Well, the moment so many of you have been waiting for is finally here - Derek and Meredith meet! I have to admit, it's taken a while (something like over 5 000 words) but I think it's been worth it. Not all the mysterious references have been explained yet, but if you've made it this far, you'll have started to reallise, that's rather my style. Still, I hope you enjoy...
You Are My Sunshine
The other night dear, as I lay sleeping,
I dreamed I held you in my arms,
but when I woke dear, I was mistaken,
and I hung my head and cried.
HENRY
Henry walked through the door, just in time to catch the shock as it hit Ally's face. Like a slap, her cheeks paled and she stared at the child in front of her. Awkwardly, Henry cleared his throat,
"Ally? Dr. Patterson!" She started around to face him, but it was as though she was looking beyond him to something more important.
"Henry, could you look after Ella for a moment, I just really need to…" Her voice trailed off as she tried to describe the secret the little girl had just given her, "really need to find Dr. Shepherd," and before Henry could utter a word in protest, or explain that he was on rounds, she rushed out of the room.
Henry turned to look at the small patient she had left in her wake. She was just under three feet tall will dark ringlets framing a chubby little face and great grey eyes that stared up at him as if to ask where Ally had disappeared to and who was he that he thought he could take her place.
"I wish she'd stayed too buddy," He was obviously in for a wait, so he sat down on the bed next to Ella.
Not entirely sure why her words had caused such a commotion, Ella was suddenly wishing very much that her Mummy was there, and although she was trying to be brave, her arm hurt, and before long she felt tears trickling down her cheeks.
"Hey Ella, don't cry, it's alright." But once the tears had started, the fear and misery of it all seemed to overcome the little girl, and Henry found himself holding her on his lap and wildly waving pieces of medical equipment about in vain attempts at distraction, at last the onslaught subsided into snuffling sobs and by the time Dr. Shepherd entered with Ally in toe, he found himself crouched on the floor, Ella holding a stethoscope on his head.
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
you make me happy when skies are gray
you'll never know dear, how much I love you,
please don't take my sunshine away.
ALLY
Ally couldn't believe it. Well of course she knew domestic violence existed, she had seen the advertisements on TV and read the statistics in the papers, when she'd had time to that was, but she'd always held this notion at the back of her mind, that it was something other people experienced.
When Ella had just mentioned it along with her other ramblings, as though it were the most ordinary thing in the world: "I went to preschool, Mummy made dinner, Daddy hit her…" Was she overreacting? After all, how many people would take the word of someone who'd barely mastered the art of speech? Still, it wasn't something she was willing to risk.
Full of indignant resolution, she marched purposefully towards the OR where Dr. Shepherd had just finished a surgery. Catching sight of him, she slowed her pace, of course, Dr. Shepherd was really ridiculously good looking, and he was much nicer than his predecessor, but he was still new and still her boss. Ally slowed her pace, trying to work out just how to put this.
"Dr. Shepherd, there's a patient I need to discuss with you," he glanced up at the intern, his hands still sweaty from the gloves he'd been wearing minutes before. "Well, actually, it's a little more complicated than that. A little girl came in with a broken arm and, well…" Ally ran through Ella's exact words in her head, "she's mentioned that her father abuses her mother."
There, it was out, but Dr. Shepherd's reaction was not quite what she'd been anticipating. Although his face was creased with regret, he didn't seemed to think she'd finished.
"That's it," She added lamely, "I don't know what to do, I mean, should I call the police?"
Derek gave her a penetrating glance before answering,
"No, it's very sad if it's true, and we can offer to help the woman, but we can't call the police, and if she doesn't want our help, we can't force her to accept."
"But…" Ally stuttered in horror at this news, "Can't you at least look at her when she comes to collect her daughter. What if he's hitting Ella as well?" For a moment Derek could swear he heard the same reproach Meredith's voice had sounded all those years ago. He sighed,
"Very well, you better lead the way."
I'll always love you and make you happy
if you will only say the same
but if you leave me to love another
you'll regret it all some day
MEREDITH
Meredith hurried down the hospital corridor, close on the tale of her allocated nurse. Ever since Mrs. McKenzy's call, she had barely caught her breath. Ella was the most precious thing in her world: the only precious thing.
It was probably only a broken arm. As a doctor, she tried not to let the other possibilities enter her head, but she could hear her heart echoing in her ears. For a second she wondered if she had called Carlos, she honestly couldn't remember, but a moment later the thought was gone, replaced by her ever increasing panic.
Of all the hospitals in New York, Ella had to hurt herself closest to this one, Meredith just hoped she didn't run into that nice Dr. Simons. At last they came to a halt outside non-descript hospital door. It was like all the other doors in this wing of the hospital, and for that matter, not much different to all the other doors in all the other hospitals in America, but to Meredith, it was an overwhelming wave of relief.
In one swift movement she pushed it open and swept into the room beyond.
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
you make me happy, when skies are gray,
you'll never know dear, how much I love you,
please don't take my sunshine away.
DEREK
Derek grimaced, why did interns have to be so emotional? Was compassion something that wore off with age and practicality? Here was the girl, what was her name, Ally Patterson, asking him about some kid she'd brought in's mother.
It wasn't even as though the mother was a patient. Were they now responsible for the care of all the friends and family of anyone who happened to pass through their care. Still, she was young, and perhaps, she reminded him a little too much of the past. Whatever the reason, here he was, staring at a toddler playing doctors with one of the other interns! Was this hospital insane?
"Patterson, this child can't be more than four. You took the word of a four-year-old?"
"She's three and eight months actually," Simons piped up from his crouching position on the floor.
"I don't care how old she is, she's hardly a reliable informant." At that moment, the door swung open and a chorus of voices filled the air.
"Addison?"
"Meredith?"
"Mummy!" Ella jumped from the bed and ran into her mother's waiting arms.
You told me once dear you really loved me
that no one else could come between
but now you've left me and love another
you have shattered all my dreams.
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
you make me happy, when skies are gray,
you'll never know dear, how much I love you,
please don't take my sunshine away.
