Chapter 16
Derek arrives early to the hospital as he has the aftermath of the school shooting to deal with. The press started with the first scoop of 3 unauthorized surgeons and today there would be the press conference later in the afternoon with Hunt, Yang and Grey. He had a lot of calls to different authorities. The consequences of the camera team filming the shooter during his surgery and he also had to reassign all patients that the MSF worked on to actually employees. But most important for him is the break up with Rose. When he hears a soft knock on the door he looks at his watch and sees that it's 7:05 am. Good, he thinks, she came directly after she got the note from the head nurse.
"Come in"
Rose opens the door and sticks her head in with a happy face.
"Hi Derek"
"Come in Rose."
She walks towards his desk. He is sitting behind it so she starts walking around to sit in his lap as she's done before. When he realizes her intension he motions to a chair and says.
"Sit down please."
He moves himself to a chair besides her. She looks happy when he sits beside her and she tries to grab his hand. He avoids by putting his hands in his lab coat.
"Rose" he begins "why didn't you want to meet me the other day and talk?"
She looks confused, before she remembers her lie.
"I had to work."
Derek has been studying her since she walked through the door and he can't see what made her attractive. He sighs.
"I know you didn't work. Rose, I know I said I wanted a pause a couple of days ago."
"Yes, you did, but I know you would change your mind" she says with a bright smile. "We are perfect for each other.
"No Rose, no we are not perfect for each other. I want out of this relationship. I don't see a future for us" He looks at her and tries to anticipate her reaction. Tears he can see, sure he can handle tears. He reaches for the Kleenex-box on the table. "Here you are Rose, he says gentle. She looks up at him but there are no longer tears.
"We are getting engaged because we are the future you, me and the baby."
"What baby?"
"The baby I'm carrying."
"Are you saying that you are pregnant with my child?"
"Yes, I'm 8 weeks along."
This can't be happening he thinks but suddenly he sees something calculating in Rose eyes and realizes that she is lying straight into his face. He plays along and pulls out his phone.
"Then we need to have you checked out." He flips up the phone and speed-dials Addison hoping she isn't in surgery. She picks up after two signals. Rose just stares at him.
"Hi Addison, I need you to do a quick exam, can you do it right away?"
"On who, you?" Addison asks.
"No, Rose."
"Is she pregnant?"
"She says so and I need you to confirm it."
"OK, I have time now."
"Thank you, see you in five."
Rose doesn't like this turn of events so she says that she did a test last week and has a scheduled appointment later in the week.
"No Rose, Addison will check you out now."
He takes her elbow and walks towards the maternity floor. Rose tries to make it look like they are walking as a couple but it is hard when he doesn't allow her to step closer to him.
"I thought I should surprise you with this pregnancy later this week" she says in a rather loud voice. A couple of passing nurses hear her. Derek squirms but keeps walking, desperate wishing that Rose is lying. Sure, he wants kids, Meredith's kids. Addison is waiting outside an exam room and motions for them to enter. She studies them while closing the door. Derek looks angry and scared. Rose looks happy and kind of strange. Addison gets a bad feeling when she looks at Rose.
"So what can I do for you?"
"Confirm pregnancy" Derek snaps.
"OK, Rose please put on this robe. Derek, follow me."
They step outside and Addison firmly closes the door behind them.
"What's this about?"
"I have been trying to break up with her the last couple of days. She has not wanted to talk to me so I used the chief card this morning. She claims she is 8 weeks pregnant but I know she is lying. Now I need you to confirm her condition."
"Will you stay with her if she is pregnant?"
"No, but I will be there for the child."
"You can wait here and I will get a nurse to help me out."
Derek walks back and forth talking on his phone with the hospital lawyers about the cameraman in the gallery when Addison reappears and calls him back into the room. He looks at Rose while ending his call. She has an unreadable facial expression.
"Do want me to tell him?"
"The tests are wrong?"
"No Rose, but we will wait for the blood test as well" she says and looks at Derek. "Rose is not pregnant. Her urine test is negative. She has no physical indications that are normally present at a 8 week pregnancy. I am waiting for the blood test to confirm this but it will take another hour."
Derek feels only relief. Rose is looking at him and pleads.
"The tests are wrong. The blood test will prove that we are going to have a baby."
"I believe Addison. She is the best in this field."
"Rose" Addison says "you are welcome to a second opinion, but wait here until the labs are returned."
"I have work to do, page me" Derek says and leaves for his office. When he passes the nurses' station on the surgical floor, everyone is staring at him, but he doesn't care. He has more important things to do before lunch.
He is scanning the drafts of the contracts he'll be offering Hunt, Yang and Grey, when his pager goes off. He looks at its only word, negative. He leans back and thanks who ever might be listening. Suddenly his door burst open and in comes Rose yelling.
"We are not over. I am pregnant."
She storms back out and slams the door behind her. Derek goes back to work and finishes some consultations before lunch.
Meredith arrives at noon to the cafeteria and looks around for Derek when she hears in her ear.
"Looking for me, the chief?" she shakes her head and answers.
"No. I'm looking for some neurosurgeon for a lunch date."
"Oh, then I better walk you to him." He leads her to the food line. She turns and laughs at him. His eyes are sparkling with a hint of naughty in them.
"Did you talk to her?"
"Yes, but let's order and I'll fill you in."
They bring their food to an outside table where they can speak in private. Derek tells her everything, down to the last visit in his office. He doesn't want any surprises sprung on her from the hospital gossip.
"So, today you and me are colleagues, neurosurgeons?"
They sit there looking into the eyes of each other with similar smiles in their faces. Then they fall back into their usually easy way of talking about everything like the upcoming press conference. Derek's pager goes off, it's the pit.
"Have to go. Feel free to go anywhere you want, see if it can make you decide." He leaves with a smile.
Meredith is enjoying her junk food. Junk food is a plus on the Seattle page. Rose walks over to her table. She has been watching them from the restaurant. She leans over and says.
"Go back to Africa, he is mine."
Meredith stares at her but Rose leaves before she finds an answer. She is definitely a plus on the MSF's page. Addison slides down in a chair instead and is soon followed by Mark. Both are very interested in her work by the MSF. When she makes her ready to leave, Addison leans forward and says.
"Don't believe a word you hear in the gossip today. Rose is not pregnant and I know that since I was the one doing the tests."
"What are you doing for the rest of the day?" Mark asks. "Want to watch me do a nose job on a girl with a tumor?"
"Maybe" she answers "if there aren't any real surgeries going on."
Mark fakes a hurt look and Addison laughs at him.
"See you around guys. I'll be here until closer to six because of the press conference."
Meredith walks towards the surgical floor.
By the surgical board she finds Dr Bailey, who is going to scrub in with Derek on a hit and run victim in just a couple of minutes. It is a young boy and he has a minor bleed in his frontal lobe and a burst bowl.
"Want to join us?" Bailey asks.
"No, I'll just watch from the gallery, but thanks."
"I would like to see you perform general surgery some time. Shepherd says that you have some interesting techniques" she says and leaves for the scrub room. Meredith climbs the stairs to the gallery. Derek is already in the OR speaking softly to the boy. When Bailey enters he says his mantra.
"It is a beautiful day to save lives, let's have some fun."
Bailey says something and gets Derek to look up at the gallery and wink at her. She waves back, and then she sees that the scrub nurse is Rose and she is staring at her as well. Meredith gets a chill running along her spine by the look she gets.
Derek knows that Rose was to scrub in on this surgery but it doesn't bother him. He treats her as any other surgical staff member and keeps his interaction with her to medical orders. He chats with Dr Bailey instead. This is making Rose angry. She wonders what she can do and makes up a plan. When the surgery is almost over she doubles over after sending Meredith a glance. Yes, she is still there. Rose let's herself fall to her knees and moans.
"What the hell" Derek mutters and Bailey barks out an order to get a gurney and someone to take over Rose's job. The interns and residents soon get her on the gurney and out the door, but not before she cries.
"Derek, it's something wrong with our baby."
"Get Addison to do a check up and page me" he orders a resident.
"Don't you want to follow her? Dr Grey is in the gallery and she can take over." Bailey says and looks up at Meredith.
"She is faking" Derek answers "Addison did a check up on her less then 6 hours ago. She is pretending t be pregnant to make me stay with her. I broke up with her this morning for good. We are no longer on a break, it is over. It is over and she doesn't want it to be." He continues his work and says "I know how I want my future to be and Rose has no part in it." He looks up at the gallery and takes a deep breath when he sees Meredith green eyes focused on him.
Just before they finish up Addison walks into the OR.
"Addison" Derek acknowledge her "how is she?"
"No changes since this morning. Can I speak with you after this surgery?"
"Sure, I'm all done here. Dr Bailey, can you take over from here please?"
"Yes Dr"
Addison and Derek walks into the scrub room.
"Derek, I believe that Rose needs a psych consult. She is obsessed with this pregnancy."
"I don't know what more to do. I have broken up with her and this is how she retaliates. Can you call for a psych-consult?"
"I already have."
"Thank you Addison. I have to be at the press conference in 15 minutes.
Cristina has taken a slow morning while Owen is out alone for a couple of hours. He is now on his way to the house to pick up Cristina before going to the press conference.