Outside of Fear

Chapter Thirteen

Derek pulls off his ferry boat scrub cap and tucks it in his lab coat pocket, strolling down to the ER for a consult after a successful surgery.

As soon as he steps into the area, the loud sounds of sirens and bodies moving rapidly around him force him into a sharp, focused work mode.

"We're slammed." April Kepner finds him by the nurse's station and hands him a chart. "Bed three. Hurry."

"What happened?" Derek takes in the victims covered in burns and ash.

"You didn't hear? Fire at the Archfield a street over. Pretty bad, too. Half of the fire stations in Seattle are there now."

Derek freezes. "The Archfeld? A street over?"

"Yes, now move, we have patients."

"Kepner, do they need any help with triage? Are doctors going over?"

April frowns for a moment. "Yes, I think four of our people are getting into an ambulance to go now."

Derek desperately searches the ER for her familiar blonde hair and green eyes, knowing that she, if uninjured would be helping in any way possible. He finds no sign of Meredith.

"The Archfield is where Meredith is staying. Colonel Grey. Have you seen her?" He's near panic now.

April looks up from her charts. "Colonel Grey is there? I haven't seen her."

"Damn it. Can you get Nelson to cover my consults? I want to go triage. I have to."

April frowns for a moment, confused as to why he's so desperate to go to the fire. "I guess so, but-" Before she can finish her sentence, Derek pulls on a Seattle Grace jacket, grabs a med bag, and runs to the ambulance as it's pulling out.

Meredith. Meredith is at the Archfield. They had just been together a few hours ago. Right after he dropped her off, he had been paged for an emergency.

They kissed. They had kissed, after their amazing first date. And now she's in a deadly fire. Is she hurt? Is she still in the building?

Derek stressfully runs his hands through his hair as they drive, and when they finally pull up to the hotel, he jumps out, and the sight of the burning building seems like it's from the depths of hell itself. 

Is this really how it ends?

As Meredith takes in a ragged breath, sucking in as much oxygen as possible with the little she has left. Darkness wants to take over, pain from everywhere so strong that her eyes water.

Just as she's about to give in, she hears something.

"Seattle FD!"

"Seattle Fire!"

"Is anyone up here?"

Multiple voices reach her ears, and she instantly begins to fight again. "Yes!" Her voice is weak, but this is their chance at survival. Gathering every bit of remaining strength, she yells. "Emergency stairwell! In here!"

Moments of yelling pass, she hears voices, so she continues to scream. Lightheaded, she almost loses consciousness. Until, finally, the stairwell door opens wider and three people appear, decked out in full fire-protective gear.

"Ma'am, are you hurt?" The first one, a large man moves to her instantly.

"Take the girl." Meredith rasps, and the firefighter easily lifts the child from her.

"Is she your daughter?" He asks.

"No. Her name's Maria."

The man nods and turns back to the next firefighter, who is female.