A Fight to Remember

Count Down Pt. 2

Meredith

BANG!

The noise rattled in my skull. I clutched my chest. Suddenly a bright light flashed around me.

Oh God, the plane exploded. Oh God! Derek! "DEREK! DEREK!" I have to find him. I have to... he must be in the woods... he's there and he's hurt and I have to find him...

So dark. I can't see. "DEREK! DEREK!"

So many trees. Just a little further. I'm so tired...

POP! CRACK!

"No... No... DEREK!" All I see is trees. Everywhere. So dizzy. Can't breathe. Pressure. Who put vicegrips on my heart? "Oh... oh."

"Meredith!"

"Derek... There you are... I was, I was looking everywhere for you... I can't breathe..." He smiled at me and caressed my cheek.

"It's okay Meredith. Just sit down..."

I nodded and leaned against a tree, sliding roughly down. "Okay... Okay." I feel so weak... so tired. It hurts to speak, to breathe. My ears are ringing.

"Derek?" I croaked. "I think I'm having..." My heart...

I'm so tired. So hot. But Derek wrapped himself around me and stroked my cheek.

"Shh... it's okay. I love you Meredith."

I wanted to tell him that too, but I couldn't speak. I stared into his eyes, his very soul and I knew I didn't have to say it back. He leaned over and kissed me, his soft lips reassuring and safe.

I was safe. I found him and he's okay. He's okay. I'm fine... I'll be just...

xxx

Bailey

Although it's drizzling out, the fireworks lit up the gray sky in amazing bursts of luminesence. Each POP! and BANG! is followed by a gasp from the group of about twenty or so. Every year when we have one of these events, however, I miss dad more. As the next whizbanger lit up the sky, I offered up a prayer to wherever he may be. Dead or Alive.

CRACK!

A tap on my shoulder pulled my gaze away from the show to see Cristina. "Hey, where's Mer?" she asked.

"Uh.." I leaned over to look at the chair mom usually sits in on the deck, but it's empty. "I just saw her a minute ago..." she must be here somewhere.

"Cristina..." Dr. Kepner approached, "Is Mer okay? She looked a little-"

"You saw her?" Cristina asked.

POP! CRACKLE!

Kepner shoved a thumb behind her, "Yeah she was..." but as I looked past her I didn't see Mom anywhere.

Now I started to panic "Guys... she's been trying to wander off at night," and we turned her alarm off tonight.

CRACK-CRACK-BANG!

Mom could be anywhere. I felt a sudden onslaught of sweat and adrenaline. "We have to find her!" I said as I pushed through the crowd. "Mom! Zola! Ellis!"

"What's happening?" Ellis asked, putting down her champagne glass.

"Have you seen mom?"

She shook her head, "Not since Alex got here..."

"Dammit!"

CRACK-A-CRACK!

"Zola! We have to-" I shot a glance at my older sister, and she knows. She nodded with understanding. "Ellis, get Richard, search the house!"