Author's Note: Sorry I've been offline for so long. But here I am. Second to last chapter baby. I feel so bad that I've been gone-ish the whole summer. Forgive me?
Reality hit as Meredith's pager came to life. She looked at it, it was Izzy.
911 Madison.
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Chapter 13: The Vaccine
Emotions. They toy with you. Like little kids with their "action figures" and Barbies. Funny thing about emotions is, the more you try to control it, the more out of control it becomes. But no matter what, emotions mess with you. And fate. You see, Fate and Emotions were once the best of friends, hiding deep in the clouds and behind the sun, making life wonderful for all they could manage. One day, Fate decided that sometimes one's emotions should be given tests of their faith and to make them stronger. Emotions told Fate that she should not meddle with the time stream for their father (yes, Father Time. Work with me. I know this is getting lame. But I'm writing on a whim.) did not like that. Fate told Emotions to stay out of it. A huge argument sprang and their dearest mother who knew that there had to be a balance to everything (yes… Mother Nature), told Fate to hid in the stars and Emotions to hide in the moon. Fate would work the world how she saw fit and Emotions would do her best also. Point is… when Fate took hold of Meredith and Derek, Emotions decided that it was time she had her control.
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Derek hadn't even bothered to shut the door. He left it open and let the words of their fight flow loosely in the wind. The breeze swirled around him, the words Meredith said rang in his ear as if the breeze had carried them. Looking at the kitchen one last time, he saw Meredith was no longer there… probably bandaging her hands and getting supplies to clean the kitchen. His heart thudded in his chest at an irregular beat. The sun's rays shone in his eyes, blinding him… almost. Derek shook his head and felt the guilt settle into his brain like those tumors that he would always operate on… only now, his intern was the only person that could ever remove it.
Shoving his hands into his pockets, Derek solemnly walked to his car in hopes that she would just come out the door and yell, 'I forgive you.' But Derek knew reality and had faced it many times even though nowadays he's been living in a dream world. Violently slamming the keys into the ignition, Derek drove to work. Little did he know, that the moment he got their, he would realize that his life would change forever.
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Meredith was never one to be completely unreasonable. Something inside of her told her to thoroughly think things through before she acted. That acting on a whim was never acceptable… unless she was drunk. So the argument she had had with Derek was definitely something that she did not expect.(A/N: Truthfull, I never expected the argument either... weird eh?) Logic was the way to go. Mr. Forgo had told her otherwise that Fate would always have something in store for her if she just let thing be. That if she didn't plan everything out and go over it in her head a thousand times, things would settle in her favor once in a while. But only if she let it happen that way. Was he ever wrong? In this case yes. The scene replayed over and over. The first argument and the storm out was completely erased and filled with the fresh memory of her inability to express her emotions normally. Or at least that was what her mother would say. Either way, Meredith Grey and logic were quite chummy. Until now.
The streets that were usually congested at this time of day were empty. It was like Fate swooped her kind hand down and made everyone be somewhere else. Maybe if I just Fate a chance…Meredith shook her head and overlooked the feeling. Wondering how she could even think that something so ridiculous was okay. Her and Derek were over. No second chance. Damnit. Why couldn't there be a vaccine to McDreamy? Or even better… misery. Again, Meredith shook the thought and focused on the road. And her daughter.
Why am I thinking about Derek anyway? I should be focusing on Madison.
That's because, your maternal instincts tell you that she's just fine.
Meredith jumped. Who was that other voice in her head? Common sense. Duh.
It didn't matter because as soon as Meredith pulled into the ER she ran in, her breathing shallow as if she wasn't breathing at all. Nearly hysterical, Meredith saw George and grabbed him firmly by the collar of his scrubs, "Where. Is. My. Daughter."
"Up…upstairs. With Izzy. She's… f…fine Meredith," George slowly stuttered out, shocked yet proud of his friend's amazing strength.
"Thanks George," Meredith pivoted her heel and ran up the steps.
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Derek looked out into the parking lot from the foyer-like catwalk that connected the east wing of the hospital with the west. He needed to make this up to Meredith. He needed to tell her that he is sincerely sorry. How do I do that anyway? The voice in the back of his mind asked.
You idiot. The elevator, replied another voice.
Derek swiveled around and sighed. It was then he heard someone call his name, "DADDY!"
Derek turned at the sound of his name and saw Madison smiling up at him. She had a bandage on her forehead and an inhaler tightly gripped in her hand. Derek picked her up and she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, "Hi Daddy," a smile crept up to her lips.
"Madison… what are you doing here?" Derek looked at Madison who frowned at the question. He almost regretted asking her. Almost.
"I fell down," replied Madison softly. She averted her father's eyes and shifted in a way that obviously meant 'put-me-down.' Derek set his daughter gently down and turned his head, "How'd you fall sw-"
Derek was cut off by Madison running off.
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When Meredith saw Izzy run toward her she panicked, "Izzy."
"She's fine. Just asthma attack… thing is… I can't find her," Izzy put on a nervous smile and took a set back as to avoid the piano hanging over her head. But she knew that those things tend to follow you no matter how hard and far you run.
"WHAT!" Meredith's eyes widened in shock as she looked at her friend. For now at least.
"She kinda ran off…" Izzy timidly turned her head only to see Madison bounding down the hallway as if nothing had happened at all, "But I was kidding. She's right behind ya Mer."
As soon as Meredith set her eyes on Madison, Izzy thanked her lucky stars because her pager went off causing the possible Meredith explosion on joking about something serious. Well Izzy hoped that Meredith thought it was a joke.
"Madison…" Meredith cleared her voice to change her tone, "Don't you ever do that to me again young lady. Scare me like that."
Madison nodded before she jumped up and tightly embraced her mother.
Then Meredith's eyes met Derek's.
…and he began to walk over to them…
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But Fate and Emotions were interrupted at this moment because Father Time decided to settle this matter once and for all…
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Yeahhhhhhh. It's a bit disappointing. It is for me at least. Everything is so off character in this story. Oh to start over. However I can't do that. REVIEW PLEASE !
Important! Please read this: Chasing Time will be completed tomorrow. On chapter 14. There will be an author's note for chapter 15 which I strongly urge you to read! It contains a lot of information. Possible spoilers and story status'. I have come to terms with myself on Remind Me Why. With school starting there is no way I can update. And personally I'm not sure where I am going with the story. There is a possibility that it will be a one-shot. Unless you convince me otherwise. Reach for Me in undoubtedly on hold. I need to see some CristinaBurke crisis development from the impending season to get everything in character. Anyway to end this, if you have a myspace. Let me know… we can be friends. :) oh & review!
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--I wanna have the same last dream again… the one where I wake up and I'm alive.
The Adventure by Angels & Airwaves