Derek looked down in disgust. The wrecker was gone, and he had somehow missed the fact that he had run over something in the wreck. It wasn't much, but enough that his front tire was rapidly losing air. "Dammit!" he exclaimed in frustration, taking out his annoyance on the sagging tire as a red semi lumbered past him. He tried to flag the semi down, after all, he hadn't had any luck with cell phone reception.
Just then his phone began ringing, he hurried around to the passenger side and fumbled for the device, picking up just in time to hear his wife's concerned voice. "Derek?" are you all right? The president's office called. They said you never showed up."
He raked his free hand through his hair. "There was an accident on the way to the airport, and I helped rescue some people. unfortunately my tire found some glass or debris and I'm stranded out here. I'm surprised your call call through"
"Derek?" Meredith's voice began to crackle. "Where are you?" And then the phone beeped as the call dropped.
"Great!" muttered to himself in frustration. "Guess, now is a good time for a walk."
It was over a mile before he found a gas station where he could wait for a taxi or a tow truck. On the way he composed several text messages, sending them, hoping for a clearing in the reception so that even if he couldn't call out that his messages would be delivered. He texted Meredith to let her know where he was waiting. And by the time his tire was patched, it was nearly five o'clock. He hurried home to find Meredith waiting on him.
He pulled her into his arms, smiling as he whispered, "you waited for me?"
She pulled away from him for a moment to peer up into his eyes, which were twinkling down at her. "Where else would I be?"
He leaned down and kissed her softly. "I love you."
****How a flat tire saved Derek Shepherd's Life****