Untouchable face

21.

It was needed, he understood that. His body had been through a massive trauma and it needed this. But it hurt more than the injuries themselves and it exhausted him. After every session with Aaron, he felt like the most worthless person alive. He may have always been a small guy but he also had always been fit and active. He had never needed anyone to help him do anything but now he was learning to do the most basic things in a wheelchair until he was well enough to start walking again. With the broken leg and the broken back, it was apparently a little more complicated than just getting his cast off in a few weeks and just walking. He was the Bionic man now and his body had to get used to that. So rehab was a very painful but important must.

He just wish it didn't have to hurt so much. And it terffied. If the simple moving around in the chair left him in this much pain he didn't want to imagine what would happen once his cast was off and they really start getting him moving around.

There were a couple upsides to the whole thing. Aaron was a great guy, and the OT, Peg, was great too. And then there were his daily visits with Meredith. He loved those. He really couldn't get over how well he got along with Meredith. He really hadn't liked her all that much at first but it was hardly his fault all of this hurt so much and once he had gotten over that, he really did enjoy her company. She was really great.

He was actually finding out they had a lot in common. She loved hiking and craved the quiet from it and she was just so damn strong. There was never an awkward moment in their conversations and he felt like he could talk to her for hours. He wasn't sure he had met anyone like that before, anyone that things just flowed with. Every time she came into the room with a chocolate bar and some magazines, he felt himself feel a little better. Life was boring right now but Meredith was a bright spot. It was weird that his doctor could be that for him, but she was. He had even taken to sending Maggie out for their talks and it just felt easy. He was already looking forward to her visit today.

But right now, he needed to get through rehab first. Which was the exact opposite of Meredith and he knew he needed to concentrate on what he was learning so he could get out of here and stop living through this torture.

"Okay, Derek, I need you to focus," Aaron nodded.

"Sorry, I am," Derek nodded.

"You just seem out of it."

"Got caught up thinking. I'm here."

"How's the pain?"

"Right now...seven?"

"Good, that means it's working."

"Is it really working when it hits ten?" Derek laughed.

"Oh yeah," Aaron grinned. "Then my work is done for the day."

"Good to know."

"Now, stand up for me for a minute and straighten your back as much as you can. And yes, this might make you cry."

"Great," Derek sighed before taking a deep breath to push himself up.

"There you go, slowly..."

"Fuck," he groaned.

"Slow, Derek."

"I...I know," Derek grunted, his eyes burning as he straightened out.

"You can do it, just a second longer," Aaron said as he pressed his hand to Derek's back.

"Oh...oh god..."

"Okay...sit back down. Slowly. Don't fall down. Sit."

"Okay...okay..."

"Nice and slow."

"Hmmm..." he breathed, lowering himself into the chair.

"There you go. How's your back?"