Bright and Shiny

Chapter 157

Meredith's afternoon went much better than her morning, she had sighed in relief at being sent to the calm pit after Mark's consult was taken care of by Addison refusing to sign off on it because of the dangers to the child. She also called psych for the patient, while also threatening to call them on Mark as well for not paging her sooner. Which made Meredith's afternoon, watching Mark stutter that he didn't need a psychiatric consult.

"You need a consult yourself, I should call them for you as well. What were you thinking not paging me for this as soon as you got the file? You really didn't want to page me because you were talking to some nurse earlier? Addison asked at the end of her rant, causing both Mark and Meredith who stood in the corner behind him eyes to go wide in surprise that she knew.

"Oh don't the two of you look so shocked, especially you Mer. Gossip in this place spreads faster than a wild fire in California." Addison muttered as Meredith laughed at how right she was.

While Meredith wouldn't admit it, especially to her over protective husband but sitting in the pit doing just sutures and mundane routine tasks on patients was making her feel pretty good. It was strangely relaxing and less stressful on her back by sitting more and being off her feet.

"You ok dear?" the elderly female patient that had been brought in for shortness of breath asked her as Meredith took her blood pressure.

"I'm fine, just getting tired more quickly these days." Meredith smiled.

"Oh you don't need to tell me dear, I had 6 of my own."

"Six wow." Meredith repeated breathily. "Please don't tell my husband, I plan on capping him off at 2, 3 tops. Don't let him know he can have his own partial football team." Meredith and the lady both laughed.

As Meredith thought back to the first time she and Derek played football and the first time she encountered her husband's over proactive side. It was their first holiday together, their first Thanksgiving, while they were dating still, a month before their engagement. It was Meredith's first Thanksgiving sharing it with a real family. She usually ate the big dinner the cook always prepared alone, her mother working or being paged.

"Okay Mer, point is to get the ball and cross the goal line." Derek explained to Meredith like she didn't understand a common sport.

"Derek, I know what football is." She rolled her eyes at him. "I spent a lot of Thanksgivings alone with only football on TV. I even bet I'm probably better than you at it." She teased lightening up the moment pulling them both back from her bad Thanksgiving memories she didn't have to experience anymore.

"Oh really. Well let's see what you got Grey." He teased back, slapping her lightly on her behind as he left to rejoin his team consisting of a mix of family members while Meredith joined the other team, giggling and no doubt plotting with his little sister Carly who she bonded with instantly because of their closeness in age.

Derek's dad blew the whistle as the ref and before they knew it the little game in the backyard on the cool Thanksgiving evening was on. Touchdowns were scored all by Meredith on her team, flags were called, minor tiffs broke out and thirty minutes later they were tied. Derek was surprised that Meredith could run and compete the way she did, she was tiny and everyone underestimated her which caused them all the be shocked every time she sprinted across the goal line in a flash of speed.

He for sure was never going to play another game without her on his team. Derek thought as he took his place on the line. They had huddled and realized that Meredith was the opposing teams star and she need to be the one they had to block. His cousin was going to try and block her as they got the ball through her backup. As the whistle blew, out of the corner of his eye, he saw his cousin try to block and when they didn't work tackle her.

Meredith winced as she hit the ground but wasn't hurt.

"Are you ok?" Derek asked rushing over quickly to her abandoning his play, the game and everything with himself only focused on Meredith.

"I'm fine, just a little dirty." She said while trying to get up as Derek held her down trying to still her.

"No, don't get up. I have to make sure there's no concussion or spinal damage. Dad get over here, we have to rule out a concussion."

"Derek…" she tried to stop him for over reacting but he was too far gone in his freaking out.

"Does this hurt?" he asked flexing her leg up. "No."

"What about this?" he asked again moving to the other leg.

"No, Derek…"

"Mere sit still, we'll take you to the hospital…I can do tests." Derek rapidly blurted out while Derek's father started laughing at Derek's overreaction. As Meredith rolled her eyes grabbing Derek's face in between her hands and pulling him down on top of her to make him listen to her.

"Hunny, I mean this with all the love in the world but you're losing it and I'm not going anywhere but in the dining room to eat your mothers Thanksgiving dinner."

"But..."

"No buts, I love you and I know you got a scare but I'm fine, no concussions or limbs in wrong places. I just got leaves all over my back and maybe I'll be sore tomorrow. But that's it."

"Hey" she heard Derek say as he came up behind her as she sat at the nurse's desk in the pit signing off on all her patients she had for the afternoon.

"Hello." She sighed leaning her head back against his side as he leaned done and rubbed his hand on her back.

"Hope you had a less eventful afternoon."

"I did, nice and calm in the pit."

"Ready to go?" Derek asked realizing that she looked exhausted.

"Sleep?" she said quietly as she yawned.

"Sleep, you can sleep the second you get in the car."

"Perfect. I'd let you carry me out of here but according to Addison gossip spreads faster than a wildfire and it's not worth the stares." She giggled as Derek helped her stand and she leaned her body into him, Derek supporting most of her weight as they walked to his office to get her out of her scrubs.