Since The Beginning// A MerDer FF//

Chapter 35

Meredith had been in a coma for 3 months now. Ellis stuck around but you could tell she was getting impatient. 

Derek stuck around every day, and their friends and family would come every day but not very long. They were losing hope. Meredith's brain function was decreasing day by day. 

The longer Meredith was under, the more people tried to move on. But with schoolwork coming in the mail and people medaling when they never even cared, it's hard to do.

So right now, Derek was asleep in Meredith's room at eight at night. Carolyn was on her way. And the kids were all faking asleep when they were only thinking if their sister would wake up. The friends were talking on a group chat, Christopher was at work. 

Even if their days went normal, there was always the empty spot on the couch in the shack. Or the missing contact on the chat.

Meredith's room had become dusty and her bed was still unmade. She had little clothes in her closet, having packed them and left them at the old house. 

"Derek," Carolyn whispered. Her voice was soft and her hand pushed his hair back to wake him up. 

"Hmm?" 

"Wake up, dear. We will all come to see her tomorrow."

"Mom, I don't want to leave her. I feel...something. Like she is going to wake up."

"Honey, I love that you are so optimistic, but her brain function is low. You have heard your father's stories."

"Why don't you care?" 

"Believe me, Derek, I care more than it seems. You kids are my everything. I would do anything to be able to shake her and wake her up. But science beats superstition."

"Science is also full of theories."

"Derek, let's go."

"Fine."

"And you will go to bed. You kids can act asleep all you want, I know better."

"How?" 

"I'm a mother."

"fair," he chuckled and they left.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It was three in the morning, nurses had gone home for the most part and the floor was quiet.

Her eyes slowly opened, she had fought so hard to wake up. She fought herself in her sleep forever. And when she wins, she wakes up to no one at her side, a dark room, and the beeping sound in her ear from the monitors.

She was starting to freak out, having a tube down her throat, up her nose, cathetars, wraps. She couldn't remember much. Only that she had seen Thatcher and got hit by a car.

The more she freaked out, the faster the beeping got.

A nurse rushed in and smiled when she saw Meredith awake.

"Hi, Meredith. I'm going to take the tube out, hold on.

The nurse went to grab some equipment and came back.

"Okay, cough for me."

She coughed up the tube and winced at the soreness in her throat.

"Water?"

Meredith just nodded. 

She sipped the water and sighed.

"Okay, Meredith, can you move your toes and fingers for me?"

Meredith did as told. 

"You're function is fine. I will page Dr. Corman, but you seem okay."

"No." she croaked, "page my dad. Wait...nevermind."

"Are you sure?"

"Where is my family anyway?"

"They went home a few hours ago. They are worried."

"It's not our first rodeo."

"I know, I saw the chart."

"Um...has Thatcher visited?"

"Yea, so have your sisters. You have a ton of people on your side."

"To help or betray?"

"Help, and love."

"Mm," Meredith nodded.

"Let me go get the resident in charge of your case. He will page your family."

"Okay, thank you."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Oh my god, I told you!" Derek yelled as he rushed to tie his shoes.

"Shh, it's four o'clock," Amelia groaned.

They headed out the door and headed to the hospital. 

They were all sitting in the room, talking and hugging. 

"So, Mer, your mom is here.." Christopher said.

She just laughed.

"I know."

"We aren't talking about me dear," Carolyn sighed.

"I know. Ellis is fighting for custody. It's something I dreamed of."

"Actually," The resident said as he closed her chart, "I got in touch with the police and filled them in. They gave me papers and I tricked Ellis into signing over custody."

"Are you serious?!" Derek laughed and yelled. 

"Yes, I am. Congratulations."

They spent the rest of the night filling Meredith in.