Looking at you side ways

27

Derek had thrown the pillow off during his catnap. He was that state of half awake/half asleep consciousness. He smiled slightly as the scent infiltrated his nostrils and his brain.[i] Meredith. Meredith's lavender. She was so close, he could smell her.[/i] He unconsciously reached between his legs and held his cock. He rolled over on his side enjoying his dream. He tried to get the dream back but was starting to wake up. He cracked an eye and saw her across the small space. [i]She was really there.[/i] She was curled up in a fetal position facing him. The blanket had fallen down to her waist.[i] She looked so small, fragile and vulnerable. The guilt was eating him up. He had to apologize to her soon. He had to make her understand his outburst was....whatever it was...he had to make it right.[/i]

He stood up slowly and stretched a little. He glanced at his watch and saw that he had been out for three hours.[i] He hoped Mark had it under control.[/i] He closed the small distance and sat at the edge of her bed. He just stared at her and was glad she was asleep so that he could watch her. He slowly pulled the blanket up and tucked it under her chin. He heard her sigh in her sleep. He didn't hear the door open, but saw the light coming from the hallway.

Whispering, Mark said, "Derek; Are you awake? The pit is getting backed up again. I let you sleep for three hours."

"Yeah; I am up," Derek whispered back.

Mark stepped into the room and could see Mer's sleeping form.

"What you are doing?" Mark hissed.

"Nothing." Replied Derek as he stood up.

Mark whispered, "You know that's creepy right? Watching her sleep all the time."

Derek put his lab coat back on and said seriously, "No it's not."

Mark pulled Derek out into the hallway and gently shut the door so the light wouldn't wake Meredith up.

"Well, at least did you talk? Apologize?"

"No. She wasn't there when I went in."

"Well, I guess I could handle it for a little while more. Wake her up and talk."

"Don't you think I thought about that? For all I know she just fell asleep a few minutes ago. She's exhausted if she is in an on call room. She's always the last one standing out of all of us."

"Yeah. You are right. The baby usually has the best endurance."

They both walked swiftly down the hall towards the pit.

"If she could sleep in the same room with you, maybe it's not so bad."

"Thanks for the encouraging words Mark, but I think she is probably so tired, she just stumbled into an empty room and never saw me."

Mark patted Derek lightly on the back and said, "It will work out."

They pushed the ER doors open and walked in.[i] Derek hoped it would work out. He was feeling physically sick at the things he had said to her. [/i]

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fifteen minutes later, Cristina came in and flipped the light switch on.

"Rise and shine Mer. I have held it together as long as I can."

Meredith woke slowly from the light and Cris's loud voice.[i] She had been dreaming about Derek looking at her lovingly. God![/i] She sat up slowly and thought,[i] get out of my head Shepherd![/i]

She put her legs on the ground as Cris plunked herself down on the bed.

"It's been almost three hours Mer. Do you feel better? You still look like crap."

"Why didn't you get me earlier? I would have been okay with one hour."

"Have you looked in a mirror today?"

Meredith tied her hair back and sighed.[i] If she looked as bad as she felt..... [/i]

"So no sleep last night and it wasn't because you were having radical sex. Were they having radical sex? Cause Shepherd looks awful too."

Meredith stood up and adjusted her pager and phone.

Cristina stood up too and looked closely at Mer. "Wait. Whoa. Did you and McDreamy have sex last night?"

"McDreamy?"

"Yeah. That's what all the females in the hospital call him now. So did you do the nasty with McDreamy?"

"No. Not even close. We had a big fight."

"Is that all? So what's the problem? Roomies always have little tiffs."

She replied softly as she walked out. "IthinkDerekcalledmeawhore."

"He what!" shouted Cris.

"Cris. Please. You are talking too loud. I don't want to talk about it. Okay?" She almost ran to the nurse's station.

Meredith grabbed a chart and handled another to Cris.

"Let's go make people happy and get them out of this place." Meredith walked off down the hall.

Cristina flipped her chart closed and thought to herself,[i] I will kill that asshole![/i]