Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's Anatomy.

Have fun reading...McJinx

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Chapter 11

Meredith's POV

I stood in the hallway peering at my reflection in a window, hoping I would be able to assess the damage to my face but all I could see was the lack of sleep I was suffering from since Derek and I had adopted Zola.

"Crap," I softly scolded.

"Grey?" Marc Sloane's gaze raked over me, "Are you OK?

I sighed. "It's nothing…just a splin—."

"Let me look at that." Without waiting for my permission, Marc tipped my chin upward, pulled away the handkerchief and examined my face. He gently pressed my cheekbone and frowned, "You need at least one stitch, you know?"

"It's nothing," I mumbled.

Marc raised both eyebrows, "Are you questioning my medical judgment?"

'I wouldn't dare."

A huge grin spread across Marc's face. "OK…then let me take care of that." He pointed at an empty exam room and the next minute I hopped on the exam table while he placed a bottle of alcohol, several sterile gauzes and a suture kit on the surface next to me. "Are you ready?" I eyed his supplies and bit my lower lip. "You really don't have to stitch a scratch. It's hardly bleeding." Marc whipped a small mirror out of his breast pocket and handed it to me. "See for yourself." My reflection revealed a large drop of blood that welled up in the cut that was dangerously close to my right eye. "Please Marc, no stitches," I pleaded.

"Are you worried about my sewing abilities? You do know I'm a plastic surgeon…and a damn good—" I cut him off, "Marc…I'm afraid of needles…OK?"

Sloane grinned but soon turned serious again, "If I don't do anything about it, it'll leave a scar," he warned. I sighed and eyed the cut again before I dabbed the blood away. "Probably…but it won't be so big that make-up won't cover it." I said stubbornly as I handed him his mirror back. "Eventually, it will blend in with my wrinkles. No one will ever notice."

"Derek might!"

"Marc…please, don't be an ass. Can't you just put a butterfly bandage on it?"

He hesitated for a moment, "I can't talk you into this, can I?"

"Not a chance. As I patient, I have the right to refuse treatment."

"OK. A butterfly bandage it is." Marc poured alcohol on a gauze pad. "This is going to sting a little." I nearly whimpered as he gently pressed the saturated pad to my face and disinfected the wound but I bit back my yelp. Marc ripped open another package of gauze and then he pulled the butterfly bandage tight to hold the cut edges of my skin together.

"Perfect, if I say so myself. It will hardly leave a scar but don't get it wet," he informed me.

"I know. Thank you Marc." I smiled while I hopped off the exam table. "Oh..." I closed my eyes as a wave of dizziness washed over me. "Grey?" Marc's voice came from far away. "Are you OK?"

"Excuse me," I mumbled, quickly making my way to the sink in the exam room. I just made it in time, retching and retching until my stomach ached and my head spun. It took a few moments for the nausea to subside and the shaking to stop but when I finally was sure, my legs could support me, I rinsed my mouth and made my way back to the exam table. I chuckled amusingly; I guessed as a surgeon, I could stand the sight of blood easily…as long as it wasn't my own…I looked around but Marc was gone, so I gathered my things and made my way to the door. The fresh air in the hallway felt great on my heated skin but I'd hardly left the room when Marc stood in front of me…accompanied by Derek.

Derek's POV

"Hey," I said while I wrapped an arm around Meredith's shoulder. "I heard you had a little accident."

"Accident?'

I pointed at her cheek and her hand automatically went to her face. When she touched the small band aid on her cheek, she nodded, "Oh, yes…it's nothing," she mumbled. I frowned ever so slightly but she didn't react to it. Was it my imagination or did she seem absent-minded.

"Hey…are you OK?" I asked, gently touching her shoulder. For some reason, Meredith snapped out of it and smiled. "Don't worry…I'm fine!"

I looked at her a little worried but she grabbed my hand and interlaced our fingers, softly saying "When you're shift is over, can we go pick up Zola together?"

"Sure, "I nodded. "Why don't you go get her…I'll meet you at the daycare center…OK?" After, Meredith had left; I returned to my office to pick up my briefcase, Marc walking alongside me.

"Did Meredith seem a bit strange to you?" I asked.

"Hey…you would react strange too if your best friend threw a bottle at your head." Marc said. I shrugged. Marc was probably right…this was on me. Always as Meredith seemed absent-minded of forgetful, I was afraid she was suffering from early signs of Alzheimer's. When I stood in front of my office, I turned to Marc, patting his shoulder.

"Thanks for taking care of her."

"Sure." Marc smiled while he walked down the hallway in the opposite direction. "See you tomorrow."

After bathing and dressing Zola, I carried her into the nursery. She smelled like soap and my heart contracted as she snuffled tiredly into my neck, her curls brushing against my face. Out of nowhere, an overwhelming urge of giving her a brother or sister washed over me and I tenderly kissed her little head. How many babies would Meredith and I have had by now if I had chosen her over Addison back then?

As if by some extrasensory connection, Meredith chose that exact moment to enter the nursery and I could feel my cheeks heating up. "Wanna give her a goodnight kiss?" I blurted out in an effort to banish my stupid fantasies.

"Hmm." Meredith nodded and I placed an-almost-sleeping Zola into her arms.

"Sweet dreams…baby girl," Meredith whispered softly while she kissed the top of Zola's head, carefully lying her down and tucking her in. I looked at Meredith as she rose. She put a finger to her mouth indicating for us to be quiet while we tiptoed out of the nursery.

"Does you cheek hurt," I asked as we entered our bedroom.

"My cheek?'

My heart skipped a beat and I felt dazed and confused. Had she forgotten again?

"Yes," I said slowly. "…Cristina accidently threw a bottle at the wall and a chard of glass hit your face…remember?" An awkward silence fell for a moment, then Meredith carefully reached out and felt her cheek. "It's nothing." She shrugged. "I hardly feel a thing…really!"

I brought my hand up and brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear, "Mere…Please don't get me wrong but I worry about you," I said softly.

She shot me a look I couldn't decipher but then she smiled, "Why worry…I'm fine…really!" Without waiting for my reaction, she gathered her things and went into the adjoining bathroom. I sighed but when I heard water running, I walked to the bed, turning on the night lamp. I kicked my shoes and socks off and dropped my hands to my belt buckle when I noticed how my hands trembled. I looked down on them and clenched them into tight fists.

What would I do if I knew Alzheimer's was eating Meredith's brain, robbing her of all logical thought and returning her slowly to the emotional dependence of a child? If she would gradually lose her memory and start to drift away from me…would I be strong enough to deal with that?

Even thinking about it made my gut clench and a frustrated groan rumbled low out of my throat. In a few long strides, I pulled open the door and burst into the bathroom.

"Hey…what?"

Meredith stood next to the tub, drying herself off. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her to me, "Don't ever sneak away from me," I whispered against her hair.

"W…what?"

"I love you." My voice was thick and I squeezed her even tighter. Alerted by the tone in my voice, she freed herself from my embrace and looked at me questioningly.

"What is with you? I only have a scratch in my face…nothing to worry about." She slowly shook her head and smiled at me. I tried to smile in return but my attempt failed miserably.

"Derek?"

Meredith looped her arms around my neck and ran her fingers through my hair, "Why don't you tell me what's bothering you so much?"

"I'm sorry…," I mumbled. "I guess…I'm just tired." I smiled to cover my rush of feelings, swallowing hard, afraid of what my eyes were giving away. The lights from the bathroom illuminated Meredith's face as she looked up at me and without hesitation; I clutched her to me and kissed her fully on the mouth. Instead of pulling away, she pushed her body into mine and our mouths opened simultaneously to explore each other's tongue. Her small but firm breasts flattened against my chest and her pelvis was grinding into me as I pulled her body as close to me as I could.

A short while later we were in bed, making love. It was long, and languid and gentle. Meredith wrapped her legs around me as I thrust into her. Her hands were around my shoulders and she looked into my eyes, arching her back, pressing her pelvis against me. She came harder than I'd ever felt before, shuddering, her feminine walls gripping me like a glove. It pushed me over the edge and I thrust into her one final time, burying myself completely and filling her with my seed. Afterward, we held each other and I tasted salty sweat on her lips as we kissed long and deep. When I rolled onto my back, I pulled her with me, our sweat slowly drying and cooling our skin.

"I love you," she mumbled sleepily.

"I love you too…with all my heart." I forced the words out of my exhausted body, drawing on the fullness of my feelings for her. I drifted off…and when I woke a few hours later, I was still holding her, her deep breath telling me she was deep asleep and all I could think was…

Please God…don't let her slip away from me.

To be continued...

Do you think something is wrong with Meredith? Is she really showing early signs of Alzheimer's or is something else going on? Let me know your thoughts. I (ofcourse) know what's going on with Mere but I'm curious what your thoughts are on the matter ;-)