The Seventh Sense is Love

The Birth of Ian and Complications

Derek jumped slightly and awoke to the sound of the chair he'd put in front of the door scraping across the floor. He moved carefully - so as not to wake Meredith and grinned at Mark as he came through the door with a puzzled expression on his face. He held up a finger to Mark then pointed at his sleeping wife, so he'd keep his voice down.

"Sleeping on the job?" Mark joked quietly.

After getting out of the narrow hospital bed, Derek smiled and replied, "And thank God for it. She didn't sleep at all last night and has had a hell of a day. The epidural she finally asked for took away the pain and relaxed her enough to help her sleep."

"Considering that you were just dozing in bed with her - I'm willing to bet you had a hand in helping her relax."

Derek just grinned. No way was he going to tell Mark just how true his statement was. He glanced at the clock and was pleasantly surprised to realize that Meredith had been sleeping soundly for about forty-five minutes. It was nowhere near what she needed but at least it would take the edge off. He hoped so, anyway.

Mark stayed and kept Derek company until Dr. Chu came in to check Meredith again. At that point - he made a hasty retreat.

"She's sleeping," Dr. Chu stated, pleased.

"For an hour now." Derek confirmed.

Dr. Chu glanced at her watch and sighed. "I hate to wake her, but I'd like to check on her progress since she's had the epidural."

Derek woke Meredith up. She answered a few questions for Dr. Chu and then held Derek's hand for the latest examination. At the end of it, Dr. Chu sighed heavily and told Meredith there had been no change.

"None?" Meredith and Derek asked simultaneously.

"None," Dr. Chu confirmed.

"I was at four centimeters nearly two hours ago. And I had the epidural," Meredith protested.

"I know," Dr. Chu said, "but you're just not progressing. I really think the two of you should talk about having the c-section. I believe you're going to end up needing one and I'd rather do it before you or your baby have any complications."

"All right." Derek answered when Meredith said nothing. After Dr. Chu left the room, he went and sat beside her on the edge of the bed again. He took her hand in his but didn't say anything. He didn't want to guess at what she was feeling at the moment, so he'd wait until she told him.

"I'm a doctor," she finally stated.

"You are."

"I am a surgeon," she said with some heat in her voice.

"You are," he repeated.

"You and I both made careers out of surgery; believing that we help when it's necessary."

"Yes."

Tears filled Meredith's eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Instead, she asked, "Then why do I feel like a failure for needing surgery to have our son?"

"Meredith," Derek whispered and pulled her into his arms. "You are not a failure - at anything. What you are, by your own admission, is tired, hungry and cranky. And ready to meet Ian and count his fingers and toes. I'm ready to have him, too. Needing the c-section isn't failure, it's an option." He pulled back to rub her belly and then looked her in the eyes. "Regardless of how you have our baby - you've already done something thoroughly amazing by growing him and carrying him all this time."

She glared at him and he asked, "What?"

"How am I supposed to argue with you after you say something so perfect?"