The Seventh Sense is Love

The Terrifying Wait

Meredith was supposed to be packing for their trip to Maui. Instead, she was reading her medical books and refreshing herself on everything in there about severe headaches. Normally she believed that knowledge is power but everything she was reading was making her sicker with worry.

"Meredith," Derek says from the doorway of the dining room, "stop doing this to yourself."

"I'm fine," she mumbles without looking up from her book.

Derek moves to sit beside her at the table. "Mer," he says softly. She doesn't answer him and turns the page to keep reading. Derek reaches out and touches her shoulder then he trails his fingers down her arm and takes her slightly trembling hand in his. "The CT was clear."

"I know," she says calmly. "And the lab was backed up but Chief Webber will call as soon as they have the results from your blood work."

Derek sighs because he knows she's freaked out and trying to hide it from him. "It's probably something easily dealt with," he says.

Again, she doesn't say anything. She keeps reading and holding tight to Derek's hand. After a few moments Derek says, "Thank you for caring."

"Caring?" Meredith surprises Derek by yelling. She slams her textbook shut and gets up from the table to half stomp and half pace the room as she continues to yell. "Of course I care - I love you! In a great big, huge, terrifying, amazing way that I never knew I could love someone! And now you're having these headaches and I can't figure out why!"

"Meredith," Derek says as he gets up and tries to take her in his arms, but she keeps pacing.

"No," she snaps as she refuses to let him hold her. "What was the fucking point of all the fucking medical school and years of fucking Residency if I can't even help you now?"

To her utter disbelief Derek starts laughing. She shouts, "There is nothing humorous about this situation!"

"I'm sorry Mer," Derek says around his chuckles, "but you say 'fucking' a lot when you're mad. I think you're cute and funny when you're angry."

"I feel like breaking something," Meredith mumbles as she strides past Derek and picks up her huge and heavy textbook. "Fucking useless book," she says and hurls it across the room. It lands on the floor with a loud and slightly satisfying thud. Derek feels Meredith start to walk by him again and he quickly reaches out to her. His hand lands in her hair and he holds tight and pulls just hard enough to yank her hard into his arms. She gasps in surprise and then feels his lips crash down onto hers. They kiss one another with all the pent up fear and frustration they're both feeling. She bites down hard on his lower lip and tastes blood. Derek responds by yanking her sweater over her head. Meredith reaches out and pulls at the front of Derek's shirt and hears buttons patter across the hard wood floor. "I want you now," she tells him as she reaches for the zipper of his pants. Within moments they're both mostly naked and kissing, biting and scratching at one another. They stumble over their clothes and fall to the floor while holding onto one another.

"Now," Derek pants as he lays on his back on the floor and pulls Mer on top of him.

"Yes," she sighs in agreement as she slides him into her and then goes completely still to savor the moment and the feel of his hardness inside her.

"Christ," Derek groans as he grabs her hips and lifts her up as he thrusts up and into her again.

They find a rhythm that is quick and urgent. They don't say anything else while allowing the nature of the beast control them. In mere minutes they orgasm together. Then they continue to lay on the floor, tangled together and panting for air, but each refusing to move or let go of he other.

Meredith is laying with her head on Derek's chest and he runs his fingers gently through her hair. "I love you," he whispers.

"I love you," she replies. Then continues honestly, "I'm scared, Derek."

"Me too," he answers just as quietly.

"I don't want to lose you," she admits to him.

"You won't," he says immediately. They both know they have no say in the ultimate question of life or death. And yet, they both find comfort in the acknowledgement of fear and reassurances of life.