Thank you for your reviews, as I say every single chapter. I have to, because I really mean it. This chapter is short, but I'm short on time so we'll just have to go along with it. So please review and I hope you enjoy the chapter.

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"Do you see him right now?"

Meredith looked up slightly and indeed saw Derek sitting there, staring back at her.

"No," she said.

"Okay," the doctor said, and Meredith had a feeling that he didn't believe her. "When was the last time you saw him?"

"I don't know."

The doctor looked at her for a moment.

"What does he say to you, when you do see him?"

She was starting to get angry. She did not want to answer this man's questions, or anybody else's, for that matter. Derek continued to look at her, silently trying to keep her from believing he wasn't there. The doctor looked at the empty space Meredith was staring at, then looked back at her.

"Do you remember anything from that night, or the couple days after that?"

"It depends what night you're talking about."

"You know what night I'm talking about."

Meredith looked up at him and glared. He did not look away from her. Finally she gave up and sighed.

"A couple things," she said. "But they don't seem real to me. It seems like that part is crazy and everything else is sane."

He nodded. "What do you believe?"

She looked at him. "What do you-?"

"Is Derek alive, or is it all…not real?"

She really didn't know. She didn't know anything anymore. She didn't even know if this was really happening to her.

"I don't know," she said. "I don't know yet. It seems like Derek is still here, but there's so many things…."

After a moment of note taking the doctor stood up. "Alright Meredith. I think we're done for today."

She stood up gratefully. She hated being here. She hated being interrogated and being treated like she was about to blow.

She was brought back to her room. She couldn't wait until this was over and she could go home. She wanted things to go back to normal again. Nothing had been normal or even close to it. Derek was waiting for her in her room when she arrived there. This confused her; hadn't he been behind them? He must have snuck past when she wasn't paying attention.

Meredith got back in bed. He smiled at her. She smiled back half-heartedly.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

"I don't understand," she said. "I mean I am a doctor, and I know that…that there's a chance I really have lost it. But that doesn't seem to be true. I mean everything seems so real. You, you seem so…." She shook her head. "Everything is just so messed up. Am I dreaming?"

"I don't know," he said. "Maybe. Maybe not."

"You're very helpful."

"Mer?"

The door opened and Izzie came in, looking slightly nervous. Meredith figured she had heard her talking to Derek.

"Hi," Meredith said, hoping she wouldn't ask about it.

"Hey," Izzie responded with a smile, but it seemed forced. She was definitely afraid of her. "How are you?"

"I'm going crazy in here," she answered, then laughed. Izzie didn't. Meredith sighed.

"When- when Denny died," Izzie said cautiously, "I felt like…like nothing would ever be right again. I didn't think that I'd ever come out of it. I know how you feel."

"Do you still see him?" Meredith asked.

"No," Izzie said uncomfortably. "I'm just saying I understand why you're doing this, why this is happening. It's easier this way."

"Yeah, you really don't understand," Meredith said. "You may think you do but you don't. Can't you see that I'm still not sure about any of this? I still half believe you all are the crazy ones, not me. I don't know if you're telling me the truth. So really, this isn't helping."

"But we-we gave you proof," Izzie said carefully. "You still believe that it didn't happen? I thought you remembered our conversation."

"Yet Derek's still sitting right beside you," Meredith said, causing Izzie to look around as though she expected that she'd see him too. "I think that you should just go now."

Izzie did not want her to flip out like she did to George, so she obeyed her. She gave her a final sad look. All she wanted to do was help her. But she did not know how.

"I'll see you later, then," she said, clearly on the verge of tears. Meredith did not respond to her. Izzie tried to give her a reassuring smile, but it did not work. She left the room, and Meredith looked back at Derek again.

"I want you to be here," she said. "But I have to find out."

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It was late, but the nurse decided to quickly check on the patients one last time. When she arrived, Meredith Grey's bed was neatly made, but she was nowhere to be found. Baffled and a bit panicked, she raced down the hall to find help, hoping it wasn't too late.