Against the clock

54.

Derek's pov:

As I stumbled through the sterile corridors of the unfamiliar hospital, my heart pounded like a drumbeat of panic. The memory of the accident replayed in my mind like a relentless nightmare, each moment etched with terror and disbelief.

Frantically, I reached the nurses' station, my breaths ragged and labored. The air seemed thick with urgency as I pleaded for help, my voice trembling with fear. The nurse's eyes widened in alarm as she took in the sight of me, my hands twisted and mangled, bloodied and broken.

'You need help immediately!' she exclaimed, her voice laced with urgency. But her words fell on deaf ears. My only focus, my sole obsession, was finding Meredith Grey. Despite the excruciating pain coursing through my shattered hands, I pushed forward, driven by a desperate need to locate her. Each step felt like a journey through a labyrinth of dread and uncertainty.

Finally, unable to bear the uncertainty any longer, I turned to the nurse, my voice raw with desperation. 'Was she brought in? Meredith Grey, have you seen her? Can you check?' I implored, my heart hammering against my chest.

The nurse's expression softened, sympathy etched into her features as she exchanged a worried glance with her colleagues. 'I'm sorry, I don't know,' she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

With a surge of desperation, I grasped the nurse's arm, my eyes pleading for any semblance of hope. 'Please, you have to say something. Was there anyone brought in with a stomach wound? Someone... someone pregnant who might be in critical condition?' My voice cracked with emotion, the weight of uncertainty pressing down on me like a suffocating blanket.

The nurse's eyes widened in comprehension, her gaze flickering with concern as she processed my words. 'I... I'm not sure,' she stuttered, her voice tinged with uncertainty. 'But I can check for you. Just hold on a moment.' As she hurried away to consult with her colleagues, my heart pounded against my ribcage, each beat a painful reminder of the precious seconds ticking by. The hospital buzzed with activity around me, but all I could hear was the deafening roar of my own fear.

Minutes stretched into eternity before the nurse returned, her expression grave. 'There is a Jane Doe who possibly matches your description,' she whispered, her voice barely audible over the chaos of the emergency room. My heart leaped with a mixture of hope and dread at her words. 'Where is she?' I asked, my voice trembling with anticipation.

The nurse hesitated for a moment, her brow furrowed with concern. 'I am sorry sir. They're prepping her for surgery. No visitors allowed,' she cautioned, her tone heavy with solemnity. My resolve hardened at her words, and I straightened my posture, my hands clenched into fists despite the pain coursing through them. 'I'm a surgeon,' I declared firmly, my voice cutting through the chaos of the emergency room. 'I can help. Please, I need to find her.'

The nurse's eyes widened in surprise, a flicker of uncertainty crossing her features. 'Sir, she's in surgery,' she stammered, clearly taken aback by my insistence. But I couldn't afford to let doubt cloud my judgment. 'Please,' I implored, my voice softening with desperation. 'I need to know if she's okay. If there's anything I can do to help.'

'She's 25, blonde, small, pregnant and...' I struggled to find the words to convey the essence of Meredith. The nurse's eyes widened in understanding, her expression softening with empathy. 'I'll update you if I have any changes, but first let me take care of your hands. They look broken,' she murmured, her voice tinged with compassion.

My patience wore thin as the nurse attempted to divert my attention away from Meredith's condition. 'No!' I snapped, my voice rising with frustration. 'I need to get to Meredith. Now!' The urgency in my tone seemed to catch the nurse off guard, her eyes widening with alarm. But I refused to back down. 'Give me the OR number,' I demanded, my voice firm and unwavering. 'I'm not leaving until I know she's okay.'