A Dream Or A Nightmare?

3

"Meredith!" He exclaimed in horror, looking at the broken, beaten body of his wife on the ground.

Derek knelt down to Meredith and immediately checked her pulse, and was relieved when he felt one. Weak, but there.

"I need help!" Derek yelled. Bailey and other doctors came rushing over, while other parents kept the kids away.

"Oh, hell." Bailey said in shock, kneeling down as she took in the sight of the beaten woman. "Meredith? Meredith, can you hear me?" Bailey asked.

Nothing.

"I-I...someone call an ambulance." Derek stammered, his breaths coming out ragged. "Check her pupils. She obviously took hits to the head." Amelia said, composing herself and taking out the penlight she carried on her.

"Ambulance is on the way. I'll come with. We need people to stay here with the kids." Callie said after getting off the phone.

"I can stay." Jo said. Jo was invited because of Alex, thankfully. "Okay. How are her pupils?" Derek breathed, trying to relax and not think about the fact that his wife was beaten.

"They look fine. But I want to keep an eye on her." Amelia replied professionally.

As they were waiting for the ambulance, Meredith came around and groaned. Everything hurt. Everything. Her head, her leg, her stomach.

She heard distorted voices around her, but she couldn't make them out. Meredith slowly opened her eyes and saw tons of people surrounding her.

Her breaths quickened, and she closed her eyes tightly, expecting another hit. "Meredith, it's us. You're safe." Alex said.

That voice seemed familiar. But who was it? She saw it was alex, but did she trust him?

"It's okay, Grey." Bailey said soothingly, reaching a hand out. Meredith immediately flinched and tried to move away, but winced and cried out in pain.

"It's okay. No-nobody touch her." Owen said calmly.

"Mer, it's Derek. You're okay. You're safe." A soothing voice said.

Meredith recognized that voice. It was her husband, Derek. Meredith let herself make eye contact with him.

"Hey. You'll be okay." He said, tears in his eyes. "It...hurts." She whispered. Derek wiped his eye quickly. "I know it does. The ambulance is on the way." He said.

Derek hesitantly grabbed her hand. Meredith tensed for a moment.

It's just Derek. Derek won't hurt you.

She relaxed and timidly held his hand back. Derek smiled as the ambulance came up the road.

The paramedics got Meredith into the ambulance. Only Derek was allowed to go in, due to space and the fact that Meredith was terrified of everyone except him.

"Mrs Shepherd, can you tell me what happened to you?" The paramedic asked.

Meredith stared at Derek for allowance. "Mer, you can talk. It's okay." He said.

Derek made mental notes in his head about things not to do and to do. So far, he had to tel her when he would touch her, and let her know it was okay to talk.

"I..don't know." Meredith slurred, her eyes closing. "Mer? Mer!" Derek said urgently. The paramedic checked her pupils. "Pupils look fine. Check her stomach." He said.

Derek carefully lifted up her shirt and gasped. Her stomach was bruised everywhere, and ribs were sticking out. "Okay, she has obvious internal bleeding. We need to get there now and get her into surgery!" The paramedic said.

They got to the hosptial and Meredith was taken immediately to surgery with Bailey and Richard, who drove to the hospital.

Derek was pacing back and forth in the waiting room.

"Derek, sit down, dear." Carolyn tried. "No. I can't." He said, running a hand through his hair.

"Derek-" Carolyn started.

"Mom, I can't sit down! I just got my wife back and she's fighting for her life! I. Can't. Sit. Down." Derek snapped.

"Okay." She replied with a sigh.

•••

"Page Callie. These ribs are...she needs ortho." Richard announced. "I want to know what the hell happened." Bailey said as she tried to stop the bleeding.

"We'll find out eventually, I'm sure. Clamp." Richard replied.

"I'm here." Callie said as she entered the room. "Come take a look at her ribs." Richard said. Callie came over and winced.

"Okay, I'm gonna need plates and screws to stabilize these ribs. I don't know what happened to get it this bad, but it's not good." Callie said.

"Poor girl." Bailey muttered. "Hey, does anyone know where Derek is?" She asked.

"He's in the waiting room. He's not alone, his mom is there as is pretty much everyone else from the party." Callie responded.

Bailey nodded and kept working.

•••

Derek sat in the waiting room, remembering one of the last nights he had with Meredith. They talked about a third baby.

They talked about DC.

Derek had wanted Meredith back so much. And he was so thankful she was back. But he hasn't expected her to show up half dead.

"Derek?" Carolyn asked as he took a seat. "Mom." Derek whispered. "I can't lose her. I can't go through that again." He said.

"You won't. Meredith is alive. She's alive. She came this far to see you again, and she won't go again without a fight. And this is Meredith we're talking about." His mom said sternly.

"Shes...god mom, she was hit. Beaten. And I couldn't do anything to stop. I don't even know what the hell happened." Derek said. He was angry. But he was sad.

"It's not your fault, Derek. Obviously whoever did this kept her a secret for a reason. She's going to be okay." Carolyn insisted.

"I'm her husband! I'm supposed to protect her!" Derek yelled.

"You were in a hospital bed, yourself. You weren't in any condition to protect her. This is not your fault." Carolyn said.

"She was so scared, mom. I couldn't...I was the only one who could touch her. And talk to her." Derek whispered.

"She'll be okay." Carolyn said confidently. There wasn't much she could say to comfort him.

Just as Derek was about to speak, Bailey, Callie and Richard came out.

Bailey had tears in her eyes, as did Callie.

"Please tell me she's alive." Derek pleaded.

"Shes..." Bailey trailed off, trying to stop herself from sobbing.

Hey guys! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and hope your all doing well. If you guys have any ideas feel free to let me know. Let me know if you liked this chapter.