We all need different things in life to get us through tough times or easy times.  To be there for us when the other falls so that we can be picked right back up again.  To make us feel alive.

FAMILY.  LOVE.  SEX.

But we only need one thing to actually be alive.  We need a beating heart.  When that heart is threatened you respond in one or two ways: we either run or we attack.  There's a scientific term for that - fight or flight.  Instinct.  We can't control it.  

Or can we?

-

"How bad is it?" Webber asked the two women as Doctor Burke was being wheeled in.

"GSW to the right shoulder.  He's lost a lot of blood," Bailey told him as Alison was consoling her friend even though he was unconscious and couldn't hear her.

Alison had never felt as helpless as she did now.  She wanted to save her good friend and coworker.  But because her main focus was little kids - she wasn't able to.  All she could do was wait to make sure that Doctor Burke survived this.  She along with the other doctors knew that it had to be the guy who tried to shoot the guy who was now dead.  

"Anderson, page Shepherd and make sure you call Karev to let him know what's going on," Webber told the Peds doctor.

"On it chief," she told him and went to the closest phone.

She knew that Shepherd was currently at the end of one surgery and so she paged the OR room he was in.  She waited for someone to pick up as she bounced on the soles of her feet, anxious.  

Come on pick up, pick up, pick up.

"OR #2."

"How much longer until Shepherd finishes with his surgery?"

"He's just finishing our patient's surgery.  Why?"

"Doctor Burke has been shot."

"I'll tell him to finish but it might take a while," the nurse told the doctor over the phone.

"No," Alison said with more confidence.  "When it's one of our own you make time.  Tell him.  Now."

"On it, doctor."

*

Alison was pacing in front of the room where Burke was currently being held as they waited for Shepherd to come.  It felt like hours but was probably only around ten to fifteen minutes and she saw Derek running.

"What happened?" Shepherd asked the blonde.

"Gun shot wound.  GSW to the right shoulder and he's lost a lot of blood.  He's been in and out of consciousness."

"How are you doing, Preston?" Shepherd asked the heart surgeon as he lay on the table.

"The heart," he mumbled.  "Denny."

"What was that?" Shepherd asked.  "Did anyone hear what he said?"

Alison's mission now was to make sure that Cristina couldn't come in.  She knew that Richard gave her the guy who shot Burke and the patient.  She also needed to call Karev first to let him know the latest update.

"You know I've never heard you joking before but has anyone told you that you have kind of a dark sense of humor? Not that I'm complaining because sometimes I like dark-"

"Karev!  I am not joking.  This is serious.  Burke's been shot and we need Shepherd down here as soon as possible!  Can you tell him that?"

It was as though that the news of the top heart surgeon at their hospital had startled Alex Karev.  The man who seemed to have a come back for everything was now suddenly quiet.  He realized that this was suddenly no joking matter as he heard the anxiousness in the doctor's voice.  How it was scared and shaky.  He knew that Anderson and Burke were kind of close as he had taken her under his wing when she first arrived at the hospital.  He also knew that Burke has never done that to any other doctor since Alison, except for finding a friend in O'Malley, as Alison had as well.

"W-what am I supposed to do about the heart?" he tells her over the phone.

"Think of something and Karev?"

"Yeah?"

"Good luck."

Suddenly she saw a flash of curly black hair and knew that Cristina had seen her boyfriend.  She made a dash to try and stop her as she was able to get to her quick.

"Yang, you can't go in there," Alison told her as she tried to stop the intern but was unsuccessful.

"Your shot?" Cristina yelled.  "He's shot?"

"Cristina get back out there," Richard told her.  "Anderson you had one job!"

"Sorry chief," she told him sheepishly.  "She's strong though.  She wouldn't take no for an answer."

"It's alright," he let out a sigh as he tried getting Burke to lay back down on the table.  

"Yang, we got this," Bailey said more stern.  

"That guy shot you," Yang yelled now on a mission.  "Whatever you need, I'm here for you," Cristina told her boyfriend.  "I was mad at you earlier for taking me off the heart transplant but I'm not anymore.  You're forgiven and all is okay.  I promise."

"I need you to check on Denny Duquette."

"You totally just ruined my best girlfriend speech.  But I'll go check on him for you.  Okay."

"Hey," Preston says laughing a bit as he was in a daze.  "Wendy Darling?  When did you get here?"

Derek and Bailey looked at the doctor who had been shot and then back up at the Peds doctor.  All of a sudden, Preston decides to close his eyes and he had flatlined.  The doctors moved quick as Alison let them do their work.  

"Preston," Derek called out to the heart surgeon.  "Preston?  Stay with me alright buddy?"

The bullet was lodged into the brachial plexus as Derek was able to re-inflate Preston and at least get him to stabilize for now.

"Your okay.  Your lung collapsed but you have to stay awake.  Alright, let's get him into surgery, now," Shepherd told the team to which they agreed with him and got him prepped for surgery.

The blonde doctor waited in the waiting room while Derek and the others operated on their friend and fellow doctor.  She hoped that he would be alright and heal.  She rested her head in her hands as she took a few deep breaths in and out to stop her from over thinking.  From over thinking the outcomes that could happen.  

What if he never got to operate again?

Will he recover?

What if this one circumstance in his life changes everything?

-

In an instant, your whole life can change.  One minute you can be doing what you love and the next something can happen to where it causes you to think about things.  To have that hard discussion with yourself if this was really what you were meant to be doing with your life.  We all have those wake up calls.  What you choose to do with them is up to.

-

"Hey, I'm so sorry I was late for our date," Alison apologized to Anthony as she entered the restaurant.

"It's honestly okay, Alison.  I had to get my son a babysitter anyway so it actually worked out better this way."

"Thank you for being understanding.  I really appreciate it."

"Of course.  How's your friend doing?"

"He's in stable condition now.  But they are keeping a watch on him tonight and tomorrow and seeing how the improvement of his hand and arm is."

"I guess I just would never assume there would be a shooting at the hospital.  Especially against a doctor who tries to save lives..."

"You have no idea," Alison scoffed.  "I have complete faith though in the team that worked on him that he will regain complete mobility of his hand.  He has to.  Enough about work though," Alison commented wanting to stop talking about what happened earlier or else she might cry again.  "Let's just enjoy tonight."

"I couldn't agree more," the lawyer agreed with a charming smile as he drank some red wine.

*

"So wait, your son actually talked like a minion when he was two?" Alison let out a laugh as she after eating a bite of her pasta.

"I'm not even kidding," he told the blonde doctor as he laughed as well.  "Here, I'll show you a video I recorded of him."

He showed him the video and it had her laughing even more.  She thought Bentley was the cutest.  Bentley was acting as though he were a lawyer answering a phone call as he held a pretend phone.  Anthony had explained to Alison that Bentley had seen him talking on his phone countless times either to his boss or clients.  She loved it.  Although, it was probably not proper of them to laugh like that in a fancy restaurant.  

Tonight they were just two people who didn't care about their professions.  Two people trying to get to know each other.

"I know this might not be my place but do you mind if I ask about his mother?"

"No, it's okay.  We're still friends and she's still in Bentley's life.  But things just didn't work out between us as a couple.  We tried to make it work for Bentley which was the wrong reason."

"I'm sorry," she apologized as she reached across the table to console him by holding his hand.

"It's okay," he let out a small smile.  "We split up when Bentley was two so it's been a while.  But we wanted to end it good for Bentley's sake.  He spends most of his time with her because I work so much but I get him on the weekends and some holiday's."

"That's really great that you both were able to stay friends after.  I know how messy breakups can be so I really respect that."

"Thank you.  So what about you?  When was your last relationship?"

"Wow, um.  I want to say five years ago?  Sorry if I'm kind of out of practice.  Unlike you, mine didn't end so great.  We were together since college and lived together.  I thought we were going to get married some day.  I thought he was it.  But then one day, I came home and he was cheating on me with his ex.  We broke up and he ended up taking our dog."

"He took the dog?" He asked with wide eyes.  "I'm assuming with out your permission?"

"Yeah, the sucky thing was he didn't even like Bear.  I was the one who loved him and took care of him."

"You know you can sue him right?  Take him to court and get your dog back."

"I've thought about it.  But I don't even know if he's still alive... he would be seven now if he was.  And I don't really like to sue people."

"Well, what if I offered to take him to court?  You never know unless you try.  After this, you don't have to sue another person if you don't want to but he has to know what he did is not okay."

"You would really do that for me?  Even though this is only our second date?"

"I would absolutely.  Every animal deserves to be in a loving home."

"Well, okay.  But I'm not letting you do it for free.  I'll pay legal fees and everything."

"Alison, that is not letting me offer to do this for you if you pay for it!"

"Okay, fine.  But what if I paid you a thousand dollars?  That way I wouldn't be paying for it all but I want to contribute something.  I cannot and will not allow you to do this for free."

"Your really hard headed aren't you?"

"Over something like this, yes.  Definitely."

"Okay fine.  You win."

"Thank you," she smiled at him.

"So now that we have that out of the way.  Tell me about yourself."

"You know that's a line they use in job interviews right?" she asked sarcastically with a smile on her face letting him know she was joking.

"Gorgeous and sarcastic.  I knew I liked you," he replied to which she smiled.

"I like you too," she said before she took a sip of her red wine.  "But to answer your question I grew up in South Dakota born and raised.  My dad was in the military but he now works as a military contractor and my mom has her own organization that she runs for soldiers or veterans suffering with PTSD.  I have two younger brothers named Adam and James.  What about you?"

"I was born in Oregon but moved out here to go to college.  I've lived here ever since."

"What do you like to do outside of work?"

"Spend time with son and go to whole in the wall coffee shops.  You?"

"I like to travel and go home when I can.  What's been your favorite coffee shop so far?"

"Definitely the one on fourth street.  Ever been?"

"No, never been.  Maybe you can take me sometime?"

"Definitely.  I also take my son to the Woodland Park Zoo.  He loves looking at the lions and penguins."

"What's your favorite animal?" She asks, finishing up her pasta.

"Definitely the tigers.  You?"

"Giraffe's and polar bears."

"Really?"

"Yes," she let out a laugh.  "I don't really have a specific reason for either, I just think they are both cute."

They finished up their dinner as Anthony paid for the bill.  Alison thanked him as they left the restaurant holding hands.  Stopping in front of her car with him still with her as he walked her to her car.

"Anthony, would you like to go to the prom with me?" She asked which made him smile.

"Wait, you mean like a real prom?"

"Yeah," she laughed.  "The chief of the hospital's niece has ovarian cancer and she's in high school.  The hospital is putting on a prom for her so that she didn't miss it."

"Yeah, I'll go with you," he smiles down at the blonde.  "Are we allowed to make donations?"

"I don't see why not," Alison shrugged her shoulders with a smile on her face at his thoughtfulness.  "I'll ask Richard tomorrow when I see him."

"Please do.  I know that myself and even the company I work for would like to make a donation.  If not for her, then for young children everywhere who are diagnosed with ovarian cancer."

"I'll see what Richard wants to do.  That's very thoughtful of you."

"I try to give back as much as possible.  I hate having to see little kids and even teens go through things that they shouldn't have to go through.  It's not fair."

"I agree.  I work with so many kids and its heartbreaking to see all they have to go through.  They are so strong at such a young age."

"Text or call me when you get home, okay?  So that I know you got home safe."

"I will, bye Anthony," she then stood up on her tip toes and kissed his cheek as she smiled at him and he returned one as well.

You can either run from something or welcome change.  I choose to welcome it.  Even when I'm scared.  Because we all start out from somewhere.  Relationships change and people change.  We can agree to change our mind and our professions.  Otherwise, how else do we grow as humans?  You can either run from your problems or face them head on.  It takes a strong person to be able to face them head on.  Running is for the weak.  I was always taught to face my fears and to not give into fear.  

--

a/n: i am so sorry for the late update!!  My birthday was last Saturday and I started online classes for my bachelor degree this week.  I promise I haven't given up on this book.  Please be patient with me.  I will do my best to update this book as well as my others :).  Thank you for all of the likes, comments and adding this book to your reading list!  You don't know how much it means to me.

What do you think of Anthony so far?

One or two more chapters left and then onto season 3 :)