Meredith had a restless night. Between the nightmares of what happened and the pain she was having, she wasn't getting a good night's rest. Every time she woke up, Derek held her just a little tighter. Between the mental and physical damaged she sustained, she was exhausted. She heard the nurses come in a few times during the night to check on her. Everything was a blur. She was on a high dose of morphine, and at this point she was glad.

"You aren't supposed to be a patient!" Miranda shouted as she threw the lights on. Derek jumped up and out of bed. "Like we didn't all know you were there." Derek just shrugged.

"So how was your night?" George asked, walking toward her.

"Uh, okay, I guess." Meredith responded as she grabbed her head and winced.

"Does your head hurt?" Derek asked with concern.

"I was hurled into wall." She said sarcastically. "Yes, it hurts."

"I think she needs a CT." Derek said boldly to Miranda.

"She had one last night, and it was clear." Miranda said quickly, looking at her chart.

"Well, I am your attending, and I say she needs another." Derek spat out.

"This is why attendings should not date interns." Miranda muttered.

"It's called 'making sure your patient is okay'" He retorted, as he grabbed her chart.

"O'Malley, you heard the man. Get a CT when we are done here." Miranda said as she rolled her eyes. "Otherwise, how are you?"

"I feel like I have been run over by a truck." Meredith said she she closed her eyes.

"Well you look like you have been run over by a truck!" Cristina said loudly from the back of the group.

"Thanks, crack-whore." Meredith retorted.

"Whatever man-eating whore." Cristina said quickly.

"Well they said that you did basically get hit by a truck. The force of the explosion was strong. You are lucky it didn't do more damage..." Izzie spoke up.

"What is the damage?" Meredith asked with a grimace.

"Three broken ribs, a fractured arm, and a severe concussion." Miranda said quickly.

"When can I go home?" Meredith asked.

"Home? Are you kidding me, Meredith?" Derek asked with a chuckle.

"No, I hate the hospital." She responded.

"Well then it is a damn good thing that you are working in one." Alex said with a laugh.

"That is different." Meredith said, rolling her eyes.

"Okay. O'Malley, get the CT. And a psych consult." Miranda said as she walked out the door, with everyone following her.

"What?" Meredith shouted. "I don't need a freaking psych consult."

"You have been through a lot..." Miranda explained.

"Not that much. I am fine!" Meredith yelled. "No way, am I talking to a shrink!"

"Whatever you say, Grey." Miranda said, patronizing her.

"Good." She said. "I don't see why I have to have another CT..." Meredith whined.

"Something could be wrong." Derek said frankly.

"I'm fine, and it's not. So you can go or whatever." Meredith spat out as she she closed her eyes.

"No, I'm here. I will save you, and protect you, and love you..." He said with a smile as he kissed her.

"I don't need a guy, with thingy, and the shiny stuff on him, with a horse..." She trailed off.

"A knight in shining armor?" He asked.

"Yeah, or whatever." She sputtered. "I don't need that..."

"Oh yes, you do. Here I am, wearing my shiny stuff and holding my thingy." He said. They both busted out laughing.

"Oh my God..." George hide his face.

"You are so dirty..." Meredith said with a giggle.

"You are the one that said it." He responded. "O'Malley, get her out of here..." He said as he rolled his eyes.

--------------

Meredith was happy to be back in her room. Derek had everyone running every possible test on her. It was driving her crazy. Everyone was so caring and helpful. She knew they meant well, but it was annoying. She was glad to be in her peaceful, quiet room. She climbed out of her bed and walked into the bathroom. She couldn't believe how badly she hurt. She gasped when she looked in the mirror and saw all of the bruises. She slowly returned her bed. She was just closing her eyes when all of her friends burst in with their lunch trays. She made a loud groan. Maybe she could pretend she was sleeping.

"Mer, are you awake?" She heard Izzie ask.

"Nope, she's asleep." George said back.

"Well, we'll just eat here. Maybe she will wake up..." Izzie suggested.

"She probably doesn't want to wake up." Cristina said dryly.

"No kidding. After yesterday, I wouldn't want to wake up either." Izzie said quickly.

"Can you believe what happened?" George said quickly.

"Man, she's going to be damaged. You don't just go back to your happy life after that shit." Alex noted.

"No kidding." George said sadly.

"Can you believe what McDreamy said about loving her?" Izzie asked.

"Yeah, well I heard he bitched out Ellis Grey." Alex spat.

"No kidding?" Izzie asked.

"Wow. So McDreamy has balls..." Cristina said with a chuckle.

"What are you guys doing in here?" Derek asked loudly as he walked in.

"Um, we--" George started.

"Thank God, you're here. I think they are waiting for me to curl up and die." Meredith spat as she opened her eyes.

"You were awake?" George ask nervously.

"Yes." She said.

"Well, I think Meredith needs her rest." Derek demanded as he kicked them out. They scurried away quickly. "So how are you feeling?"

"Better now that you are here..." She responded.

"Is that so?" He asked, and then gave her a soft kiss on the lips. He touched the bruised on her face gently.

"I know, I look terrible..." She offered.

"No. No, you look beautiful... You always look beautiful..." Derek said as he stroked her face.

"You have to get me the hell out of here." She muttered.

"Mer, you went through a lot. You need to rest..." He answered, looking into her eyes.

"I can rest at home. Please. Every ten minutes someone is asking me how I am. Whether I am in pain. What happened. I can't take it. Damn-it! I want to go home!" She yelled.

"I'll see what I can do..." He said as he walked out of the room.

--------------

"Richard, we need to talk." Derek said. He sat down in the chair in front of Richard's large desk.

"Yes, I think we do..." Richard said, looking into Derek's eyes.

"I love her. Richard, I really do love her." Derek started. "I know it is against regulations. But, I can't help how I feel, and I am not going to try..."

"The fact that you are here, means something. You had enough respect to come talk to me. Intern-attending relationships are highly frowned upon. The road will be rough. Many people will think you are giving her special treatment. You will need to watch everything you say and do. But, I can't, and won't even try to stand in the way. That will just make it worse." Richard stated.

"Thank you, Richard." Derek responded with a head nod.

"Now, that covers the work related portion." Richard started. Derek looked at him with a worried expression.

"Meredith is like a daughter to me. We don't talk. In fact, I think she hates me. But I do care about her. With that being said, if you hurt her, I will kill you and make it look like an accident." Richard said boldly.

"I understand." Derek said with surprise. "On a lighter note, Meredith is insistent that she go home today."

"What?" Richard said in shock. "She has been through a war..."

"I know." Derek said.

"Well, how is she?" He asked.

"All of her scans and labs came back clean..." Derek trailed off.

"Well, if she wants it that badly..." Richard started. "She will need to be monitored..."

"I could-- I mean if there is nothing scheduled, I could stay with her." Derek offered with hope in his eyes.

"Well, she always has been heard-headed and stubborn as mule..." Richard stated with a chuckle. "Just like her mother... I guess, she could go home..."

"I will let her know." Derek responded. He got up and opened the door.

"And Shep---" Richard started. "Take care of her." Derek nodded as he walked out.

--------------

"Meredith. How are you?" Ellis asked with a genuine look of caring washed over her face.

"I'm fine." She spat out. Being defensive was the only way she was used to dealing with her mother.

"You are not fine." Ellis said sharply. "You nearly died..."

"But I didn't" She said as she rolled her eyes.

"Meredith..." Ellis moaned. "Why do you have to be so damn difficult?"

"I'm not." She spat. "I'm tired, okay. Everyone keeps bothering me."

"Because they care." Ellis explained.

"Yeah, well I am fine." Meredith said as she closed her eyes. Derek walked in.

"I have good news..." Derek said quickly, then trailed off. "Oh. Hello, Dr. Webber." He said curtly.

"Dr. Shepherd..." Ellis returned just as curtly.

"My mother was just leaving..." Meredith said sharply.

"Actually, I wasn't." Ellis replied. "So how is my daughter?"

"Everything came back clean." He explained. "Other than her obvious injuries, she seems fine."

"So what was the good news?" Meredith asked.

"You can go home." Derek said with a toothy grin.

"Really?" She said excitedly.

"Yes." He told her. "Under one condition."

"She can't go home!" Ellis snapped.

"Well, according to her doctors, and your husband, she can." Derek retorted shortly.

"Humph." She said as she walked out. "I think I need to go see Richard..."

"So what is this one condition?" Meredith asked. He began to chuckle.

"You are stuck with me." She said with a smile.

"Stuck with you?" Meredith said with raised eyebrows.

"Ah, yes. I have the next few days off." He explained. "And you will be stuck with me."

"If it means I get to go home..." Meredith trailed off. "I have something to do first, and I need your help."

"Oh yeah?" He asked.

----------------

Meredith was nervous as Derek walked her up to the patient room. It was going to be hard to do, but she had to. Several doctors and nurses made it possible and she was grateful for that. She went into the room, scrubbed her arms and hands and put a suit on. As she walked towards the room, the automatic doors opened. She took a deep breath and walked in unsteadily. She looked at the little girl. She looked like a fighter. She had light brown eyes. Meredith couldn't believe how much she looked like her father.

"Who are you?" The little girl asked boldly.

"I'm uh-- I'm Meredith." She said, stammering.

"Oh." Anna said. Meredith was shocked that she didn't ask her why she was there.

"You're Anna, right?" Meredith asked.

"Yep. I have leukemia." Anna explained.

"Oh." Meredith said. "I hear you like chocolate milk." Meredith said as she pulled out a bottle.

"This is my favorite kind!" Anna exclaimed. "But I don't know if I can have it..." She said with a moan.

"I talked to Dr. Watson, you can." Meredith told her.

"Oh good." She said with a smile, then her face dropped.

"Are you okay?" Meredith asked with concern.

"My mom used to get this for me." She said sadly.

"Oh..." Meredith said, knowing what had happened to her mom.

"She died a couple of months ago. She was hit by a car. It was my fault. She was on her way to get me chocolate milk." Anna said as she started to cry.

"Oh, honey. It's not your fault..." Meredith said, rubbing her shoulder.

"It is. And now my Dad doesn't come to see me. He hates me, because it was my fault." She said shakily.

"No. No that is not true!" Meredith said loudly.

"How do you know?" Anna asked loudly.

"I am a friend of your Dad's." Meredith explained. "He doesn't not blame you, I promise."

"Really?" She said with a smile.

"Really." Meredith assured her.

"So why doesn't he come?" She asked. Meredith face turned somber. She could not be the one to tell her. It wasn't her position to. "It really was him..." Anna trailed off/

"What?" Meredith asked.

"I heard some nurses talking. They said it was my Dad who blew up in the accident yesterday." Anna said sadly. "I didn't believe them."

"I'm sorry." Meredith said as a tear fell from her eye.

"Why did he he do it?" She asked with confusion.

"He just wanted to see you." Meredith said plainly.

"Well, why didn't he just come see me?" She asked.

"I don't know." Meredith said. She couldn't tell her about her grandparents. "I have to go..."

"Oh, okay..." Anna said sadly. "Will you come back?"

"I will try." Meredith told her as she walked away. "Anna?"

"Yeah?" Anna asked.

"He really did love you." She said with a faint smile, and walked out.

"How did it go?" Derek asked as she walked over to him.

"Oh Derek." She said as she pulled him into her. "Life is so unfair." She put her head against her chest and wept.

"Let's go home." He said as he motioned for her to sit in the wheelchair. She sat down and he wheeled her out to his car.

-----------------

"Why are we at your trailer?" Meredith asked as he drove down his long driveway.

"I figured you needed some peace. It's quiet out here. There are no stairs..." He explained.

"I think it was a very good idea." She said with a smile.

"I had Izzie pack up some of your things for you." Derek said. "That way you don't smell like a man." He said with a laugh.

"That's probably a very good thing." She smiled. "Not that I mind smelling like you."

I like the way you smell..." He said with a smile. They pulled up by the trailer and he helped her out of the car.

"Thank you, Derek." She said as he walked her to the trailer.

"Thank you for not dying." He said with a sigh, as he kissed her on the head.

"I want to sit outside." She said softly.

"Then we will sit outside" He said. He walked into the trailer and put some pillows on the bench. She laid her head on his shoulders.

"I really do love you. I'm sorry it took me so long to tell you." She said softly.

"I'm just glad you did." He said as he gave her a soft kiss.

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I had a ton of stuff to do, but I got this up for you. So I expect reviews!