Hi everyone!

Wow, thanks for the reviews!!! Glad to know that you like sick Derek, I like him too :) Please keep reviewing cause it gives me so much inspiration and makes me write a lot faster!

As for what is wrong with him: I'm not telling yet, but you can pick up the clues...

This chapter is a bit shorter, but i try to keep updating soon.

Sorry if you think the description is a bit gross, i'm just trying to be realistic.

love, Zimra.

summary: this time not a story about Meredith getting sick and Derek coming to the rescue... no, in this fic it's the other way around...

disclaimer: I would give a sweet thing to own Patrick Dempsey, but alas...

In Sickness or Health

Part 4.

"I was right, wasn't I? I told you he acted strange. So what was the matter with him?" Smirking, Cristina caught up with Meredith on their way to the OR.

"He's sick. He just nearly puked his brains out."

"Seriously? Man, that's gross!"

"He said he had a headache. Like migraine."

"Yeah, like the one you get from too much tequila, eh?"

Meredith didn't answer and looked at Cristina in a 'you're-so-not-funny' way.

"Hey, relax Mer. He's a grown man, he'll survive a bit of puking."

Seeing her friends concerned face Cristina grabbed her hands and turned her around to face her.

"Shepherd will be fine. Migraines can hurt like hell. Seeing someone in pain can be scary. But seriously, Mer, in a few hours he'll be back strolling the corridors with that cocky attitude of him."

"I didn't really know how to behave, you know... Him being all vulnerable, it felt so strange. And helpless, I just didn't know what to do."

"Well, what did you do?"

"Just... rubbed his back or something. Gave him water."

"While he was puking? Seriously, you must really love that man."

At that moment, Preston Burke turned the corner and made his way over to Cristina and Meredith.

"Dr. Grey, Dr. Yang", he gave them both a nod. "I'm sure you've seen on the schedule that, in a few minutes, I'll be performing a minimally invasive coronary artery bypass on our patient, Mr. Wilson. Are you both planning to come and watch the procedure?"

"Sure." Cristina looked eager as always.

"And you Dr. Grey?"

"Yeah." Meredith's lack of enthusiasm made Burke arch his eyebrow.

"Shepherd's sick." Cristina answered for her. "But I already told her not to worry. He's fine. She needs some distraction, so, yes we'll watch your surgery. Let's go."

"Is he sick? I've seen him in the restaurant before, had some strange behaviour. I told him he looked awfully pale."

Meredith sighed. "Yeah, it's just a migraine, though. He'll be fine."

"That's what I said", Cristina beamed. "Let's go."

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Derek was lying in the dark on his back. The lack of noise and light had made him feel considerably better. He'd even dozed away a couple of times. Now, however, the pounding was creeping back into his skull and settling there, even more consistent and vehemently than before.

Bringing his hands to his head, he tried to gently massage his temples and forehead, hoping for some relief. Wrong move. The slight touch of his fingertips set his brain on fire.

The pain triggered a gulf of nausea that lurched through him. He rolled over and vomited in the basin. The room was dancing around him as his stomach kept cramping, rejecting wave after wave of everything he'd eaten before.

When it stopped he was panting heavily, head still over the basin, tears streaming down his cheeks from the pain. There was no way he could stop them, the tightness in his skull being unbearable. Moving his head back on the gurney, painful centimetre by painful centimetre, he became aware of the cramped up muscles in his neck.

Ok, so what do you think? Keep reviewing and the chapters keep coming soon!

Love, Zimra