Chapter 8 – No Illusions
Derek stared in shock at an unconscious Meredith, her head lying against his chest and her body limp in his arms. He scooped her fragile form into his arms, carrying her as if she were a child. "Izzie! Izzie!"
Izzie ran into the room. "What? What's happened?" She saw her unconscious friend, and panicked. "Oh my God! What happened?"
"She fainted. Stevens, calm down, and open the front door. I'm taking her to the hospital." As they rushed into the front hall, Derek shifted Meredith's slight weight in his arms. "Do you know what's wrong with her?" Izzie shook her head. "Do you know anything?"
"She wasn't feeling well when she came home. That's all I know." As Derek gently placed Meredith in the backseat of his car, Izzie made a decision. "Wait, I'll come with you." Derek shot her a surprised look, knowing of her decision not to return to the program, but saying nothing. "Do you want me to call the hospital and tell them we're bringing her in?"
Derek nodded as he ran a red light. Cars blared their horns behind him, but he didn't seem to notice or care. "Yeah, call Bailey and tell her what's happened."
As Izzie spoke quietly into the phone, Derek glanced in the backseat at Meredith. Her face was pale, and her head lay on his jacket. Even as the car made sharp turns and flew through traffic lights, Meredith remained unconscious, her limbs limp and her breathing shallow. He had never been so relieved to see the familiar white letters of Seattle Grace Hospital in his life.
As he pulled into the ambulance bay, Bailey rushed out, followed by Alex and Cristina. Derek got out of the car and carefully scooped Meredith out of the back seat.
"Shepherd, what happened?" Bailey asked harshly, gesturing to bring a gurney out.
"I don't know," Derek replied, as Alex pulled a gurney outside. He carefully placed her down, reluctant to relinquish his hold. "We were talking, and she just collapsed."
"I think her stomach was bothering her," Izzie interjected.
Derek shot her a look. "You didn't tell me that on the way here."
"Well, I wasn't thinking of that," Izzie said, flushing under his glare. "I was worried about Meredith."
"Shepherd, now's not the time." Bailey said, leading the group into the hospital. "Alex, let's go."
Alex obediently followed Bailey, pushing the gurney. Bailey quickly noticed Derek following behind.
"Shepherd, where do you think you're going?"
Derek shot her a pleading look. "I have to make sure she's okay."
Bailey shook her head. "I know you're worried about her, but you're not her doctor, and you can't come with us." Her face softened slightly as she glanced toward the gurney. "There's nothing you can do, and she deserves her privacy." Derek stepped back a little, and she nodded. "If I can tell you anything, later, I will." She turned to Izzie. "Stevens, let's go."
Izzie froze. "Go where?"
"Stevens, your friend is lying unconscious on a gurney right now, and nobody can tell me what's wrong with her! Now isn't the time for you to agonize over whether or not you want to be here. Now let's go!"
As they made their way over to the elevator, Derek stood there, holding his jacket. He could smell lavender on it, from Meredith's hair. Screw this, he said to himself, balling up his jacket in his hands. I'm not just going to stand here doing nothing. He walked over to the staircase, knowing that they would take Meredith to the 4th floor. She's going to learn that I'm here for good.
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On the elevator, Bailey starred at the 3 tense, worried faces surrounding her. They can't be here. "Yang, go find the chief. Tell him what's happened and let him know I want you to scrub in on whatever surgery he has now." Cristina nodded, but even the prospect of surgery couldn't distract her. "Alex, you can…" She tried to think of something that would distract him. "Head over to Plastics. Tell them your resident assigned you there, and see if they need an intern on any surgeries." The elevator door opened. "You two, go. Izzie, come with me."
They wheeled Meredith into an empty exam room, and Bailey firmly closed the door behind them. She was well aware of the constant gossip surrounding this intern. "Now, you said her stomach was bothering her earlier?"
Izzie nodded. So that was why she was here. "Before she collapsed. She came home and was going to go upstairs and lie down."
"All right. Now, Stevens, think about this before you answer. Is there any possibility that she was pregnant? Or is pregnant?"
Izzie's face blanked. "I don't see how. She and Finn weren't…"
Bailey looked at her and pointedly glanced towards the floor, where she figured Shepherd was probably pacing around the lobby.
Understanding flew across Izzie's face. "Oh. You think that she and Derek…" Words failed her, and she stopped.
"I don't know or care who it was with, Stevens, and neither should you," Bailey snapped. "I'm just asking if there was a possibility."
"She hasn't said anything. I don't know, maybe."
"All right. I'm going to get the sonogram machine. You stay here. Shepherd shouldn't come up here, but if he does, don't say one word about what we think. Understand, Stevens? Not one word." Izzie nodded, as Bailey slipped out the door.
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Bailey stared at her young intern. "Meredith, what have you gotten yourself into?" she asked the unconscious girl, shaking her head. There was no one to hear, Bailey having sent Izzie out of the room when she came back with the sonogram machine. There was no question – Meredith Grey, approximately 8 weeks pregnant, had lost the baby, and was also suffering from dehydration and exhaustion. Bailey quietly pushed open the door and headed to the nurses' station to return Meredith's chart. She wasn't going anywhere for the next few days.
She bumped into a tall woman, wearing a black dress and heels, and promptly dropped Meredith's chart. Paper flew everywhere, but Bailey stood there in shock. "Addison."
She looked into the face of one of her closest friends and, at that moment, one of the people she least wanted to see. "What are you doing back here?" She knelt to the ground and hurriedly began collecting papers. Unfortunately, Addison bent down to help.
"Miranda, is that any way to greet a friend?" Addison asked teasingly. "I'm just back here to say hello. Mark has a case at Mercy West, and I came with him." She stood up, papers from Meredith's chart in her hand. She glanced down.
"Here you go-," extending the papers to Bailey. Just then a look of comprehension came across her face, and she quickly withdrew her hand. "Is this Meredith Grey's chart?"
"Now, Addison, you know I can't tell you that," Bailey said, reaching for the papers, but Addison held them away.
"What's happened to her?"
"Your ex-husband," Bailey replied, reaching for the papers. "That girl is a train wreck, and it's his fault! Now give me her chart, and go deal with him. I'll tell you what's happened when I can." Addison handed her back the papers, but she knew what she had just seen. Meredith Grey. Miscarriage. 8 weeks. She headed towards the elevator, and promptly collided with her ex-husband, pacing the hall.
"Addison? What are you doing back here?" Derek asked, astonished to see her.
"I came back with Mark. He has a case at Mercy West. I just dropped by to say hello, see what's been happening," Addison answered calmly.
"Oh. All right," Derek slumped against the wall, tired for a minute.
"I saw Bailey already," Addison said casually.
Derek sat up. "You did? Did you find out anything about Meredith?" he asked eagerly.
Addison smiled slightly. Derek was so in love with Meredith, it was almost painful to watch. "She said she'd let me know when she could," she replied, neatly sidestepping his question. "One of the reasons I dropped by today was because I wanted to see how you and Meredith were doing."
Derek slumped back against the wall. "Not good, Addie," he admitted. "She won't talk to me, she won't go out to dinner with me, she wants nothing to do with me." He sighed. "I tried to take your advice, but before she fainted, I told her she had to decide what she wanted."
Addison shook her head. "You know, they call you McDreamy." Derek nodded. "Well, for al that, your skill with women is laughable. You shouldn't have pushed for an answer, Derek. I told you to give her time." Although, she mused to herself, if Meredith had known she was pregnant, all the time in the world wouldn't have helped Derek.
"I know that look," Derek said, staring at her intently. "You know what happened."
"What do you mean?"
"You know what's wrong with her." Addison shook her head. "Please, you have to tell me."
"Derek, I can't," Addison said harshly. "If Meredith wants to tell you, she will. I think Bailey's keeping her here for the next few days."
"Addison…"
"Derek, I'm sorry, but I can't tell you. The only reason I know is because Bailey was so surprised to see me that she dropped Meredith's chart."
Derek nodded, realizing that he wasn't going to get anything out of her, and he was wasting time. "Do you think I can see her?"
Addison hesitated. "I don't know if Bailey will let you. I don't think she's awake yet, but if Bailey's not in her room, I guess you could sneak in. Of course, once she wakes up, she might not want you to be there." Derek nodded, already starting to head down to hall.
"What room is she in?"
"403. Derek." He looked back, hearing the warning note in her voice. "Don't upset her."
He nodded. "Thanks, Addie. I'll see you later."
Addison watched as he single-mindedly headed down the hallway. She sighed to herself, feeling slightly sorry for Meredith. I don't think she's getting rid of him so easily.
As usual, reviews always appreciated, and thank you to everyone who reviewed Chapter 7! I know I have taken a long time to update, and don't really have a good excuse. Frequent use of the delete button when writing this chapter. I know that some people wanted Meredith to have the baby and the three of them would live happily ever after, but that's not where I see the story going right now. Yes, Addison's back. I haven't decided yet whether or not I'm keeping her around. For everyone who hasn't heard, the season 3 premiere of Grey's Anatomy is Thursday, September 21, at 9PM! I can't wait!