24

rounds the corner of a hallway in Boise, her eyes wild. Bailey and Richard are behind her, Zola situated in Bailey's arms.

Eleanora pushed through the doors of the small area the woman at the front desk told them to go to, her eyes dancing around. They landed on Meredith first, and a choked noise came from Eleanora's mouth as her hand flew to it.

At the sight of Zola in Bailey's arms, Meredith stops fighting the Doctor beside her. Bailey rushes over and hands Zola off, Eleanora feeling Richard squeeze her shoulder for a moment.

The doctor comes over to them, her eyes a little sad. "You're the people from-"

"Mark Sloan." Eleanora demanded, tearing her eyes off of Meredith to look at the Doctor. "Where is Dr. Mark Sloan?"

The Doctor winced at the emotion in her voice but nods. "He's currently in surgery. He had cardiac temponade and severe lung damage. I can get you an update as soon as I know something."

Eleanora squeezed her eyes shut, fear rising in her. She turns her head a bit, Richard moving to rub a hand in circles on her back in hopes to keep her calm.

"O-Oh God." She whispered to herself. After a moment she sniffles, turning back to the Doctor in front of her. "H-how about Maxwell Amedeo? A-and Lexie Grey? How's Max? He's okay, right?"

The Doctor's eyes hardened, and the expression on her face was one Eleanora was all too familiar with. It was the same exact one she used when she had to tell a patient....

"No." Eleanora choked out, Richard stiffening beside her. "No, . Do-don't.....Max can't be dead. Please, God, tell me he's not dead!"

"I'm sorry. But Maxwell Amedeo and Dr. Lexie Grey were both found dead on the scene. There isn't...there isn't much left, so I'm not sure-"

Eleanora let out a pained scream, her entire body crumpling underneath her as she feels her entire heart break into a million little pieces. Richard catches her and holds her up as she lets out sobs, her hands flying to grip onto his shirt.

"No! N-no! Not....my baby brother! Oh God, not my Max"

______

   sat beside Mark's bed at Boise, gripping his hand in both of hers. Her body still shook with some sobs, and she leaned her forehead on their intertwined hands.

He had gotten out of surgery, but had yet to wake up. They had him connected to almost every machine imaginable, and Eleanora was .

"You have to wake up, baby." She whispered, moving her head to look back up at him. She reached out one hand to softly caress his cheek, careful not to touch the tube in his mouth. "I can't....I can't do this without you, Mark Sloan. Our can't do this without you. So please, just....just wake up for me."

No response.

______

   leaned against the wall outside of Mark's room back at Seattle Grace. They had just landed about forty five minutes ago, and they had automatically set Mark up in a private room.

Eleanora sniffled, staring at her phone in her shaky hands. She notices someone move to stand beside her, glancing over to see Alex. His bloodshot eyes and red nose were the only evidence he had been crying. He stared forward, taking a deep breath.

"Everyones in their rooms. Meredith and Yang are good, Derek's stable. We don't know much about Arizona's leg, and Mark...."

"Mark is going to be fine." Eleanora barked, looking back at her phone. "He's going to be just fine."

It was quiet again, the two friends standing in complete and utter silence. The air was thick, and Eleanora felt bile rise in her throat. She took a quick, shakey inhale, biting the inside of her cheek.

"Lexie's dead." She whispered. Alex looked over, nodding with her.

"I know."

"My....my brother is dead."

"I know, Ella."

"My brother and my best friend are both dead." She got out, a few hot tears slipping out. "Lexie is dead, Max is dead, George is dead, a-and Mark...."

"Sloan is going to be fine." Alex told her, voice sure. Eleanora wiped under her eyes and then swiped her phone open. He furrowed his brows, watching as she went to her contacts. "What are you doing?"

"I have to call my parents," Eleanora said shakily, pressing her mother's contact and raising the phone to her ear, "and tell them that their son is dead."

______

   funeral lasted less than an hour. It was just the Amedeo's, Callie and Sofia, Max's old friends from highschool, some of the hospital staff, and Eleanora and the twins.

The funeral lasted less than an hour, because there wasn't even enough of a body to bury. The wolves had got him, and they cremated what was left.

Eleanora would remember her mother's sobs for her son, remember Jenna holding Enzo in her arms as he cried, and Sabrina curled under their fathers arms for the rest of her life.

Eleanora couldn't go to Lexie's funeral the next day. She knew, realistically, she'd regret it one day, but she.....

She just couldn't bury anyone else.

______

   ," Eleanora whispered to Luca and Elijah as she pushed the stroller into one of the on-call rooms. She had a few large bags with her, and she had a portable play pen stuffed under her arm. "Momma is just gonna set us up in here until Daddy wakes up, okay boys?"

Eleanora flipped the light switch on, locking the door behind her. She had it all planned out. She would take the boys with her to visits Mark when she could, then during the day she'd drop them off at daycare, and at night...