Seven Thousand Hours

Chapter 35|Ultimatums

A few days had passed since their New Year fiasco and Derek was stood in Richard's office, trying to convince him to give him and Meredith a few days off for their vacation and D.C visit.

"Look, I don't see what the problem is, Richard. She's tired, she's exhausted. I'm tired and exhausted. Just give us a few days off. It doesn't affect anything" Derek said frustrated. "But why do you both need the time off at the same time? You're not married, you're not together, so my only thought is that you're looking for another job and as much as you are out on your ass once Dr Grey passes her boards, you aren't leaving this hospital until then!" Richard began to grow angry. Derek frowned. He thought by now maybe word would have gotten around about him and Meredith but clearly not.

"You only want her here so you can claim her as one of your achievements and give something to Ellis. And I'm not going to let you do that because she's worth so much more than being your trophy." Derek said matter-of-factly. "I decide what happens with Meredith Grey, you hear me? If I say no vacation, I say no vacation." Richard spat.

Derek wasn't exactly sure what came over him in that moment, maybe incensed rage, but anyone treating Meredith like his property filled him with a new kind of anger. She could handle herself, but he wasn't going to let her be spoken about like that whilst she wasn't there to defend herself. Richard had continually pushed the boundaries with both Meredith and Derek over the last few months and Derek had enough.

"No, I don't fucking hear you" Derek sneered before bawling his fist. He wanted nothing more than to punch Richard, but he knew it would upset Meredith, and that was the last thing he wanted. "What do you want, Shep!" Richard warned. "I want you to give Meredith 5 days vacation." Derek said sternly but Richard just shook his head and laughed.

"Maybe I'll do you a deal: I'll give you your vacation days if you get Meredith in here to talk to me" Richard began to bargain. "You've got to be joking" Derek laughed. "Meredith wouldn't come anywhere near you, even if I dragged her in by her heels. She hates you, so let it go" Derek said as he made his way to the door, knowing he wasn't making any progress.

Just as he was about to leave, Richard stopped him. "I've got Mark Sloan and Addison Montgomery both applying for head of departments here at Seattle Grace. If you take those vacation days with Meredith, I will hire them. If you don't go, I won't call them back. It's your choice, Derek. Is a vacation really worth bringing your ex-wife and best friend back to the place you love?" Richard asked.

Derek stood frozen at his words. Mark and Addison, it's been a while since I last thought of them. Derek straightened himself out, glaring one last time at Richard before storming out the door.

Derek walked out onto the catwalk and leaned up against the railings as he watched over the hospital. The thought of Mark and Addison coming to Seattle to work was enough to make his stomach churn. He'd worked so hard to get back to a good place after they nearly destroyed him. He'd built a new life in a new city, new friends and even found love. He didn't want to lose that because this place had become his sanctuary, his eye of the storm.

"Hey!" He heard Meredith call as she walked over to him. "We have surgery in 5 minutes. I came to find you, you weren't answering my pages" she said as she leaned against the railings with him. "Yeah, just got sidetracked sorry" he said before standing up straight. "Let's get this surgery done" he mumbled before glancing at his watch.

They walked down the hall in silence and made it down to the scrub room. "2 year old boy with a cerebral aneurism" Meredith sighed as they began scrubbing in. "Yeah" Derek whispered as he focused on his hands. "Are you okay? You seem down" Meredith asked him gently. "I'm fine." Derek said curtly before moving to walk into the OR. "Okay?" Meredith said as she followed behind him.