Seven Thousand Hours

Chapter 13| Sparkly eyes (part 1)

"So how are things between you and McDreamy? Any McSex yet?" Cristina said nonchalantly as she scribbled something down as her, Meredith and Izzie were all stood at the nurses station. "No of course not! Dereks a friend, a really good one as well." Meredith said as she spun side-to-side on the chair, rolling her eyes. "Well I think it's sweet. There's not many guys that would give up their time like that" Izzie smiled at Meredith, who just rolled her eyes.

Meredith's phone began ringing, breaking them all from the conversation. "He's a good guy, why ruin it?" Meredith said before picking up the phone.

"Derek? Yeah- yeah- um- sure i can do- okay- okay I'll be right down- okay- bye Der" Meredith said before hanging up and staring at her phone. "He said he wants to meet me in the parking lot?" Meredith mindlessly said before standing up. "Ooo, car sex, and just when I think you're boring, you rise" Cristina chimed in with a laugh. Izzie hit her shoulder before Meredith rolled her eyes and walked away.

She walked down the stairwell and as she turned the last corner, she went flying into someone.

"Dr Webber? I'm so sorry I wasn't paying attention" Meredith said as she tried to help him up, but he pushed her away. With too much force, she stumbled over her own feet and fell backwards and hit her head on the metal handrail.

"Pay attention, Dr Grey!" Richard said before walking past her and out the door, leaving Meredith on the floor. Meredith whimpered as she brought her hand to the back of her throbbing head.

Blood.

She pushed herself against the wall and applied pressure to her head, shaking as she did. After taking a moment to breathe, she pushed herself up and slowly descended the last flight of stairs. Momentarily looking behind her, she saw drops of blood following her. She squeezed her eyes shut, taking a deep breath. Instead of walking through the hospital, she darted out the fire exit and straight into the parking lot to find Derek.

"Hey!" He shouted cheerfully as he waved at her from the back of the parking lot, clearly not seeing her bleeding head. Meredith began to cry; not only was the pain rushing to her head but she couldn't believe what just happened.

"Derek" she whispered before she slowed down and cried more. She just needed someone in that moment and she was glad it was Derek. She stopped in the middle of the parking lot, leaning over to prop herself up on her knees. Derek frowned at her from afar, unsure of what she was doing.

At the same time he noticed her holding her head, he heard her crying in the early morning silence of this seemingly mundane Monday. He jogged towards her before running when he saw the blood. "Meredith!" He explained as he reached her, wrapping his arm around her waist to prop her up.

He brought her to the trailer he'd parked up, bringing her inside. Once she sat down, he crouched in front of her. "What the hell happened?" He said as he gently moved her hand away from her head. Blood began trickling through her hair and pouring down her neck. "Okay Meri, we need to get you into the hospital and get this checked out." He said as he stood to help her but she grabbed his wrist.

"Please no. Just help me here. Don't make me go inside, please!" She begged before reaching a sob in her chest. Derek saw a look in her eyes, telling him he should listen, so instead he looked around frantically for something to compress her head with. "Apply pressure for a moment, Meri" he said as he dashed to the bedroom and ripped off his pillowcase. "Place this on it" he said as he pressed it to the wound.