Lean On Me- Merder

Go It Alone

Meredith
I walked into the attending's lounge, tablet in hand. I scrolled through patient charts, making a mental note of who was priority for rounds.

"Hey Grey! Callie called from across the room. I looked up, smiling.

"Hey Callie!" I responded cheerfully, setting my tablet down and grabbing a pair of fresh scrubs.

"Wow, you're cheerful today. Oh! Is it because of the hot hot sex with your husband? Please tell me it's that." I nodded, laughing at the ortho surgeon's enthusiasm.

With that, her pager went off.

"Bye!" I called as she left the room.

"Wilson, present." I instructed my intern.

"Martha Wagner, presents with a hepatic carcinoma. Remained stable overnight, scheduled for a liver diversion today... We're doing an ALPPs?" She looked at me astounded.

"We are doing an ALPPs. You are in excellent care Mrs. Wagner. We've started your pre-op care and you'll be brought to the OR soon." I smiled.

Wilson, can you walk through the steps of the procedure?" I asked as we left the room.

"Uh... uh." She fumbled

"Trans-abdominal incision, hepatic division, ligate the portal vein. This is the most advanced treatment for liver cancer. I'm going to need a sharp mind in the OR today. Can you handle this?

"I can. I will! I will go study right now." The intern reminded me of my younger self, eager to learn, sharking for surgeries.

"Good." I rounded the corner of the hallway, making my way to the coffee cart.

"Double latte, almond milk for Meredith Grey?" I sat down with my coffee, and pulled out my phone to
text Derek.

M- About to preform an ALPPs procedure!
D-No way! That must be the first on the West Coast!
M-Try first on the continent
D-You are extraordinary Meredith. My plane is boarding, you are gonna tell me all about it when I get home!

I smiled at the illuminated phone screen. A quick glance at the clock told me I was needed in surgery. I discarded my finished latte and ran to the scrub room, unable to contain my excitement.

"You ready for this Wilson?" She nodded, and I could see the smile plastered on her face through the mask. I took a deep breath.

"Ten-blade."

More than 15 hours later, I finished the surgery with a final stitch. I turned to the gallery, which was full to the brim.

"And that wraps up the first ALPPs procedure performed in the Western hemisphere." I said, annunciating so I could be heard over the intercom.

The gallery exploded into applause as I threw my gloves into the waste bin. As I scrubbed out, the effects of the long surgery began to wear on me.

"Good work Wilson." I praised my intern, who looked half asleep on her feet.

As soon as I walked into the attending lounge, my pager went off. I groaned defeatedly, unclipping the device from my scrub pants.

911- Multiple surgical traumas in the Pit It read. I sighed longingly at the street clothes I had been about to adorn. It was going to be a long night.

Derek
"It was a pleasure working with you sir." I said, shaking the presidents hand. I picked up my briefcase, and left the Whitehouse for the last time ever.

It went against every fiber of my being to leave such an important research in the hands of someone else. Yet all I could feel was euphoria.

I took my government-issued car back to my rental loft. As I drove, I took in the view of a city that never really felt like home. D.C had no ferry boats, which was a complete deal breaker.

I entered the loft, the place I had lived in for the last several months. It was gorgeous, working for the president came with luxuries. But it was so empty. No waffles, no children, no occasional strays.

As I loaded my final suitcase into the car, I shuddered at the thought of staying another night. Of laying awake in an empty bed, reminded of everything I had left behind in Seattle.

It was after dark as I drove to the airport. I was practically dying to see Meredith. To wrap her in my arms, run my hands through her gold/brown tresses,  to loose myself in her emerald orbs.

As if on-cue, my car screen illuminated with a call from her.  I remembered that it was after 3AM in Seattle and frowned, wondering why she was up so late.

"Hey Mer." I said, clicking answer.

"Hey Derek." She replied softly. Her voice dripped with exhaustion. My heart ached for her. I know it hadn't been easy for her, being  a single mother with a full-time job.

"Is everything okay?" I asked. My heart ached even more when I began to hear sobs echo over the speaker phone.

"I had a really long successful surgery today, and then I got pulled into a trauma and I saved the guy with this amazing technique I'm developing, and then Chief Bailey pulled me into her office and promoted me to Chief of General-"

"Wait, isn't that a good thing?" I asked, confused.

"I know!" she wailed. "I'm just really overwhelmed and I think all the sleep deprivation is hitting me. Also I'm a terrible mother and if we have another child it's going to grow up thinking the babysitter is it's mom."

"Hey, calm down!" I spoke gently.

"You are an amazing mother and an extraordinary surgeon. You are doing your best, and trust me Mer, that is more than enough.  You are not alone, and I am coming home right now, for good."

"Okay, okay." She whispered, her breathing evening out as she calmed down.

"I'm driving on 94, so I'll probably loose reception soon. Have a safe flight." She spoke quickly before the line cut off.

"I love you." I called out to the darkness.

As I pulled into the airport, guilt crashed into me like a semi truck.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO PATRICK DEMPSEY. The love of my life is officially a senior citizen. Sorry if this chapter was boring. It was kind of a filler, I had to develop the plot a little before it gets good. Please comment and vote, and I'll try to have the next update out later tonight :)