( Deliberately, neither of them discuss how healthy or messed up they are as every pager goes off at once. Izzie slides off the gurney first. After an exchanged look between them and Alex also not acknowledging - none of them are acknowledging, they too move from where they were sitting.
They catch up to Izzie, the three of them bursting through the doors out of the tunnels back into the hospital.
Except, there are no interns (or George) - and no Izzie - and it's not bustling.
And -
"It's," Alex starts.
"Night," Cristina finishes the question. Almost as if she expected it to be night. Why would Alex be surprised it's night? She shouldn't - isn't -- surprised it's night. )
Where's Izzie?
("We weren't down there that long," Alex says.
Meredith frowns at their surroundings because
Why is the power out?
("When did the power go out," Alex corrects.
"Just now." Again, Cristina answers like it's the most obvious. )
But, we didn't hear anything. Didn't see the lights go from on to off. There's no generator running. Wouldn't there be emergency lights?
("God I hope it's an emergency, bring me something to cut," Cristina says.
"Bright side, with the power off, neither of you will have to look at Burke or Shepherd."
Meredith slaps his shoulder for that. )
Shut up, Alex. ( They may both be fine, but that doesn't mean they're above the ridicule, even if it's petty and sibling-coded.
"No, he's right," Cristina confirms.
Meredith sighs. )
We should find everyone else.
("Or, find where we were being paged to," Cristina presents.
"Maybe this was the page," Alex shrugs. )
No, it would go over the intercom. Code something.
[The voices draw her first. This isn't her first abandoned building - between working for Angel Investigations and being on the road with the Winchesters, they came up more often than not. She moves through carefully, quietly, taking the opportunity to swing the light around the corner before actually putting her body in the way.
She knows something is here, thanks to Jack, but she doesn't know what else might be here.
But the voices, if not a group of incalcitrant teenagers trying to get themselves into trouble, are likely their transplants. She moves in the direction of the voices and once she's close enough, tentatively calls out.]
("Maybe it's just this floor, maybe everyone else evacuated it," Alex says helpfully, realizing they're pretty alone and their voices and footsteps echo.
"Izzie didn't evacuate into thin air, Alex.")
That's not how evacuation works. And Meredith is right. One second she was there and the next, she wasn't, like she didn't go through the same door we did.
( Cristina throws an arm out in front of Meredith. )
Do you hear that?
("Maybe more crazy people. Case of the missing resident," Alex says.
Cristina waves at him shushing him. And then she spots the light coming down from another hall. )
There.
( "Someone has a flashlight that's not the size of a pen," Alex jokes. )
Someone with a flashlight can get us out of here. And - find Izzie. ( And George. And the other interns. She pauses because the thought feels. Not possible. )
[Cordy turns and heads towards the sound of the voice, and as she rounds the corner she is prepared for the worst but hoping for the best. What she doesn't expect is doctors. Doctors who clearly just came right from work.]
( It's too dark to get anywhere, so, the trio stays put, even stubborn Alex. He doesn't know what's going on, how light can do what it did, or where everyone is, but this is not going to act out the "first day as a resident is hell." They're going to get to another floor. Maybe with this person's help.
He holds a hand up in front of his eyes.
From what he can make out - plus her voice - she seems -- well, can't just a person by their voice. )
We're fine. We were just down here taking a breather and the floor lost power.
("Alex," Meredith says, looking to Alex and back at Cordelia and the tall one behind her. "Are you here to fix the power situation? We didn't go missing. We were just -- taking a break." She's not sure she would wear that if she were working on a hospital's power grid.
"Also, you shouldn't be back here. This area is for hospital personnel only, power or no power," Cristina says. Or, tries her authority on. She didn't know what she expected, but Cordy was not it. )
But, we will accept a walk back with you and your flashlight. You lost?
( Meredith's always had this sixth sense, whether it be thinking she might die, knowing she was going into the water -- she has had a sense of impending disaster. Maybe that was ingrained in her from childhood. There are things she hasn't confronted, things she's buried. Things that risk bubbling up when she's confronted with something that doesn't make sense. )
Who are you?
("What Dr. Grey is trying to say, is, let us navigate you to a floor with power," Cristina usurps.
["Yeah, he does." Sam is very helpful. He's mostly just here to be tall, clearly.
Cordy waves a hand.]
Let's start over again. Hi. I'm Cordelia Chase. This is Sam Winchester, and you are currently standing in the remains of St. Cecelia's Memorial Hospital in Lawrence, Kansas. So wherever you think you are? You're not.
("But he doesn't give names, only lurks," Meredith says, before Cordelia flips everything they know on their head.
They each commit the names to memory, not that they'll matter, until she gives the different name of a different hospital and an entirely different state.)
No. That doesn't help. We can't be standing in an abandoned hospital in Kansas like some kind of reverse trip with Dorothy.
("Look, whatever gaslighting game you're playing--" Alex starts, before Meredith shoots Cristina a look.
"He knows the term gaslighting?"
"Yes, I know the term gaslighting. And I don't know what these two are on, or what they think they might get out of this, but I vote we leave them down here to find their way out." Alex doesn't wait and breezes past Cordelia and Sam.
"Alex, wait," Meredith says, calling out after him. "We can't be at St. Cecelia's because we are in Seattle Grace. In Seattle."
Cristina raises her voice, gesturing. Something nags at the corners of Meredith's mind as Cristina sends barbs. )
Alex, we're not leaving to future psych patients alone on a dead floor.
( Another moment passes but Cristina decides to wash her hands of these two and follows.
The women catch up to Alex, and the three of them realize they're navigating a hospital they don't recognize, but luckily, the moon guides them to what used to be the main lobby and the unrecognizable, equally abandoned, parking lot beyond.
Cordelia and Sam will find the three of them bewildered, having shimmied through the previously physically opened sliding doors Sam jimmied to get in. )
We're in Kansas.
("I'm thinking," Cristina says.
"We're not in Kansas," Alex says, pulling out his phone and discovering he doesn't have a signal. "We're just," he tries, but doesn't have another answer. )
Alex.
( Meredith turns back to the abandoned building and walks backwards, getting a look at its unfamiliar structure and the sign above. )
[Sam sighs, before leaning closer to her. "You know we can't just leave them to wander on their own, right?"]
Yeah, but they don't seem to want to listen to us. Let them find out for themselves.
[And as they leave, the two of them turn to follow, chatting casually as they catch up to the residents.]
So. Have you caught up with the rest of the class or do you still think we're on the -
[And before she can get the last words out, the vision comes on hard and fast. Her body seizes and her head snaps back, and immediately Sam moves to catch her so she doesn't fall on the dirty, abandoned hospital floor.
( 'in Kansas' is left unsaid as Cordy does what looks and acts like seizing. Cristina slides back into the hospital, pulling out her pen light, resident instincts kicking in. )
Lay her down carefully, on her side. Meredith!
( Meredith rushes back, shimmying through. Alex tips a head, waits, rolls his eyes and then joins everyone inside again.
"Checks the crazy box," Alex says.
Both Meredith and Cristina together yell: "Shut up, Alex!")
But he's getting bamboozled by doctors and all he can really do and hold up Cordy until she sucks in a breath and comes back to the present. Cordy glances up at him, then the doctors and then glances back over Sam's shoulder.]
We have to go. We have to leave right now.
[In the back, while you're busy criticizing, please make a perception check, Alex.]
("Pulse is elevated," Meredith says, giving Cristina a 'What the hell is any of this,' look. "Has that happened to you before? Sudden onset pain like that?")
[Her eyes swing over to Sam, wide and determined.]
We are not alone.
[Which has Sam immediately drawing his gun. "What is it?"]
I couldn't get a good look. They just came out of the shadows like ...
[As she's trying to figure out how to explain it, Alex is able to glance down and spot the grey, scaly hands reaching for his ankles and ready to pull him down into the shadows.]
[The two hands wrap around his ankles, and yank hard, sending him flying to the ground before he can grab purchase on anything else. Sam is ignoring the panic, scanning the room for any sign of trouble but when he circles back around, he frowns.]
("There are three of us!" Cristina says, uncomfortable with the gun-toting "Sam Winchester." Trying to keep one eye on Sam, she turns right and left. "Meredith, where's Alex?"
"What do you mean, where's --" She cuts herself off. Where did--" She turns back to Cordelia and Sam. "Did you do something to Alex? Are you working with other -- people in the shadows?"
"Meredith, he has a gun. We're going to cooperate, okay? What do you want?" Cristina asks, still misunderstanding the situation. )
[And with that he starts moving, flashlight swinging out towards the shadows in search of the doctor who couldn't have gotten far, but this is Supernatural so there's Monster Timing involved.
Cordy turns back to the two of them.
"Look, I know you don't know us and have no reason to trust us, but Sam's job is to protect people, and he's really good at it. He'll find your friend. But we do need to get out of here."]
( Cristina does know that Cordelia warned about something crawling out of the shadows and now Alex is missing. She's not following the man with a gun. She just stays close to Meredith.
She can read a room, not wanting to leave Alex behind. They're a team. As much as they get on each others' nerves. )
Who is Sam protecting us from?
("Or is it more a what?" Meredith asks. She doesn't know why she's asking. It's her sixth sense. )
I'm not sure. But probably more a what. All kinds of things can hang out in an abandoned building like this.
[Everything from vampires to shapeshifters to ghouls.
Unfortunately for Alex, it may be a little of the last one.
Cordy continues to herd the two of them towards the door, out into the more open space of the parking lot, but there are still shadows to contend with, enough that she's still scanning the parking lot for trouble.]
( Cristina gapes at Meredith and then at Cordelia.
"All kinds of things?" And back at Meredith. "All kinds of things?")
She said all kinds of things.
( Meredith does take note of the car as both women follow her, still worried about their friend back inside.
Cristina stops short, shaking her head.
"No. No. I'm not taking another step further or getting in that relic until you explain to me what's going on, where Alex is, and why we're not in Seattle anymore.")
Well, you're not going to like my questions to most of those.
[But she'll try. Cordelia is nothing if not a teller of the truth.]
I don't know where Alex is. That's why Sam went to find him. And why you're not in Seattle anymore is a very long story, but ... basically there's a pile of different worlds out there, all variations of each other and a very powerful being is cleaning house on as many of them as he can. Sometimes, people from those worlds are falling into this one. I think that's what happened to you.
( How is that better. She looks to Meredith, back at Cordelia. Agape again. It feels like just yesterday Meredith lost her panties at prom. Or, had her near death experience. She was just on her honeymoon. She snorkeled!
"Not quite," Mer says apologetically. "Did you know we... fell?" Is that what it's called? Does she believe this? Well, she's been to the afterlife, she's pretty sure. What's a parallel world. She'll get to asking if their world is still there. Izzie. George.)
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They catch up to Izzie, the three of them bursting through the doors out of the tunnels back into the hospital.
Except, there are no interns (or George) - and no Izzie - and it's not bustling.
And -
"It's," Alex starts.
"Night," Cristina finishes the question. Almost as if she expected it to be night. Why would Alex be surprised it's night? She shouldn't - isn't -- surprised it's night. )
Where's Izzie?
( "We weren't down there that long," Alex says.
Meredith frowns at their surroundings because
Why is the power out?
( "When did the power go out," Alex corrects.
"Just now." Again, Cristina answers like it's the most obvious. )
But, we didn't hear anything. Didn't see the lights go from on to off. There's no generator running. Wouldn't there be emergency lights?
( "God I hope it's an emergency, bring me something to cut," Cristina says.
"Bright side, with the power off, neither of you will have to look at Burke or Shepherd."
Meredith slaps his shoulder for that. )
Shut up, Alex. ( They may both be fine, but that doesn't mean they're above the ridicule, even if it's petty and sibling-coded.
"No, he's right," Cristina confirms.
Meredith sighs. )
We should find everyone else.
( "Or, find where we were being paged to," Cristina presents.
"Maybe this was the page," Alex shrugs. )
No, it would go over the intercom. Code something.
( "God, not another code black," Cristina says. )
Hey!
( "You didn't explode," she points out. )
Come on!
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She knows something is here, thanks to Jack, but she doesn't know what else might be here.
But the voices, if not a group of incalcitrant teenagers trying to get themselves into trouble, are likely their transplants. She moves in the direction of the voices and once she's close enough, tentatively calls out.]
Hello? Anyone here?
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"Izzie didn't evacuate into thin air, Alex." )
That's not how evacuation works. And Meredith is right. One second she was there and the next, she wasn't, like she didn't go through the same door we did.
( Cristina throws an arm out in front of Meredith. )
Do you hear that?
( "Maybe more crazy people. Case of the missing resident," Alex says.
Cristina waves at him shushing him. And then she spots the light coming down from another hall. )
There.
( "Someone has a flashlight that's not the size of a pen," Alex jokes. )
Someone with a flashlight can get us out of here. And - find Izzie. ( And George. And the other interns. She pauses because the thought feels. Not possible. )
Hello? We're down here!
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Hi. I'm Cordy.
[Best to start with introductions.]
Are you guys okay?
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He holds a hand up in front of his eyes.
From what he can make out - plus her voice - she seems -- well, can't just a person by their voice. )
We're fine. We were just down here taking a breather and the floor lost power.
( "Alex," Meredith says, looking to Alex and back at Cordelia and the tall one behind her. "Are you here to fix the power situation? We didn't go missing. We were just -- taking a break." She's not sure she would wear that if she were working on a hospital's power grid.
"Also, you shouldn't be back here. This area is for hospital personnel only, power or no power," Cristina says. Or, tries her authority on. She didn't know what she expected, but Cordy was not it. )
But, we will accept a walk back with you and your flashlight. You lost?
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[Cordelia Chase, never avoid hitting the nail on the head.]
This hospital hasn't been operational for a while.
[Sam, having heard the voices follows behind her, looking over the three of them with a contemplative frown, but let's Cordy do the talking.]
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Who are you?
( "What Dr. Grey is trying to say, is, let us navigate you to a floor with power," Cristina usurps.
"Crazy's catching," Alex says, eyeing her. )
Does the man behind you talk?
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Cordy waves a hand.]
Let's start over again. Hi. I'm Cordelia Chase. This is Sam Winchester, and you are currently standing in the remains of St. Cecelia's Memorial Hospital in Lawrence, Kansas. So wherever you think you are? You're not.
[She offers them a small smile.]
Does that help?
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They each commit the names to memory, not that they'll matter, until she gives the different name of a different hospital and an entirely different state. )
No. That doesn't help. We can't be standing in an abandoned hospital in Kansas like some kind of reverse trip with Dorothy.
( "Look, whatever gaslighting game you're playing--" Alex starts, before Meredith shoots Cristina a look.
"He knows the term gaslighting?"
"Yes, I know the term gaslighting. And I don't know what these two are on, or what they think they might get out of this, but I vote we leave them down here to find their way out." Alex doesn't wait and breezes past Cordelia and Sam.
"Alex, wait," Meredith says, calling out after him. "We can't be at St. Cecelia's because we are in Seattle Grace. In Seattle."
Cristina raises her voice, gesturing. Something nags at the corners of Meredith's mind as Cristina sends barbs. )
Alex, we're not leaving to future psych patients alone on a dead floor.
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[Sam shrugs. "Wouldn't be the first time."
Cordelia smirks at him, but let's Alex keep walking. They're not her responsibility.]
By all means, feel free to find your way out. You'll be able to see the incredible flatness of the Midwest the second you walk out the door.
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( Another moment passes but Cristina decides to wash her hands of these two and follows.
The women catch up to Alex, and the three of them realize they're navigating a hospital they don't recognize, but luckily, the moon guides them to what used to be the main lobby and the unrecognizable, equally abandoned, parking lot beyond.
Cordelia and Sam will find the three of them bewildered, having shimmied through the previously physically opened sliding doors Sam jimmied to get in. )
We're in Kansas.
( "I'm thinking," Cristina says.
"We're not in Kansas," Alex says, pulling out his phone and discovering he doesn't have a signal. "We're just," he tries, but doesn't have another answer. )
Alex.
( Meredith turns back to the abandoned building and walks backwards, getting a look at its unfamiliar structure and the sign above. )
St. Cecelia's.
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Yeah, but they don't seem to want to listen to us. Let them find out for themselves.
[And as they leave, the two of them turn to follow, chatting casually as they catch up to the residents.]
So. Have you caught up with the rest of the class or do you still think we're on the -
[And before she can get the last words out, the vision comes on hard and fast. Her body seizes and her head snaps back, and immediately Sam moves to catch her so she doesn't fall on the dirty, abandoned hospital floor.
"Cordy?"]
no subject
( 'in Kansas' is left unsaid as Cordy does what looks and acts like seizing. Cristina slides back into the hospital, pulling out her pen light, resident instincts kicking in. )
Lay her down carefully, on her side. Meredith!
( Meredith rushes back, shimmying through. Alex tips a head, waits, rolls his eyes and then joins everyone inside again.
"Checks the crazy box," Alex says.
Both Meredith and Cristina together yell: "Shut up, Alex!" )
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But he's getting bamboozled by doctors and all he can really do and hold up Cordy until she sucks in a breath and comes back to the present. Cordy glances up at him, then the doctors and then glances back over Sam's shoulder.]
We have to go. We have to leave right now.
[In the back, while you're busy criticizing, please make a perception check, Alex.]
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( "Pulse is elevated," Meredith says, giving Cristina a 'What the hell is any of this,' look. "Has that happened to you before? Sudden onset pain like that?" )
Cephalalgia? Headaches? Cranial pain?
( Alex gets a (nat 20) )
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[Her eyes swing over to Sam, wide and determined.]
We are not alone.
[Which has Sam immediately drawing his gun. "What is it?"]
I couldn't get a good look. They just came out of the shadows like ...
[As she's trying to figure out how to explain it, Alex is able to glance down and spot the grey, scaly hands reaching for his ankles and ready to pull him down into the shadows.]
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Cordelia declares they aren't alone and Sam pulls a gun. Cristina immediately brings her hands up.
"Gun, gun," she says, Meredith also backing away.
"What came out of the shadows?" Meredith asks, looking around them, but keeping an eye on the MAN WITH THE GUN.
Well, he may have seen it coming but he gets a DEX check of (2) to avoid being pulled down. )
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Weren't there three of you?
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"What do you mean, where's --" She cuts herself off. Where did--" She turns back to Cordelia and Sam. "Did you do something to Alex? Are you working with other -- people in the shadows?"
"Meredith, he has a gun. We're going to cooperate, okay? What do you want?" Cristina asks, still misunderstanding the situation. )
no subject
[And with that he starts moving, flashlight swinging out towards the shadows in search of the doctor who couldn't have gotten far, but this is Supernatural so there's Monster Timing involved.
Cordy turns back to the two of them.
"Look, I know you don't know us and have no reason to trust us, but Sam's job is to protect people, and he's really good at it. He'll find your friend. But we do need to get out of here."]
no subject
She can read a room, not wanting to leave Alex behind. They're a team. As much as they get on each others' nerves. )
Who is Sam protecting us from?
( "Or is it more a what?" Meredith asks. She doesn't know why she's asking. It's her sixth sense. )
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[Everything from vampires to shapeshifters to ghouls.
Unfortunately for Alex, it may be a little of the last one.
Cordy continues to herd the two of them towards the door, out into the more open space of the parking lot, but there are still shadows to contend with, enough that she's still scanning the parking lot for trouble.]
We're heading to the muscle car there.
[She points to the Impala.]
no subject
"All kinds of things?" And back at Meredith. "All kinds of things?" )
She said all kinds of things.
( Meredith does take note of the car as both women follow her, still worried about their friend back inside.
Cristina stops short, shaking her head.
"No. No. I'm not taking another step further or getting in that relic until you explain to me what's going on, where Alex is, and why we're not in Seattle anymore." )
no subject
[But she'll try. Cordelia is nothing if not a teller of the truth.]
I don't know where Alex is. That's why Sam went to find him. And why you're not in Seattle anymore is a very long story, but ... basically there's a pile of different worlds out there, all variations of each other and a very powerful being is cleaning house on as many of them as he can. Sometimes, people from those worlds are falling into this one. I think that's what happened to you.
[But she doesn't know for sure.]
Better?
no subject
"Not quite," Mer says apologetically. "Did you know we... fell?" Is that what it's called? Does she believe this? Well, she's been to the afterlife, she's pretty sure. What's a parallel world. She'll get to asking if their world is still there. Izzie. George. )
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