How Much More
Disclaimer: I don't own or have anything to do with Grey's Anatomy, you know the drill.
Authors Note: This is the first time submitting ever! I have never written anything before, but I have been reading stories here at for a long time, so I thought what the heck.
Hope you all enjoy the story. I appreciate any feedback especially those that can enhance this story. Thank you.
Lexie was buttoning her coat in the locker room. She had just finished a 36 hour shift that consisted from everything from trauma to clerical and now all she wanted was the respite of her bed for at least 15 hours before the start of her next shift.
Closing her locker door she turned to see her sister Meredith walking in. The awkward butterflies so accustomed when her sister was ever in sight no longer made their presence. If anything Meredith was now just Meredith and this new perspective seem to help their relationship improve just a little bit more. Meredith went straight to her locker as she too prepared to leave for the day.
"Hey Lex, ready to go home?" she gave her sister a smile. Little gestures such as these help to put some ease into their interactions.
"Yes, ready to crawl into bed and sleep like I have never slept before" she exclaimed.
Meredith studied her sister, "How are you doing I haven't seen you at all today?"
Ever since her sister had to spend some time in the psych ward Meredith could not help but be concerned about Lexie. Perhaps it was hypocritical to constantly be asking how she was doing, but she found that it help with her own sanity after that dreadful day.
Lexie simply shook her head. She was tired of being asked but she always wanted her sister's attention, but now the constant hovering sometimes got to her. However, her therapist reminded her that everyone was coping in different ways and her big sister was no exception. If Meredith way of coping was being the constant nurturer with her and everyone she considered to be family then she just had to swallow her pride and do her part to help her big sister cope as well.
"I'm fine, Mer. It was a long shift, but no different than any other."
"Sorry, you know I have to ask"
"I know" Lexie turned away feeling suddenly self conscious
"Well Derek is waiting for me to take me home do you want to ride with us?"
"Yeah, that would be great. I was hoping to bum a ride off Alex or April even if I had to wait a while for their shifts to end. But now I don't have to worry about that!"
"Well okay then. Let's go find my husband and go home."
Meredith slammed her locker door closed and made her way out the door with Lexie following behind.
They found Derek waiting for them by the exit. "Must have been a rough day, since we all seem so eager to go home" Lexie said out lout, although more as an observation than a comment.
Meredith nodded. "Yeah, I think we can all use a decent night's sleep".
Derek and Meredith gave each other a quick kiss in greeting. "I see I will be escorting both of you home tonight. Hi Lex you look beat. I heard you had a rough time with the last patient in the clinic"
Lexie nodded. A mother and children were brought in from an auto accident, apparently hit by a drunk driver. The little boy was going to make it but the mother and daughter were not as fortunate. It was difficult enough in not being able to do more for them, but the heartbreaking task of having to explain to the survivors their loss was equally painful, if not more so.
The experience was even more tenuous after recent events of turning off life support on another patient, which lead to tragic repercussions soon after. Lexie shuddered from the thought.
Derek and Meredith noticed Lexie lost in her thoughts and the sudden shivering.
"I thought you said your shift went okay?" Meredith asked with concern.
"It did Mere"
Seeing that Lexie wasn't going to share any details Meredith knew she had to stop probing, at least for now.
"We'll talk about it later?" Meredith asked.
"Yeah,
"Well let's go home and get us all warm and cozy under the blankets," said Derek.
Meredith rolled her eyes at the campiness statement of her husband. "So long as it's just you and me under those blankets, no offense Lex"'
Lexie cheeks turned a rosy pink as she blushed and suddenly felt awkward, "No worries there". She cleared her throat.
The three of them got into Derek's car. Lexie sat comfortably in the back and Derek and Meredith in the front. Soft music instantly filled the silence of the vehicle. As they pulled out of the hospital parking lot and began the drive home, Lexie could feel herself begin to relax.
Derek and Meredith were speaking to each other about a patient or something. However, Lexie didn't pay too much attention. The hum of the car's engine and the passing lights was relaxing her more and more. She knew she was tired, but the sudden feeling of exhaustion was surprising, even to her.
Perhaps it was the sense of security she was feeling at the moment, knowing that Derek and Meredith were up front and by all appearances in control. Lexie's eyes began to drift close as she gave in to the beckoning sleep. Not since she was a little girl had she fallen asleep in the back seat of a vehicle.
She stopped fighting and drifted off. She knew that her sister would wake her when they arrived at home, but for now she was going to immerse herself in this siesta that she knew was going to be more delicious now, than when she went to bed later. As her eyes drifted close she smiled to herself as she heard Meredith giggling.
"Hey Lex, how does pizza sound for dinner? Lex?" Meredith turned over and saw her sister sound asleep.
Derek looked through the rear view mirror and saw the same thing. "I guess she won't care if I get it with anchovies then, will she?" he smiled.
"No, but I will," Meredith frowned. At least she's sleeping she thought to herself.
"Hey, she's sleeping that's a good thing remember?" Derek said, voicing Meredith thoughts.
Meredith simply nodded and was about to comment when she felt herself jerked forward with an intense force. This confused her as she was unsure as to what was happening. From the corner of her left eye she could barely make out Derek being jerked forward and smacked into the steering wheel. Just as she wanted to call out, the air bags exploded, lunging them both backwards with similar intensity as before.
Everything was happening quickly but Meredith couldn't grasp what was happening. She could vaguely make out the sound of glass breaking and even metal bending and twisting. She could feel her body being thrown as if she were just a rag doll.
Tires screeching and the howling of the cars horn so loudly that she thought her ear drums would burst. Then it seemed as if everything came to a complete stop. The only sound was the wailing of the horn. Meredith tried to assess her surroundings but she couldn't move and she couldn't focus. She could feel her eyes closing whether she wanted them to or not. Her last conscious thought was what harm could come if she just let eyes close for a little while.
