"Biology determines much of the way we live. From the moment we are born, we know how to breathe and eat. As we grow older, new instincts kick in. We become territorial. We learn to compete. We seek shelter. Most important of all: We reproduce. Sometimes biology can turn on us, though. Yeah, biology sucks sometimes. Biology says that we are who we are from birth. That our DNA is set in stone. Unchangeable. Our DNA doesn't account for all of us though, we're human. Life changes us. We develop new traits. Become less territorial. We stop competing. We learn from our mistakes. We face our greatest fears. For better or worse, we find ways to become more than our biology. The risk of course is that we can change too much to the point where we don't recognize ourselves. Finding our way back can be difficult. There's no compass,no map. We just have to close our eyes, take a step, and hope to God we get there" 

"everything seems much better when i'm holding yours"

The bathroom at Meredith's house was chaotic in the morning. Jackson was in the shower, Kelly and Lexie were shaving their legs, April was brushing her hair, Beck was tweezing her eyebrows and Alex and Lucy were both brushing their teeth. Alex leaned over Beck to look in the mirror and she shoved him. "Do you mind?" she asked. "No", he replied. Jackson opened the shower door and April averted her eyes, Beck chuckled. "Towel?" he asked. Beck handed him one and smirked at him, he smirked back. While trying to avert her eyes, April bumped into Kelly making her cut herself. "Ow! April!" she exclaimed. "Sorry. Jeez, sorry", April muttered.

"Yeah"

Derek and Meredith appeared in the doorway and Lucy looked at them. "You know this isn't normal?" she said and Derek nodded.

Owen and Aurora were looking around an apartment. "Antique hardware on those windows. That's a cool fireplace", Owen commented. "You know, it's really a lot of space". Aurora tried to open the blinds to look out the window and a piece of it fell off. "If we knock through this wall, we'd get all that light to flood through", he continued. "And you like the fireman pole?" Aurora looked at it. He tried to smile reassuringly. "This could be our house, don't you think?" he said.

"I don't know"

He turned to the realtor. "We'll think about it", he said.

Arizona, Alex, Aurora and Callie were in their patient, Jake Fisher's room. "You should've seen it, Dr Robbins", his dad said. "His "pottaballet" kicked the other kids' asses". "It's pas de bourrée, Dad", Jake corrected.

"Isn't that what I said?"

"You said it in American, Fred. It's French. Right, sweetie?" his mother said. "Yes. And it's not something that you really "kick ass" at", Jake replied. "Can we talk about the cancer now? Anything to make them stop?" "Yeah. Dr Sloan?" Arizona said. "Jake Fisher, 15, osteosarcoma of the right tibia", Aurora presented. "Today he'll be getting a minor bone dissection". "How long after the surgery before I can dance again?" Jake asked. "He's anxious 'cause his ballet company's doing Swan Lake this spring", his mother explained. "It's like his super bowl", Fred said. Alex and Aurora shared a look. "Jake, your recovery will depend on today's scans", Callie said. "They'll tell us how much the chemo shrunk the tumour. But trust me, we will have you back on your feet as soon as possible".

Bailey and Beck were with their patient in the ER. "Can you tell me when the pain started, Mr Fink?" Bailey asked him. "A few days ago. I'm a biologist. I'm in the middle of an experiment...", he explained. "Pan!" Beck held up the pan and he threw up. She was about to put it away. "Stop! Don't take that anywhere! That could be research lost", he exclaimed and Beck put it down. "Sir, you're very sick. You need to put aside your work for the moment", Bailey said.

"It's not just work. It's a cure of asthma"

"What?"

Beck looked in the pan. "Dr Bailey?" she asked. "Just get rid of the vomit, Jacobs", Bailey replied.

"I don't think you want me to do that"

She got a tweezer and picked up a worm. Bailey flinched back as it wriggled around. "There's my cure. Isn't he beautiful?" he asked. Beck and Bailey shared disgusted looks.

"Research has found worms produce an enzyme that cuts down on allergies", Ivan explained. "I'm applying the theory to asthma". "You eat worms?" Beck asked. "How long do these experiments last?" Bailey added. "Standard is a month or two, then I take the anti-parasitic to pass them", he replied. "But I can extract more enzyme the longer I grow them. A year's pushing it, apparently".

"You've had these worms inside of you for a year?"

"343 days, to be exact. I haven't had an asthma attack in six months"

Beck pulled up his scans and Bailey went over to her. "My, they've grown", Ivan smiled. "You have a nasty bowel obstruction, Mr Fink. You need surgery", Bailey said.

"Oh, no, that won't do. Surgery will throw off the entire experiment. I'd like another option"

"Sir, okay, I'm sorry, but..."

"It's three years research, Dr Bailey. Research you'd be contaminating the minute you cut me open"

"Okay. Dr Jacob's gonna give you fluid and put an NG tube down your nose to open the obstruction. It will be painful. And if you don't improve in a few hours, you're getting the surgery"

"Option two it is then"

They left the room. They were walking down the hall. "You know he's crazy, right?" Beck said.

"Crazy's relative, Jacobs. In fact, some people might say that missing rounds this morning when I'm in charge is crazy behaviour, too. But here I am, trusting you to take care of my patient. Maybe I'm the crazy one. What do you think? Am I crazy to trust you to take care of my patient?"

"No. But I haven't been swallowing worms"

Callie and Arizona were talking to Jake's parents outside his room while Alex and Aurora were with Jake in his room. "What are they saying? Are they saying the chemo didn't work?" Jake asked. "We should wait for your parents", Aurora replied.

"Oh, my God. You want to cut off my leg. Oh, my God"

"Look, there's a sprinter with prosthetics that runs faster than guys with real legs", Alex said.

"There's got to be another way. More chemo..."

"With prosthetics today, it's amazing...", Aurora tried.

"You don't get it! I need my leg!"

"We get it"

"No, you don't. It's... I can't explain it. I... Just... I'll show you. Look, let me show you"

Alex, Aurora, Callie, Arizona and Jake's parents were in the physical therapy room as they watched Jake prepare to dance. "If he gets injured, it's on you two", Callie commented. They all watched in awe as Jake danced around the room. "It's that...right here", Jake said, after he had finished. "Build me a leg that'll let me do that".

April, Kelly, Beck, Meredith, Lucy and Cristina were in the tunnels talking about Meredith's hostile uterus. "She called it hostile?" Kelly asked. "Well, at least it's nothing too serious. I'll do research on treatment options", April said. "Her uterus is friendly", Lucy said about April. "It's sunshiny", Cristina added. "Untouched by the scourge of man". "Peppy ovaries, too", April added and they all laughed. Lexie came over. "Hey, the vending machine's working again", Lexie said, holding up her bag of chips. "Yes, finally!" Beck exclaimed, jumping up and running off to get food. Everyone was silent. "What?" Lexie asked. "Nothing", Meredith replied.

"Is this the same nothing that has to do with where you were this morning?"

"I was at the dentist this morning. I have bad teeth"

The women started laughing. "Okay, so teeth are code for what?" Lexie asked, frustrated. "I went to the OB today. I have massive baby-squishing fibroids in my uterus", Meredith explained.

"Oh, that's terrible!"

"I'm over it"

"What, you all knew?"

"Knew what?" Jackson asked, approaching them. "Nothing", Meredith said. Beck came back with three bags of chips. "The vending machine's working again", she said, handing him one and then Kelly. "My patient eats worms". Alex and Aurora came over. "Dude, Altman fire you yet?" Alex asked. "Why would Altman be firing you?" Beck asked Jackson. "She's not gonna fire me", Jackson replied.

"What'd you do?"

"She thinks he's a hot piece of brainless ass", Alex stated. "Oh, you're totally gonna be fired", Cristina said. "The situation is under control, thank you", Jackson said. "You got a line on any weird bone cancer treatments, so we don't have to cut off our ballerina kid's leg?" Alex asked Lexie. "Right, cause my memory's all I'm good for", she replied. "No, of course not. Don't listen to him", Aurora said, smacking Alex's arm. "Use your own brain for a change". "There was a story in the news recently where they used a cadaver bone to replace a cancerous one", April said. "You get my fries", Alex said, handing them to her. Alex and Aurora rushed off.

Callie, Arizona, Alex and Aurora were researching treatments for Jake. "A rotationplasty?" Arizona suggested. "I don't know", Callie replied. "It's not possible with this part of the leg".

"Fibular grafting?"

"No. The cancer's seeded his fibula"

They were silent for a few moments before Callie sighed dramatically. "What?" Arizona asked.

"You don't like Mark, admit it"

"I like Mark"

"Liar"

"Can't say I blame her", Aurora commented. "I mean, he's my brother and all, but it's Mark". "I like him. I do. We're just... You know", Arizona stuttered. "We're different". "Oh, my God. How are you different?" Callie asked. "Tell me. Because I don't think you actually are". Aurora leaned over Alex's computer as Callie and Arizona continued to bicker in the background. "Find the article faster. This could go on forever", she whispered to him. Alex ignored her and Callie and Arizona were still fighting. "Should we leave so you two can bitch about my brother in private?" Aurora asked. "Shut it, Sloan", Callie snapped before continuing the argument. "Found it!" Alex exclaimed. "Thank the Lord", Aurora sighed.

"We don't have to cut off his leg"

Beck looked through Ivan's charts with a nurse. "Page Dr Bailey and book an OR", she said. "Surgery?" Ivan questioned. "No, please, can't we wait just a little longer?"

"Your bowel could perforate and fill your abdomen with fecal matter. So no, we cannot wait"

"Can you at least salvage the worms during the surgery?"

"Your life is at risk because of a hypothesis you can't support. Otherwise, you'd have the backing of an actual, accredited institute. So let the worms go"

"I worked in this institutes my whole life. I sat in labs, ran other people's experiments. I was dead inside. And now, for the first time, I know what I'm meant to do with my life. And everything else, all my quirks, my fears, the fact that people find me strange, none of it matters, because I know who I am. Please. Save the worms"

"Let's get him prepped"

Bailey and Beck were wheeling Ivan to the OR. "His BP's dropped to 90 over 60, and he's showing signs of peritonitis", Beck explained.

"Good work, Jacobs. You're free to scrub in if you like. Even just to observe. No one's gonna make you do anything you don't want"

Beck tried to take a deep breath but couldn't. She put her head in her hands for several seconds before looking back up at Bailey. "I... I can't. I can't do it", she whispered. "Thank you for asking". Bailey looked concerned for a few moments before plastering on a fake smile and walking into the OR. Beck leaned her head against the wall and sighed.

Callie, Arizona, Aurora and Alex were explaining the procedure to Jake and his parents. "Okay, so we'll take out the bone and then treat it with high doses of radiation to kill the cancer", Callie explained. "Thirty minutes later, we reinsert the bone back into Jake's leg". "Usually, the procedure's done using a cadaver bone, so there's no risk of putting cancer back in the body", Arizona added. "But we couldn't find a match for Jake on such short notice". "So there's a chance the cancer can come back?" his mother asked. "Well, that's why amputation is less risky. But if we do this, if you agree, will monitor Jake closely, scans every few months", Callie replied. "And if the cancer returns, we'll do the amputation".

"But this is done a lot?"

"It's only been done a few times in the world", Aurora said quietly. "So if we do this and if we say yes, there's a chance he'd keep his leg", his dad said. "Forever". "We hope", Callie said.

"It's a big risk, buddy. God knows I love to watch you dance, but..."

Jake turned to Alex. "What would you do?" he asked. "That's between you and your folks", Alex replied.

"No. I want to know. What would you do?"

"If it was my arm, and I couldn't operate anymore, I'd do everything that I could to keep it"

Once they had left the room, Aurora approached Alex. "Alex", she said. "I know you hate it when I but in and try to give you advice and all that. But it's just, you seemed...". Her words were interrupted by Alex pulling her in for a hug. She was too stunned to move for several seconds until she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tighter. She knew he needed this and honestly, she did too. They both needed a friend so they would be that for each other.

Teddy was leaving the residents lounge as Beck entered to find Jackson shirtless. He sat down looking ashamed. "I want to ask why but I'm afraid to", she said. He sighed and put on his shirt. "I don't know what the hell is wrong with me", he said.

"What do you mean?"

"I've been flirting with Altman to get in on surgeries and I have no idea why I couldn't just use the knowledge that I actually studied"

"I don't know why we can't just do the things that are supposed to come natural to us"

"What happened to you?"

"I still can't go in there. I can't think about going in there without having a panic attack. The thoughts don't go away. My mind is constantly racing and I don't know how to make it stop. It never stops. I honestly don't know why I'm still here. At least you're that fucked up"

He took her hand and she smiled softly.

Cristina and Lucy entered the lab where Meredith had paged them. "What's going on?" Lucy asked Meredith. "I need one of you to take my blood", she replied.

"For what?"

"So I can get tested for the Alzheimer's gene. It's time I know, one way or another, right? I have a hostile uterus, what's a little Alzheimer's, too?"

"Ok, but Cristina's doing it. I'll watch", Lucy said. Cristina put on gloves. "This is a lot bigger than a baby step", Lucy commented. Cristina looked at Meredith. "Just do it before I change my mind", Meredith said.

Owen climbed up the stairs to the firehouse apartment. "Aurora?" he called. He turned the corner and saw Aurora standing with a champagne bottle. "Welcome home", she smiled. She popped it and the cork flew across the room and he laughed. "It's ours. We bought it", she said. "Well, I bought it but it's for the both of us".

"I don't know what to say"

"Thank me and tell me that you love me and that I'm extremely beautiful"

"Thank you, Aurora, for buying us this home. I love you and you're extremely beautiful"

She laughed and kissed him. She grabbed two plastic cups she had left on the floor. She poured some champagne into the cups and gave him one. "Cheers to our new home and to married life", she said. He smiled and they clinked their cups together. 

hope you enjoyed! comment your opinions! song is fight for it by lucy spraggan