Title: It Takes A Village
Authors: Sara and Lizzie
Rating: T for language, sex, you know.
Disclaimer: We happen to own our personal anatomies, not Grey's. Or Patrick Dempsey's. Sadly.
Summary: Sequel to "A Tale Of Two Cities". The raising of Meredith and Derek's three children by the Seattle Grace family. In addition, a Mark and Derek adventure will test Addison and Meredith to their limits.
Author's Note: Sorry it's been so long. Our Internet wasn't working for two freaking weeks. But here's the update. This is when the story starts getting good. Coming up, we have Mer and Addison dealing, Mark and Derek in Africa, and then the result of the feeling.
SUPER SHORT. We know. Next update we'll really get into it. Promise.
REVIEW.
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my words just break and melt.
Meredith trudged down the hallway of the hospital at almost two in the morning. She was exhausted, but midnight had marked two weeks to go. Two weeks until Derek and Mark came home and things started to go back to normal. She shook her head, unable to wrap her brain around the fact that her husband's ex wife was in her house while the kids slept, but she decided not to dwell on it.
She was lost in thought, trying to put her finger on exactly what was forming in the pit of her stomach. It wasn't the feeling she had before Derek left, but it wasn't something normal. She shook it off quickly, focusing on the waning time until he came back.
"Dr. Shepherd?" she heard from behind her. She turned around to see Olivia standing there. Meredith was smiling; she never tired of being called Dr. Shepherd, but the look on Olivia's face made her freeze. "There's an international call for you." Olivia said tentatively.
"Can I take it at the nurses' station?" Meredith asked, struggling to keep the tension out of voice.
Olivia nodded. "Line five." She said, jogging after Meredith as she ran down the hallway.
"This is Dr. Shepherd." Meredith said, scooping up the phone.
"Dr. Meredith Shepherd?" asked a clipped, British accent on the other side of the receiver.
"That's me." She confirmed.
"I'm Dr. Sullivan, with Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa."
Meredith sucked in a breath and clenched her hands around the receiver. Olivia watched carefully as her face paled visibly and she sank down into the nearest chair. Olivia reacted immediately, paging Dr. Bailey.
"What's wrong with him?" Meredith asked quietly.
"He and Dr. Mark Sloan were airlifted here this morning. We don't know exactly what's wrong with them."
"How bad is it?" she whispered.
The doctor cleared his throat. "Mrs. Shepherd," he said, dropping the formality of doctor. "You should come to Cape Town as soon as you can." Te receiver dropped from Meredith's hand and clattered to the desk. Olivia scooped it and started talking as Meredith wrapped her arms around her chest and tried to stop herself from shivering.
Bailey rounded the corner as Olivia hung up the phone. "What's going on?" she asked. Olivia pulled her aside.
"It's Dr. Shepherd and Dr. Sloan. They were airlifted to a hospital in South Africa. They're sick, Dr. Bailey." She said.
"How sick?" Bailey asked, her voice low, her tone serious.
"Sick enough for their doctor to advise Meredith and Addison to fly there immediately." Bailey nodded.
"Call Izzie Stevens and ask her to go home and take care of those children. Call Addison Montgomery and have her get plane tickets and pack some things. And page Yang and Burke."
Olivia nodded, and sprung into action. Bailey knelt down in front of Meredith, putting her hands on her shoulders. "Meredith." She said, shaking her slightly.
Meredith's eyes met hers lazily, slightly unfocused. "Meredith, listen to me." Bailey said. "It's going to be okay."