I'm still standing

23

"Ready? I'm gonna lift you, okay?" Derek said and Meredith nodded in response

Derek placed her arms is her lap and lifted her up before placing her in the big wheelchair as she winced in pain

"It's almost over" Derek whispered as he fixed her body in the chair

"Ready? Afterwards we can go home and see Bails" Derek smiled and received a smile from Meredith in return

"We really have to go now" The nurse sounded annoyed

Derek wheeled Meredith to the rehab ward as they started to show them around

Meredith was scared, she didn't wanna end up here, she wanted to stay home with her family but she also didn't wanna be a burden for them

"Here we have the social room. You can stay here in between therapy and bond with other patients" The nurse said

Meredith nodded blankly and shrugged her shoulders a bit as everything below that felt numb and painful at the same time

Once they finished the tour, the nurse gave them some time for themselves to decide what they were gonna do

"Mer?" Derek asked

"It- It's okay" She whispered but didn't dare to look up

"I don't want this. I want you at home" Derek bluntly said and Meredith looked up "Mer, I'm not agreeing on this, I'm sorry"

"Der, it will get worse" Meredith's voice cracked

"We know and we'll be here. Bailey already fixed something for you that you can try.. I'm not the biggest fan but apparently it helps a lot.. he fixed weed cookies, maybe.. just maybe, it will help"

Meredith chuckled a bit "You're serious?" She asked

"I am" Derek laughed "Mer, please.. Come home with me" Derek begged

Meredith nodded and smiled "Thanks.."

"I love you so much, Mer" Derek kissed her lips

...

Derek entered the house with Meredith

"Mom, hi" Bailey hurried himself towards her and hugged her carefully

"Hi, Bails" Meredith chuckled slightly

"I missed you, mom" He whispered

"I missed you too. How have you been?" She asked with a smile

"I've been good" Bailey said but it was clear he was hiding something

"What's wrong, Bailey?" She asked concerned

"Can we maybe sit down to talk about this?" Bailey asked

Derek nodded and carried Meredith from the chair to the couch and took a seat next to her while Bailey sat in front of them while Ellis and Nena sat on the other couch

Derek grabbed Meredith's hand careful in his as Bailey started to speak

"Lisa got a job offer.." Bailey started "In Los Angeles"

Meredith's eyes grew wide

"And there's a hospital with a great program where I would be able to start my internship"

"You too?" Ellis frowned but was held back by Nena

"Lisa really wants this job and now-.." Bailey started

"Bails?" Meredith frowned

"She wants to start thinking about kids" Bailey smiled

Meredith didn't know what she heard. She wanted to step up and go to her room, she wanted to cry, she wanted to run

"Bails, whatever makes you happy!" She said but her voice gave it away that she was upset

"Mom, I know and I really want to be be close to you but Lisa-" Bailey started talking

"Bails, of course it's okay. It's hard, yeah.. But I'm not holding you back" Meredith smiled as some tears pooled in her eyes "I just need a minute to take this in"

Derek gently rubbed her back

"Well, bud.. I don't know what to say but it was kinda to be expected" Derek said "You and Lisa will do great in LA" He smiled

Meredith's eyes were drooping because of the emotional impact this had so Derek decided to bring her to bed for a nap. Once they entered the room, Ellis stood in front of her brother

"What the fuck?!" She yelled "You're leaving?"

"Ellie.." Nena held her back

"You can come fly out and we can come visit-" Bailey started but Ellis interrupted him

"Fly out? Mom can't fly out! Didn't you pay attention? Anything below her shoulders hurts so bad that she can barely use it!" Ellis yelled

"Why didn't you tell me that?" Bailey asked

"Because I didn't know either! Mom doesn't want us to have pity or hold ourselves back because of her illness!"

"So I have to do what she doesn't want me to do?" Bailey frowned

"Maybe without saying you're gonna start a family over there? Maybe picking a better program here in Seattle?" Ellis kept yelling

"Hey! Are you guys done?" They heard Derek's voice as he came closer "We could hear everything" He said as he shook his head "I'm gonna lay down with mom for a few hours" Derek said with tears in his eyes

"Idiot" Ellis muttered and ran upstairs, hearing her mother cry as she passed their bedroom

"I'm going with her" Nena said and followed Ellis upstairs

Bailey nodded and let himself collapse on the couch as he stared at the big and bulky wheelchair his mom was in earlier