Meredith groaned as she rolled over. Her body was achy. She couldn't breathe through her nose. She knew it was coming. Liam had been sniffling and sneezing for days. She looked over at the clock. She had to get up soon, and there was no way she would be able to work. There was no way she would be able to do anything today but lay in be.
Meredith grabbed the phone. She had to call Derek... No. She could call someone else. Chief resident. Bailey. She would call Miranda Bailey and let her know that she would not be there today. She wasn't in the mood for Derek. Not today.
Just as she hung up the phone, she heard the loud cries of the beast. And he was sounding like a beast today. She could tell just by listening to him that he was feeling just about as good as she was. She slowly crawled out of the bed and stumbled down the hallway to his room.
"Oh my..." Meredith muttered as she looked at him. He was red and warm. Definitely running a fever. His nose was plugged up and he was looking completely miserable. "Oh honey..." She spoke softly as she heard his broken wails. "You will be okay."
Meredith laid him on the table, changing his diaper. She pulled out the thermometer and quickly took his temperature as he moved around and fought her. It was just slightly over normal. She smiled softly, that was one less worry. She changed him into a clean onesie and carried him with her to her bedroom. They both laid in the bed completely miserable until they fell asleep.
Derek walked down to the nursery. He was feeling guilty that he hadn't seen his son. His face only dropped as he looked in, seeing no sign of Liam anywhere. He looked up at Cheryl and walked over.
"Where's my guy?" Derek asked softly.
"Well, Dr. Shepherd didn't bring him in today. He has been a little fussy. Maybe she has him with her?" Cheryl suggested with a smile.
"Yeah, maybe." Derek agreed as he walked off and took the elevator to the surgical floor. "Deb, can you page Dr. Shepherd for me?" He asked as he walked up.
"Oh... Dr. Shepherd called in sick today." Deb muttered as she kept working.
"Oh." Derek muttered before he walked off. "Sick?" He muttered to himself.
Derek walked into his office and shut the door. He couldn't believe that he didn't know she was sick. He should know these things. He sat down at the big mess that was his desk, and sighed. Derek picked up the phone and dialed his own home. A number he rarely called. It rang and rang before she finally answered. He could barely tell it was her.
"He- Hello." Meredith croaked out as she opened her eyes.
"Hey." Derek said softly. "You're sick."
"I am." Meredith told him as she closed her eyes. "I was sleeping."
"Oh. Is there anything I can get you?" Derek asked as he looked at the blinking light of the other line ringing.
"Like you could get away anyhow. I'm fine." She told him frankly.
"Okay..." Derek replied sadly. "I'll just- I hope you feel better. I love you."
"Bye, Derek." Meredith muttered sleepily into the phone.
Derek felt sick at her voice. She was really sick. And she never called to let him know. And if she was sick, Liam was surely sick right along with her. And she didn't say it. He told her he loved her. And her response was nothing. Bye. A knot formed in his stomach. Derek quickly stood from his desk. He had to go home. He had to take care of her.
"Sylvie... I have to go." Derek told her. "I will be out for the remainder of the day."
"Uh... Sir..." She said quickly.
"I have to go." He spat as he continued on. Derek was rushing down the hallway, when he saw Miranda Bailey speeding down the hallway towards him.
"Chief! I have a head trauma coming in the pit. This one looks bad!" She yelled.
"Fuck." Derek muttered. And this was how it always went.
-------------
Meredith awoke to the sound of the doorbell ringing. She contemplated on whether she should actually go down and get it, or whether she should will them away with her mind. A glance at the beside table revealed a half a box of used tissues and a clock reading one in the afternoon. She had been sleeping for hours. She heard the doorbell ring another time, and Liam began to stir.
"Crap." She muttered as she grabbed him and stumbled down the hall. She was so physically drained, she was afraid to walk him down the stairs with her.
Meredith placed Liam in the crib and grabbed the baby monitor, making her way down the stairs. As she glanced up, she saw a tall figure through the glass door. A sigh escaped from her as she opened the door and looked up.
"Craig... What are you doing here?" Meredith asked softly.
"Word around the hospital is that you are dying. I thought I would bring you some soup. Chicken noodle. I hope you like it." He told her as he held the bag up. "And some cough medicine."
"You didn't have to do that." Meredith said in shock. "You can come in, but I'm not responsible for any illness that you may incur from exposure." She told him with a giggle.
"Oh like I am not around it all day... Do you need something? Any help?" He asked as he looked around. "I have about two free hours."
"I'm doing okay..." Meredith said with a nod. "Dying... But okay."
"Well, here... Let me get you some of that soup. You look like you need it. Have you eaten yet today?" He asked with concern.
"I haven't gotten out of bed." Meredith said with a sigh. "And come to think of it I really need to pee." She said with wide eyes as she rushed off.
A smile covered Craig's face as he walked into the kitchen. He felt so bad for her. And any little thing he could do to help made him feel better. He knew that Meredith and Addison weren't talking. And addison had practically begged him to check up on Meredith. But he thought it would be nice to check on her anyhow. He knew that she didn't have anyone, and having a baby didn't make it any easier.
"Eh... I'm so sorry. I swear, giving birth really takes your bladder control away. And you probably don't want to hear that. And now I have made an uncomfortable situation and I will just shut up." She said with a sigh.
"You ramble. I never knew you rambled." He said with a chuckle.
"I do. A bad habit, I guess." She admitted as she sat down and spooned her soup. "Mmm... This is just what I needed. Thank you." Meredith replied with a smile.
"Not a problem. Anything I can do." He told her happily.
"I hate being sick. It screws everything up." Meredith whined as she looked up.
"I don't think anyone likes being sick." Craig said with a chuckle. "Especially when they don't have help..."
"Yeah." Meredith agreed with a sigh.
"Derek is swamped. He was pulled into three surgeries this morning." Craig said frankly. "The hospital is nuts. He's really busy."
"He's always really busy." Meredith muttered with a frown. "Always."
"I'm sorry. I can't imagine how hard it is. With him having such responsibility." Craig told her with a frown.
"Yeah. He just- It's his job. It's demanding. I guess he can't help it." Meredith told him with a loud sigh.
"I'm sure it will all work out." Craig said, more out of necessity, rather than true belief.
"I-" Meredith started before he heard Liam crying loudly. "Oh, he's probably hungry."
"I'll get him." Craig offered with a smile.
"No, no... I can do it." Meredith said as she attempted to stand.
"Nonsense. Mer, you look like you can barely stand on your own. Stay here and eat your soup." Craig told her with a nod.
"If you- I mean- Okay." Meredith agreed with a sigh.
Meredith wouldn't let just anyone disappear into her upstairs and get her son. But Craig had been around. He, Addison, Mark and she had formed a good friendship. Besides the recent turmoil between she and Addison, they had gotten fairly close. She Trusted him. She listened, hearing his footsteps coming down the stairs.
"Leelee..." Meredith said with a bright smile as she put her arms out. "Are you a hungry little guy? I need to nurse him..." Meredith said softly as she looked up. "Can you-"
"Here." Craig said as he walked over and grabbed the throw blanket.
"Thank you." She said with a nod. "He's getting so big."
"He is. He's growing like a weed." Craig said with a nod.
"Yeah." Meredith agreed as she took another bite of her soup.
Meredith sat and talked to Craig for long time. She was starting to feel tired. Craig looked up at her and frowned. She finally decided to take his advise and go back to bed and try and get some sleep. He cleaned up the dishes, made sure that she got upstairs and let himself out. Meredith want into her room and immediately crashed.
---------------
Derek was pulled into surgery after surgery. He was so tired, and concerned for Meredith and Liam. But the longer the day went, the more it drifted from his mind. The hospital had a way of taking him over. He couldn't do anything to stop it. It just happened that way.
Derek pulled off his scrub cap and looked up at the clock. Dinner time. How the hell did that happen? Ten hours ago he was heading home. He lost ten hours of his life, saving others. But that was what he signed on for. He was a surgeon. This is what he loved. And this was what he worked for. It pulled him in. And there was nothing he could do about it.
Derek quickly climbed into his car. He was feeling that ever-so-familiar pang of guilt. The guilt of not being able to juggle everything. He couldn't do it. And as much as it hurt, sometimes the pressure from the board was stronger than the pressure from Meredith.
Derek pulled up to his house. The lights weren't on. The outside timer lights were on, but that was it. That's how he knew she was sick. She had to have been in bed all day to not turn on any lights. As he walked into the dark kitchen he looked around. His face was puzzled as he looked into the refrigerator seeing a container of soup from Grand Central Bakery. He quickly flipped on the light and frowned when he saw a note on the counter.
[iMer-
Hope you feel better soon...
-Craig[/i
Craig. What the hell was he doing in their home? He tossed the note down on the counter and looked at the soup. He had to have brought the soup. But how did he know that she was sick? Derek didn't like this. He didn't like this at all. The thought of her talking to another man. The thought of another man, his friend, in his house made him the slightest bit angry.
Derek marched upstairs. He made a quick stop in Liam's room and looked into the empty crib. This was one thing that he didn't like. He didn't like Meredith sleeping with their son. Cribs were for babies, beds were for adults. He walked into their room and looked at Liam next to Meredith. He let out a irritated sigh as he scooped him up and kissed him on the head.
"Mmm... Where are you taking him?" Meredith asked with confusion as she looked up.
"He needs to go to his own room." Derek told her quickly.
"But he's sick..." Meredith said quickly.
"He will be okay." Derek told her as he continued to walk away.
"But-" Meredith said, almost pouting.
"Mer... He will be fine. He needs to learn to be away from you." He told her as he walked into the hallway. "Liam you have got to be a big guy. Mama is too attached. And that's probably daddy's fault." He told the sleeping baby as he laid him down.
Derek took a quick shower. He didn't even want to take one. But he needed to. The water could have been cold, but he was so mad, he could make it hot. He couldn't get the image out of his head. Craig sitting in his house. He didn't like it. Not one bit. He could hear Meredith's loud breathing as he walked into their room. She wasn't sleeping, he could tell that.
Derek tossed and turned. It was early. He never slept this early. But that wasn't the problem. The problem was the man. Craig. He was the problem. He hit his pillow. He tossed. He turned. He grumbled. No sleep.
"God! Can't you stop that? I'm trying to freaking sleep!" Meredith spat.
"Imagine that. So am I." Derek responded nastily.
"What is your problem? You're the one keeping me awake. I am silent over here." She said as she turned and looked at him.
"Are you kidding me... What is my problem... What was he doing here?" Derek asked frankly.
"What? Who?" Meredith asked.
"Craig! What the fuck was he doing in my house?" Derek asked.
"Last I checked, this was my house too." Meredith spat as she sat up. "And Craig is my friend. If I want my friend over, I will have him over."
"A man. In my house. When I am not here." Derek grumbled.
"How very caveman of you, Derek. He brought me soup. Something my husband should do." Meredith said as she rolled her eyes and let her head fall on the pillow.
"He's a man..." Derek muttered. He didn't like this, not at all.
"You're right... He is." Meredith agreed.
"What the fuck does that mean?" Derek asked quickly.
"Take it how you want to." Meredith said frankly.
"Are you fucking him Mer?" Derek asked as he turned and looked at her.
"Fuck you, Derek!" Meredith screamed as she slapped him in the face. "Get out! Get out!" She yelled as she shoved him out of the bed. "Get out!"
Meredith heard Liam wail loudly. Her yelling woke him up. This was exactly what she didn't want to happen. She quickly jumped out of the bed and ran down the hallway, the tears streaming down her cheeks. How could he even accuse her of that? She quickly picked up Liam and walked back down the hallway to her room.
"You're okay, baby." Meredith said softly. "You're okay. Mama is sorry. And daddy is leaving. Go. Get out of here. My son and I would like to go to sleep now." She growled as she laid him down beside her. "Without you."
Derek frowned as he walked across the hallway to the guest room. There was no talking to her at this point. He made a mess. A horrible mess. He could never truly believe that she would sleep with someone else. But it came out. And the jealousy came to a head. And they just spelt more trouble.