Little Shepherd

Chapter 16

A few days later Derek decides to head into the hospital early before a surgery in hopes of catching Meredith before rounds. Josie was not happy about being awake at 4 am but thankfully she was able to fall asleep at the childcare center. Derek grabs a coffee and sips on it as he heads towards the interns locker room once again. He's just reached the door as Meredith exits.

"You're here early" She says, surprised to see him. She starts walking down the hall and he follows.

"I have a chordotomy at 5. I'll be out at 6. I thought I might buy you breakfast before your rounds." He offers.

"I've already eaten." She answers immediately. He starts walking backwards in front of her so that he can see her face as he speaks.

"Oh, what'd you have?" He asks curiously.

"None of your business."

"You a cereal person? Straight out of the box? Or are you all fruit and fibery?" She glares at him, but he laughs finding the whole conversation amusing. "Pancakes? Do you like pancakes?" She rolls her eyes.

"Fine, left over grilled cheese. Curiosity satisfied?"

"That's sad. It's pathetic." He teases. "A good day starts with a good breakfast." says the man that survives on donuts and left over pizza. If Josie would have heard him say that she would have laughed hysterically.

"Look I'm not being seen with you in this hospital. Learn it, live it. It's unprofessional."

"Think of it as an attending getting to  know one of his interns."

"He slept with that intern."

"Barely knew her."

"And it should stay that way." She says as she comes to a stop beside a nursing station.

"You want me to be professional? I'll be professional."

"That's what I want"

"Then that's what you'll get."

"You're gonna be late for your chordotomy." She reminds him. He looks at the watch on his wrist and realizes she's right.

"Nice talking to you Dr.Grey." He says a little louder than he needed to just to make his point, before turning and heading off in the opposite direction. Before he even reaches the OR floor he's paged to the  Emergency room for an incoming trauma. The chordotomy will have to wait. He has a nurse reschedule the surgery and rushes to the ER arriving at the same the ambulance carrying his patient does. He pulls on his gear and meets the ambulance as the paramedics inside fling the doors open. They fill him and the other doctors in on the mans status. Derek has seen a lot of things come in to this ER but he definitely wasn't expecting this. The man somehow managed to get multiple carpentry nails lodged through his skull and most likely into his brain. They hurry him into a trauma room and begin his initial assessment. He has a nurse call for some interns while he works, knowing this is a perfect opportunity to learn and the extra hands wouldn't hurt.  He works fast with the others in the room trying to get him evaluated. The interns are there before long. Alex Karev, George O'Malley, and to Derek's relief Meredith all walk into the room. Meredith pauses as she approaches the patient. Her mouth drops open a little as she stares at the man.

"Those look like..."

"Nails." Derek says finishing for her as he does his best to carefully clean off the area. The man suddenly begins to stir. He lifts his arms in front of his face.

"I can't see my hands." The man says.

"Oh my god he's conscious." George says as they all disinfect and put gloves on.