The hallway outside the reception desk was blissfully empty, much to Derek's liking. He sunk down against the wall, twisting his scrub cap anxiously between his fingers.
Tucker was going to live. Thanks to him, Tucker was going to live to see his child.
After a few moments, Burke rounded the corner and joined Derek in sitting against the wall. They sat in relative silence for a while before Burke sighed loudly. "Long day."
Derek barked out a laugh. "That is the understatement of the century." He shifted so he was sitting in a more comfortable position. "Stupid Meredith. Sticking her hand into a body cavity with live ammunition." Slowly, he shook his head in disbelief. "She's going to give me an ulcer."
"She saved everyone in that room," Burke mused quietly. "Cristina and me- we ducked and covered as soon as that paramedic ran out."
"Yes, as any sane person would." Derek grumbled. Just then, Burke's pager went off.
"Trauma," he said, answering Derek's unspoken question. "It's…" his brow furrowed as he continued to read the page. "I have to go."
"What is it?" Derek asked as Burke hurried away.
"I have to go," Burke repeated as Derek got to his feet. "Stay here."
"It's Meredith, isn't it," Derek last he had seen of her, Cristina and Izzie had been practically dragging her towards the locker room. In lieu of responding, Burke took off down the hall towards trauma.
Derek barely hesitated before following him.
The blinds in trauma room one were snapped shut, but when Burke pushed the door open, there was a rush of activity. Dr. Webber was hurrying frantically around a gurney while Cristina Yang and Izzie Stevens stood against the wall, watching, wearing damp clothing and looking helpless.
The chief was forcing an oxygen mask over his patient's face. Derek didn't want to look- he didn't want to, but he did, into the pale face of Meredith Grey.
"What happened?" he demanded before he could think better of it. "What happened to her?"
Dr. Webber's head shot up. "Get him out of here, Yang, Stevens," he commanded calmly. "Dr. Burke, we need a consult."
Burke went to stand beside the chief as Cristina and Izzie crossed the room, gently guiding Derek out into the hallway. "What happened?" he asked frantically. "She was fine, she wasn't hurt-"
"Shrapnel to the chest," Cristina informed him swiftly, shutting the door behind them. "It didn't start bleeding until about 10 minutes ago. Must've shifted… hit something, the heart…" she winced.
"Oh, Jesus Christ." Derek buried his head in his hands and dropped onto a plastic bench. Izzie and Cristina sat on either side of him, staring blankly at the door ahead of them.
Derek couldn't be sure how much time passed before it cracked open again and the chief stuck his head into the hall. "We need to operate," he informed them grimly. "Dr. Burke is doing a left ventriculotomy. She… she needs blood."
"She's AB positive. Universal recipient," Cristina muttered. Derek and Izzie stared at her, and she shrugged. "I'm her person." she said by way of explanation.
"Alright then. Any one of you," Dr. Webber said crisply. Derek started to stand up, but Izzie beat him to it.
"I'll do it," she announced. "I mean, Meredith let's me live in her house and I'm… I'm a doer."
"Perfect." Izzie stood and followed the chief back into the trauma room. Before he entered, Dr. Webber turned around and faced Cristina and Derek. "Dr. Yang. Dr. Burke was wondering if you'd be interested in scrubbing in on Dr. Grey's surgery."
Cristina grimaced and stared at her hands. "I guess so. I mean… someone's gotta be moral support, right?" She got to her feet and the three of them disappeared back into Meredith's room.
Feeling defeated and incredibly useless, Derek slumped over on his side and made the decision that he wasn't moving until Meredith was in the clear.