DISCLAIMER: All recognizable characters, dialogue and scenes from the show belong to Shondaland Media, ABC and/or Disney Corporation.
~Frankfurt, Germany, March 27, 2015~
Derek after clearing customs is greeted by a man with dark hair and blue eyes holding a sign for "DR. DEREK SHEPHERD."
"Hello, I'm Derek, are you my contact for the European BMI project?" Derek holds out his hand for a handshake to the man holding the sign.
"Guttentag Dr. Shepherd! Welcome to Frankfurt! My name is Darin Schmitt, Arzt Gerhardt Strauss sends his apologies about not being able to meet tonight, we did not think you would come so quickly after he voiced his concerns to your government just a few days ago."
"Sorry, that's on me, I submitted my resignation from the project, and it was supposed to be effective as of this weekend when Dr. Strauss's communication came through. I thought it best to visit and answer any concerns before my replacement on the project takes over." Derek replied sheepishly.
"We are grateful you were able to come, though disappointed at hearing about your departure from the project…if you follow me, an acquaintance of mine is waiting outside to drive us to Bonn."
"Is your acquaintance someone else on the project? How are things going with replicating the sensors?" Derek asks.
"Oh, actually, the acquaintance is …is a female friend I met last night. I took the train down and was intending to rent a car back for our trip but we were out late and since she offered…" Darin grins, leaving the rest to inuendo.
Derek shakes his head chuckling, "You know, you may look like me but you remind me of my best friend…he also had a knack for having women drop whatever they were doing to accommodate him. If you met her last night, she must live here in Frankfurt…do you REALLY want to take her back with you to where we're going?"
Darin's eyes widens and his grin turns into a grimace.
"Tell you what, I've always wanted to drive the Autobahn. I'll go rent us a car, that way, if I end up getting some free time, I have the means to get around. Or if by some miracle we finish this summit early, maybe I can catch an early flight back to my family… you handle saying bye to your "friend" while I go get something. I'll meet you here in a few."
After thirty minutes of waiting, Darin was getting nervous that he had lost his charge when Derek failed to return to passenger pickup. Just as he was about to pick up the phone to call the office and let them know about the situation, a sleek black Porsche 911 GT3 screeches to a halt in front of him. The window rolls down and all he hears is "You getting in or not?"
After picking his jaw off the floor, Darin asks "HOW did you get THIS as a rental? I was thinking you were just going over to pick up a sedan or an SUV but…wow!"
"Well, I have an SUV at home, mind you it has two car seats in the back and while I wouldn't trade the precious cargo that goes in those seats, there used to be a time where drove so fast my wife left me in jail -." Derek paused as his companion's eyes widened at the mention of jail. "It was just for one night for speeding! Nothing crazy! but I thought while here, why not enjoy it right? The agent had to call a friend to get this delivered since they didn't have one here. Sorry for the wait."
"Oh but it's worth it Dr. Shepherd!" Darin exclaims as he programs the address for BfArM into the GPS. "You know that parts of the Autobahn are speed controlled right? Because I think Arzt Strauss would not be happy if we ended up in jail."
"Let's live a little! I think we are well past the age of constant worrying don't you? I'd say you're a few years younger than me, the constant stress cannot be good for you!" Derek says looking over to his companion.
After thinking for a few seconds, Darin gives in and says, "If you want to live a little and since we're not due for meetings until tomorrow, do you want to take the more scenic route to Bonn? We can pass near the Rhine and cross at Bendorfer Brücke, that's a bridge. We should still hopefully get to your hotel before the rain starts tonight."
"Scenic route sounds good, though any chance you know any place we can stop to get food? The food on the plane was terrible and I'm pretty hungry." After quickly passing to pick up some burgers, soda and coffee, the two were back on the road.
"I am hoping the GPS is right about us getting to the hotel before 6PM. I want to talk to my family when they wake up. I didn't want to call them when I landed since it's the middle of the night now and Meredith would take a scalpel to me if I wake up Bailey." Derek grins at the thought of his wife, probably snoring in bed.
"Meredith?" Darin asks.
"Ah, Meredith is my wife," Derek shuffles trying to hold the car steady while holding a burger and attempting to get his wallet from his back pocket. "Here!" he proudly hands over a photo of him, Zola and Meredith standing in Meredith's old kitchen.
"Is this the Bailey you are not allowed to wake?"
"Ah no, that's Zola, my oldest… Just a moment" Derek again tries to balance the wheel while searching for his phone. After pulling the phone out and unlocking it, he flips the photo over to show his wife in an evening gown, holding a chubby faced infant. "That's Bailey, my son."
"You have a gorgeous family Dr. Shepherd; you are a lucky man."
"Hoping to actually add at least one more." Derek says with a twinkle in his eye. "How about you?"
"No, sadly, I have not been so lucky. My parents are gone, no siblings either. I got divorced years ago but we never had kids. Now, I am constantly travelling and rarely stay long in one place." Darin says ruefully.
"I didn't think BMI research would cause all that travelling?" Derek inquired.
"My apologies, I meant to tell you earlier. Arzt Strauss hired me to be your aide and translator for the week… unless you do not need one? How is your German, French, and Italian?"
"I have a barely passable comprehension of French, a laughable proficiency in German, and unless ordering from a takeout menu counts as an "ability", my Italian is non-existent. I am hoping most of our meetings are going to be held in English, but I would be greatly appreciative of your skills if English is not possible." Derek replied. "You said hired on, are you just starting with the BfArM or…"
"Ending actually. With the suddenness of your visit, he called in a favour. I had done some medical translation work for him previously and I still have an NDA in effect. I was supposed to be gone already, I gave up the lease on the apartment and sold my car before I move to Italy and disconnect from the world. I told Arzt Strauss I would meet with you and if you did not need me, I would continue with my plans… You're my last job in Germany - - look out!" Darin yelped as Derek got dangerously close to side swiping a car in his blind spot.
"Sorry about that, blaming the jetlag and the driving on the wrong side of the road…" Derek glances over and is remorseful when he realizes the sudden car movement caused Darin's soda to spill all over the man's clothing. "Ooops! Sorry! Here let's pull over and see if we can get you cleaned up."
"I think trying to dry this is hopeless," Darin says good naturedly after a few minutes of attempting to wring out his soaked sweater and pants.
"You're right…and we still have a ways to go, I would feel terrible with you shivering in the cold. You and I are about the same size, why don't you put these on?" Derek says reaching into the small trunk to get his garment bag. Sorry, no boxers, but at least I can guarantee that the clothes will be dry…and not sticky."
"If you're sure…" Darin asks again before gratefully taking the bag and quickly changing into the clothes he found inside.
After a minute, Darin walks back in wearing Derek's baby blue long sleeve button up, navy dress pants and white medical lab coat.
Derek pauses his attempt at wiping the passenger side when he hears someone clear their throat.
After a moment of staring at a Darin "modeling" his "new" look, Derek doubles over in laughter. "Lab coat too huh?"
"I thought it made the outfit!" Darin grins, "Plus, you have the air conditioning turned up incredibly cold! I need the extra layers! I am just grateful that everything fit, it looked to be tailored to fit your skinny frame!"
"If I'm skinny then so are you. The clothes look good on you, you should keep it! Well… I might ask for the lab coat back, but the rest you can keep if you want… my wife loves me in that blue button up, I swear I probably have at least six back home."
As Derek was about to get back into the driver's seat, he asks, "how much farther?"
"We're in Derbach now so just over an hour if you still want to go the scenic route?"
"Have you ever driven a GT3?" Derek asks and when Darin slowly shakes his head, "well do you want to?"
"Are you kidding? Are you sure?" Darin asks but is already coming around to the driver's seat.
"Eh, why not go for the whole experience right? My clothes, my car, a literal way to step into my shoes… though I think we'll stop at clothes and car for now. Besides, it looks like it may start raining and you're more familiar with the roads….unless you don't want to" Derek jokes as if to take back the keys.
"No! I would love to! You can enjoy the scenery, or rest, or… something! I'd love to drive her! Thank you!"
Derek observes Darin handling the car and after determining the man knew how to drive, he slowly started drifting off to sleep as the rain started to increase "…it kind of sounds like home" Derek murmured.
"What?" Darin asked, attempting to keep his focus on the road with the strengthening rain.
"I live in Seattle, constant rain, it reminds me of home." Derek mumbles.
It couldn't have been more than a few minutes into his nap when Derek is jolted awake by an immense pain on his head and the sound of grinding metal. Disoriented he looks for Darin and is horrified when he sees the right side of the car underneath a truck facing the wrong side of the road. The impact of the truck seemed to have damaged the guardrail as well.
Derek's horror turns into fear when he realizes he's dangling above water, his side of the car only kept in place by the other half pinned under the truck. With every other vehicle that hits the truck, Derek could feel his body jerk against the seatbelt button. He realizes it's only a matter of time before the car would be pushed over with him pinned on the other side.
The human life is made up of choices. Yes or no? In or out? Up or down? And then there are the choices that matter: to love or hate, to be a hero or to be a coward, to fight or to give in, to live or die... Live or die? That's the important choice, and it's not always in our hands.
Derek in his disoriented state recalls the same thoughts he had after Gary Clark shot him. He needed to make a choice. He presses the seatbelt release, hoping the water was deep enough to sustain his fall, hoping he had enough strength to swim to avoid being pinned under a falling car, hoping he would see his family again, that was his last thought before he entered the cold water and everything went black.
~ Unidentified German Hospital, March 27, 2015~
The paramedic briefs the doctor waiting for them at the entrance of the ambulance bay. "We have a 40 to 50-year-old Max Mustermann, fished out floating face up in the river by a family. Patient is breathing on his own but there are obvious signs of blunt force trauma and a head laceration, GCS of 8."
The ER doctor immediately orders a head CT and determines that an emergency decompressive craniotomy is needed to relieve pressure from a subdural hematoma.
As they prepare the patient for surgery, the doctor removes a watch from the patient's wrist and hands it to a nurse to put in a plastic bag with the patient's clothing.
The doctor asks the nurse to see if there are any identification in his pockets.
"No, nothing, just some cash from the back pocket." As the nurse is about to seal the bag, she notices writing on the back of the watch. She brings the watch closer to a light and sees two inscriptions on the back: "Extraordinary Together" and on the other side, "Derek, This Is Forever."
"Wait! I think his name might be Derek... at least based on this - -" the nurse exclaims holding up the watch.
"Ok, well let's get him to the OR, we'll ask him post-OP, we can notify the family then."
A/N:
Thank you so much for those that have taken the time to give words of encouragement (both privately and publicly)! Thank you LiaMarieManner and Leann Nickerson for the reviews :) Special shoutout to AnnaG1013 who was the one who encouraged me to actually write my first fic and post it publicly, rather than me just DM'ing her my headcannons lol.
I hope everyone is doing ok, and again, apologies for any errors… I was initially going to post the accident and what happened right after but decided to split it into two chapters (Accident and Aftermath)
I had to find a way as to why Meredith would not look for Derek (which I think most people can guess why from above) but I will explain it more in depth in the next chapter.
I am hoping to power through these two chapters so I can get to the joy of the MerDer reunion so hopefully y'all bear with me.
Places / people mentioned:
BfArM = Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte aka Germany's Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (headquartered in Bonn, Germany)
Bendorfer Brücke = Beautiful bridge that crosses the Rhine River. It looks very sturdy so I had to have a truck and other vehicles crash through to justify Derek dangling off it.
Max Mustermann = German equivalent of "John Doe"
BMI = Brain Mapping Initiative
Arzt = Doctor
Apr 28, 2021