A HUGE thank you to all of you that leave me reviews, favorite and add my story to your alerts, your thoughts and encouragement mean a lot, even if you are disliking the current storyline lol.
So here is the latest installment, I hope that you enjoy...
Chapter 49 Decision time
"Derek Maloney," Ellis hissed. "I should have guessed, whenever you are around trouble seems to follow Meredith…"
"Ellis, thank you for getting here so quickly," Richard stepped forward before Derek retaliated. The last thing that Meredith needed was for them to go head to head with one another. "You are looking well Ellis and it's good to see you again. I just wish it was under better circumstances."
"Well it's lucky that I was already here attending a conference or it would have taken longer."
"Where is Thatcher, Ellis? Is he not with you?" Richard asked.
"No, he is at home in Boston. I didn't see the point in calling him until I saw for myself what was going on…"
"Ellis," Richard groaned. "I told you on the phone how serious it was. Thatcher should be here…"
"And I know just how over dramatic you can be Richard. Answer me this as well, just how long has my daughter been here working for you?"
"She has been working for me for about four months."
"I thought we were friends Richard? I can recall at least 4 times that we have been in touch over the last few months and you knew I was flying out here for the conference." As Ellis said that, Derek's eyes shot to Richard. He couldn't believe that he knew Ellis was going to be so close to them and he failed to mention it.
"She asked me not to say anything to you Ellis and as her employer I had to respect her wishes…"
"More like you coddled her, just as you always did. And you..." Ellis gestured in Derek's direction. "Just what role are you playing in my daughter's life?"
"We are living together." Derek said confidently. He was no longer the scared little boy anymore where Ellis was concerned.
"It worked out well for you didn't it, Meredith's husband dying? You are lucky though. It happened here and that I didn't hear of it sooner. If it happened in Seattle I would have known about it and made sure you didn't get your claws hooked into her again. Her previous employer thought to keep me updated on her life."
"Wow. I am surprised that you were even interested in what was going on in her life," Derek sarcastically responded.
"How dare you! Of course I was interested. Meredith is my daughter and I have only ever wanted what was best for her even if she could not see that herself. I sacrificed my own relationship with her to ensure that she had the best start in life, which was no thanks to you. By the looks of things though she learned nothing, if you two really are back together."
Derek noticed that some of his colleagues were looking on with interest, only a handful of people knew of his history with Meredith. "Yeah well you keep telling yourself that we know different, you split us up for your own selfish needs…"
"My selfish needs?" Ellis quipped as she barked out a short laugh. "I was not the adult who had sex with a child and got her pregnant. I should have gone ahead and had you prosecuted for statutory rape when I had the chance." There were suddenly collective gasps around the room and all eyes were on Derek.
"Ellis," Richard butted in sharply. "This is not the time or place to be dredging up the past…"
"No Richard, it's ok," Derek interrupted. He was determined not to allow Ellis to wield any power over him or destroy the reputation he had at the hospital, the one he had worked so hard on building. "If you must all know," he spoke addressing everyone. "Meredith and I have been in love and have known each other forever. We used to live across the street from one another and on her 13th birthday when I was 15 years old we officially started dating. When Meredith was 16, not long before her 17th birthday, when I was 18, she fell pregnant. Dr. Grey here forced her to have an abortion and have nothing further to do with me or else she was going to have me prosecuted for statutory rape…" Derek saw sympathy in the eyes of his colleagues.
"I did what any half decent parent would do acting in their child's best interest."
"That is absolute rubbish and you know it, you were embarrassed and didn't want the world to find out that the great Ellis Grey's daughter was going to be a teenage Mom so you controlled the situation in the only way you know how by trying to destroy our lives and I can say the word trying now because our lives were very far from being destroyed. A love like the one Meredith and I share cannot be denied…"
"Love? You two…" Ellis didn't get to continue as she was interrupted by Dr. Hahn approaching them.
"Sorry to interrupt your discussion here on the philosophy of love but if I don't operate soon then it is going to be too late to test either theory." Erica breathed. "Ellis," she greeted her with a friendly hug and kiss to the cheek. "I was so shocked to find that it was your daughter I was brought here for a consult on, naturally I came straight away and you know I will do my best."
"How is she?" Derek interrupted their reunion.
"Thank you Erica, I know you will!" Ellis cut in before Dr. Hahn had the chance to answer, shooting Derek an icy look in the process.
"What is her status?" She asked Erica herself.
"Do you want to discuss this here Ellis or go somewhere more private?"
Derek's eyes suddenly took on a frightened look as they met Ellis; he knew as Meredith's medical proxy she had the power to totally exclude him from seeing or finding out any information on Meredith's condition if she wanted to. He felt himself begin to tear up as he feared Ellis was going to do just that but the words that came out of Ellis' mouth surprised him.
"No thank you Erica, that won't be necessary. I can see that everyone here cares for my daughter and besides it will just waste time."
"Thank you…" Derek breathed in total relief.
Ellis silently acknowledged his appreciation and Erica continued to give her assessment of Meredith's condition. "She has a small tear in her aorta which I need to go in and repair…"
"That should be straight forward to fix right, if it's only small?" Ellis questioned.
"It should be, but there is an added complication in Meredith's situation…"
"What situation?" A puzzled expression grew on Ellis's face. She was suddenly aware that she did not hold all the facts.
"Meredith is pregnant with twins Ellis and as you know even at the best of times, just a single pregnancy puts a great strain on the heart."
"It just gets better," Ellis turned to Derek. "I take it you are responsible?" She questioned but did not wait for him to answer as she turned back to Dr. Hahn. "Erica, what are you saying?"
"I am saying that Meredith will stand a much better chance if we were to deliver the babies now by C-section."
"W- what?" Derek stuttered, "But it's too early…"
"What gestation is the pregnancy?" Ellis interrupted asking Derek, wanting to get all the facts.
"Meredith is only 22 weeks." Fear gripped Derek as the all too raw memories and feelings of the last time Ellis Grey held control over their unborn child's future rushed through his mind.
"Do we know the lung maturity? Ellis asked to the room and Arizona stepped forward.
"I- I am Dr. Robins mam, I am Meredith's OBGYN. If we were to deliver now I am afraid that the babies would not stand a chance, their lungs have barely developed yet and we would not have time to give the oxytocin the chance to work and help to mature their lungs."
"I agree with Arizona," Derek piped up, his heart was pounding. If he allowed them to deliver the babies Meredith would never forgive him. "We can't deliver them yet…"
"Derek but that is my call to make, I am the medical proxy not you, you didn't even do the right thing and put a ring on my daughter's finger…"
"Ellis…" Richard interrupted. "Please, we all want what is best for Meredith but I know that if she loses the twins she is not going to want to live after. This is not about your on-going feud with Derek. I know you don't like him but regardless Meredith loves him, she always has done. It was not just a childish crush. Ellis I have never seen her so happy since her and Derek have gotten back together, these past few months it is like we have the old Meredith back. The care free happy spirit she was before you moved her to Boston."
Ellis silently acknowledged what Richard said but did not respond to it, she turned to Dr Hahn. "Erica, what are her chances if you leave the babies in?"
"She has a much higher chance of bleeding out and going into cardiac arrest, we may cause damage to the babies as well if we have to shock her. There is also the chance of the babies getting distressed as well, this will add to the stress on her heart. I have already picked up some slight foetal distress as it is on one of the twins."
"What did you pick up Dr. Hahn?" Arizona asked the question she could tell Derek wanted to ask. His face went into his hands as he waited for her answer.
"Twin A was tachycardic for around 15 minutes, heart rate baseline of 230. It did settle back to 140."
"That's the smaller twin," Arizona shared a look with Derek who had glanced back up. "I think I may be able to help, I have been carrying out a recent trial, which has been successful in sedating the foetus in utero without having any long term consequences. If I were to sedate both twins during Meredith's surgery then it would reduce the chances of them going into foetal distress and putting additional pressure her heart."
"If we were to do what she says and not deliver just yet is there any chance of you saving Meredith?"
"It would take away some of the risk if she can effectively keep them sedated but her chances would still be better if we were to deliver beforehand."
Ellis looked at Derek before answering, she really did hate the fact that he was involved again in Meredith's life but her daughter was now an adult and perfectly capable of making her own decisions. If what Richard was saying was right she didn't want to stand in her daughter's way of happiness again she had already been cut out of her life for 20 years. "Use Dr. Robbins and attempt the surgery without delivering first Erica, if it becomes apparent that you will not be able to save her life without delivering the babies then you go ahead and deliver. I want you to try first though to attempt the surgery without delivering. Dr. Robbins you had better do this right."
"I will Dr. Grey."
"Thank you Ellis…" Derek whispered as a tear fell from his eyes.
Ellis looked away from Derek without even acknowledging his gratitude; she was not doing it for him. "Let's get moving everyone. Richard where are the consent forms?"
Now that wasn't so bad... was it?
So as always anxious for your opinions...
Jen xx
