Ch 7
"Just an infection?"
Bailey nodded.
"Her immune system is so torn down from the chemo, she's susceptible to all types of diseases, and infections…we've given her some meds. She should be able to sleep this one off.
Derek nodded, turning to his friends behind them and smiling, letting them know she was alright.
"We're going to keep her here overnight obviously. We'll see how she is in the morning. Dr Shepard?"
"Yea?"
"Have you guys talked about…you know… her staying here?"
"You know she would never go for that."
"If she's getting this sick her first week of treatment, who knows whats going to happen a week, a month down the road? She needs to be under observation."
"Can I go see her?"
She coughed, noticing his change of subject.
"She's asleep but you can go back there. I'll tell the others."
"Thanks."
She watched him walk away.
As she made it over to the others, they could tell she was troubled.
"What's wrong Dr. Bailey?" Christina asked.
She sighed.
"They don't even know the road they have ahead of them…they don't even know…"
He made it to her room. He paused as he looked in, taken aback by how frail she looked in the tiny hospital bed. He saw dozens of patients a day, but seeing her like this…it broke his heart.
He sat down beside her, taking her hand in his. She was asleep, her breathing slowed and labored.
He closed his eyes, listening to the beeping of the machines that were attached to her. In the morning she would wake up and she would be fine.
Denial was one of Derek's strong suits.
"Derek…Derek, wake up."
He opened his eyes. He blinked, trying to focus. He looked over, seeing Meredith looking back at him.
"Hey," he said smiling. "You're awake."
"And so are you…finally." She joked.
He laughed, looking at his watch.
"8 a.m.…I think I might be late for work.. Good thing I'm already here…"
"Everyone has already been in here asking if you were working today…I told them I would wake you up, see what time you had surgery."
He rubbed his eyes.
"I have an hour until I have to scrub in," he said. "After last night, work was the last thing on my mind."
She nodded.
"I don't know what happened. I just thought I was tired…"
"It's just an infection: Bailey said you'll recover…she misses having you to boss around."
Meredith laughed, a sound that made Derek's heart melt every time he heard it.
"Well that's always good to hear."
He nodded silently.
"So," she said breaking the silence. "You should go get cleaned up. You look like crap."
He laughed.
"Well that's always nice to hear."
"You know what I mean," she said. "You've been here all night, you look exhausted…go, get something to eat, take a shower. I'm sure you're going to have another long day with surgery."
He sighed.
"Ok, fine. I can see when I'm not wanted."
She groaned, causing him to laugh harder.
"I'll be back later ok?" he stood up, leaning down and kissing her forehead.
She smiled as he made it to the door.
"Hey Mer"
"Yea?"
"Love you."
He turned and left, leaving her with one of his infamous McDreamy smiles.
She leaned her head back against her pillow and closed her eyes.
"Love you too."
He was halfway done with his day and hadn't had the chance to check on her yet.
The wait was driving him crazy.
"Whatcha thinking about?"
He turned and saw George standing next to him.
"Take a guess."
George smiled.
"I think she's on all of our minds these days."
Derek agreed.
"You know," George jumped in. "Bailey was talking to us about Meredith maybe staying here at the hospital…at least for a little while."
Derek snapped his head up.
"Oh did she?"
"I don't think it's such a bad idea," George defended himself. "You were there with her last night…she's only going to get worse before she gets better."
"Meredith has told me over and over again that she doesn't want to stay at the hospital George. She wants to be able to go home each night, have some sense of normalcy in her life."
"I don't care if that's what she said!" George yelled, growing emotional. "She isn't thinking straight. I know she's saying that she wants that, but it's not what's best for her. Dr. Shepard…you are the only one who can make her listen."
"George-"
"NO, you know what? He interrupted. "Forget it. Be selfish about it, see if I care."
"Selfish?" Derek grew angry. "How is honoring her wishes selfish?"
George stared at him.
"You'd rather have her in bed with you than in some hospital bed and you know it."
"You don't know what you're talking about."
"I know that if this was any other patient besides Meredith, you wouldn't take no for an answer…even if it was their wish. Because deep down, you know that Meredith needs to stay."
George grabbed a chart off the counter.
"See you around Dr. Shepard."
He walked away, leaving Derek alone. He knew George was right. He was always right.
He hated that about him.
He gave a small half smile.
"Damn it George." He whispered under his breath.
George had gotten Derek out of his denial…
And now that it was gone, the truth was so much clearer.
He checked his watch, seeing he had time and made it towards Meredith's room.
He had to convince her to stay.
No matter how hard she fights it.
He stopped outside of her door, sucking in a deep breath.
"Here goes nothing."
He knocked, opening the door.
"Meredith, we need to talk…"
His voice trailed off.
The room was empty.
"Meredith?" he looked around, seeing no sign of her.
His heart starting racing as he glanced down the hallway, looking for her.
"Meredith?" he yelled.
He ran down to the desk.
"Where is the patient that was in room 4058?"
An old, gray haired woman looked up at him.
"Who?"
"Meredith Grey, she was in room 4058, I need to know where she was moved to."
The woman looked down the hall at the room.
"Oh her…she was moved down to ICU about an hour ago."
"Intensive care?" Derek felt a lump form in the back of his throat.
The woman started to say something but she was too late. Derek took off, running down the hallway.