A/N: So this would have been up a week ago but my hard drive failed just as I was going on my computer to post a chapter, bye bye! I rewrote it and I hope it's okay!

JUNE 1, 2002

She figured she must have looked possessed as she stormed into the ER, hair tousled from sleep, eyes red from tears, and clothes wrinkled from pulling on whatever was on the floor. "Can you tell me anything about Derek Shepherd's condition?" she questioned the floor nurse frantically, wiping tears off her face. Make-up from a failed evening stained under her eyes.

"Are you related?" the nurse asked.

"He's my idiot."

"But are you related?"

"He's my fiancé." She knew the lie was necessary. Explaining their relationship was too complicated and the term "girl friend" wasn't going to get her into his room.

The nurse hesitated before grabbing Derek's chart. "Well," said the nurse, peering at a chart in front of her. "He sustained minor injuries, a concussion, a broken arm, and a fractured femur. He also bruised two ribs but it's not something the doctor is worried about."

Letting out a sigh of relief, she let her head fall back slightly before looking up at the nurse. "Thank you." The nurse gave her a forced smile but she ignored it. "What room is he in?"

The nurse looked at her skeptically, as if still trying to decide if she was actually family, before turning to look at his chart. "Room 1771."

"Thank you," huffed Meredith. The loud two ventricle thudding of her heart echoed in her ears as she followed signs to the room. Finally she happened upon the door but it felt like there was a forcefield, not letting her pass. She stood in the doorway, looking in on the peaceful room.

It felt like her heart was twisted in her chest as she watched Derek's sleeping form. His skin was nearly as pale as the rough looking pillow his head rested against; the usually coiffed raven curls that adorned his head were matted against his forehead limply with sweat. Crinkles of dry blood creased his forehead; he looked near death, though she knew he wasn't that bad.

Finally her body let her move again and she walked in, perching on the side of the bed. Derek's eyes fluttered open and heavily looked over to her.

"You're an idiot," she said softly, no malice in her tone, just relief.

"I looove you," he slurred.

"They gave you morphine, didn't they," she smiled knowingly.

He nodded slightly, head falling against the pillow heavily.

"Sleep," she coaxed, stroking

He groaned. 'M sorry, Mer," he said, his eyelids fluttering. "I shouldn't-"

She shushed him kissing the corner of his mouth. She could smell vomit on his breath. "Sleep. We'll talk when you're feeling better."

He nodded and within a minute was asleep.

The next time Derek woke up he was more coherent. Meredith could tell the morphine had worn off a bit and he was slightly more awake. She leaned forward in her chair next to his bed. "How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Kind of like my brain was rattling around in my skull," he joked tiredly.

"Press the morphine button," she encouraged.

"I'm fine. I want to be loopy-free for a few minutes."

"But if you're in pain-"

"I'm okay," he assured her. "I just want to be with you for a few minutes without the morphine. I can deal with the pain."

Reluctantly, she nodded.

"So tonight has been a good night," started Meredith with feigned calmness. She decided if he wanted to talk, she'd talk. "First you storm off on that death trap, and then I get a hysterical call from your mother saying you're in the hospital."

"Mer I-"

"No. She calls and-and she says she doesn't know what happened besides the fact that you totaled your motorcycle. What the hell am I supposed to think?"

"I'm sorry." His voice was scratchy and his whole body sagged. Immediately she knew it was too sighed and sat beside him, taking his hand. He pulled her closer with his unbroken arm, keeping her hand firmly trapped in his. "I'm sorry I'm an idiot. I shouldn't have driven off like that."

"No, you shouldn't have."

Derek raised his hand to stroke her cheek. "I'm sorry I worried you. And I'm sorry about-"

She could see him falling apart. His eyes gave it away. He was in pain and it made her ache. "We'll talk more when you're feeling better," she assured him. Keeping him busy, looking into his drooping eyes, she managed to slide the morphine button out of Derek's had.

"Mer-"

She shushed him, pressing it down. Turning so she could perch beside him, she pulled him towards her on his good side, putting his head on her chest. He pillowed there, slowly drifting to sleep.

Derek woke up to the sound of soft talking beside him. It took a few minutes of listening for the foggy cloud in his brain to drift away. He quickly identified the talking voice as Meredith, talking in soft calming tones. Once his eyes fluttered open he saw her on the phone, completely immersed in the conversation. He laid quietly, watching her, how she moved, what her face did, trying to figure out who she was talking to. But he didn't interrupt. He didn't think his arm would move to tap her anyways.

It felt like every bone in his body had just turned to led weights, besides his arm, leg, and some of his ribs which throbbed. Meredith said her goodbyes to whoever she was talking to

"How long have you been up?" she asked.

"A minute." Time had lagged, slowed, and twisted around his drug addled mind so he wasn't sure that was true. It could have been an hour or ten seconds.

She nodded. "That was mom. She said you're an idiot."

His lips curled into a small smile but the pain in his ribs kept a short laugh in his belly. "So she's mad?"

Meredith smiled and nodded. "I assured her she didn't have to come down here but she wants to come take care of you when you're home."

"And when will that be?" he asked anxiously. The stiff hospital bed was making his back ache and all he wanted to do was lay down with Meredith in their comfortable bed.

"Doctor came to talk to me about an hour ago. He said you can go home today."

"What time is it?" he croaked.

"Ten AM."

"What time did you come?"

"About one in the morning," she said tiredly.

"Have you slept?" It seemed like his words made her realize she hadn't and he could tell, even with his eyelids threatening to close. She reached up and rubbed a hand over her hair.

"Don't worry about me," she smiled, stroking his face. "You're the one in the hospital bed."

"I'll always worry about you." And he meant it. He couldn't not when her perfect face was sagging and the undersides of her eyes were a darkened color.

With a smile she leaned in and kissed his lips lightly. "Take another rest before we go home," she said.

He started to give into the exhaustion that still took over his body and let his eyes flutter again. "Love you," he said, feeling his eyes slowly shutting again.

He couldn't tell if she responded because the foggy cloud around his body seeped into his ears as he fell asleep.

And there's no mountain too high, no river too wide
Sing out this song and I'll be there by your side
Storm clouds may gather,
And stars may collide

A/N: Your reviews make me SOAR. Keep them coming. You guys are great.