Chapter 53: The Accident

Derek's heart dropped; his breath stopped. He couldn't do anything but watch as she went into the air and straight down to the ground. He immediately jumped off Koda and ran over to her watching Queenie stop bucking now that Meredith was off. He had no idea what was going on with her because she has never bucked like that.

"Oh my god, Meredith. Can you…" He said, falling down to the ground beside her. He was thankful Queenie had not come down on top of her as she bucked a few more times as Meredith fell to the ground.

He didn't want to touch her because he had no idea if she was ok. "Meredith, honey, please... are you ok? Talk to me baby." He was in full fledge panic. He was a doctor, he should try to remain calm, but right now, he just couldn't. The love of his life is lying lifeless on the ground.

"Der... ek?" Meredith croaked out opening her eyes. She was on her back, she had no idea how exactly she had gotten there. She looked into his eyes and saw panic. "What is wrong?" She asked slowly, feeling like the wind was knocked out of her.

Derek couldn't believe the feeling of relief that washed over him just hearing her speak, but the doctor kicked in him quickly, knowing he had to ask questions because she couldn't remember what happened it seemed, "Honey, are you hurt?" He asked, stroking her hair ever so gently. He wanted to ask a million questions, but he had to go at it one at a time, he knew it.

"Um... I don't feel." Meredith started to say. It was like her body was in a state of shock.

Derek immediately panicked at her admission of not feeling. "What can you not feel?" He asked, swallowing hard.

"Derek, what happened?" She asked confused.

He took a deep breath, trying to remember what he would tell a patient, but this was no patient, this was the love of his life, "What do you remember?"

"I remember…" She paused and closed her eyes to think and she then smiled, "I remember hay."

He smiled down at her, "Yes, the hay was fun. Do you remember anything after that?"

She looked up at him, "I remember getting the saddles on the horses and starting down the trail. Oh my god, I fell off, didn't I?" She looked a little freaked out.

"You did." Derek said.

"Ok, we have to assess me. I... can feel, I was just shocked." She started to continue on and Derek started laughing, "What?" She asked.

"You... are about to ramble. We need to really assess you, although the rambling is a good sign." He stopped to laugh and see her let out a few giggles, and then he continued, "Let's see what is going on with you. We are going to go slowly because I am sure you are in shock." He said loving every single thing about her, even the rambling.

"I think... I can breathe fine. I think I did get the wind knocked out of me, but I can breathe without pain, so that is good."

"That is very good. Let's start from your feet and work our way up." He said glad she was talking logically meaning probably no major brain injury. She was presenting with a mild concussion with the slight memory loss.

"That sounded vaguely dirty." She giggled, but stopped when she felt a mild ache in her head.

Derek noticed her wince slightly and stop giggling, "What? Are you ok?"

"Yeah, my head, slight ache."

"I think you may have a concussion with the small memory loss, but I don't think it is anything to worry about since you are talking normal. A slight ache should be ok, but let me know if it becomes more." He said seriously to her, and she nodded in agreement.

"Let's get the rest of you checked out." He suggested.

"Derek, my leg. I think something is wrong with my ankle, my right one. It hurts." Meredith winced immediately, trying to move it.

"Anything else, your arms... they are ok? Maybe we should take you to the hospital, to make sure there isn't internal bleeding or anything." Derek suggested while trying to look at her ankle.

"My arms are fine, and I think I am ok except for the slight concussion and my ankle. My ankle really hurts, and I can't move it."

"Ok, I am going to take a look at it." Derek said not wanting to hurt her, but knowing he had to look at it. He started to put his hand on it.

"Shit." Meredith grumbled out the second he went to touch it.

"Can you move it at all?"

She tried, but she couldn't. "No. I think it may be broken. Let me see." She started to sit up.

"NO, what are you doing?" Derek said loudly.

"Sitting up. I am ok Derek. My head hurts, but I can sit up." She said knowing she was ok.

"Just be careful."

"You make a cute nurse you know." She laughed.

"Doctor, I am a doctor... a hot one at that. I am glad to see your sense of humor hasn't left you." Derek laughed.

"I think it is broken." Meredith said looking at it and feeling around the bone.

"Yeah. Let's go get it x-rayed at the office. I can set it for you and put it in a cast. Be your knight and shining whatever." Derek scooted up to her and kissed her lightly on the lips.

"You are." Meredith started to look around, "Um... how are we going to get back?"

Derek sighed, "You aren't getting back on Queenie. She has never done that before; I have no idea what happened. I think we will ride on Koda and I will guide Queenie although I am pretty sure she knows she screwed up. She looks really sad and concerned. Something is wrong for her to have bucked like that." He just had no idea what could have went wrong.

"You can see that?" Meredith asked.

"Yeah, when you are around horses... they have emotions. Come on, let me help you up and we will get going. When we get back, I am going to call dad down to help with the saddles so we can get on to the office to x-ray." Derek said, standing up knowing he needed to keep her ankle from moving much. He took off his jacket to get his sweater off.

"What are you doing?" Meredith asked.

"I am going to wrap this around your ankle so it won't move."

"Derek, that is crazy. All you have is a t-shirt on underneath your jacket. Take your t-shirt off and put the sweater back on." Meredith suggested.

"Good idea." He smirked.

He went to wrapping it as best he could. He then went to pick Meredith up.

"What do you think you are doing?" She looked at him like he was crazy.

"You can't walk on that leg." He said quickly.

"I have another leg. I just need your help." She said playfully.

"Of course you do. Come on." Derek said helping her; thankful that all that seemed to be wrong was... her ankle and a mild concussion.