Sometimes we all need saving

Chapter 7

⚠️ TW: mention of rape

The next morning, Meredith was still asleep soundly at 11. "She's still asleep?" Bailey asked as she approached the group of doctors outside of Merediths room.

"She's probably just trying to fight off the pneumonia. It's good." Erica said.

"Her oxygen levels aren't very good at the moment.  I Want her on that mask at all times, and if she gets any worse, we're gonna have to intubate." She said softly. "Intubate?" Derek asked in concern.

"Think like a doctor, Shepherd. You know pneumonia in a post op patient isn't a good thing." Bailey scolded lightly. "Damnit." He said under his breath, looking at his girlfriend through the window.

•••

Meredith woke up 30 minutes later to a quiet room. She looked around and outside of the room and Derek was walking in with Bailey, Erica, and Richard.

"Good morning." Derek said softly as he kissed her forehead. "Morning." She replied through the mask. "How you feeling?" Erica asked, cutting straight to the point. "Wheezy." Meredith replied.

Hahn listened to her heart and Lungs with the stethoscope intently. "Hmm. Bailey, what's her O2 levels?" She asked.

"Hmm...70%." Bailey replied, reading from the monitor. "I'm gonna have to intubate if it gets any lower than 60." Hahn warned. "No." Meredith argued weakly. "Grey, you are a patient now. Not a doctor. Don't argue with us on something you know." Bailey said softly, yet sternly.

Meredith rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Cristina? Izzie?" Meredith asked. "They're both fine and getting discharged today. You saved their lives, Meredith." Richard assured.

Meredith didn't respond to that. "You remember what happened, right?" Derek asked gently. Meredith nodded. "None of them were raped Meredith, and they're both going home. Whether you want to believe us or not you did save their lives." Bailey said sternly.

"When can I leave?" Meredith asked, knowing the answer but wanting the clarification.

"When the pneumonia is completely gone. I'm not sending you home until then." Hahn replied. "How bad is...it?"

"Not the worse case we've seen but certainly not the best. And with the cardiac tamponade it's even riskier." Richard replied.

"Great." Meredith muttered, eyes dipping closed. "Sleep Meredith. You need to listen to your body." Bailey said quietly. "Mhm." Meredith mumbled sleepily, indicating she was well on her way to sleep.

•••

"Derek." Richard said as they stepped out of the room. "Police are viewing the security footage. I've been asked to watch as well for a hosptial witness. You can watch it too, if you want." Richard said.

"I-" Derek started.

"You don't have to. It'll be hard to watch. I don't even want to." Richard cut in. "No. I have to watch. I'm not letting this guy get away with assaulting 3 women." Derek said sternly. "Okay. Come with me. Bailey, Hahn, keep an eye on her." Richard requested.

Derek and Richard walked to the empty room and met with the officers. "Ready?" One of them asked, starting the film once they agreed.

It wasn't bad at first, just showed izzie walking out. Then that's when the assaulter began. Derek winced at izzie being then against the wall. "Oh my." Richard muttered.

Then it was Cristina. Derek looked away when the man started taking off her clothes in disgust of how a human being could do that.

Then it was Meredith. Derek forced himself to watch as Meredith threw herself into the man, effectively getting him off of Cristina. "Holy shit." One of the officers said.

Derek swallowed as the man threw punches left and right at Meredith. When he started taking off her shirt, Derek bolted out of the room, emptying his stomach into a nearby trash can.

The officers gave a sympathetic look as Derek entered the room once again. "That's my girlfriend." He whispered. "We can stop now. We have clear evidence and we'll find the guy, dr Shepherd." The Officer said as he put a hand on his shoulder.

"Thank you." Derek replied quietly as they left the room.

"How could that guy do this? To 3 innocent woman?" Derek asked Richard angrily. "No one knows, Derek. We don't know. But they're all alive." Richard said.

"Meredith just had multiple life saving surgeries and now she had pneumonia! She may not make it!" Derek yelled. "Derek, calm down, please. We're going to find the man that did this and we are going to get justice. I can't promise anything, but I can promise that we're doing everything we can to help Meredith."

"I'm sorry. I just-" Derek trailed off. Richard put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed gently, letting Derek get some tears out. "If I was with her this never would've happened." He whispered. "This isn't your fault Derek. It probably would've happened regardless." Richard said.

•••

After Derek cried for a minute, the two men went back to Merediths room, where she was awake and talking to izzie and Cristina. "Hey." Meredith said with a sleepy smile. "Hi Mer. Hi guys." Derek greeted.

"Shepherd." Cristina said. "Alright you two, Karev and O'Malley are waiting outside for you. Go." Bailey said lightly.

The two of them were wheeled away, leaving Derek and Meredith. "Come here." She requested quietly. Derek didn't hesitate and climbed into her bed, careful of the tubes and wires attached to her. "I love you." She whispered sleepily, grasping on to his shirt. "I love you too." He replied with a soft smile.

Hey guys! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and if you have any ideas for future chapters feel free to drop them! Hope your all doing well!