The Seventh Sense is Love

Working Together?

With the happiness of Derek's decision to perform surgery swelling in her heart - Meredith laughed and moved up to kiss him. He slowly caressed her hair and the back of her head. She smiled at his gesture as it was such a comforting thing that he did for her. She moved to cuddle into his side and said, "I have an idea to save lives. I've been doing some research. Want to order room service and talk about it over dinner?"

He chuckled and rolled her to her back and kissed her again. When they pulled apart - slightly breathless - he asked, "Do you really want to talk about work tonight?" He moved to trace his tongue along the outer rim of her ear.

She shivered with anticipation and sighed, "No, no talking right now."

Two hours later - after another round of love making a long, hot shower together and calling to check on Ian - they sat down to eat in their room.

"Steak," Meredith said appreciatively as she took the cover from her plate.

"And big chunks of carbs in a basket," Derek agreed.

"Well," Meredith giggled, "you better eat all the protein. You're going to need it because I have plans for us for the rest of the night."

"Really," Derek grinned and took a huge bite of steak.

They ate half their meal quickly and in silence. Then Derek cut up the rest of his steak, put his fork down and took her hand in his. Pulling gently he said, "Come here."

She went willingly to sit in his lap, wrapping her arm around his shoulders. They fed each other a few bites of steak and vegetables. "Thank you," Derek said, nuzzling her neck. "We needed this time together."

"You're welcome," she replied and giggled, "but it's the sisters you should thank."

"And I will," he agreed, "but if you hadn't been all right leaving Ian with them - we wouldn't be here. So, as I said, thank you."

"Well, it was as much for me as you so we are welcome," she stated and kissed him again.

When they pulled their lips apart this time, Derek gave a small sigh and said, "Tell me your idea to save lives."

"Remember the patient I had just before giving birth? Phillip Robinson?"

Derek thought for a moment and then nodded, "Camping with his wife and brother, bear attack, he had a tumor that was effecting his personality and it was in an inoperable location."

"Yes," Meredith nodded sadly. "He went blind, treating his wife like crap even though in his lucid moments, he obviously loved her."

"I know his case got to you Mer," Derek said and squeezed her tightly.

"Yes," she said, "it did. Some do, we know that but his got to me more than usual."

"I know."

"He died, Mr. Robinson died because there was nothing, we could do for him."

Derek just nodded again, knowing there was nothing to say. Losing a patient sucked no matter what and it was worse when the patient affected you on an emotional, personal level. It didn't take much to figure out that Mr. Robinson losing his sight made Meredith think of him.

"Anyway," Meredith continued after a heavy sigh. "I've been doing some research. I want to do a clinical trial for patients with tumors like Mr. Robinson's. It would require infecting the tumor with a virus. The goal being, shrink the virus and give these patients a real shot at recovering."

He couldn't help but give her a soft smile. She cared so much, and he was so proud of her. "I'm not sure I'm the one you should do this clinical trial with, Mer."

"You're just the right one for me to do this clinical trial with, Derek. I was going to go to Miyamoto or Livingston with it. I still will if you really don't want to do this with me, but you are the best and I want the best."

"Mer," he said, stroking her cheek and looking in her eyes. "Of course, I want to work with you, I said as much and I've wanted to from the moment we met. It's just, a clinical trial is huge to jump into after not cutting for so long."

"Well," she said, her heart leaping in excitement over working with him. "We have to set up the trial, get the approval, find the patients willing to give the trial a go, figure out the virus to inject. It'll take time. You can get back to cutting by doing craniotomies and such. Derek, we can do this."

He was so caught up in her belief and enthusiasm that he grinned and said, "It'll be like riding a bike."

"Yes," she giggled, "and we'll save lives, together."

"Together," Derek agreed and kissed her again.

They spoke some more about their plans for the clinical trial and then moved back to bed. Talk of work was put aside for more of their wonderful, intimate night together.