(Shattered...) Dreams Fulfilled

Healing Dreams

Finally, after two disturbing and sleepless nights, Meredith and Derek's emotional and physical exhaustion had given way to almost six hours of uninterrupted sleep, and then the alarm went off, and the snooze gave them another ten minutes of sleep.

Derek got up first and headed for the shower, the only way he would be awake enough to drive at four in the morning, and allowed Meredith to sleep a little longer.

"Meredith," he murmured against her lips kissing her, "I let you sleep a bit more, but we have to get up."

"So...tired..."

"You can stay, you know, Kathleen would understand..."

"What," she said startled out of her sleep, "no...I have to go," and started to rise.

"Hey..." he said, softly pushing her back against the pillow, "relax...you have a few minutes...and just throw something on..."

"Derek...I had...such a strange dream..."

"A dream...or a nightmare...didn't hear you wake up..."

"I don't think I did...I didn't want to, it was a dream...I can't quite remember it all...but...I'm hoping I will...it was such a peaceful, gentle feeling...I want to remember it...but it's just there...a glimpse away...

"Maybe you will remember it later," he said softly, and kissed her.

"I hope so...it feels that it was important...that I remember."

"Then you will."

"You kissed me awake...again," she said, "you're going to spoil me...waking me up like that every morning."

"I intend to...for the rest of our lives."

"Derek...I never thought I'd say this..." she smiled, and looked away.

"What..." he asked a bit concerned.

"You...really are McDreamy," she smiled.

"Only you bring that out in me..." he told her, leaning in to kiss her, and they both got lost in its pleasure, just as the forgotten and annoying snooze reminder sounded.

"I miss you Derek."

"You miss me," he teased, "or this," he said as he kissed her again.

"All of you."

"I miss ...all of you too," he said, and their gazes locked and their eyes reflected longing for each other and promises of hours of uninterrupted fulfillment.

"We should get up..." Meredith said, breaking the mesmerizing spell, "Kathleen will kill us if we're late."

"More likely, she'd just leave without us, and then call to bitch at us, for not doing what she said in the first place."

They got in his car and were staring to leave when she commented, "the chief's car is here, it wasn't when we got home last night."

"Yeah."

"Derek, I haven't asked you...I should have, but ...how was the little girl you operated on?"

"She's going to be fine."

"That's good..." she said and asked him medically intricate details he responded to, "you ...you did the right thing."

"I should have never left you. Richard had no right to ask."

"You saved her life Derek...you did the right thing," she said, "and reached out to hold his hand, and it remained in hers until they reached Kathleen's and he told she should just wait in the car, that they'd be a couple of minutes at most.

"Good morning, Mer," Kathleen said cheerfully when she got in the car, while Derek put her bags away.

"How do you two manage to be so cheerful in the mornings," Meredith asked her, "though really, there are times," she paused, while Derek got in the driver's seat, "that Derek just does not want to get out of bed in the morning..."

"Meredith, stop being a tease," Derek laughed.

"I'm not, it's the truth...you like to stay in bed and sleep in just as much as I do when that alarm goes," she said and giggled, "after a long night of no sleep."

"It's my turn to ask questions," Kathleen said, "how are you two going to survive Mom's visit if you can't do anything but taunt each other...sexually?"

"Your Mother...she's not coming to visit soon...she's not, and we don't always do this, right Derek, I mean in private we do, but you, well we've had to listen to your phone sex conversations, so a little teasing between Derek and I that's nothing...really, we'll be ready, when your Mother...visits, and she didn't say when...do you know when?"

"Mer," Kathleen laughed, "you make it so easy not to tease you..."

"That is just plain mean, Kathleen...just you wait...when you least expect it..."

"Honey, there's not a ounce of revenge in you...and I'm just delighted to hear you two talk this way."

"I'm going to be emailing your mother remember, and I just might let it slip and include your personal email in one of them..."

"Meredith Grey...you would be so dead," she said laughing.

"I'm no pushover..."

"You are perfect...just as I told Derek when I first saw you.

"You did..." she asked with surprise in her voice.

"I did, you were in the cafeteria with Mark."

"Oh...he didn't tell me."

"Don't forget Meredith...my brother...at times...brainless."

"Brainless..." Meredith laughed, "you call him that too?"

"Too? What does that mean too...I remember...Cristina said something the other night, but I thought that was her talking, not you..." he pouted.

"Derek, I've called you that so main times..."

"You two have a high opinion..." he started and was interrupted by both women.

"Give me a break, you've been brainless forever," Kathleen said.

"I love you Derek," Meredith said, and earned his laughter.

"You...you..." he laughed.

"Learned well..." Meredith teased him, "comes in handy..."

"I love you too Meredith...and that woman sitting behind us as well."

Their morning banter continued, and far too quickly they were at the airport, and Derek took the lane leading to the parking garage.

"Derek, you are going to drop me off at the curve and go...you don't need to wait around the airport for my fight to leave..."

"Kathleen we want to...we're not going to see you again for a while," Derek told her.

"Actually, you are...we re coming to visit...your brother in law is itching to come out here, and while the two of you and Mark go off into the wilderness...Mer and I are going to enjoy the best spa treatments in town."

Derek gave her a surprised look and Kathleen winked at him, "don't worry baby brother...all is under control, so drive around and drop me off...and the two of you can get a head start on your getaway."

"Kathleen, you know where Derek's taking me don't you," Meredith stated.

"Yep...I do..."

"That's not fair."

"You are going to love it, in fact..."

"Kathleen..."

"You're right, I'll keep my mouth shut," she said, and reached for the door handle as they pulled up and stopped at the airline curbside.

Meredith got out of the car while Derek got the bags out, and Kathleen presented her documents and one bag was checked without delay.

The two women faced each other as Derek watched and marveled at the connection between them.

"Kathleen," Meredith said softly, and both women already had tears in their eyes, "you...you have no idea...how much it meant for you to be here...I, we couldn't have gotten through this without you."

"You would have...the two of you together...you would have...but I'm so glad...Meredith, honey, I am so glad I was here."

"I'm going to miss you," Meredith told her.

"I'm going to miss you too," Kathleen said and embraced her in a hug, "but, I want you to remember something," she continued talking without letting her go, "no matter what happens, and before you jump to conclusions, I don't mean anything going wrong with you and Derek, you can count on me, I will always be here..." she said and pulled away to look at her, both now with tears on their cheeks, "you are my sister...and I'm so proud...so proud of you...and I cannot tell you how much it means to me...that you have accepted me...and trusted me..."

"You...you didn't judge me...and I will never forget that..."

"You love him...I saw that the very first time I saw you...in your eyes, Meredith...I saw it in your eyes, and that was enough for me..."

Neither saw a policeman approach and asking Derek to move the car, but whatever he said convinced the officer to nod his head and move along, allowing for the uninterrupted moment between them.

"I do...I love him, and I promise you...he'll never have to worry about me...not the way he worried the night he called you...I won't ever hurt him like that again."

"I know...I know you won't, and now that we've both dried out our tear ducts," Kathleen said, and looked over at her brother, extending her hand for him to join them.

"You two...take care of each other. That's all you need to get through all of this."

"We will," Meredith said.

"Kat, thank you..." Derek said and hugged his sister, "I will owe you..."

"You owe me nothing, except to be happy."

"We will be..."

"Derek," she said and looked at him with a peculiar expression, "do you...do you still get those feelings, remember when we were younger...when you know...when we just knew something would happen..."

"I do..." he said and smiled.

"Derek...I have that feeling...that the three of us...are going to see each other very soon."

"Kathleen...you said you're coming back soon, Meredith said while looking at them with a mix of humor and surprise.

"No...before that...I don't know...Derek...you'll let me know...if I'm right."

"I'll let you know..."

"Meredith, " she asked suddenly, "do you have a passport?"

"Passport..."

"Yes, to travel... a valid passport?"

"Yes...why..."

"I don't know...but I would bet money you're going to be using it soon..."

"You are just as bad as Mark and Derek..."

"I only bet to win...and Meredith...I'm betting I'm right...passport...keep it handy," she said and gave her one last hug, and then turned to Derek, "I might keep mine handy as well."

"Kathleen...I still get those feelings...and you're right...she's going to need that passport."

"I knew it...where...where area you taking her," she asked in a whisper.

"That...that is her surprise."

"Oh...Derek...you two are going to be just fine...and I can't wait till she's part of the family..."

"She's already my family...but yes, I can't wait for Mom and the rest to meet her."

"As I said...I just might keep my passport handy."

"Think again, cause I'm not asking you along for this trip..."

"Never said you were...just...a feeling Derek...that's all, a great feeling."

"I love you Kathleen," he said as he said goodbye, "you are my very special sister."

"I love you Derek, I'm here...always, anytime, anyplace, one call away."

"So am I...please don't let me forget it."

"I won't," she said, "take care of my new sister...and sister in law..." she laughed, as the sliding glass doors opened and she walked through wile they waved goodbye.

Derek was standing next to Meredith, his arm around her waist, "let's go," he said and opened the door for her to get in the car and when she did, leaned in to kiss her, " she loved you, I don't think she said it ...but I know she loves you."

"I'm not...I'm not comfortable...you know...with so much emotion and saying that to people."

"I know..."

"But Derek, she said...again...she's my sister...and that's...I've never had that."

"You do now..."

"I'm glad she's in my life...thank you..."

"For what..."

"For calling her...for making it possible for my...our family to grow..."

"Just wait...till you meet Mom," he kissed her again, and walked around to drive away.

They were still driving out of the airport when his phone vibrated indicating a 911.

"What the hell, they know I'm off," he said, but pulled to the side and returned the call nonetheless. "Shepherd, yes, you're correct. What happened, no it's fine, you did the right thing, I'll be there in about fifteen minutes, run all the usual blood work immediately, and we'll have to check for inflammation of the brain, yes that temperature needs to come down."

"What's wrong?"

"Meredith, I'm sorry, I know you're not ready to go back, but I have to go in, you can drop me off, if you want and get me later, or wait for me...or walk in with me and wait in my office."

"What happened, why did they call you, it must be bad for you to go in."

"The little...the child I operated, that was the doctor I left in charge, she's developed a fever, very high, and he wanted to consult with me...I...I feel I need to go in."

She was quiet a few minutes and then she said, "Derek...the dream, the dream I had, it was about this little girl...it's still vague, but I know...without a doubt, it was about this little girl...and yes, you have to go in, and...and I want to go with you to see her."

"No...you don't have to do that...I'll go in."

"No, Derek... I do...there's something about her, I have to go with you."

"Meredith..."

"I'm going to be fine...we'll deal with things...anyone we see...we'll deal with it, but I'm going with you."

"Ok," he said, accepting her decision.

"Derek, have you spoken to the Chief, since the other day, when I was there?"

"Yes."

"You didn't tell me."

"Hardly a topic worth discussing."

"Derek, he's our boss."

"I told him he was irresponsible and he owes me..."

"There's more to it that what you're telling me."

"I saw him the other morning, we argued about it again, but bottom line, I told him I was ready to resign."

"What...Derek...you can't...we can't do that..."

"You ...Meredith, I didn't mention you'd resign."

"You would resign, go somewhere else...and have me stay...not want me with you?"

"You have to finish your residency...and you could do it here or anywhere, and even if I resigned, I would not be going anywhere, remember I had my practice before...I'm fairly respected, I think I could get another job in Seattle," he said what came across as cockiness.

"Oh you ass."

"I'm not going anywhere. I told him I'd stay, but he owes me."

"He owes you?"

"Yeah."

"Owes you what?"

"Whatever time off you and I need, open ended, end of story."

"He accepted that?"

"He knows he was out of line, and back to basics, we're friends."

"So...everything is ok?"

"Yeah...it will be, don't worry about it."

They arrived at Seattle Grace and she felt an unfamiliar sense of dread at the thought of waking through the front doors of the hospital, and he sensed her distress.

"You don't have to do this."

"I do...it's just...the last time...when I left...I was still...I thought...maybe..."

"I understand...and it's ok, you don't have to go in now."

"I do...let's go," she said and waited for him to come around the car and open her door, and slipped her hand in his and they walked to the critical care unit.

Fate was looking out for her, and Meredith believed fate and love were all about the decisions you made. She decided to face her sadness rather than avoid it, and walked in to the hospital with Derek hand in hand, and fate smiled upon her as they walked through the corridors without coming across any of her friends.

The doctor and the parents were in the room with the little girl when Meredith and Derek walked in, and he greeted the parents and then his colleague, "this is Dr. Grey, she's a resident, she was very concerned over you daughter. How is her temperature? Have you sent in her lab work?"

"Dr. Shepherd, I don't know what to say, but after we spoke, within five minutes her temperature dropped, it's normal..."

"That's impossible, use a different thermometer, temperate just doesn't drop like that."

"We've been monitoring for the past two hours, her temperature spiked and we started her on antibiotics right away, and nothing was working that's when I called you, but sir, we've done what you said, three different thermometer, her temp is normal."

Derek took her temperature himself, and felt her forehead, her body temperature felt normal, and the reading returned the same results, and then he saw a slight movement and her eyes began to drift open, "has she been awake and talking?"

"Not as much as usual, she's quite a talker... but she has," her mother said, as she stood by her husband, his arms around her waist. "She recognized us, said Mommy and Daddy, that her head hurt, she wanted to see her baby brother...and her Nana."

"That's expected," Derek said, as the little girl opened her eyes, and he heard Meredith gasp.

"Meredith," he turned around, "are you ok?"

"Yes..." she said and came closer to the bed, and stood next to him, "Derek...her eyes, my dream...last night...she was the little girl in my dream."

"Meredith..."

"Derek...it's just part of it...but she was...and another child...far away...but there was a girl...named Brianna."

Excuse me...Dr. Shepherd... Dr. Grey...is something wrong, the father asked, unaware of the conversation exchanged between Meredith and Derek.

"No, it's a very good sign, she has opened her eyes...after such a high fever, it's good."

"Mommy..." they heard a soft gentle voice...and the mother was at her side.

"Hey sweetie...Mommy is here...and Daddy..."

"Mommy head hurt lots..."

"We're going to make you better...sweetie, see you have three doctors and they are going to make you better," the woman said unable to keep tears from gathering in her eyes.

"I feel better... head doesn't hurt no more..."

"Dr. Shepherd...is that possible..." the father asked

"Yes, the fever could cause inflammation, and that is feasible ,but, the drop in temperature like that...we still need to run some more tests, find out what caused it."

"Daddy...can I have Mr. Rabbit..."

"We'll get someone to bring Mr. Rabbit to you in a little while," he said, obvious emotion in his voice, as he listened to his little girl.

"Mommy...I saw a little angel..."

The parents looked at both doctors...looking for answers.

"Sweetie, I bet you had a dream and a little angel was in your dream..."

"No...mommy...she told me her name ..."

"She did...do you remember her name?"

"Pweety name mommy...I like her name..."

"What was the angel's name, " Meredith asked, convinced she knew the answer.

"Bri...Brianna."

Derek took a deep breath and Meredith reached for his hand, and spoke softly to the little girl, "that's a very pretty name...what's your name?"

"Kelly Margaret Mulligan," the four year old stated proudly.

"An how old are you?"

"This many," she said indicating four fingers, "you're pweety."

"Thank you Kelly, I think you're beautiful..."

"My daddy says that..."

"He's right," Meredith said trying to keep her emotions under control.

Derek proceeded to examine her, "Kelly, I'm going to use this light here, and look in your eyes...and then I'm going to ask you to follow the light, can you do that...can you do that for me..." he said.

"Did you fix my owie?"

"Yes, I did..."

"You a doctor?"

"Yes..."

"Are you doctor too..." she asked Meredith

"Yes.

"You're a girl."

"Girls can be doctors."

"They can?

"Yes."

"I'm gonna be doctor when I grows up."

The parents were hardly able to contain their tears, "Dr. Shepherd, is...should she be talking so much."

"Oh, yes...she's perfectly fine," he said, "she is doing just fine. Doctor Kirk, would you mind setting up a scan."

"I'll take care of that right now, Dr. Shepherd," he said and exited the room.

"What's your name...?"

"Meredith."

"I like that..."

"Thank you," she said, as her head spun a mile a minute trying to recall all the details of her dream, but still not all were clear, except this child had definitely been in it.

"What's your name," she asked Derek.

"Sweetie, that's Dr. Shepherd."

"Doctor Shep...Shep...that's hard mommy."

"Is Dr. Shep easy for you to say..." Meredith asked from her side of the bed next to Derek.

"Yep..."

"Then I think he would not mind if you called him Doctor Shep..."

"I wouldn't mind at all, it is a hard name to say. Now, Kelly, will you follow the light like I asked you? That's a good girl, yes, that's just what I need you to do."

"Dr. Shep...you have pweety eyes..."

"Thank you...Kelly, so do you," he said looking at the child's deep green eyes.

"My angel...she had same color."

Meredith reached for his hand, and he heard the soft gasp, and squeezed her hand gently.

The parents watched the exchange between Meredith and Derek, and realized there was obviously a personal relationship between them.

"Dr. Shepherd," the man spoke, "we are aware you had a personal emergency, the day you operated on Kelly, we found out afterwards. We want you to know how much we appreciate that you too care of her, we did not get a chance to speak to you after her surgery, but, we want you to know, we had been told our only hope that she would make it would be if we could get you to operate and if there's any way we can ever repay you, whatever we can do, please...all you need to do is ask."

Derek felt Meredith's hand squeezing his gently, "we were able to save her life, everything seems fine...that's all the thanks I need, take care of her."

"We're sorry, that we took you away...from your emergency...but...you saved her life," the mother cried softly, while she held her daughter's hand.

"Mommy...why you crying?"

"Cause Mommy is happy that my baby is ok."

"I'm not a baby...mommy, my brother's a baby..."

"You're a big girl, that's right," her father said.

"Dr. Shepherd, as a member of the Board of his hospital, whatever you need...you have my full support, and on a personal level, whatever my wife and I, our family can do...please...don't hesitate to ask...money is not an object when you've saved our little girl's life."

"Mr. and Mrs. Mulligan, I did what had to be done..." he said, and again felt Meredith's hand tighten a little in his, "I'm ...I'm glad I could be here that day," he said while turning to look at Meredith and met her smile and shimmering eyes.

"Dr. Shepherd...Dr. Grey...the personal emergency, we hope everything is ok," Mrs. Mulligan stated without any doubts that it had involved the two doctors before them.

"Thank you," Derek said, "we appreciate your thoughtfulness," he said acknowledging their loss for the first time, inexplicably to two strangers, and bringing Meredith close to his side kissed the top of her head, "we experienced a great loss in our family."

Meredith's dream, in some ways prophetic had brought her face to face with the girl in the hospital bed, but more significant were the intricate interwoven bonds their families would share for generations to come.