Till Death Do Us Part

6

Before she could make a decision the door opens, Meredith tries to stop her tears but it's too late the person in the door way hears her crying,
Meredith hadn't even realised she hadn't turned on the light, suddenly light fills the room and Meredith's eyes meets a pair of crystal blue eyes,
"Meredith is that you?" The soft voice asks
As Meredith looks up she realises is Arizona standing in the door way,
"Yeah," Meredith replied trying her best not to cry,
"Oh Meredith, honey are you ok?" Arizona asks bending down next to Meredith reaching out a hand to rest on Meredith shoulder, but Meredith flinched away not letting Arizona touch her
"Please...don't touch me," Meredith manages to say slowly winning against the tears
Arizona is super concerned, it's only then she starts to notice how red Meredith's arms are and the heat coming of the intern.
"I won't touch you but can I help you?" Arizona asks knowing something isn't right
"I um..I...have...Derek...Con..um...I..." Meredith tries but can't get the words out, her breath quickly and shortening,
"Shh shh, Meredith it's ok, look at me, in...and out... in...and out, in..out that's it's good girl," Arizona managed to calm Meredith stopping her hyperventilating
"Now what's going on I promise I won't touch you did Derek hurt you?" Arizona asked fearing the worst
"No, um I," Meredith paused to take a deep breath
"It's ok take your time," Arizona cooed sitting gently on the bed beside Meredith careful not to touch her.
"No Derek didn't hurt me, we just got in a fight and I was upset so I left but I accidentally grabbed his woollen jacket which is on the floor over there I didn't mean to but my skin is reacting to it and it was aggravated by the heat blaring in the car," Meredith started to explain, but Arizona looked at her slightly puzzled
"Oh um there is a lot going on and I'm tired but I got diagnosed with Skin Dermagraphia and it reacted to the wool on my skin then Derek had the heat on in the car and that aggravates it so it was worse that is why I don't want you to touch me it's sore and itchy and really hot" she said tears starting to form in her eyes,
"Um Derek and I were fighting about um.. well.." Meredith continued but Arizona could see she was fighting back tears,
"It's ok you don't need to keep going," Arizona stopped her, "you can tell me more when your not in so much pain, I can see your in pain and I can't imagine how you feel, how can I help." Arizona continued smiling at Meredith,
As she spoke Meredith felt her body relax she'd been worried Arizona would judge her,
"Um I don't know it's just really itchy and the sheets are irritating my skin as well and so where my jeans that's why I took them off, I don't know Arizona, normally I would have soft clothes in my locker but I um wore the last pair home two days ok, um so there isn't anything, I don't know" Meredith sighed, sitting up slightly
"Ok, can I ask some questions so I can help?" Arizona asked
Meredith just nodded,
"You said the heat aggravated it does the cold help?" Arizona asked and Meredith nodded,
"Ok, perfect do you reckon you can walk somewhere?" Arizona asked and Meredith nodded again,
"Perfect, and last question have you had any antihistamines today?" Arizona asked and Meredith shook her head,
"Ok that's perfect, first step is to help ease your symptoms, do you reckon you can bear to put your jeans back on just briefly?" Arizona asked, Meredith hesitated for a moment then nodded,
"Ok then let's do that, and we can go to the attending lounge where you can have a nice cold shower to help ease your skin then I'll take care of the rest." Arizona explained smiling
"The attending lounge? I'm only an intern," Meredith objected the last thing she needed today was to get in trouble,
"It's ok, no one will have an issue with it I promise plus it's the closest," Arizona explained,

It didn't take long to get Meredith to the attending lounge, and into the shower, she sighed in relief as the cold water hit her warm skin immediately helping to relieve the pain and itching, when she was done she excited the shower wrapped in a soft towel Arizona had left her,
"Hey how are you feeling?" Arizona asked, smiling as she saw the smile on Meredith face.
"Much better," Meredith smiled,
"Good now, here are some scrubs I know they aren't the most comfortable thing but they were the softest thing I could find on short notice, sorry." Arizona explains passing Meredith the scrubs,
Once Meredith was changed she left the attending's lounge with Meredith not really sure where they were going but trusting Arizona.
"I hope this helps" Arizona said entering the on call room to reveal a bed made up with fluffy sheets and a blanket,
As she saw it Meredith eyes started to tear,
Arizona immediately froze she thought she was going the right thing,
"Meredith what's wrong I can change it I thought the soft sheets would help, but I can't get rid of them" she explained frantically she'd just wanted to help the younger women she hated seeing her in pain.
"No Arizona I'm happy, I um...I've never had someone just accept that I needed something different there has always been a catch or something." Meredith explained smiling at Arizona.
"Oh, well it's just the right thing to do you can't help the conditions you have no one should treat you negatively just because you need something specific." Arizona explained smiling, "Here I also got you some water and an anti-histamine"  she said passing Meredith the cup and tablet.
"Thank you Arizona, this really means a lot, don't you have work you need to do you shouldn't be spending all this time on me." Meredith said sitting down on the bed, her body relaxing as she felt the soft sheets.
"No I finished just before I saw you, I was just too tired to drive home safely so I thought I'd sleep here instead do you mind if I use the other bed?" Arizona asked
"No of course not Arizona," Meredith said smiling, as she laid down in the bed.
Arizona did the same smiling at the younger blonde who was now facing the wall, she laughed silently to herself as she saw the scrub pants fall to the floor,
"Sorry I can put them back on if it makes you uncomfortable," Meredith said realising what she'd done
"No it's fine," Arizona laughed, "as long as your comfortable"
"Thanks this one's more a a sensory thing but it helps me sleep," Meredith explained before rolling to face the wall.
Soon soft snores filled the room, Arizona quickly jumped up to lock the door before falling into the bed herself and letting sleep take over.