What if

Mid April 2020 (pt 2)

(Derek POV)

I finally check up on my final patient, eager to go home. I pull off my safety gear and hurry out of the ward. It's nice to be able to walk around somewhere other than that one area. I walk out to my car when I see someone collapsed in the middle of the parking lot, looking unconscious. I get a little closer and then I realize that I know that honey blonde hair. I run over. "No no no no. Meredith!" I say. I hurry over to her and bend down. I immediately notice that she's unconscious. I feel for her pulse. It's weak and thready, but it's there. "Get me a gurney and rapid response oxygen now!" I yell. "Hurry!" I add. People scatter everywhere.  "It's okay Mer. Your gonna okay. Your alright." I say, even though she's unconscious. My mind races at what could be wrong with her. I'm pulled out of my thoughts when a nurse runs out with a gurney and supples. "Okay let's get her up. 1, 2, 3." I say. We lift her up almost effortlessly and put her small form on the gurney. I grab the oxygen mask and place it over her face. "Let's go!" I yell. We push her into the COVID ward, met by Bailey and Cristina. "What the hell happened?" Bailey asked. "I don't know. She said she was going home. I found her collapsed in the parking lot." I explained.

(Bailey POV)

I run down to the COVID bay for a 911 page. I'm met with Meredith on a gurney and Derek pushing it. "What the hell happened?" I asked. Derek explained whag happened. "Okay, get her into a bed and we need to run her blood ASAP." I ordered. The nurse took her blood and ran off to labs. As I was checking her respiratory sounds, I heard a low moan. I looked up to see Meredith groaning. "Meredith, what hurts?" I asked gently. "Uhhh." She moans in pain. "Meredith. Meredith." Derek said trying to calm her down. She finally focused her gaze towards Derek. I could see the tears welling in her eyes. "Che-chest." She choked out. I quickly used my stethoscope to hear her breath sounds. "Breath sounds are muffled. Let's check her airway." I said. I went over my her head and opened her mouth. "Airway looks clear. When we get her labs back I want to run a CT right away." I say as I put an oxygen mask over her face. "It's okay Mer. You'll be okay. I promise." I hear Derek say. He's holding it together pretty well. I see Merediths eyes drooping shut, and she's fighting it. She's gonna fall asleep in a minute. "It's okay Grey. You can sleep. Your gonna be okay." I reassure. She looks over at Derek. He nods and kissed her on the forehead. "I love you." He said. Meredith just squeezes his hand, as if to say I love you back.

(Derek POV)

Chest pain? Muffled breath sounds? Difficulty breathing? This sounds all too familiar to COVID symptoms. To the multiple patients I've lost this past week. How did she go from excited to go home to intubated in this hospital? "Labs for Grey." A nurse says. Miranda grabs the labs and rip them open. 'COVID 19 - POSITIVE.' The paper read. "Oh no." Miranda said as she dug out her phone. "Catherine? It's Miranda. Meredith Grey has collapsed and tested postive for COVID. I need you to inform everyone in this hospital about it and that if they have been in contact with her without their safety suits they need to get tested immediately." She said into the phone and hung up. "Anyone who was in contact with Dr. Meredith Grey without a safety suit needs to get tested immediately." Said the intercom. "You, do you need to get tested?" Bailey asked. "No. I've barely seen her at all let alone without the suit." I replied. She nodded and went back to Meredith. "We need to get her started on anti biotics. This is only gonna get worse before it gets better."

(Meredith POV)

My eyes flutter open and I don't know where I am. The last thing I remeber was going out to my car to leave. Then I remember the recent events that have happened. "Der?" I croak, my voice dry and raspy. I try to look around, but the dull ache in my head makes that painful. My chest hurts like hell. I have an oxygen mask on. I'm in a COVID room. Shit. I must have COVID. "Meredith?" I heard Derek ask.  He walked into my room with safety gear on. "What- what happened?" I asked. "I found you collapsed in the parking lot. You have COVID, Mer." He said. I felt the tears well up in my eyes. I don't want to die. I have kids who need me. I have Derek who needs me. I have too many people that need me. "It's okay, Mer. Your gonna be okay, I promise." He tried to reassure. "I've lost so many COVID patients in the past week derek. I don't want to die!" I said as I started sobbing. Derek was quick to wrap his arms around me and try to comfort me. "I- I can't. I have Bailey and Zola and Ellis. I- I have you. I can't die. I don't want to die!" I yelled, starting to have a panic attack.

(Derek POV)

I walked into her room and explained everything to her. She looked so small in that hospital bed. Once I told her she had COVID, she immediately began hyperventilating. She was definelty going pass out if she keeps acting like this. Nurses were running in due to the blaring alarms singling her sky high heart rate. "What's going on?" Bailey asked over all the commotion. "She's having a panic attack." I replied. I laid down in the bed next to her and I cradled her head to my chest and wrapped my arms around her. "Shh. It's okay. You have to calm down. I got you." I soothed. She clung on to my safely suit and eventually she fell asleep. "Bailey...do you think she's gonna be okay?" I asked quietly. "I don't know Derek. This virus is unpredictable. But Meredith is strong. Remeber that." She replied. I nodded and slowly got out of the bed.