Meredith and Derek planned on leaving China in two days and everything was hectic at the villages, the cholera which had been subsiding had a flare up, causing everyone to work double time to keep up and treat patients. "Derek can you beleive it we're finally going home in two days this is so exciting I can't wait to tell everyone all of our wonderful news, no one is going to believe us." Meredith said as she threw off her shoes and plopped down on the highly uncomfortable bed. "I know, as much as I love helping everyone here, I will feel much better when you and the baby our out of harms way and when I can be the first one to introduce you to everyone as Dr. Shepard." Derek said happily as he too collapsed onto the bed exhausted from the days work. "How should we do it I mean I really want it to be a big surprise to everyone, I sort of want to trick them what do you think?" Meredith asked excitedly. "Meredith Shepard you are devious." Derek said with a smile. "Well, lets see we could not tell anyone that we are coming back yet and just show up for work all bright and shiny and married!" Meredith said shooting Derek a smile. "That's a good idea, drive in together, holding hands together, drinking coffee together, erasing the board that says that Dr. Grey is scheduled for surgery in a big scene and write Shepard." Together the two were throwing out plenty of happily married ideas to break the news to everyone that not only were they married now, but they were also going to be having a baby. Meredith suddenly shot up from their happy talk and wore a very serious expression on her face. "Meredith what is it?" Derek asked concerned. "We can't do that to Addison I think we should tell her in secret before everyone spreads it around the hospital, we owe her that, especially after what she found out at the fertility clinic it would sort of be like a slap in the face for her to hear all of our good news from someone else." Meredith said worrying about how Addison was going to take it that Meredith seemed to get everything that she had once desired in her own life. "Meredith you never cease to amaze me." Derek said looking at her in wonder. "Why do you say that?" Meredith asked slightly confused. "You have such a big heart to think of Addison like that especially after the not so subtle way that she let you know that she was my wife in the beginning." Derek said still looking at her amazed. Meredith blushed. "Addison is a good person, she was just fighting for the one she loved." Meredith said laying back down and placing her head gently on Derek's chest listening to his heart beat, slowly lulling her to sleep. Soon . Derek and Meredith were both fast asleep in each others embrace.
It was in the middle of the night that one of the nuns from the orphanage quietly came and retrieved Meredith for an emergency. "What is it?" Meredith asked concerned as she put on her shoes and followed the nun out into the dark night. "It's one of the orphans I fear that she has fallen ill, and if she is ill who knows how many of the other orphans will come down with the sickness." The nun said flustered by the whole situation. "Right of course." Meredith said as they stopped by the clinic to retrieve Meredith's medical bag and head to the orphanage. When Meredith walked in the whole scent of the orphanage had changed the building that once smelled of flowers and life, now smelled just the same as the clinic that Meredith dreaded walking into every day. "She's over here." The nun gestured as she lead her over to one of the older orphans, Xang. "Xang honey where does it hurt?" Meredith asked as she knelt down next to her and gently placed her hand on the girls forehead. Immediately, Meredith withdrew her hand from the girls burning skin. "Xang sweethart I need you to answer me." Meredith said pulling her stethascope from her bag laying next to her. Xang moved her hand to her stomach and then moved her hand to her head. "Your stomach and your head hurt?" Meredith asked clarifying. Xang shook her head yes. "Am I going to die Dr. Shepard?" Xang asked as tears welled up in her eyes. "Oh Xang dear of course not that's what I'm here for, remember I brought big medicine with me from the states." Meredith said trying to keep her spirits up and encourage her that she would be fine. The nun smiled down at the nice Dr. Shepard, she was truly a blessing to have in the village, an angel sent to rescue them. "Xang I want you to drink this, it won't taste very good, but it will help you." Meredith said as she placed a greenish liquid to Xangs mouth. Slowly she drank the liquid in disgust. "You're such a good girl." Meredith said flashing her a smile. "Now we need to go and break your fever." Meredith said, gently picking Xang up. "Dr. Shepard you shouldn't do that you are with child." The nun said anxioulsy. "I'll be fine we need to get Miss Xang here to the showers so we can cool her down." Meredith said as they made their way from the orphanage and across the small village to the showers which were kept clean so as not to spread the cholera. Xangs skin burned against her own, but she needed to save this girls life, they had only just barely caught the cholera on time. When they stepped into the showers Meredith turned the water on as cold as it would go and stood in there fully clothed while she wet a cloth and wrang it over Xangs body to get the cool water cascading over her fevered skin. After about 45 minutes in the freezing shower Meredith wrapped Xang in a towel and carried her back to the orphanage, she wanted to keep her from the clinic where other sick people were, and keep her in her own little containment. When they got back to the orphange Meredith put Xang in a different bed than she had been in before instructing the nuns to burn the sheets that were on the bed before and thouroughly clean the mattress itself, so they wouldn't spread the cholera to any other children. "How are you feeling now Xang?" Meredith asked as she slipped a pajama gown over Xangs head. "Much better Dr. Shepard." Xang said still weak, but better than before. "Good Xang that's excellent." Meredith said as she situated Xang into her new cot pulling the thin blankets up around her. "Dr. Shepard?" Xang asked almost hesitantly. "Yes Xang?" Meredith asked just as she was about to stand up. "Would you stay with me tonight I don't want the cholera to come back for me." Xang asked scared. "Oh Xang the cholera won't come back for you, but of course I will stay with you." Meredith said weakly exhausted from not sleeping much yet after having a full day. Xang scooted over as far as she could in the small bed and made room for Meredith to curl up beside her. "Would you sing me a song?" Xang asked, getting sick seemed to be the best thing that had ever happened to Xang, because even if it was only for the night, Xang had a mother. Quietly Meredith began to sing a lullaby that she had learned from the nuns since she had come to China, but instead of putting Xang to sleep Meredith was soon off in the world of slumber while Xang continued the song sweeping her hand through Meredith's hair much like a mother would do to her child.
