If Im Not In Love

15

Morphine was a gift. That much she knew as Derek drove alone the long and winding country roads. It had never occurred to her how great it had been to be in the hospital, with the morphine. Not to say she didn't want to be out, she was glad to be out of the hospital. But with the screwed up wrist, bad hit to the head, the fall and the two broken wrists, she now understood why she was there for a week.

The whole time she was there, she had wanted to be home, to be out because Morphine was a gift. A happy, flirty, sleepy gift and she wanted more. But now she was given a slightly high dose of pain killers to use for home and she was in pain. Oh how much pain she was in.

She shifted uncomfortably in the front seat, wondering if Brad even cared that his Best Man was taking her to his house, to care for her while he soaked up the Hawaiian sun with his...whatever she was. It didn't matter, Brad wasn't here and all Meredith could do was quietly think about it in her head. Everything hurt, not just the bruises. "I could go home."

"No you couldn't." Derek chuckled, looking over at her before back at the road.

"I could...I've taken care of myself before, you know?" She took in a deep breath, the curves in the road making her slightly nauseated with the mix of the pain.

"I know you can take care of yourself, Mer. But Dr. Bailey said you need somebody around."

"Dr. Bailey is....well I hate Dr. Bailey."

"You love Dr. Bailey."

"Loved...."

"She just wants her best resident back as soon as possible."

"Yeah yeah..." Meredith winced.

"We're almost there."

"I'm fine." She whispered, her eyes wet at the corners from the stabbing pain in her ribcage.

"You can take more medicine when we get there." Derek sighed, looking over at her.

"Are you kidding? I feel great." She laughed weakly. "Not quite Morphine..."

"You're a horrible liar." Derek chuckled.

"I would so go surfing right now..."

"Uh huh." He laughed, rolling his eyes as he pulled up in front of his house.

"Mmm..."

"Let's get you in the house and then I'll get your things."

"Okay..."

"You okay?" He whispered, turning off the car before reaching over and stroking her cheek lightly.

"Yeah..."

"Good." Derek smiled, kissing her forehead softly before getting out of the car and going around to the other side to help her.

"Crap..." Meredith whispered before the door opened.

"Be careful..."

"I'm careful..." Meredith nodded, her curls falling in her face as she moved her feet over the doorway of the car.

"I know." Derek chuckled. She had always been too stubborn to let anybody help her.

"I can walk."

"I know...or else I would have insisted on bringing you home in a wheelchair."

"Stupid doctors..." Meredith winced.

"Ready to let me help you?"

"Shut up." She tried to laugh holding her hand out.

"Take it slowly." He breathed, taking her hand.