#i watched AA first but stopped in season 4 when it got too stupid. and with kiyaar's AAposting i have decided to give emh another shot

[kayvsworld]

i thought i didnt like emh's art style but i am in fact giving this iron man a little kiss directly on the forehead his suit is SO good

[merdershewrote]

The Other Side Episode 3: I Could Breathe Again (Part 1)

The Other Side Episode 3: I Could Breathe Again

Scene 1

On the roof of SGH

Owen is dressed in one of the blue jumpsuits with the hospital logo. He pulls on a helmet and steps into the helicopter, carrying an empty blue organ box ironically labeled “Heart.” His duty was to bring a heart back to Seattle today, just none but Bailey knew this was not in the literal sense.

ALEX Hunt! Wait!

Owen looks around, panicked.

OWEN Karev?

ALEX Look, I know what you’re doing and…you shouldn’t be alone.

OWEN This isn’t your thing, okay?!…It’s my thing and it’s my issue to sort out. I did this.

ALEX Dude, do you even know where you’re gonna land that thing?

OWEN Not exactly…

ALEX Well…I stole this from H.R. (he holds up a blue file) and I think I might know.

Owen shoots him a concerned look

Yes, I know it’s illegal but to be honest I’m most likely gonna get put away for GBH…so theft’s not even gonna make a dent on my sentence. And you really want this right?

OWEN (without hesitation) Yes.

ALEX Right then…get in the chopper

Owen hears his own voice in his head, repeating the phrase: Get in the chopper. Did he say it out loud? But his lips didn’t move. Not now anyway. He stands dead still.

FEMALE VOICE


Why should I? What do you mean it’s over?

A hand taps him on the shoulder. A pale figure appears, dressed head to toe in Khaki, crimson waves cascading down her neck.

MEGAN


Oh hello again, brother. Feeling guilty again are we?

Owen hits the hand off his shoulder and turns around to face her presence.

MEGAN What’s gotten into you? You never used to be violent? But then again…there’s only so many times a man can take being torn apart, right?

OWEN You have no idea what you’re talking about.

MEGAN Ohhh I see everything, Owen, so actually I think I do. Besides, this whole up and down thing has been going on for a while… it’s only a matter of time before. you. two. crash. Anyway…I hope you find her…enjoy your ride!

Megan appears to jump off the edge of the roof. Owen follows her, peering over only to see she has dematerialized into thin air.

A second voice is now heard, although this time muffled as if underwater.

ALEX Hunt? Owen? What the hell man?! Get away from the edge!

Owen is thrust back and feels a shockwave throughout his entire body when he hits the tarmac…hard. Laying on his back, he sweats and shakes violently, mumbling incoherently.

OWEN (mumbling to himself but occasionally yelling) No, don’t go!…It’s an airstrike out there!…Please…I’m not guilty. I didn’t mean to…

ALEX (Leaning over Owen and pressing down onto his chest) Hunt? Can you hear me?

OWEN (distressed) It’s got to be me…I’ve got to go.

ALEX


You know, I think this was a bad idea. You’re under a lot of stress and…

OWEN No! I need to go…

ALEX Hunt, listen! You are not getting on that helicopter. (He pulls his chest up by the collar of his uniform) I don’t trust you to fly in this state. It’s too great a risk.

AMELIA (flashback to Season 11) I appreciate you keeping me on…I know I’m a risk

OWEN (within flashback) We’re all a risk…we all have something.

A montage of flashbacks play out in his mind.

AMELIA (12x06)


I mean why the rush? Why not just enjoy us and feel what it's like to be two people in a marriage, newlyweds, before we add to it, right?

AMELIA (12x07) I don’t want to have a baby!

AMELIA (12x04)


And there’s things you don’t know about me. What if it’s too scary?

OWEN (12x05) Are you..? Amelia, are you pregnant?

AMELIA (12x05) I might be…I think I might be…

AMELIA (11x13) My baby lived for 43 minutes.

Scene 2

An AA meeting, somewhere in L.A.

AMELIA Um…hey. I’m Amelia. I have stopped counting my sober days because it’s been a while. 

(There is an interlude of clapping)

(Feeling awkward and guilty for lying - it hasn’t been a year yet since her most recent relapse) 

Haha…um thank you!  I live in Seattle so you’re probably wondering why I’m here…

ED No, wait, Amelia! I was sure I recognized that face from somewhere. You were here a few years ago, right? The group has changed a lot but there’s also a lot of old-timers like myself, still ticking along.

AMELIA That’s great, ED, really great.

SAM (group leader) You two know each other?

AMELIA Yeah, really well. ED is an old friend of mine: we met in this group actually! I haven’t been in three/four years? But I go to AA meetings in Seattle of course. I’m just here to visit some friends at the moment, but since unlike people, sobriety doesn’t take a holiday, I thought I’d come to a meeting here on the day I usually would back home. I wasn’t even sure if there was still a meeting going on in here, but fortunately, it’s the same time, same blue door, same walls….and even though there’s (gesturing to ED) mostly different people, the same unity. These groups saved me during my rock bottom and I will be forever grateful for that. It’s not that there’s anything major I want to talk about today, if I’m honest. It’s just that if I didn’t come…I didn’t want to risk a slip you know?

SAM That was a very brave and wise decision you made, Amelia. (There are nods of solidarity around the room). This group is here for anyone who is willing to make the commitment to recovery. No one has to speak at all if they don’t wish to, however, this is a safe and confidential place to talk about difficult things. Are you sure there’s nothing you would like to discuss?

AMELIA (looking down at her wedding ring, feeling ashamed) No. Not really.

SAM Alright then! Thank you for sharing, Amelia.

Scene 3

Addison walks into work, holding her son’s hand in the elevator. Charlotte King is doing some paperwork at the desk.

ADDISON Hey!

CHARLOTTE


Oh..hey! You realize Cooper’s not in til this afternoon?

ADDISON Yeah I know, I was just gonna leave him to play in my office for a while, do you mind just checking on him every now and again? Henry, why don’t you get yourself set up with the iPad and mommy will be there in just a sec?

Henry skips off with his little rucksack and Addison watches through the blinds as he sinks proudly into the adult-size desk chair.

Okay, I did something stupid.

CHARLOTTE


Wouldn’t be the first time…

ADDISON No, but like…I think I hurt someone, a friend.

CHARLOTTE


And this is relevant to me how?

ADDISON It’s Amelia.

CHARLOTTE (Looking up fully from her paperwork) Oh. What did you do?

ADDISON Well you know Henry’s nanny hasn’t been very reliable lately and his school has broken up for winter break so he’s been spending a lot of time with Amelia.

CHARLOTTE


And that’s a problem because…?

ADDISON (ultra fast) No! It’s not a problem, it’s great in fact. She’s great with Henry but…because it was so many days - almost a whole week, in fact, all day every day, I felt really guilty because I’m supposed to be his mom and I wasn’t there. So I couldn’t think of anything else to do and so I handed her some money and she got really mad about it.

CHARLOTTE So…let me get this straight….you paid Henry’s godmother to look after Henry?

ADDISON I know! Really dumb?

CHARLOTTE Yeah. I would say so.

ADDISON


Urggh I was super tired after surgery and I wasn’t thinking straight.

CHARLOTTE


Well have you told Amelia that?

ADDISON No! I can’t find her, she won’t answer any of my calls…what if?

CHARLOTTE What if what?

ADDISON What if this is like…you know…before,  when she went missing?

CHARLOTTE Wow Addison! You really think you’re that much the center of Amelia’s universe that once you make a stupid mistake she’s gonna immediately reach for pills again? Wow. I didn’t know you were that self-absorbed.

ADDISON Well, I don’t know!

CHARLOTTE


Trust me, Addison, she’s way more resilient and she’s survived way worse than you think. We do talk, you know.

ADDISON Great! That’s great! So…could you just call her to make sure she’s okay?

CHARLOTTE As soon as you leave me alone, absolutely. But because I want to and not just because you’re feeling guilty and want peace of mind.

Scene 4

A cute little independent coffee shop, Los Angeles

Sheldon sits on a bench in a small booth at the back of the cafe, clasping his hands together and twiddling his thumbs. It is not long before Amelia strolls through the door, wearing dark gray jeans, a white strappy top and a black leather jacket, large gray bucket bag over her shoulder. With no surgeries scheduled or Henrys to look after, she has had time for a haircut and it is still voluminous and well-shaped, freshly styled from the salon.

She smiles and saunters over to Sheldon, perching opposite him at the table.

 
 AMELIA


Hey!

SHELDON (looking at his watch) You’re right on time!

AMELIA This may not be an appointment Sheldon, but I take punctuality very seriously. I’m never late. Never.

SHELDON I’m glad you could make it. I like the place you chose. Is this where all the young hipsters hang out these days?

AMELIA (laughing at his father-like naivety)


I think 80% of the inhabitants are probably millennials so yes, I guess so! But I used to come here every day between my shifts at the practice and going to meetings. I loved it because, it used to be small, cozy and quiet, but not silent, so I was never alone with my thoughts. I would hate that. You learn to people watch, in places like this, and watch a thousand untold stories play out, every day…and I filled up a few stamp cards! In fact, I might still have a couple… 

(she digs into her bag and between two fingers holds up a very bent and scuffed card which reads ‘Boyden’s Pantry’ in typewriter font on one side and has 6 red stamps on the other, and places it on the table.)

That’s a full one so you can get a free coffee sometime! Come on, take it!

SHELDON Oh…that’s very kind of you but won’t you like to use it? I wouldn’t want to…

AMELIA


No, honestly, keep it! Next one’s on me! Besides, I won’t use it because, well I should be going home soon…wherever that is.

SHELDON Right…thank you! (There is an awkward silence). Well, first of all, I’d just like to apologise…for that night on the pier…for putting you on the spot like that…with Brian. It wasn’t fair for you to find out in that way…

AMELIA Sheldon, you were two men holding hands. It wasn’t a statement. It wasn’t a 2 fingers in the air, “fuck you” moment. You love each other. And the fact that you feel the need to apologise for that makes me so mad…at the world. Don’t apologise. You love him. He loves you. I’m happy for you both.

SHELDON We are happy. And thank you. You really mean it?

AMELIA (smiling)


Of course I do.

SHELDON And what about you…have you…uh…found someone?

AMELIA I did, yeah. I met someone in Seattle. A trauma surgeon. Kind, grounded…the opposite of me.

SHELDON And do you think he’s the one, or is it just another sort of informal fling? Do you think this will surmount to anything serious?

AMELIA (fumbling with her wedding ring) Yeah…Kinda…


SHELDON (grabbing Amelia’s arm) Amelia…are you married?!

AMELIA (Exhaling deeply. It is a relief to have the cat out of the bag, finally)


Yes! I am.

SHELDON Wow! Congratulations!

AMELIA


Thank you!

SHELDON How-how long ago was this?

AMELIA


Ohh a few months ago now…May…but it all came and went super fast. It was like I blinked and it was gone.

SHELDON Gone?

AMELIA Yeah. Oh! Not that he’s gone! No….we’re still together…technically, legally, but…I guess things are rough. But we’ll get through this right?

SHELDON I’m sorry to hear that.

AMELIA I’m sure you’ve heard worse

SHELDON But in answer to your question…without sounding overly cryptic and shrinky…I think the only person who can say whether you will get through it or not is you. Do you want to get through it…together?

AMELIA


Yes! I mean, I think so. He’s perfect. It’s my thing. I’m the problem. I come with a lot of ‘terms and conditions’ you see.

SHELDON Haha I can understand that!

AMELIA And…he doesn’t know about the baby.

SHELDON Not at all?


Amelia shakes her head.

AMELIA Not enough to listen anyway… He wants a family so bad…. I would hate to deny him what he wants most in this world. He doesn’t deserve a blow like that…not twice. I might just not be what he needs. He could be so so happy…even if it were with someone else…he would make it and he’d be okay. If I’m not enough…(choking up) if our marriage is really gonna come down to this…I don’t know if I can survive that again…

SHELDON You don’t know. You don’t know if it would be the same. Amelia…The chances of that happening again are less than one in a million…the same as anyone else's.

AMELIA


Forgive me, Sheldon. But my father was shot in the head, before my eyes. My brother died in a car crash. A brain surgeon…from a subdural haemorrage. Yeah, just let that sink in. And after I had almost a decade of sobriety under my belt I relapsed into the deepest, darkest rock bottom ever and woke up to find my boyfriend dead in bed next to me. And after that I had to carry a baby for nine months, knowing at the end of it I would have to bury him. Forgive me, Sheldon, if I fail to see that my odds are not the same as ‘everyone else's'.

A waitress/barista approaches the pair

WAITRESS


I’m really sorry sir, ma’am, but I’m afraid we’re very busy today and if you haven’t ordered anything then we are going to have to give up the table to paying customers.

SHELDON I’m so sorry, we got distracted. May I have an Americano, please? 2 sugars.

The waitress now turns fully to Amelia, who looks up. After a sharp intake of breathe, she registers her ginger hair, button nose, pale complexion and dark, chocolatey brown eyes. As Amelia stares, the waitess’ face turns shiny, more pallid and her eyes go wild. To Amelia, waitress scratches herself the scene dissolves into a dark room, filled with screams and shaking. Clasped hands form a bridge of solidarity over the gap between their two beds. Next, the exchange of chocolate on a sunny afternoon. Next, the scarred and bruised face of her roomate in the hall, returning to Pacific Serenity after a relapse. Amelia knows this face. She shared her darkest hours with this face. She remembers this face. She lives this face.

AMELIA


Haley?

*END OF PART 1*

Yes guys it’s official I have lost my mind. For better or for worse? Who knows?!!!