A Love That Knows No Boundaries

22.

They arrived at the Red Cross camp in Northern Ethiopia, this camp was very different from the one they were in the DRC, it was bigger but it coupled up as a small refugee camp, which was dealing with an outbreak of Kala Azar near the Eritrea boarder, Derek made sure Meredith knew of the disease but has she told him she had done a lot of research to see what she would possibly have to deal with. Derek also warned her of the occasional outbreak of fighting between the Ethiopians and the Eritreans and warned her to be careful if they were to go anywhere outside the camp, Derek didn't want anything to happen to her, he also warned her about the bandits that roamed the area after dark.

Once they arrived at the camp, Meredith particularly was shocked at how many people were in the camp, Derek had previously worked in the Darfur regions, so he need exactly what to expect, although this camp was on a much smaller scale, they were both aware how the disease could spread so quickly, seeing the conditions in the camp. They were taken straight to their tent, luckily for them the camp had facilities for couples, although that was very rare that couples shared them, but they didn't want to spend another night apart if they could help it. Derek quickly placed their luggage in their tent and went back to where Meredith was standing outside the administrators office, talking to a small French woman who introduced herself as Virginie, she explained in heavily French tones, about the work that they did at the camp, and she was grateful for any help that she could get, the disease was running rife through the camp, and there was nothing they could do about it.

Virginie was elated when she had a telegram from the Red Cross telling her that the MSF was sending a team of doctors, hopefully with enough hands they could get it under control. Has the only camp around this area with any kind of medical facility, so everyone came to them, that they had to turn people away, at least now with a team of doctors, 6 in total; they would be able to treat the black fever that was ravaging them and hopefully get out there to the people who have either been turned away or haven't even come to the camp.
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Meredith worked by Derek's side the whole time, they were in Ethiopia, at the camp. Derek learned from when they were in the DRC that Meredith wanted to be with him every step of the way, and although he wanted to protect her, he had come to realise that Meredith was invaluable to him, in a way he had never noticed before.

Meredith was helping the medics treating the emergency cases, while all the doctors were treating the more poorly patients. Meredith had forgotten how much she enjoyed the basic of medicine, she had always seen it has being what her mother wanted her to do, but she had always enjoyed it, she loved her job has a journalist, but she did feel that maybe there was something missing, she worked tirelessly that day, and thoughly enjoyed it, she never noticed Derek watching her, falling even more in love with her, how caring she was, she was the complete opposite of her mom, it made him so proud. He knew from watching her that she would have made an excellent doctor, he walked over to her, and breathe her in, has she was sat with the young girl, that had brought in on the first day they were there, she was comforting her, Derek gave her a quick kiss on the head. Meredith looked up at him with a tired smile.

"Mer, when was the last time you had some sleep" he asked caringly has he reached out and caressed her cheek"

"Sometime yesterday, I just don't want to leave her, Der, she has no-one" Derek pulls up and chairs, and sits down beside her, taking Meredith free hand in his.

"Mer, why don't you go and get a couple of hours sleep, i will stay with her" he suggests quietly.

"I can't Derek" she said looking at him, Derek can see the love in her eyes has she continues to damp the washcloth, and pat it over her.

"Meredith i want you to go and get a couple of hours sleep, you won't be any good to her, if you have collapsed cause you haven't slept or eaten in days"

"Derek, just answer me one question, than i will go and get some sleep"

"Of course"

"Has she got any chance of surviving this?" Derek heart breaks at the thought of answering her question knowing that is going to cause her more pain. Derek kneel down in front of her, holding her hands.

"Mer, honey, all we can do is making her comfortable, when she was brought in, she had been left untreated for too long, and she is too malnutritioned Mer"

"How long?" Meredith said quietly.

"Hours, maybe a day at the most" he said gently, placing his arms around and holding her tight, has she cried into his lab coat. They stayed like that for a few minutes, until the little girl starts coughing, Derek quickly rolled her onto her side, has Meredith holds her hand, Derek takes his stethoscope to check her breathing, before nodding to Mer who put her on her back and put the oxygen mask on her, Meredith follows Derek outside of the medical tent.

"Derek"

"I am so sorry Mer but she is already having troubles breathing, i think it will just be a matter of hours"

"How do you do it Derek, you seem so unfazed by this"

"Meredith i hate losing patients, i always have, especially losing a child, but out here it is a part of life, and it is even harder, knowing that if they had proper medical care and equipment most of these victims would survive. Back home, i love cutting, i am the best in my field, but when i come out here, i am just another doctor coming out to help, and in a way it is refreshing, you do actually make a difference out here but you also have to accept that you can't save everyone" Derek says to her quietly, Meredith wraps her arms around his waist, and rests her head against his chest, just staying like that, holding each other in the hot sticky air of Ethiopia.

They stay like that until the hear someone calling out Derek's name, from inside the tent, they quickly rush inside the tent to find the little girl has stopped breathing, Derek quickly starts CPR, has the Meredith runs to find the paddles, before handing them to Derek, Derek knows that it isn't going to work, but for Meredith's sake he needs to try. Ten minutes later, Derek shakes his head, and calls time of death, has he covers her up, and Meredith collapses in his arms, he picks her up and carries her to their tent, letting her cry until she falls asleep.