CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Derek leapt to his feet, moving at fast as a bullet out of a gun. "Derek, wait!" Addison yelled, trying to catch up to him in the heels she was currently wearing.

Jordanna didn't move, she didn't want to. She was too scared that they had lost Meredith. She was too afraid that they would tell her that her sister was dead.

"Jordanna, come on, let's go." Alex said, getting up and holding his hands out to her.

Jordan shook her head, "I can't Alex, I can't." She cried, "what if they tell me that Meredith's dead?"

"Then I'm going to help you get through it. But you have to get up and come with me ok?" He said forcefully.

Jordan looked up at him and nodded. She reached her hands out and grasped his hands. Alex helped her up and pulled her close to him. "Ok, lets go." She whispered.

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Addison had caught up to Derek by catching the elevator while he took the stairs. No one stopped them from going into her room this time so they opened the door.

Christina, George, and Izzie all stood around a very blue looking Meredith with tears in their eyes. Mark, Miranda and Richard stood behind them.

Meredith's eyes were closed… but the beeping of the heart monitor let them know that she was indeed alive.

Addison moved to Meredith's right and Derek to the left of Meredith's bedside.

"She breathing on her own and her temperature is almost back to normal." Miranda said before excusing herself.

"Has she said anything yet?" Addison asked while outting her hand on Meredith's shoulder.

"She said 'ouch'" Christina said, "then she fell back asleep."

Mark walked over to Addison, "She's going to be sleeping for a while." He said.

"You three really should be getting back to work. There are a lot of hurt people out there." Dr. Webber said to the interns.

The three left with only a little grumbling. The chief followed them out, leaving Derek, Mark and Addison alone with Meredith.

Alone until the door burst open and Jordanna and Alex came in.

"She's going to be ok." Addison said quickly before Jordanna had a chance to break down again.

Jordanna clutched Alex's hand tightly, not wanting to let go. She saw Meredith lying there and she cried. It was a cry of relief. As she cried, her legs gave out beneath her, one hand still holding Alex's.

Addison reached over and knelt down in front of Jordanna. "Hey, hey. She's going to be fine." Addison pulled her close.

"Why is it so loud in here?"

"Meredith." Derek whispered.

"Meredith." Jordanna said, rising from her spot on the floor.

"Hey you." Meredith said, "what's wrong?" She asked with a smile.

Jordanna made her way to her sisters beside and climbed into the bed next to her without saying a word. She hugged Meredith tightly and cried again. Alex, Mark, Addison, and Derek watched from a close distance.

As Jordanna cried, Meredith tried to console her. "Hey kiddo, I'm fine. I'm going to be fine. There's no need to cry."

"I thought you had died Mer." She mumbled into Meredith's shoulder. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost you."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Meredith said.

After a few more minutes of just wanting to be close to her sister Jordanna spoke again. "I'm hogging you." She said, getting off the bed and wiping her eyes. She went over to Alex who gladly held Jordan in his arms. "I'll come back in a little while. I'm just going to call the school and some friends that were with me. Meredith nodded and Jordan left with Alex.

"So… No one else wants to climb into bed with me?" Meredith laughed.

"Meredith…" Addison started. "What the hell happened out there?"

"I was helping s guy who was bleeding. He was waking up from shock and he pushed me out of his way. I tripped and fell over."

"You didn't his your head, you didn't get caught on anything, and the water was fairly calm." Derek said.

"What are you getting at?"

"Meredith… You're a good swimmer! You taught Jordan remember!" Addison cried. "You could have easily gotten out of the water. Jordan's right. None of us would know what do you if we had lost you."

"I'm sorry. I don't know what happened out there. I'm sorry."

"We not going to talk about this now." Mark interrupted. "Meredith, you need some more sleep. You're not back to your old self yet. Addy, lets go."

Addison shook her head slowly and giving Meredith one last teary gaze, left her room.

"Derek, you don't really think that I did this on purpose do you?" Meredith asked once it was just the two of them.

"I don't know what to think Meredith. But none of that matters right now though. You're here, and you're breathing. That is all that matters to me." Derek said. "And I will climb into bed with you." He smiled, getting into the hospital bed next to her and pulling her in close.

"I love you Derek." She whispered before drifting off to sleep.

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"Addison, what the hell was that all about?" Mark asked her.

"Mark, Meredith can swim! My sister can swim! Why wouldn't she?"

"I don't know Addy."

"I do! It's because she's selfish. She didn't care about anyone when she decided to stop swimming." Addison cried. "She didn't think anyone would be affected by this. I just got my sister back Mark… I don't want to lose her again."

As Addison cried, Mark pulled her close and she clung to him for support. "You're not going to lose her Addy. Just talk to her." Addison closed her eyes tightly and continued to be held by Mark.

END CHAPTER 21