Chapter 71:

July 7, 2026

"Meredith, we need to talk," Derek said as Meredith fixed the bouquets of flowers around his room.

"No, you need to rest. We can talk when you get out of here," Meredith said happily, not looking over at her husband.

Derek sighed and looked out the hospital window and then back down to his own weak body. "Meredith, we need to talk. You know I might not leave this place."

"Of course you will. You fought it before when it was much worse. Have faith Derek," Meredith said, still arranging the flowers.

"Meredith, come here," Derek said getting frustrated.

Meredith turned around and Derek saw her upset look the second she laid eyes on him. She turned away and put her smile back on before walking over to him. He knew she was faking it and he would have told her not to, but he knew the fake smiles and laughs were the only thing keeping her sane nowadays.

Meredith sat down in a chair next to Derek and smiled at him. He gave her a weak smile and grabbed her hand, holding it close to his heart. "Meredith, we have two daughters and we are going to have a grand-son in four months. They all depend on us and when I'm gone," Derek paused as he felt Meredith flinch at his words. He swallowed hard and then began again, "When I'm gone, they are still going to need you. I know we've discussed this before, but I need you to stay strong, Mer. Stay strong for me."

"Derek, you aren't going anywhere," Meredith said as she blew off the entire topic. "Now, we should really talk to Preston about getting you a different room. This one is way too small, especially for someone who has done so much for this hospital."

"Meredith," Derek said forcefully, "Listen to me. I'm not getting better. This is different this time. I need to know that my girls will be taken care of when I'm gone. I need to know that you will take care of yourself. I need to know that you won't through your own life away."

"Derek, stop it. When you start talking this way, you make yourself give up. When you don't give up, you live. So, don't talk this way."

"Meredith, trust me. If I could decide whether I lived or died, trust me, I would live. I just need to know that you will be okay. That you will survive this," Derek said squeezing her hand, "Even if I don't."

A single tear rolled down Meredith's face. Even though she couldn't bring herself to acknowledge that Derek might not survive, he knew that that tear was binding. Inside, he knew that she had agreed, and right then, that was all he needed.

July 8, 2026-

"Burke, be honest. How much time does he have left?" Cristina asked walking into her husband's office.

"He's fought it before Cristina."

"Cut the crap," Cristina said angrily, "I'm not Meredith. Tell me what is actually going on here."

"Just let them be happy. Let them enjoy what time they have left," Preston said, not satisfying Cristina.

"I'm not going to run and tell Meredith and I'm sure Derek already knows, so just tell me."

"He only has a few months left. Maybe," Preston said sounding helpless.

"What about the clinical trials?" Cristina asked. She knew that those were the words that Preston would probably have said, but hearing them was so much worse.

"He has tried one and he's now back to the normal chemotherapy treatment. They aren't helping very much. Not as much as they should."

"Oh," Cristina said sounding defeated before walking out of the office. She turned down the hallway and headed towards the locker room until a voice slowed down her pace.

"Where's Mer?"

"With Derek," Cristina answered as she walked down the hall of the hospital.

"How is she today?"

"Why don't you just go see her instead of asking me?" Cristina asked annoyed.

George's face fell a little. "Cristina you know she hasn't talked to me in two months. She's not going to forgive me. I just want to make sure she's okay."

Cristina stopped and turned around to face George, "Why the hell would she be okay? Her life is falling down around her and all you can do is whine because she won't forgive you for killing her father. Just leave her alone and go whine to your wife or something."

George was about to protest, but Cristina walked away before he could say a word.

"Meredith? It's time," Preston said, feeling bad for obviously interrupting something.

Meredith let go of Derek and looked behind her towards the door, "Okay." She nodded and then looked back towards Derek, "I'll go check on the girls and be back after the treatment. I promise," she said before kissing him lightly on the lips.

"Bye, baby," Derek said as Meredith stood up and grabbed her jacket.

She smiled at him before passing by Preston and walking out the door, which Preston closed behind her. "Cristina is going to keep her busy," he said as he walked over to the bed. "If either one of them knew what we were doing, we'd both be dead."

Derek chuckled a little, "Nowadays, Cristina's wrath doesn't seem all that bad."

"You do understand the risks of this, right?" Preston asked as the nurse placed his gloves on.

"If you do remember, at one point in time I was a surgeon too," Derek joked.

"You still are. You are just taking some time off," Preston said.

"Are you sure Meredith is out of this hospital?" Derek asked, suddenly getting a little worried.

"I am positive."

"And Aimee and Celine?" Derek asked.

"Izzie took them shopping for college and the baby. I'm sure they'll be gone for the rest of the night. Now stop talking and stop worrying. Just breathe in the happy gas and relax," Preston said.

"Tell Mer I love her," Derek said before the anesthesia took over his body.