Love gives hope

Chapter 13 "dude is toast"

Meredith's Point-of-View

"You're looking tired this morning." My mother greeted me right after rounds, "Up late with an oncology patient?"

I rolled my eyes and sighed, "I was monitoring his urine output."

"Oh, right and let me guess it's just fine."

"Actually, I'm concerned." I sighed, "He isn't putting out as much as he is taking in. He puts it off until he is in pain. I know that, not just because I am one of his doctors, but because I have spent more than a minute in his room noticing his facial expressions. That, mother, is called being a human. Much the opposite of your robotic method."

She pursed her lips and inhaled sharply; I knew that meant she was pissed but cared too much about her dignity to verbally ream me in the middle of the hallway.

"I care about my patients."

"Well, I think he needs a CT."

"Then get him a CT." she breathed.

"I apologize for being late Dr. Grey." Alex breezed up behind me, "What did I miss?"

"You missed possible OR time Dr. Karev." She barked, "You'll be lucky if that changes any time soon. Surgeons who are tardy for their work lose patients, and losing patients looks bad on the hospital, if you want to work in a place that is alright with lots of dead people, go work in a morgue."

"I apologize," Alex stuttered, "Please, give me a way to make it up."

She pinched her brow in thought and let out a sigh through her flared nostrils, "Help Meredith with her oncology patient. Do a good job and you might be allowed in the gallery."

"What?!" I gasped "No I..no Alex can't help me, I mean he, I don't need his help. It's just a little CT. He's my patient, and he's used to me."

"Well, your patient is at one of the top three hospitals in the country and he is fighting a disease that will put him in the hands of many doctors. So, use Dr. Karev to teach him that you won't be the only face he'll see before he leaves here."

Before I could say more, she turned and stormed off. I let out a groaning sigh as I flashed Alex a glare. God, could the guy be on time for once in his career? Did he not realize that he was a surgeon.

"So, what's your deal with this secret patient guy?" He asked, following me along like a lost puppy dog, "Are you trying to hide some history making surgery inside him?"

"No." I muttered, "he's just a patient that I've taken special interest in, and I don't want anyone screwing anything up."

"Is that girl code for you have a huge crush on this guy and you don't want anyone finding out about it."

"Alex." I hissed as I stopped outside Derek's room, "This guy has been through hell. He's been crawling through it on his hands and knees for the last 10 years and is begging for death. He's not the guy that deserves to die. He's an asset to society, a huge freaking asset to society, so we cannot let him die. At this point, the only thing that will save him is his will to live. If you do anything that will in any way inhibit his desire to live, I will seriously go scalpel happy all over your ass."

I straightened up and sucked in a deep breath as I left him to ponder my threat.

"Wow, Izzie wasn't kidding. You really have a thing for this guy."

"Just shut up and stand back." I muttered, "You get to hug the wall today."

I rolled my eyes and turned around and put on a smile as I opened the door. Derek looked up at me and his face lit up, I can't say mine didn't do the same I just turned to make sure Alex couldn't see it.