Yes, unfortunately, the getaway weekend is over...but will there be some happy results from their time together? Read and find out...and let me know your thoughts!

Chapter 24 - "Are you sure it's the flu?"

Two months later…

Meredith stood at the nurses' station, marking some notes on the patient chart flipped open in front of her. She rubbed her temples, feeling a little tired at the end of the shift. She glanced at her watch, glad that it was almost time to go home.

"Hey, Mer, want to go for a drink at Joe's?" Cristina asked, slamming down a stack of charts on the counter, making Meredith jump in surprise. "It's time to get out of here."

"No…I'm kind of tired. I'm just heading home, curl up on the couch and be a slug…"

"You okay?"

"Fine, just a touch of the flu, I think."

Cristina nodded, her expression doubtful. "Maybe it's something else…you can't be too careful."

"Don't over-analyze it, Cris," Meredith laughed. "Sometimes a flu is just that."

"Well, take it easy then. Make sure that husband of yours tucks you in and leaves you alone."

"Yes, Dr. Yang," Meredith smirked. "I'll be sure and tell Derek you have prescribed bed rest."

"Only rest…nothing else! I'll have a drink for you, see if there's any hot guys looking for company." They headed towards the elevators. "I'm beginning to think I should just give up, become a spinster…"

"No, don't give up. Believe me, I never expected to find Derek and fall in love…you just never know when you're going to meet the guy of your dreams," Meredith smiled softly. "Even if it doesn't seem to be that way initially…"

"I don't even want to meet the man of my dreams…I'll settle for the man of the moment…" The elevator doors slid open, and Cristina swore a little. "Damn, forgot my cell phone in my locker. Go on home, get some rest…"

Meredith waved at her as Cristina hurried away, then stepping into the elevator. The doors were just closing, when an arm snaked inside to stop them. "Oh, hey Izzie…"

"Meredith! You going to Joe's too?" Izzie snuck inside before the doors shut again.

"No…heading home. You?"

Izzie pushed the button for the lobby. "Yeah…Cristina twisted my arm…and Mark's meeting me there when he's done surgery."

The elevator started to descend, but without warning, it jerked and stalled out, causing Meredith's stomach to flip again. "Oh shit…"

"You okay, Mer?" Izzie asked, as Meredith clapped her hand over her mouth, trying to keep a swell of nausea down.

"Just a little touch of the flu," she sighed, sinking down to the floor. "Are we stuck?"

Izzie jabbed a couple buttons without success. "Umm…. not looking good here…"

"Well, someone will notice eventually," Meredith reasoned, leaning against the wall.

Izzie frowned, and pushed more of the buttons, hoping to magically restart the elevator. "If elevator should stop, do not become alarmed," she read the little sign fixed to the wall. "Press the button marked 'Alarm' to summon assistance." She pushed the button repeatedly, looking over her shoulder at Meredith. "They don't want us to be alarmed, then why call the button 'Alarm'?" There was a hint of worry in her voice.

"Good point. But just relax…" Meredith closed her eyes, fighting another wave of nausea. "Just sit down here with me. Do you have your cell phone?"

"Oh, yeah." She dug through her shoulder bag, and pulled her phone out. "Damn…I knew I forgot something last night. I didn't charge it up."

"And mine is in my Jeep. I don't usually bother to bring it in," Meredith sighed. "Let's hope someone gets here soon." She rested her forehead on her arms.

Izzie sat cross-legged beside Meredith. "Mark's expecting me to show up too, so if nobody comes to our rescue, I'm sure he'll be looking for me."

"It's a hospital, Iz…there's always someone monitoring the elevators for this kind of thing," Meredith reasoned.

"What about the time George had to operate in the elevator?" Izzie reminded her. "It was a long time before they got moving again."

"But people knew they were down there."

Just then a disembodied voice came through the little speaker. "Hello? This is security…we are aware of your situation and we will be there as quickly as possible to remedy the problem. Are you all right there?"

Izzie jumped up and went to the speaker. "Hello…oh thank god…we're fine…I think, except Meredith's a little queasy…but just hurry…"

"Yes ma'am, we're on the way."

Izzie snorted, turning back to Meredith. "I hate being called 'ma'am'…makes me feel old and decrepit…do I look like a 'ma'am'?"

Meredith had to giggle despite herself. "No, you look like a pissed off surgeon. Good thing you aren't wielding a scalpel!"

"Damn straight…" Izzie paced back and forth for a few minutes, anticipating their imminent rescue. She glanced at her watch. "What kind of quickly is in their vocabulary?"

"You're making me dizzy…" Meredith complained. She felt rather warm and damp from perspiration, the air conditioning no longer working in the small space. "Just relax."

"Sorry…just worried…"

Before Meredith could respond, the doors started to open slowly, and she smiled. There was a whoosh of cool air, and one of the security guards poked his head through the opening. "Everything okay in here?" he inquired.

"Just dandy…" Izzie snapped. "Dr. Grey isn't feeling well, you need to get us out of here."

"Yes, absolutely…the elevator tech is on the way…there was a malfunction in the mechanics. You'll have to wait until he gets here."

"Oh crap…"

"Can we call someone for you? Let them know you're stuck here?" he offered.

"Yes…please call my husband," Meredith spoke up. "Derek Shepherd…cell number is 555-1496…"

"Shepherd, as in divorce lawyer?"

"Yes…"

"Ma'am, you have no idea what kind of hell he put me through…"

"I'm sorry about that, but please just call?"

"Fine…"

"Thank you…" Meredith rolled her eyes. Sometimes being married to Seattle's divorce lawyer extraordinaire could be maddening. By now, Meredith thought she felt a little better, and she stood up, pacing with Izzie in the small space. "How's things going at the house?"

"Good…thank you so much for letting us buy the place for a good price." Izzie smiled happily. "Meredith…you look kind of pale yet…maybe you should just…"

Meredith frowned, and suddenly choked on a rush of vomit. It spilled over her lips and onto the floor. "Oh god…"

"Mer…are you sure this is the flu?" Izzie touched her friend's back.

"I think so…don't over analyze it like Cristina…" Meredith sighed, and searched through her backpack for some tissues, wiping ineffectually at her fingers.

"What if you're pregnant?"

"What?"

"You know…you did say you were talking about babies when you came back from Napa…"

Meredith beamed at Izzie then. "Ohmigod...how did I miss that? Don't say anything if Derek shows up. Yes…that's got to be it…do we have any pregnancy test kits in the clinic?"

"Of course…"

"Good, as soon as we get out of here, I'm grabbing one to take home. If this really is what we think, I want Derek there when I find out for sure."

"What if you're not?"

"Then we can deal with it. I'm not checking it alone," Meredith smiled, putting her hand to her abdomen. But her nose wrinkled at the smell that was intensifying in the elevator. "Hurry up!" she shouted.

"We're…ohmygod…" the mechanic backed away from the door.

"Yeah, see…hurry up…"

"On it…!"

"And call for housekeeping while you're at it!" Izzie called out.

By the time the elevator was restarted and they were able to get out into the fresh air, Derek and Mark were waiting for them both in the lobby. "You okay, honey?" Derek demanded, pulling her into his arms, holding her tightly.

"I'm fine…just tired…" Meredith met Izzie's eyes, and Izzie nodded and hurried towards the clinic, dragging Mark in her wake.

"You look a little pale," Derek observed, smoothing her hair back, and touching her cheek tenderly. "I got here as soon as I heard. These kinds of things can end badly sometimes…I was worried about you." Then he noticed the stain on the toes of her shoes and he frowned. "Were you sick?"

Meredith debated with herself for a moment; there were always other spatters on her shoes from time to time, and she didn't want to get Derek even more upset until she was sure what was going on. "Um...kinda...might be just be a touch of the flu..."

"Still, you need to get home and rest, let's go."

"Just hang on a sec, I need to say good-bye to Izzie." Meredith glanced over her shoulder, as Izzie rounded the corner from the clinic, package in hand. Mark was still trailing behind her, his expression amused.

"Here…"

"Thanks Iz…and thanks for being with me," Meredith said with a wink. "Have a drink for me at Joe's…"

"God, I need something now more than ever," Izzie groaned, rolling her eyes. "C'mon Mark, let's go…"

"But…" he protested, as she tugged him outside.

"I"ll tell you later," she whispered once they were out of earshot.

"What's that?" Derek asked, eying the plain white bag in Meredith's hand.

"This?"

"That…"

"Oh, just tampons…I don't have any at home…"

"Oh…well, good…"

"I could've sent you to the store for some," she teased him, feeling light-hearted as they headed outside to where his car waited next to her Jeep.

"Oh absolutely, I'm man enough to do that," he grinned, helping her to get into the BMW.

"I'll remember that!"

Later that evening, as Meredith woke up from the nap that Derek insisted she have as soon as they arrived home, she felt a little better. She stretched a little sleepily, thinking of her conversation with Izzie. She rubbed her hand across her abdomen, something she found strangely reassuring. Would Derek still find her as sexy if she truly was pregnant? She wasn't sure how attractive she would feel, but maybe she was getting ahead of herself here. Maybe it was just the flu…

Then the door opened, and Derek came in, balancing a tray in one hand and a bottle of sparkling water in the other. "Hey, you're awake," he said softly, coming to sit beside her. He waited as she sat up, and then he set the tray across her legs. "As promised, I made you something to eat. How does that look?"

"Heavenly. I love you, have I told you that?" she laughed.

He leaned in to kiss her softly, letting his tongue caress hers intimately. "I never get tired of hearing it," he said, finally breaking away slowly. "I love you too. Now eat, and then I'm getting into bed with you."

"Are you my dessert?" she giggled, as she started to eat some of the salad, and nibble at the chicken.

"I can be anything you want," he said suggestively, sitting in the chair next to the bed, watching her eat. When he'd heard that she was stuck in the elevator, he'd dropped everything to get to the hospital, afraid something would happen to her and he wouldn't be there. Even now, after sleeping, she still looked a little pale, her hair loose over the shoulders of her lilac nightgown.

As soon as she was finished, he took the tray away, and crawled up beside her, taking her shoulders and starting to massage her gently. Only this time, he added his lips along with his fingers, kissing the warm skin along her shoulder blades, and gentle kisses down her spine. Tender, sweet kisses – each one sending new shivers through her nerves, turning them all on, making them all pulse. Meredith sighed blissfully, as he moved around to the front of her, taking her hands, and kissing her fingers, one by one.

"Derek…I want to tell you something," Meredith started to say, nearly getting lost in the sensations that were building in her.

"Yes…what?"

"Well…I kind of didn't tell you everything before…"

He raised one eyebrow, searching her expression for a clue to where she was going with this. "Did something happen at work?"

"Well…I'm not entirely sure, and I don't want you get your hopes up…." Meredith took a deep breath, squeezing his hand. "But that wasn't a tampon package Izzie gave me earlier…it's a pregnancy test…" She met his expressive blue eyes, wondering what she would find there.

For a second, he didn't say anything, as the emotions played across his face. Finally a big smile lit his features, as realization dawned. "You think you're pregnant."

Meredith nodded slightly. "I was feeling nauseous for a couple of days now, but I thought it was the flu…and then I threw up in the elevator and Izzie said maybe it wasn't the flu…and I felt really stupid since I'm a doctor and didn't even think of that…"

Derek pressed his fingers to her lips. "You're rambling, Mer, and I love you…"

"I mean, I still have to do the test, and we should do that in the morning, so it's really accurate…" she sighed, as he pulled her closer again. "And I hope you're happy …"

"Why wouldn't I be? We talked about this, after all…"

"Right…and maybe I'm not…and would you be upset?"

"Meredith, honey…let's not jump to conclusions until we know, okay?"

"Okay…"

"I love you…" he told her, easing her back against the pillows.

"I love you too…"

"Feeling better?"

"Oh yes…" Her body quivered, as he pushed the nightgown upwards, making his way towards her nipples. She waited breathlessly, as he took one erect tip into his mouth, feeling the pleasure arch through her, sweet and delicious. His tongue circled and teased, moving from one to the other, making her moan louder.

He kissed his way down her belly, lingering there for a moment, caressing her gently. Her legs spread as he moved lower, and she felt the heat washing through her already. The tip of his tongue gently probed, slowly searching, for the spot that he knew was already aching for his touch. Meredith cried out as he stroked her clit, and he sucked harder, until tremors rocked her body. His hand strayed back up her body, to play with her nipples again, as he kept sucking and licking. Meredith arched up to meet his mouth, crying out louder and louder, as the climax started to hit her. It wiped away all her doubts, and her body throbbed with pleasure over and over, as she wrapped herself around him.

Derek returned to her mouth, and kissed her slowly, deeply, and passionately, winding his tongue along hers, enjoying every moment of sweet pleasure he was giving her. Meredith responded eagerly, tasting the lingering traces of her own juices on his lips. The ache in her clit intensified all over again, ignited by his kisses, and the feel of his body on her.

"Don't move a muscle," he murmured, drawing away from her, after kissing her thoroughly. Her hair was in a riot on the pillows, her lips bruised and swollen. Her breasts looked fuller, more engorged, the nipples taut and hard. He flicked his tongue over them as he moved away to undress. It sent a hot ripple through her and she arched her back, eager for more.

"Patience," he said softly, standing up, keeping his eyes locked on her.

Meredith watched him, her eyes drowsy with desire, her breath quickening as he unbuttoned the cobalt blue shirt and let it fall down his arms. "Damn but you are gorgeous," she murmured, admiring the definition in his chest, as always. Her fingers strayed down her body, brushing the dampness along her thighs, and against her pussy. She throbbed with anticipation, and her pulse quickened, as he unzipped his pants. Her fingers dipped between her legs, stroking slowly, while he dropped his pants to the floor, then his shorts. Parting her lips, teasing her clit for him. Her breath caught, seeing his cock, already hard and swollen. Then her eyes locked on his again, seeing how he was enjoying watching her. "Come here, lover," she breathed.

"You are … the most…desirable. and …delicious.. right now.." he said, punctuating his words with kisses along her body, fitting himself between her legs. He kissed her again, as he carefully entered her. He moved slowly, in and out, each entry more delicious than the last. Meredith's excitement was more audible, her breathing deeper, with each stroke of his cock.

He moved a little faster, rocking against her, intent on giving her another orgasm. Meredith felt it building, slowly and passionately, sending her spinning into it. Before she recovered, he moved them swiftly, so that she was on top, his cock still buried inside of her throbbing heat.

Moving together then, the fall of her hair swirling around them as she bent over to kiss his chest, and lick his nipples. Tickling his chest, following the trail of dark hair with her tongue. The joy of being with the man she loved more than anything - knowing him so completely was just as pleasurable as the feel of him inside of her.

This time she controlled the rhythm – slower, but deeper. Each beat took him further and further inside, each beat brought him closer and closer to the edge. His hands cupped her breasts as she moved on top of him, and she cried out his name as she came undone, climaxing for the third time. Her breasts felt tender, yet she loved the feel of his hands on them. "Derek…" she moaned, as they caught their breath.

"More?" he teased, stroking her back, prolonging his own desire.

"Definitely more," she replied, as she moved over him, taking his cock in her mouth, her pussy warm and wet over his mouth. He stroked her as she licked and sucked at him, playing with him. His tongue delved into her again, teasing her into arousal, daring her to come again for him. Her tongue fondled him, flicking across the head, tasting his cum, bringing almost to the brink.

Then he used his fingers, driving into her as he sucked her harder, sending more shudders along her nerves. She felt him pulsing and throbbing with each lick of her tongue, as she moaned, coming wildly again.

"Meredith.." he growled, helping her onto her back again, sliding inside, lifting her legs up against him. He bent down to kiss her as he took her gently, trying to be careful, but not sure how long he can last.

"I'm okay, Derek…just make love to me…take me away.." she said, winding her hands over his forearms, meeting his cock.

"Yes…" he agreed, lost in her heat, surrendering to everything but the feel of being inside of her, anticipating her every response. She cried out louder with each thrust, and he let himself go, flexing and twisting his hips, taking her with him on this last round. "So…damn…perfect…" he muttered, as they climaxed together, grinning like crazy at each other.

"Thank you," she murmured as he cradled her in his arms, spooning in behind her. "You always know how to make me feel better."

He kissed her spine, and along the nape of her neck again, finishing as he had started. "You're welcome," he said. "It's all about you, I want you to remember that." His hand cupped her breast, as he brushed her hair aside with his other hand, feathering kisses along her cheek, nibbling at her earlobe. "I love you so much, Meredith. You are my life, my rock. I don't need anything in my life except you, and our baby…when that day comes."

His hand moved down to her belly, protectively, stroking the still flat planes. "And you will be more beautiful than ever when you're pregnant. Never doubt that. I would give up everything else in a heartbeat, just so long as I'm with you."

Meredith blinked back sudden tears at his words, and she twisted in his embrace, looking up into his amazing eyes. She touched his cheek, and kissed him tenderly. "I love you, Derek. I feel the same way, you know that. You'll make a great father, I know it. Our baby will be so lucky…"

He kissed her back, molding her even tighter against him. "You should sleep again," he finally said, turning the lamp off, and wrapping his body against her, legs intertwined with her. She was already half asleep, as his breathing slowed as well, whispering along her hair.

In the morning, Meredith stood in the bathroom, meeting Derek's eyes as they waited for the time to elapse for the test results. "Just about time…"

"You okay?"

"Great…" She was still in her red bathrobe, her hair still sleep tousled, too excited about doing the test to have stayed in bed any longer.

Derek checked his watch again. "It's time…"

She held the little test applicator up, closing her eyes for a moment. "You look…"

"Mer…we'll both look…" He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and she opened her eyes.

"Result is…" he paused, "…positive…"

"We're having a baby…" Meredith whispered, looking up at him, her eyes luminous and a happy smile on her lips. "Ohmigod…"

"We're having a baby…"