Chapter 58: Surgery Time

Meredith was confident, even when looking cancer in the face, she was confident that she would survive, she was brave enough to do the extreme, she was having her breasts cut off today, and she wasn't scared…at least until she laid down on the table and looked up at the bright surgical lights. Fear isn't something she was used to feeling…it was rare.

"This is weird." She mumbled.

"What's that?" Mark asked as he dried his hands off.

"I don't think I've ever looked up at this ceiling." She said, "I've always looked down."

"It's humbling, isn't it?" Mark smirked.

"You're going to fix this right; I'll still have boobs?"

"Yes." He said "I'll remove the breast tissue, the cancer isn't too bad so I'll be able to put implants in right away."

She looked at him hesitant, as she felt fear starting to get the best of her.

"Meredith?" he asked "Are you alright?"

"Derek." She gulped as she felt her eyes mist "Have you seen, Derek?"

"No." he said remorsefully "I haven't seen him since he stormed out yesterday."

"Well you had your hands on his wife's breasts." She snarked "I would be pissed too."

"I guess so." He chuckled "I should be glad he didn't deck me first."

"True." She laughed dryly "Derek has a very good right hook." She let out a quivering sigh and sniffled "Do you think he'll show up?"

"Do you want me to page him?" Mark asked.

She thought about it for a second and then gulped "I just…" she let out a long sigh and closed her eyes "I just can't get it together…and he always knows how to calm me down."

"What does he usually do?" Mark asked, "Maybe I can give it a shot."

"I usually tell her she's overreacting." They heard at the doorway, Meredith turned her head and a large grin spread across her face, he smiled at her through his mask "And tell her that everything will be ok, because she's strong, and beautiful, and for the last twenty-years she's told the world to fuck off, so there's no reason to back down now." He walked over and leaned over, giving her a soft kiss on her forehead then snaked his hand around hers as he sat on a stool next to her head "And when all else fails, I hold her hand."

"You showed up." She whispered.

"I'll always show up." He smiled. "I'm sorry for being a jerk."

"You have a right to be." She said, "I know you're scared too."

They smiled at each other and then she looked up and took a deep breath. "Ok." She said.

"Ok?" Mark asked, "We're ready to get started?"

"Yes." She nodded "Do your magic Mark."

"I always do."

"I'm serious." She barked "I want class A, top of the line tits. If you can't give them to me then don't even bother waking me up, because I'll be pissed, and just ask any intern in this hospital what it's like having the wrath of Meredith thrown down upon them."

Mark chuckled as he held the gas mask over her face.

"Good night Meredith."