Had I known How to Save a Life

On Top of the World

Chapter 47
*Meredith POV*

What defines us, not only as surgeons but as people, is what we do to get to the top. What did we do to get where we are? Did we kiss ass and go the easy way? Did we push ourselves to the breaking point? Climbing to the top of that mountain is one hell of a climb. But standing on top of the world, that makes it worth it.

Derek was nominated for the Harper Avery award. I can't admit that I'm jealous. Cristina was nominated too. I want them both to win. But there can only be one winner. They both deserve it.

We're leaving in 3 hours to fly to Boston. The award ceremony is tonight. Cristina is flying out there with us. I've been trying to help Derek write his speech but he insists on the fact that he's got something special planned.

Bailey runs through the house naked. "Derek Bailey Shepherd! Put your clothes on right now!" I yell.

Cristina begins to laugh at the fact my son is running around naked. Derek wants to bring the kids to Boston for the award ceremony. So I'm trying to make sure they have everything they need.

"Cristina, have you seen Derek?" I ask her.

She begins to laugh a little. "So you know how you said 'We're not going into work today', while you were in the shower he...uh yeah."

"Are you kidding me?!" I say.

I call Derek on the phone and tell him to get home right now. He told me he was just there for an incoming trauma to do a nuero check. Yeah right.

He gets home finally. "Mommy can I bring my koala bear?" Zola asks me.

"Well sweetie, we're going to a very special award ceremony tonight for daddy and aunt Cristina. So your koala bear will have to stay at the hotel."  I laugh.

"Good enough. He wants to go to Boston." She smiles.

I get the kids all in the, Bailey and Ellis are both in car seats. And we head to the airport.

The traffic is terrible. There was an accident. Of course we didn't get paged because Hunt specifically asked for the 3 of us not be paged.

"I have a short cut, don't worry." Derek says.

I think for a moment. "Whoa whoa whoa, is the same short cut that you almost died on?" I ask.

He laughs a little, "Would that be a bad thing? I mean, I walk across the cat-walk that I got shot on every day." He says.

"Not funny." I say. I stare out the window and can only imagine what the scene looked like.

"Daddy you got shot?" Zola asks innocently.

Derek and I both look at each other. Trying to figure out how to explain this. "Good lucky with that." Cristina says from the back seat.

"Yes sweetie. I was shot. A very long time ago. Before, your mommy and I even adopted you." He says.

"And I saved your daddy's life." Cristina adds. It's true, she operated on him with a gun to her head. All I did that day was tell a shooter to shoot me and have a miscarriage.

We get the air port quickly. I guess this is a short cut. We all get onto the plane. My heart begins to race. This plane won't crash. This plane will not crash. I tell myself.

Derek can see the fear in my eyes and he kisses me and holds my hand. I take a nap on the plane and its nice. Until there's some turbulence.

Zola gets scared, Derek calms her down by telling her, "Just look out the window. We're on top of the world Zo-Zo."

Once we land a van picks us up from the airport. The driver takes us to the hotel. The first thing Zola does is place her koala bear in a bed and tuck it in. It's little things like this that my kids do that makes smile.

We start getting ready for the ceremony. We're all joking and talking about the other nominees. We've all read the research. There's no way Cristina or Derek don't win.

"Why do you think I was nominated? I mean there's no way I'll win." Derek asks me.

"I don't know. Maybe you could win, maybe Catherine Avery realized that it's not about the politics and it's about the medicine." I tell him and I give him a quick kiss.

We head over to where the ceremony is. I love Boston, it's where I grew up. But that was a lifetime ago.

We try and keep the kids on a leash so people don't think we're raising banshees. The 3 of us make small talk. Although, I'm kind of third wheeling because it's just people asking Cristina and Derek about their research.

"The ceremony is just about to begin," a man in a suit tells us. We go to the banquet room.

"No matter what, you're my winner." I whisper into Derek's ear. He smiles, "I love you."

They do all that stuff before the winner is announced. Talk about how all the nominees are the face of medicine. Then the moment we've all been waiting for.

"Tonight's Harper Avery Award ceremony is, unprecedented. What will happen tonight may never happen ever again. Get ready." Catherine begins.

I hold Derek's hand and Cristina's. My heart begins to beat out of my chest. "The winner, of the Harper Avery Award, is Dr. Cristina Yang." She continues. Immediately following that, before we can even react.

"And, Dr. Derek Shepherd." She finishes.

"Daddy you won! And Aunt Cristina!" Zola yells.

The three of us look at each other. Shocked. Derek and Cristina both walk to the stage. And Catherine begins to explain, "The both of yours research was far too outstanding for only one surgeon to receive the award."

Derek gives his speech first, "I think I'm standing on top of the world right now, to be honest. I can't begin to explain my gratitude for receiving this award tonight. First and foremost, I need to thank my wife, Dr. Meredith Grey. She keeps me going, she reminds me that no matter how dark it gets the sun will always rise again. I wouldn't be anywhere without her. I wouldn't have the life I have, the 3 beautiful children I have, the job I have. Meredith, I love you and I just wanted everyone in this room tonight to know that." This part of his speech makes a tear fall from my eye. And I keep on smiling. His speech continues with the parts I helped him write about the medicine and the hard work.

Cristina begins hers but I think she's winging it. "I had a different speech planned. But now I want to tell you a story. Once upon a time, Meredith and I were residents at Seattle Grace Mercy West. And one day, a man walked into our hospital with a gun. And I'm sure most of you heard that on the news or wherever. I operated with a gun to my head. And then I quit. I gave up being a doctor. Until the day, there was a shooting at a school. And someone was dying. And I realized now that, that's the reason why we're all here. We were trying to save someone's life." She continues by talking about her conduits.

I can't believe they both won. Like Dr. Avery said, this will probably never happen again. Derek and Cristina come back to the table with smiles that nobody could wipe away.

He whispers into my ear, "We're standing on top of the world." And I pull him in for a long kiss.

When you reach the top and you see the view, it's worth. When you can finally take that breath of relief and say, "I made it."

Author note:

Once again, me and my crazy ideas. I hope y'all liked this update. I've been super busy, school started on Monday and on top of that I have drivers ed on virtual school. I'm going to try and update as much as I can. I really like the classes I'm taking this year (I've fallen in love with chemistry omg)! Anyway, here's that update that was supposed be up a few days ago! I love you!

-Erin :)