Save My Life

Chapter 6

He strained as he sat up and looked at the door. It was well past midnight when he started to walk to his door, yanking his IV behind him. He opened his door and looked around. The lights were bright in the hallway but there was no one around. It was 3 AM and he shut the door behind him, trying to breathe quietly. He walked forward and felt his body yank backwards and he saw the ceilings again.

"Derek?" She said, seeing him fall. She caught him but he was too heavy and knocked her down too. He groaned as she helped him up. "What did you think you were doing, you idiot?!" She almost screamed as he held him up against the wall, her hands on his lower chest. She felt the abs against her fingertips and she knew that he had lost even more weight.

"Leave me alone, Meredith." He sighed softly.
"What is going on?" She asked, stepping up closer to him.
"I can't stay in that room, cooped up like that." He said.

"I want to go on a hike. I want to take a shower." He whispered, "I want to be able to walk down the hall without losing my breath, I want to be able to squeeze toothpaste on my goddamn toothbrush. I want to be a surgeon again... a person again."

She watched tears fill his eyes and closed her eyes, sighing deep and nodding.

"Let's go." She said, holding his hand. He followed her willingly, and she went as slow as he needed her to. Moving at a snails pace, he was panting heavily by the time they rested in the elevator.

"Where... are... we.... going?" He asked breathlessly.
"Close your eyes, and just let me help you." She said.

The elevator only took them so far and she made him walk up a staircase, just one flight, but it was still hell.

Another hour and she had worked him to a heavy sweat. His shirt was soaked when they reached the door at the top of the stairs.

"Meredith, please," He begged, "no more."
"We are here." She said, opening the door, look.
"Where?" He asked, opening his eyes.

"I know you can't leave the hospital and you desperately want to go, and I know that this isn't a ferryboat or anything special, but..."

"Perfect." He said... "It's so perfect."

He hobbled over to the edge of the roof, gripping it tightly. The stars shone above their heads, blanketing the world until it was just them. She watched him smile and breathe in the fresh air. He laughed until his chest hurt and he coughed and she rubbed his back through his wet shirt.

"Meredith, this is..." He said, gazing into her eyes. He shook his head and stared at her lips.

"Dance with me."

"What?" She asked, untangling her eyes with his.
"I should have asked at the prom." He replied.
"What?" She asked again quietly.
"Dance with me." He said again, softer now.

She let him take her hand and unhook his IV before wrapping his arm around her waist. His body was a scorching temperature and she rested her head against his shoulder. He didn't have to ask and she swayed with him in the night.

Her arms went up and wrapped around his neck and for a moment, it felt as though everything was right with the world. They were looking into each other's eyes and she was about to pull away when his lips came crashing into hers.

She felt her heart jump and her stomach drop to the ground. Her body raised itself on the tips of her toes and she felt him grip her waist tightly as he pulled her body to his. Her tongue was in a trance, bending and flexing with his while he kissed her. Her fingers found his hair and she gently curled it between them.