Perfect strangers

Chapter 49

Meredith slowly opened her eyes and lifted her head up. They were meant to be at the hospital but the smoke and broken window screen smacked her back into reality.

"Derek." Meredith moved to undo her seat belt, suddenly feeling claustrophobic. "Derek, what happened?" She sighed as she rubbed at her hand as she attempted to turn to him but was stopped when her leg was trapped.

She turned to Derek and found him slumped against the window, blood pouring from his head and arm, which was clearly trapped between the door and his seat.

"Der, please wake up." Meredith cried she grimaced as a pain shot through her leg but it was nothing compared to the contraction that shook her body.

Once the contraction was over, she sighed with relief knowing that Annie was still happy and healthy in there. But now she had to concentrate on attempting to get Derek awake now.

"Hello, are you alright?" Meredith turned when she heard a voice coming from the window beside her.

"I... I'm in labour." Meredith managed to get out as her eyes darted around her, suddenly feeling overwhelmed. "Plus my leg is stuck and Derek...he won't wake up..."

"Ok, it's going to be ok." The woman smiled. "The ambulances and fire engine are on their way. So I'm going to stay here with you, to make sure you and baby are alright." She said as as she attempted to open the door but was unable to as it was too close to the lamppost.

"I can't..." Meredith screamed out loud as a contraction washed over her body and she had the sudden urge to push. "I need to push, I can't push. I can't give birth in the car." Meredith panicked as her breathing started to become erratic.

"Hey, look at me." The woman said softly which caused Meredith to turn to her with tears streaming down her face. "My name is Carina, what's yours?"

"Me...Meredith." She attempted a smile but stopped when she heard a groan coming from Derek's side. "Derek, can you hear me?"

"What happened?" He groaned as he attempted to move and his eyes finally opened. "I'm bleeding." He said moving his free hand in front of his face.

"Sir please try not to move." Carina insisted. "You was in a car crash, the emergency services are just pulling up now, so just sit tight. Meredith, how are we feeling?" Carina said placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I really need to push, please get this baby out of me!" Meredith screamed as the pain was starting to become unbearable for her.

"Ok, just concentrate on your breathing for now." Carina waved over the paramedics and firefighters. "Maya, you need to get her out. She's in labour and I think she may be fully dilated. We need to move now before she loses that baby."

"Ok, everybody let's get moving!" Maya shouted as they gathered their tools and started getting to work.

It was a fast pace of people coming in and placing neck braces on them before they finally freed Meredith's leg and started getting her out of the car.

"Meredith, you're ok. You've got this." Derek's voice started becoming quieter as he drifted in and out of consciousness.

"I need to push!" Meredith screamed again as she bared down and scrunched her face up, her body automatically pushing at this stage.

"Ok, that's it Meredith, you've got this." Carina encouraged as they cut her trousers off and she moved into position, ready to help deliver this baby. "Just keep pushing and breathing alright?"

Meredith nodded and quickly got her breath back before baring down once again and pushing. This isn't what she ever imagine. Never did she think that she would be giving birth on the side of the road, next to their crushed up car whilst Derek was barely awake.

"You've got this Meredith, I'm so proud of you." Derek encouraged as her heard her scream. He wanted to be there but he couldn't help but think about the ridiculous amount of pain that was consuming his body.

"We are going to get you out of here really soon ok?" Maya said as she stepped up to Derek's window with a encouraging smile on her face. "Then you will get to meet your baby, so just stay awake for me."

Derek nodded his head as he continued to listen to screams and cries coming from Meredith before it all stopped. Then it was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard when the sound of a baby's cries echoed around him. He couldn't help but cry, his daughter was here. She was safe.

Before he knew it, Meredith was wheeled up next to his window, with a now quiet but small bundle of joy in her arms.

"Oh Meredith." Derek cried when his eyes landed on their daughter. "Hey Annie, it's daddy. God, she's beautiful."

"I know." Meredith cried as she looked down and ran her finger over her soft and pink cheeks. "So she needs you to be alright because she needs her daddy. We both need you, so please stay alive."

"I will, I'm not going anywhere." He watched as Meredith was wheeled off to her ambulance before the lights went on and she was on her way to the hospital.

"Please get me out of this car so I can go and be with my family." Derek said with some new found determination in his voice.

"You heard the man! Let's get moving!" Maya shouted.

Any other person would have probably found it overwhelming at the sound of chain saws and metal crushing as they worked to get him out. But he couldn't help but feel relieved as it meant he was one step closer to being reunited with his family and getting to meet his daughter properly for the first time.

He was a father. Now he had to live up to his promise and be there every step of the way for both Meredith and Annie.

"Hey, I don't feel so good." Derek managed to get out as he started to feel light headed as he coughed and blood splattered on to his hand. "That's not good."

"He is bleeding out! We need to get a move on!" The paramedics shouted as everyone started working harder and faster to get him out.

"Tell Meredith I love her and tell my daughter I'm sorry." Derek said as Maya moved in front of him.

"You're going to tell them yourself because you are going to get out of this alive, do you hear me? You're going to go home and spend the rest of you life with Meredith and your little girl. Just hold on for me, we've nearly got you out now." She smiled at him.

Then that was the last thing he remembered as he drifted off into an unconscious state once again. Flashbacks of that morning consumed his thoughts as he remembered back to how excited and happy they were. This wasn't fair, they had already been through so much and this was meant to be a happy and unforgettable moment for them but clearly luck wasn't on their side.

All he knew was that he had to fight harder then he had ever done before so he could finally get home and be with his girls.

But unfortunately this time it was out of his control...

*a/n*
so hate to be doing this but I've got to go to work now so won't be able to upload the next chapter until tonight...sorry...