed. "Now shush. Keep going."

I wasn't sure how much you already had, so I figured I would go ahead and get you everything. There are receipts for all of the items, so whatever you don't need or like, you are more than welcome to return them.

I can't tell you how excited I am to meet him or her. Don't forget to send me more ultrasound pictures! That is little baby Avery, after all.

Much love,

Catherine

"Baby Avery..." Ellie repeated with a smile.

She wiped away the tears from the corner of her eyes and looked back at all of the items. April chuckled softly. "Hormones..."

"I never told her the baby was going to be an Avery," Jackson said making the two women look at him. "I mean, he or she is just as much a Sloan as it is an Avery."

Ellie pressed her lips together. "How about... Sloan-Avery?" she suggested and he looked down at her. "Half of me and half of you."

Jackson smiled and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close. "It's perfect."

April shook her head at them, turning back to read through one of the children's books. "And to think it took you guys five years to get together..."

☀️

ELLIE WALKED AS fast as she could with her unnatural center of gravity to the elevators while Jo followed close behind her in confusion. "What's going on?"

"Got Taryn's CT results back," Ellie replied, handing the intern the tablet. "Tell me what you see."

"Uh..." Jo looked down at it. "Adrenal glands are enlarged, coupled with high potassium, low glucose—adrenal insufficiency." She glanced up at Ellie. "She's not producing enough adrenaline?" Ellie nodded. "But there's no tumor. Unless it's an infection, maybe blastomycosis." Jo's eyes went wide. "Oh, God, her—her dad mentioned that they just went to Brazil?"

Ellie turned her head and forcefully pressed the elevator button. "And you didn't think to mention that or put it in her chart?" She abandoned the elevator and ran down the stairs. "Move, Wilson!"They hurried down to the ER and saw Taryn's bed empty. "Where is she?"

Jo shrugged. "I—I don't know."

The blonde let out a breath just as Taryn's father returned while finishing a phone call. "Thanks for your help and I'm sorry about the last-minute cancellation."

"Where is she?" Ellie asked him, pointing to the empty bed.

"She was just here," he replied, looking at them. "She was asking about trick or treating around the hospital and I just stepped out to change my flight—" Ellie sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "What—What's going on?"

"Taryn's body isn't producing adrenaline," Jo told him.

Ellie nodded. "And adrenaline keeps your organs from going into shock and shutting down when you get hurt or traumatized or scared," she added.

The intern glanced between the empty bed and Taryn's dad. "You said that she started to feel sick last night watching the scary movie?"

"She wanted to watch it."

"It's not your fault," Ellie interjected. "But she's wandering through the hospital on Halloween. She could go into shock."

"She can get scared... to death?"

Ellie fluttered her lips. "Wilson, find her," she said to the intern who nodded. "I don't care who you have to interrogate, find her."

Jo hurried away, searching through one side of the hospital while Ellie went the other direction. But no matter where she looked, she couldn't find the little girl anywhere.

"Taryn!" she called out, poking her head into any empty room she could find. "Taryn!" She opened the door to another hallway and found Taryn collapsed on the ground. She saw a nurse out of the corner of her eye. "Get me D-10 normal saline and bring a crash cart right away!" The nurse nodded and Ellie knelt down on the ground. "Taryn, can you hear me?"

"Dr. Sloan?"

"Get me that gurney!" She placed Taryn down. "She's in shock from adrenal crisis. Get me her blood pressure, and get those fluids started."

"Got it."

Ellie turned around and saw an old woman on the floor opposite Taryn. "Ma'am?" She pulled out her stethoscope. "Expiratory wheezing," she said as another nurse joined her. "Get her on 5-liter O2." She handed the woman off to a nurse and Ellie walked back to Taryn. "I need an IV hydrocortisone and a central line kit. Have the PICU get a bed ready and get the woman to the ER."

☀️

"SO YOU DECIDED to go as a surgeon?" Ellie asked in amusement. She was sitting on the couch watching Jackson cook dinner in his scrubs. "That sounds like career day more than Halloween to me."

He sighed. "I didn't have time to change," he replied and she chuckled lightly at him. "Also, I just had to drag a really big crate up to the apartment. You don't need to laugh at me."

"I'm carrying your child and losing sleep," she retorted, standing up when she heard the doorbell. "All the more reason that we should find a house."

He handed her the bowl of candy and she smiled sweetly at him, opening the door to find some of her favorite people.

"Well, aren't you the prettiest butterfly I've ever seen?" she exclaimed, crouching down to her niece's level. "Can you fly?" Zola shook her head. "Derek, you can't make her fly?" He rolled his eyes. "And Sofia! Look at you, sweetheart. A very pretty princess in pink." She held out the bowl of candy. "Dig in, girls."

"You really did get a pumpkin shirt," Derek said, chuckling when she narrowed her eyes playfully at him.

"You dressed your son as a pumpkin," she countered, taking baby Bailey into her arms and he leaned his head on her shoulder. "You're in no position to judge me. Besides, Jackson went as a surgeon."

"Oh, original."

"Okay, that's it, I'm changing!"

Ellie laughed to herself and Derek held out his arms. "Can I have my son back, please?" he asked and she pouted.

"Do I have to? He's so cute." She reluctantly handed over the baby and took back the candy bowl. "Have fun trick-or-treating. And enjoy the sugar crash." Derek let out a breath and followed after the girls who Callie, Meredith, and Arizona were waiting for. "Happy Halloween!"

☀️

━ author's note:

ellie sloan: keeping derek humble since he became a surgeon

also, can we just appreciate ellie as an aunt and april as an overenthused wedding planner??

lastly, if you guys are rereaders from the original book, don't spoil what ellie & jackson have or the name!! let people be surprised!