Chapter 73: Can You Help?
"Are you not a Petty Officer First Class?" The doctor asked, looking through Meredith's chart.
"I am." Derek answered confidently, waiting for the next line of questioning.
"Are you aware of her rank Petty Officer… Shepherd." He glanced up from the chart to stare down Derek, hoping he would crumble.
"Lieutenant Commander." Derek stated not backing down.
The doctor raised his eyebrow before speaking very clearly, "It may be best for Ms. Grey if you join back with your squadron. I will call your CO in the morning to tell him to be expecting you."
"NO." Derek said more forcefully than he meant.
"Excuse me?" The doctor moved his hand down with the chart in it, squaring his shoulders toward Derek.
"You heard me. I am on direct orders to be here and I am going to continue to do my job. Sir." Derek added the last part with a smartass tone.
"You are no longer needed on this job. In fact, if you want to keep a job in the US Navy, I suggest you take this offer. The alternative is not something you need to even consider." The doctor said sternly.
"I will take my chances." Derek went to turn back to walk back into Meredith's room.
The doctor grabbed Derek which forced him to turn around, "I don't give a fuck who your father is. He may think he can take care of his son because he is the highest enlisted man in the navy; however, this is the kind of scandal he doesn't need right now. If you want to make sure his retirement goes smoothly, you will leave and not come back to this hospital. You will also stay away from Meredith Grey. Her mother seems to be turning a blind eye, but I sure as hell don't. There is a reason officers don't mix with enlisted, and she has seemed to forget that. Lucky for both she and her daughter, I haven't."
"Are you threatening me?" Derek asked with almost a smirk.
"There is no threat. This is a promise. You need to learn your place as an enlisted man."
"You have nothing on me." Derek was trying hard to keep an even and calm tone to his voice, but was becoming more and more difficult. He would prefer to just beat the shit out of the doctor who was no more than 5'10", 175 pounds.
"I don't need anything on you. My word would stand up against yours anyway. You need to leave this hospital immediately." The doctor said not giving Derek an option.
Derek was at a lost. He wanted to call Ellis, call his father, and get them to talk some reason to this doctor. He couldn't be away from Meredith. He needed to be with her, but he didn't want to make trouble for anyone, especially right before his father was due to retire. He couldn't risk what this doctor may be capable of. Derek knew this doctor was right about all of this and had to think quickly. "I am leaving tonight; but this is not over. Mer... Ms. Grey needs to get well and is going to need the support in order to make a full recovery. Even at that, she will never fly again. I know that, you know that. No matter what you think about rankings and what you may have seen between the two of us, she is going to need me, and I will be here, no matter what." Derek walked around the doctor heading towards the elevators to leave.
The second he got outside, he immediately started dialing the number he didn't know he would ever be calling, but she is the person to help him in this moment.
"Is Meredith alright?" Derek heard on the other end of the line.
"Yes." Derek said but couldn't get anything else out before Ellis started saying something again.
"Then why are you calling Shepherd?" She asked very pointedly.
"The doctor. Well, Meredith… she woke up." Derek wasn't one to stumble, but he decided in this split-second calling Ellis was the worse idea imaginable.
"That is good, but I don't think you called to tell me she woke up. You woke me up so tell me what the hell you are calling for."
Derek took a breath and knew he had to just say it, "The doctor walked in and saw me, or I am pretty sure he saw me giving her a soft kiss." Derek couldn't help but smile, thinking about how gentle and perfect it was. His smile immediately frowned when he realized Ellis hadn't said anything in response.
"Where are you now?"
"I am standing outside the hospital." Derek proceeded to give her the overview of what happened.
"I am on my way. You have to be more careful. She needs you especially when she realizes… she will need us all. Flying… it is all she has dreamed of doing. She was supposed to be the best pilot. Without you, I am not sure she could pull through." Ellis was already out of the room she was staying in at the hotel on base a few blocks from the hospital.
"Can you help?" Derek asked.
"I am sure as hell going to try. Stay there, but don't go back in. Was Karev there?"
"No. He had just left to get some sleep. He thinks he is going to come and relieve me tomorrow so I can get some sleep." Derek had to stay with Meredith.
"Well, we agree on that. You need to sleep. You are looking like hell. I am almost there." Ellis hung up the phone.
Derek ran his hands through his hair and sat down on the bench outside the hospital. He knew he had to be more careful. He wondered if he could, if he would be able to be in the room with her and show no emotion. His thoughts then went to Meredith. He prayed she had gone back to sleep and wasn't wondering where he was. He knew she was still out of it when she did wake up and hoped she just went back to sleep.
Ellis walked up. "Stay here. I am going to straighten this out. Damn what were you thinking?" Ellis shook her head.
"It just happened. It is 2am, who would have thought the doctor would be walking in." Derek explained.
"When this gets straightened out, you will be more careful." Ellis eyed Derek carefully.
"Yes ma'am." Derek said thankful she was here and watched her walk inside the hospital.
Sometimes the forces aren't in our favor.