Sometimes we all need saving

Chapter 10

"Derek. Derek." Richard said. He looked over with sad eyes to his mentor. "Whats wrong?"

"Her sats are falling. It's time." Richard said. "Wait. She's intubated though." Derek replied.

"I know. Derek, the pneumonia attacked her body. It's happening. She isn't coming back from this and she'll be...gone soon." Richard said softly. Derek stood up, tears in his eyes and followed Richard to Merediths room.

Her sats were low. Heartbeat was slow. She looked so pale, so tiny in that bed. "We're going to take her off the vent first. She may take a few breaths, but-"

"I know Bailey. Why are you telling me this?" Derek spat out angrily.

"It's different when you're the family. I'm going to take out the tube now. She may take a few breaths, but it won't last very long." Bailey said calmly.

Derek nodded. He couldn't believe this. He was supposed to have a lifetime with her. Not a few years off and on.

The tube was out and Meredith took one single breath, before the heart monitored flatlined. "I love you Meredith. I'll love you forever." Derek whispered, holding on to her cold hand, crying freely.

"Derek! Wake up!" A voice called into dereks subconscious. He jolted awake, and looked around, still seeing Meredith intubated and alive.

"Deep breaths dear. What happened?" Carolyn asked  softly, as Derek caught his breath. "Mer-died, I can't..." he stammered.

"Oh, Derek. She's okay. She's alive. Dr Bailey came in and said her recent chest films look good." Carolyn soothed. She knew what it was like to have a loved one in the hospital.

"I can't lose her." Derek whispered, head in his hands, voice breaking. "You won't. She made it this far, she won't leave you behind."

"Go get some fresh air Derek, you need it. I'll watch her." Carolyn said. "But-"

"Derek." Carolyn warned. He sighed and nodded and kissed Merediths forehead before walking out of the room.

Carolyn looked at the battered woman in the bed and walked to her bedside.

"Sweetie, I don't know if you can hear me. It's been a while since my nursing days, but if you can please wake up. My son...I know he loves you very much. And I also know you are fighting hard."

"Derek hasn't told me much about you...but if you make him happy I'm happy. Just keep fighting so you wake up and I can meet you formally." Carolyn said with a soft smile. She sat back down and waited for Derek.

•••

Derek came back a few minutes later and walked into Bailey, Hahn, and Richard doing rounds. "How she's doing?" Derek asked, passing a cup of coffee to his mother.

"Very well. She is responding to the antibiotics. We were just discussing taking her off the vent." Bailey replied.

"How are her oxygen levels?" Erica asked.

"Good. Pretty much back to normal."

"I think we should turn down the sedation and wait for her to wake up herself. If she breathes over the tube, we'll extubate. If she doesn't, we'll sedate her again." Richard said.

"I agree. Bailey?" Erica asked. "I agree as well."

"Okay. That's good. That's good." Derek said, assuring himself. "It is good, Derek." Carolyn added with a smile at her sons relieved expression.

Merediths doctors turned down the sedation. "Now it's just the waiting game. Page us if anything happens." Richard said before all 3 doctors left the room.

"She's waking up, Derek. Stop pacing." Carolyn said lightly. "Mom, I can't. I came this close to losing her for good. Im not going to stop pacing."

"Okay dear. Why don't you tell me more about her?"

Derek sat down next to her. "Like what?"

"I don't know. Is she an only child?"

"Yes."

"Does she...want kids? Or marriage?" Carolyn asked hesitantly.

"I don't know. We haven't really talked about it. I...messed up and we haven't been doing so well before this happened." Derek admitted.

"Derek Christopher, what did you do?"

Derek sighed. "I was an idiot. I- she wasn't ready. I showed her floor plans to my-our house and I pushed her. I...kissed a scrub nurse and we broke up. I went out on one date with her but...she wasn't Meredith. So, I stopped that and Mer and I lived in silence for a while until this. But...when it happened, it put things in perspective for me. I'm not letting her go again."

"But you two are on again? And by the way, you kissing a scrub nurse while you were still...involved with her? That was stupid."

Derek allowed himself a chuckle. "I know it was, mom. And yes, we're back together."

"Good. When she wakes up and comes home, do you want me to stick around and help? That girl looks like she needs some food. So small." Carolyn asked.

"That would be great mom. And yes, I know. She hasn't been eating since...you know. But she's always been tiny." Derek replied.

"Okay. Well, I'm going to go bother Mark. Let me know if she wakes up?"

"Sure mom."

•••

A few hours later, Derek looked up from his paper work and saw Merediths eyes open. "Hey, hey. I'm here." He said, jumping out of his chair and rushing over.

Meredith immediately started choking on the tube and Derek grabbed her hand, while paging her doctors.

"Welcome back, Grey. Let's get that tube out."

Hey guys! It's been a long time since the last update, and I'm sorry about that. I hope you all enjoyed and I hope your all doing well. If you have any ideas, please drop them.