This is the life

11

"I'm disappointed in you, Meredith." Ellis said sternly

"I don't think this is a neuro case." Derek spat out, hating his mother in law. "I'm paging Bailey, hope she sedates you."

"Mer, I gotta talk to you." Mark stormed inside

"What's wrong?" She frowned

"Come with me, please." Mark reached out for her hand, watching how she painfully got up

Mark walked her to a chair where he could talk to her while Derek found someone to watch Ellis

"Richard needs brain surgery. He won't be able to look after your mom for a while." Mark explained

"I- I'll stay with her at their house then." She nodded, staring at the floor. "How bad is dad doing?"

"He has a brain bleed but it should be okay, we don't expect any permanent damage." He explained

"Can you close him, please?" Meredith asked, still terrified to look at him

"Of course. I'll go scrub in and make sure everything will be okay." Mark kissed her forehead

"You're not staying with your mother." Derek said sternly as he slipped his arms around her

"Yes Derek. Yes I am." Meredith said sternly. "Dad always made me promise I'd look after her if something happened to him."

"Mer, your mother.. No!" Derek said sternly. "What if she pushes you? What if something happens?"

"I can't let her live on her own, Derek." Meredith didn't look up

"We gotta find another solution." Derek said. "I'm not leaving you with her, especially not now."

"Whatever, Derek." Meredith pushed herself up, barely able to as the pain in her back intensified

"Let me help you, please." Derek pleaded softly

"I can do this alone." She snapped and started walking back to her mom's room before she stopped and started sobbing

"Oh Mer-" Derek went to hug her

"I need dad to be okay." She whimpered, her knees about to give out

"He'll be okay, he'll have to stay here a little bit but you heard Mark, they don't expect any permanent damage." He kissed her and scooped her up in his arms, carrying her inside

"I'm sorry, Dr Shepherd.. I had to sedate her." The intern said

"Its okay." Derek nodded and let him leave. He needed to comfort his wife. "Are you okay?"

"My back- And dad-" Meredith gasped for air

"I'll go check on him. You really need to sit down." He placed her down on a chair

"I need everything to finally be okay, Derek." She broke down in his arms

…

Derek was currently sitting with Ellis while Meredith went to see her father

"Daddy.." She whispered, even if he was unconscious and wouldn't wake up before the morning

"We're gonna take very good care of him." Mark walked inside, walking up to his sister

"I don't know what to do with my mother." Meredith admitted, struggling to keep sitting up without tearing up in pain

"Can I help? Maybe I can watch her at their home?" He suggested

"That's sweet.. But she doesn't know you." Meredith shook her head, now wincing as her back pain was getting too intense, making her legs feel all heavy

"A nursing home?" Mark carefully suggested, knowing that's also what Derek wants

"Dad will kill me if he wakes up and hears about it. He will leave even before doctors clear him." Meredith shook her head

"Mer, you're injured, you can't look after her now. Especially not now.. she's dangerous, what if she pushes you?!" Mark got really worried

"What if.." Meredith muttered sadly, she had no idea what to do anymore

"You can't take that risk. Not when your back is full of metal plates holding everything together." Mark shook his head

"I know that." Meredith whimpered, trying to shift a little

"Let me help you up, you need to go lay down." Mark said sternly

"No- I don't think I can stand right now, I- Give me a minute." She pulled away

"I'll scoop you up." Mark announced and carried her to Derek's office where a bed had been placed

"Are you okay?" Derek asked worried

"Sure." Meredith muttered, staring at her mom that was so focused on writing stuff in an empty notebook

"Lay down and rest." Derek kissed her head