Seven Thousand Hours

Chapter 10| Plans

Next chapter you'll get to find out a bit more about their backstories and the story will pick up a bit☺️

"Dr Grey" Derek said as he joined her in the scrub room and began scrubbing in. "Hey" she said quietly. "We've finished your first week, how are you feeling?" He asked before turning to her.

"Tired, excited for my own bed, but I feel on top of everything, not as overwhelmed as I was in the beginning" Meredith smiled as she wrapped her hands in a sterile cloth. "That's good. Yeah, get some rest. Do you have any plans for tomorrow?" He asked as he walked into the OR. Meredith smiled at him. "Probably just chill at home. Everyone is working so maybe I'll go for a walk, get some fresh air" she laughed and rolled her eyes.

"I'm taking Doc up the mountain trail on a run sometime tomorrow, you're welcome to join me if you want" Derek turned to look at her as he adjusted the lights above him.

"You run?" She asked. He nodded. "I'd love to join you and meet Doc. Mostly because I want to meet your dog" she laughed. "He has that effect on people" he rolled his eyes before drawing his attention back to the patient.

"Alright everyone, it's a beautiful night to save lives" he said before making the first incision.

After an hour or two into the surgery, Derek paused. "3 year old kid hit by a drunk driver and now he's here" Derek looked down at the small boy, a tear brimming the corner of his eye. Meredith looked at him hesitantly. "It's alright, he's okay, and we're gonna save him, okay?" Meredith said quietly and she nudged him gently. She was grateful none of the nurses were paying attention.

Derek sighed and straightened his posture. "You're right" he said before carrying on with the surgery.

No less than an hour later, the monitors went into overdrive before sounding out a prolonged beep.

There was a long pause.

"Dr Shepherd, you need to call time of death" Meredith whispered as she stepped back. He shook his head before ripping off his mask and storming out. Meredith looked to the nurses.

"Time of death: 22:52" Meredith mumbled before running out the room, quickly scrubbing out and running down the hallway.

She searched everywhere for Derek before finally accepting he didn't want to be found. She sighed, collecting her things from their office and switching off the light.

She was bothered about him. He was the most emotionless guy she knew, so seeing him tear up worried her.

Her mind was ridden with thoughts the whole drive home. If you told her a week ago that she would be worried about Derek Shepherd, the man that ratted her to Richard Webber, she would never believe you. Over their surgeries, clinical trial organising and coffee breaks, she would go as far as to say that Derek had become a friend of hers and she looked forward to seeing him each morning she woke up in her grotty on-call room.

Once she'd arrived home, she walked straight into the kitchen. There was a pile of dirty pots and dishes in the sink, the counters were disgusting and she was almost certain the trash hadn't been touched since she left. She groaned. She loved her friends, and she loved living with them, but this was just disrespectful and downright rude. She'd left them the house to take care of, not destroy.

She began work of cleaning the kitchen, washing all the mouldy dishes and taking out the trash. Somewhere in that time, her phone beeped but she chose to ignore it as she knew it'd be one of her friends and they were currently the last people she wanted to talk to so she ignored it.

After she'd finished cleaning, she walked upstairs and straight to the shower, grateful that it was warm unlike the hospital ones. She washed her hair and shaved her legs before rinsing herself off and stepping out. She tied her hair up into a towel and applied lotion to her body. Grabbing her phone and all her dirty laundry, she walked down to the laundry room. On the shelf was a flashlight. She laughed to herself, remembering last week when her and Derek sat through that powercut. Once she'd loaded her laundry in, she sat on the dryer and opened her phone

Unknown number: Still up for that run tomorrow at 2? -Derek

Meredith smiled, grateful that he'd contacted her, but she was confused.

Yes of course, meet at the start of the trail?. How did you get my number?

Unknown number: Okay. The night at the bar

Meredith smiled to herself, remembering when she gave him that post-it.

Are you okay?♥️

Maybe it was a risky move sending a heart, but who cares?

Unknown number: I will be.

Okay, apparently him.

She sighed as she jumped off the dryer and walked upstairs. She'd had enough with today and her body was craving her comfy bed. Changing into her pyjamas, she flopped on her bed and closed her eyes, excited for her afternoon with Derek and his dog...