If that's what it takes

84

Derek sat up. His attention fell upon the three people entering the room as Izzie stood up as well. "I should... I should check on my other patients." Izzie whispered as she excused herself quickly.

Chicken.

Derek touched Zoey's arm as she looked up at the strangers in the room, along with Cristina and she only clung to Meredith tighter. "Doctor Shepherd?" Cristina said softly. Her voice was solemn and sad, her demeanor was broken. "Derek..."

Just tell him. Tell him what's going on, don't hold him hostage here!

Doctor Webber was watching Meredith, her eyes were wide open and they moved with the motion of the people in the room, as if they were taking in each and every solitary inch of them. "Doctor Shepherd." Richard said as he pulled his eyes from Meredith, refusing to look into them. "I regret to inform you that Lexie Grey passed away during the night."

Oh God.

"Lexie..." Derek's breath sucked in, his eyes widened as Meredith's eyes darted to Derek. His face had turned a sickly pale, his mouth hung open slightly as he tried to form a thought, a word, a feeling or even a gesture that could express what he was thinking.

Someone say something. Someone! Derek! Derek, say something!

The room was eerily silent, the sounds of the machines were the only echoes within the walls of the hospital room as everyone struggled with what to say. Everyone but one tiny soul with the heart of a lion, and the resilience of an army of shielded men. "Aunt Crissy... please fix my mommy." Zoey's voice broke through the silence like an arrow hurtling through the air, piercing the bulls eye that was Cristina's heart as she felt a sharp pain as it slammed full force into her willpower.

"Derek, you told her." Cristina whispered as her eyes darted to Derek. She took a step forward and Derek did as well, blocking the little girl from Cristina, blocking Meredith from everyone.

"If Lexie is gone." Derek whispered. "Then I want to talk to my lawyer." He whispered.

"Your lawyer?" Richard said, hearing his voice boom and echo off the walls as he watched Derek stand strong against Cristina, his eyes flashed to Doctor Bailey, who shrugged. "Doctor Shepherd, this isn't any of your concern. This is merely protocol since you have..."

"It is my concern." Derek interrupted. Richard straightened himself as he crossed his arms over his chest. "It's my concern because Meredith is my family... and I'll be damned if you're going to let her die."

"Doctor Shepherd, Meredith's life is just as much of a concern to me as it is to you. She is the daughter of a very close friend of mine, and it has been very hard on everyone who knew Ellis Grey, knowing that..."

"Ellis Grey was the devil, and she deserved to die for what she did to her family." Derek grunted.

Just when I think that I can't like him more...

"Derek!" Cristina exclaimed.

"Doctor Shepherd." Richard said stubbornly.

"It's Derek." He replied. "I'm Derek when I'm in this room. This is not my job, this is my family." He said with a stubborn scowl, his jaw clenching in anger. "I want to speak to my lawyer about this situation..."

"Derek." Cristina said as he stood strong against the bed, his body blocking view of Meredith and Zoey. "You have to let Doctor Webber take a look at Meredith." She whispered.

"No one is touching Meredith until this surgery is agreed upon." Derek said as he glared at Cristina. "I'm sick of the mind games. I'm sick of the bureaucratic bullshit. I'm sick of the dancing around the truth and the pretending that everything is just going to miraculously become better." Derek argued. "No one touches Meredith until I talk to my lawyer and I get this straightened out." He said as he held them all hostage as they stood around the bed. Derek pulled out his cell phone as he reached his hand back and felt a tiny hand grasp his as Zoey pulled herself up as she watched each and every person in the room. Her gray eyes were inquisitive and concerned as she held Derek's hand in support, while holding Meredith's hand with her other.