Given the fact that they’d both lost their fathers all too soon, Delia Burton and Tyler Robbins had bonded at an early age. Once the latter had been officially adopted by his paternal aunt and her wife, the two had spent more time than either could count around Grey Sloan Memorial, whether it be up in the daycare or at times roaming the halls and various other places they weren’t exactly meant to be. Things had changed as they got older, though, and it’d only gotten worse once they returned back home from their tour overseas. While Delia certainly had her own set of issues to work through and try to make sense of, it seemed as if Tyler had taken everything that much harder and wasn’t coping nearly as well. As much as she tried to help an old friend, there wasn’t a whole lot that was in her control. The growing rift between them only seem to crack further until it suddenly broke wide open beyond repair.
Upon learning about Tyler’s second tour, Delia had done what she could to stay informed without his knowledge, but there was only so much information she could handle before it became too much. Trying to care enough for the both of them became exhausting, and she found herself unable to bear the emotional burden any longer. Months had passed without a word, and the cardiothoracic surgeon had done her best to shift focus and move on, even if that basically just consisted of throwing herself into work and helping the ones she actually could.
Having stayed overnight at the hospital to keep watch over a touch and go post surgery patient, Delia woke up the next morning in one of the on call rooms missing the comfort of her own bed. With the nearest cup of coffee practically screaming her name, tired limbs were stretched out for a minute before a knock coupled with an all too familiar voice caught her attention.
It couldn’t be. Could it?
“It’s really you. You’re really here.” Maybe emotions were running a little high, but given how they’d last left things and how long it’d been since she’d known whether or not she’d ever see him in person again, much less one piece, who could blame her? Crossing the floor to the doorway, Delia practically pulled his body against hers for a hug that would hopefully say what words couldn’t in that moment. Allowing their embrace to linger for a minute, she somewhat reluctantly pulled back to check him over and make sure everything was okay at least physically anyway.
“Did you just get back this morning, or…? I would’ve picked you up from the airport, had I known anything.”
If one was to live long enough, they are bound to make mistakes. But if they learn from them, they'll be a better person. It's how people handle adversity, not how it affects them. The main thing is never quit, never quit, never quit. and tyler never did. when he fell down, no matter how long he was down. .... he always got back up. put one foot right in front of the other, even if that direction led him off a cliff every once and a while. any normal person wouldn’t understand why tyler when back into the fields. In his dreams he can still hear the crash of guns, the rattle of musketry, the strange, mournful mutter of the battlefield. why he would serve a country that had failed him quite a few times. a country that left him to the side of the road when his orders were up. but it gave the man purpose, it kept him close to him, figuratively. it was the only thing that connected him to his father. & delia wasn’t just any ordinary person. she got him in ways no one could. they live in a world where finding fault in others seems to be the favorite blood sport. It has long been the basis of political campaign strategy. It is the theme of television programming across the world. It sells newspapers. Whenever anyone meets anyone, their first, almost unconscious reaction may be to look for imperfections. but when tyler looked at delia all her imperfections were her perfection at the very same time. the intial nerves wash away as he hears her voice once more. ❛❛ i arrived this morning at 0500 ──── hunt picked me up . i figured i wouldn’t be me if i didn’t make a big entrance. so you going to give me a hug or what? ❜❜
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