Chapter 47: Confusing Blackouts

Meredith pats the round bump of her babies, as she sits down at the piano. "You're almost getting too big for me to sit here," she murmurs, feeling the little kicks again. "Oh, that's okay, sweetheart…Mommy's just teasing." Her fingers drift along the keys, playing a few notes of the sonata she is learning. She was pleasantly surprised at how quickly she was able to progress, and how much she enjoys playing. It soothes her, when she's feeling large and ungainly, and wishing for the twins to be born already. And it seems to calm him, as well, their kicks less frequent when she played a lullaby.

"There's my beauty," Derek murmurs, coming up behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Feeling better?"

She leaned back against him, lifting her face to his kiss. "If you call feeling top heavy, with your son and daughter playing soccer inside of me, and being unable to find a comfortable position to sleep in okay, well…"

"I'm sorry, love. I wish I could help." Derek massages her shoulders for her, earning a soft sigh of appreciation. Her head relaxes, as his strong fingers ease the muscles along her back.

"Oh, you can help…just don't stop," she sighs. "Feels amazing…"

"I can think of other things to take your mind off your condition," he says wickedly, his mouth at her ear.

"Insatiable vampire"

"Just trying to be helpful."

"I'm too big…"

"You look just as sensual as always, Meredith. I love you, and I love everything about this. It's so amazing to me, to see you carrying our children." Derek rests his hand on her belly, rubbing soothing circles along her skin. "You look beautiful to me, so don't say anything about being too big, or undesirable."

"You are the best, you know that?" she smiles, as he takes her up into his arms. Then she winces, as a little stab of pain shoots through her. "Oh…"

"What is it?" he asks, catching her look. "Is something wrong?"

"I don't know…I just felt a sharp pain. Never felt that before…" she whispers, resting her head against his chest. Derek feels a sudden concern that something is wrong, and he hurries to carry her to the bedroom.

"I think you need to see the doctor," he says firmly, helping her lay on the bed. "We can't take any chances, love." He smoothes the hair from her forehead, easing the duvet over her, and helping her move some pillows around

"I am a doctor, Derek."

"Not in this case."

Meredith frowns. She has been seeing a physician that is one of their kind, specially trained to be able to resist the blood urge. Dr. Geneva Williams has been helpful in this, with Meredith having so many questions about what will happen. "It's late…I don't want to bother her."

"She's a vampire, she'll be awake." Derek pulls out his cell phone, sitting down beside Meredith, taking her hand in his. "I would hate for anything to happen to my children..."

"Our children, Derek..." Meredith says, squeezing his fingers. "I realize you are worried, especially after losing your first child, but..."

"Just humor me, Meredith," Derek says firmly, a hint of anguish in his voice, recalling the death of his first-born son. He leans in closer, to cup her cheek, and brush his lips over hers. "I realize you are a vampire, and you're able to heal yourself if something is wrong, but the babies are far too vulnerable. I can't have anything happen to either one of you."

Meredith nods. "All right. Call Dr. Williams." She moves back against the pillows, and suddenly a wave of dizziness hits her, and she closes her eyes. The lights seem to flutter crazily, and she clutches Derek's arm in panic. "Derek..."

The last thing she hears is his voice, rough with worry as he leans over her ...

Veronique and Thatcher arrive together at the penthouse, finding Derek pacing around the living room. Dr. Williams has arrived and is with Meredith in the bedroom. "How is she?" Thatcher demands, noting Derek's disheveled clothing, and the hair that is standing out at odd angles from repeatedly running his hands through it. He looks paler than usual, in stark contrast to the black hair and the dark red shirt he is wearing.

"Cherie..." Veronique murmurs, coming to touch his arm gently. "All will be well; I feel it in my soul."

"She was having pains...sharp pains, and then she blacked out..." Derek mutters, his eyes darting towards the bedroom, trying to listen to what may be going on in there. "I can't lose her, Veronique..."

"And you won't." She takes hold of his shoulders and makes him look her in the eyes. "You are stronger than this, Derek. Don't let Meredith see you in such a state. If there is a problem, you need to be strong for her. This isn't a repeat of what happened with Kiera and the baby, mon ami. Fate would not be that cruel again."

"Has she fed lately?" Thatcher asks, crossing his arms, his black eyes concerned. "Perhaps we need to bring her a host."

"She can take my blood, if she needs anything," Derek replies, more sharply than he intended.

"But you need to feed as well, Derek. You can't let yourself grow weak."

Derek scrubs his hand over his jaw, the stubble already dark and thick. "I can't leave. If she wakes up and I'm not here..."

"We will be here, Derek. And in contact with you, should she wake up, you know that," Thatcher says, realizing that Derek is close to the edge of losing his grip on his emotions. "However, I do not believe you should go out alone, in your state of mind. You are likely to go too far and drain someone. We don't need any new vampires created from this situation."

Derek frowns. "I can handle myself, Thatcher. I have been doing so for centuries, after all." His hunger is spiking inside of him, twisting and needy, and his fangs ache for the taste of blood. He has been careful not to take much of Meredith's since she has been pregnant but giving her his has cost him.

"I'll summon Mark. It will do him good to get out of his pit of misery to keep you company," Thatcher replies, ignoring the anger in Derek's voice, and closing his eyes to contact Mark. "He should be here momentarily."

Veronique nods at Thatcher, and she heads towards the bedroom to join the other women. Do not worry, cherie...Meredith is strong... she assures him fondly.

At that moment, Mark arrives, scowling at the two men. "I hope you had a good reason for pulling me away from what I was doing. I was just about to make my move on this hot... " He shuts up as soon as he meets Derek's eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Meredith is having pains..."

"She's not having the babies already. It's too soon isn't it?" Mark looks confused, not entirely aware of how long a woman should be pregnant, after all, but still thinking this isn't quite right. And judging from Derek's agitated state, things are not well.

"Yes, goddamnit, it's too soon!" Derek snarls, wanting to vent his anger at the situation in some way before he goes mad. He paces away from them, towards the windows, staring out at the lights below them. He rests one arm on the glass, thinking of how many nights he spent here alone, without the company of his mate, and how lonely he had been before she entered his life.

"Mark, you need to go with him. He needs to feed, and he can't be alone. Take him to the club. I will stay here and let you know if anything changes," Thatcher says quietly. "He's in a dangerous state of mind right now."

"And you're trusting him to me?" Mark asks, sarcasm dripping from his voice. "Am I not a bad influence?" He cocks one eyebrow, crossing his arms over his leather jacket.

"Enough of your attitude, young one. You are a friend, and he needs that. Don't make me angry again, or I might just send you to join Nathalia in exile." Thatcher has his own concern to deal with, and it shows in his quick temper. "Would you like that?"

"Fine..." Mark strides over to Derek and pulls at his arm. "Let's go - the sooner we leave, the sooner we can come back. You don't want Meredith to see you like this. If you want to rant and punch someone out, then take it out on me. I can take it, and I'll heal. Maybe you can even challenge me to a duel - how would that be? We haven't had a good sword fight in months."

Derek sighs heavily. "I just might take you up on that. Before I go insane and start punching holes in the walls. I can't take this - I just want her and the babies to be okay. She's so tiny, maybe she shouldn't even be having children...this is all my fault, wanting children again..."

Mark throws his arm around Derek's shoulders, leading him towards the door. "Don't think like that - once you've hunted, and regained your strength, we can get the swords out."

"Ha, Sloan I could still beat you in heartbeat," Derek growls, as they cross the room. He gives one last glance towards the bedroom door, sending a silent plea that he hopes Meredith will hear somehow. His whole-body aches for her and exchanges a long look with Thatcher.

Summon me the moment she wakes if I am not back.

You know I will. These are my grandchildren as well, Derek...I feel the same pain.

In the bedroom, Veronique holds Meredith's hand tightly, as Dr. Williams monitors the babies heartbeat. "It's still strong, not too much distress," she notes. "I can't seem to find any cause for the pains, or her blackout. It's like she's sleeping."

"Perhaps just a natural response to protect the child, non?"

"Perhaps. I have to admit, I feel a little out of my depth here. We don't see vampire pregnancy enough to recognize things out of the ordinary. I would feel better if I could check with a specialist."

"And how do we do that? Expose the fact we are vampires?" Veronique asks, her lavender eyes flicking over to the doctor.

"I know - it's a bad situation to be in. There are some doctors that I trust in the mortal world, that suspect things are not what they seem with us but keep their thoughts to themselves."

"Wait...perhaps I know of someone that we can contact. From Meredith's past life," Veronique says thoughtfully, recalling Dr. Montgomery from Seattle. "I believe she was a surgeon, specializing in babies. We could wipe her memory again..."

"Again?"

Veronique sighs. "It's a long story but suffice to say she has met all of us once, but we had to wipe her memory. I believe that was some other issues with Mark, but..."

"You know it's dangerous to do that too often."

"Oui, that is a drawback."

"But if that is the best choice in this case...I would hate to have anything happen to the grandchildren of our leader. Or to his daughter, wife of his second in command...I've never seen a vampire so devoted to his mate as Derek Shepherd." She checks Meredith again. "Well, we can keep watch for now, and if there is no change, we can try to contact Dr. Mongomery."

Derek scans the crowded club, searching for a suitable mortal to take to slake the thirst raging in him. While his eyes gleam with anticipation, his body gives no indication of the urgency he feels. He keeps his thoughts shielded, to ward off any other vamps in the room. He doesn't want to give away any of his anguish over Meredith's condition, he just wants to hunt and get back home to her. With Mark at his side, their sensual grace attracts many of the women easily. "There..." Mark nods at two women hovering nearby, drawn like moths to the flame.

"Good enough," Derek agrees, moving to one of them, taking her hand. He gives her a long look, casting his allure over her. He doesn't feel like chasing and seducing - it's not about that. Within moments, he has her outside, her throat under his fangs, the pulse pumping her blood over his tongue. He pulls harder, drawing mindlessly with need, until she begins to go limp in his arms.

"Derek..." Mark growls, grabbing his shoulder. "Easy...you'll drain her if you don't stop now."

Derek groans, letting her go slowly, licking the last crimson trickle away. "Hell..." he mutters, sealing the puncture and touching her forehead. "Forgive me." Her pulse beats faintly, reassuring him she is still alive, but he could have easily gone too far. His body is rejuvenated, but something in his mind seems to be sinking into a dark need and he hates himself for the way he feels. Too strong, the desire to take more is too strong...

"You okay, man?" Mark asks, crouching down beside Derek. Out of the three of them, Derek had always been the most controlled, and it shakes Mark to his soul to see the almost feral gleam in Derek's eyes as he looks up.

"I'm not sure, Mark...what if I did that with Meredith...what if I couldn't stop, the next time..."

"You will, you're just distraught, and it's affecting the way you're thinking. You're not evil - hell, Derek, you're the most responsible among us, after Thatcher..."

Derek closes his eyes, holding his head in his hands. Even though he has taken his fill of blood, something inside of him calls to him, demanding more.

Derek...she's awake...

The words from Thatcher make his heart jump and he springs to his feet. "Let's go...I have to see her..." He firmly buries the blood lust, determined not to let it overtake him again, but he will need to be careful with her. He hopes that being with her again will calm him, though he isn't sure at this point. Hurting her would be the last thing he would ever do...