Love is a game

20

"Meredith, we're sorry. Four days have passed but it's only been getting worse" Amelia explained

"Amy- There must be something you can do.." Derek frowned

"I'm sorry" Amelia shook her head

"Can I see the scans?" He then asked

"No. I don't want that. Are you in for all of this with me or not?" Meredith asked as she felt vulnerable. Over the past days they had grown closer again even if the days were filled with sadness as she felt the numbness slowly take over more and more of her lower body

"Of course I'm in" Derek frowned and grabbed her hand

"What's next" Meredith turned her head back to Amelia

"I don't think the paralysis will completely leave again. At least not without extended PT" Amelia softly explained "Maybe we should look into some something that will need to help you in your daily life from now on" Amelia rubbed Meredith's upper arm

"Don't I have enough of them already" Meredith referred to everything she had needed already in the past years such as a shower chair, a cane, tools to help her get dressed, special cups for when her hands refused to work and many other things

"I'm sorry Meredith, but you'll benefit from a wheelchair. We discussed this before already. A cane didn't help you enough and now you can't even feel the biggest part of your legs, it will be your best shot to have a valuable life" Amelia explained

"Hmm"

"Mer, it's the best for you" Derek brushed his fingers through her hair

"But what does that mean? With my fibro?" Meredith quietly asked

"You mean for strength?" Amelia asked and watched as Meredith nodded "There are regular chairs that you need to push but they have a motor. So if you push you don't actually need to use a lot of power. It's used for quadriplegics and I think it would be a good chair for you, I don't think you'll want a full motorized wheelchair?" Amelia asked and Meredith heavily shook her head

"We can look into it as quick as possible so you can head outside again" Derek promised her "Maybe do it now before Ellis arrives" He quietly suggested

"How do I tell Ellie?" Meredith frowned at her ex husband

"I can help telling her if you'd like" Derek suggested

"No. I have to tell her by myself" Meredith breathed

"I'll let you two now and I would advise you to look into it as soon as possible" Amelia left

"Let's start by looking at them" Derek opened his computer and write down a website he often showed at his own patients

"Derek- Maybe I need to do this alone" Meredith sighed, not wanting him to know the real reason

Despite her years of working as a surgeon and her mother passing away, she had to be careful with her money. The adjustments to her house were expensive while she also had made sure there was enough money for Ellis to pay her school and other things

"Mer, accept my help" He sighed and started scrolling

Meredith almost gasped as she saw those prices

"Maybe a regular one will do, without the motor" Meredith quietly spoke up

"You heard Amy. You know it would be better for you to take a motorized one" Derek tried to reason

"Derek-" She sighed "I-"

"Meredith, what's going on?" Derek frowned

"Nevermind" She sighed

"Here, this one?" Derek started checking out all the details and Meredith actually wanted to agree but it was one of the most expensive ones and she knew if she did so that she would have a hard time paying for other things especially if these things would keep her from work for a bit

Was a wheelchair worth more than her daughter?

"I think I'm gonna take a nap" Meredith sighed

"Okay. I'll go see where Ellis and Poppy are" Derek tucked her in and left the room but before he went to find them he quickly ordered the wheelchair for her and paid for it

...

Meredith woke up and Ellis was wrapped in her arms. She was thinking about what she had to do with the wheelchair. She could take a rental chair but she also knew it wouldn't give her any freedom and chance to do things by herself

"Mer?" Derek called out but she was too deep in thoughts

"Mommy? Daddy's talking to you" Ellis kissed Meredith's cheek

"Oh sorry" Meredith looked up "Derek, what did you say?"

"We got you something" He smiled. He arranged that they would deliver her the wheelchair today. He had made some calls to make sure she'd get it as soon as possible and for the world renewed surgeon they wanted to make an exception

"Mommy, it's really really cool" Ellis smiled and kissed her cheek

"Hmm" She nodded but knew she couldn't stand up

Poppy came over to lick Meredith's fingers as she felt her being distressed

"Okay, just wait here" Derek smiled and opened the door. Alex pushed the wheelchair into the room

"Derek?" Meredith panicked

"Meredith, this one is perfect for you" Derek smiled

Alex noticed Meredith's distress as Poppy started to get worried and kept licking Meredith's fingers

"Hey, this is great. This will give you back some independence" Alex grabbed her hand in his own

"Alex- You know- Financial!" Meredith quietly whispered so no one else would hear, especially not Ellis

"I can help" He rubbed her back but she was fighting her tears, she was so scared she would start crying with everyone around

"Do you wanna try it out?" Derek asked

"Go ahead. I'll help you with this" Alex scooped her up and placed her in the wheelchair

"Oh" Meredith gasped. She hated this. She couldn't walk easily before but this made it feel all too real

"Meredith?" Bailey walked inside "Oh- I'm sorry" Bailey gasped as she was followed by a whole group of interns

Meredith began to have issues breathing, her breath coming in sharp and fast. She felt her hands shaking, Poppy came running towards her and indicated to everyone that she had started to panic

"Okay, everyone out!" Alex instructed and Ellis was frozen in her spot

"Ellie-" Meredith quietly whispered and her daughter ran towards her, climbing onto her mother's lap

"Love you, mommy" Ellis whispered and kissed her mother's cheek

"Love you too, El" Meredith hugged her daughter tight to her chest

"It's okay, Mer" Derek rubbed her back

"Ellie, why don't you go get something to snack with uncle Alex?" Meredith whispered

"Come on, little one. We're gonna get something to eat and drink" Alex helped her off Meredith's lap and took her outside of the room

"Mer?" Derek kneeled in front of her

"Stop-" Meredith breathed hard "You can't do this, Derek. You can't order a wheelchair without asking me, this was a lot of money!"

"Mer, I paid for it" Derek frowned

"You can't. We're divorced, you can't make decisions for me" Meredith started tearing up

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to help you" Derek rubbed her back

"I know" Meredith sighed

"Maybe you and Ellie can go for a walk when they're back. It will be good for you to go outside" Derek rubbed her arm

"Yeah" She shakily breathed

Today really wasn't good at all. Everything went terrible, my teaching was I think the worst I've ever done and yay me this was the final evaluation. Some shit with my roomie and stuff so sorry for ranting, I'll probably take a long and steamy shower in a bit but first prepare my teaching for tomorrow for my other subject bcs its the last evaluation as well. I hope y'all liked this chapter