Don't Give Up On Me

Chapter 9

The next morning, Derek entered Merediths room with Bailey and Dr Swender, all 3 of them dressed in heavy PPE.

"Has she woken up yet?" Dr Swender asked the nurse, who was taking vitals. The nurse shook her head. "Fever is still up at 103.6." She said.

Derek swallowed a lump in his throat and looked at his girlfriend, small and fragile in an isolation room. This was supposed to keep her safe. To help her. But it wasn't working.

"Have you tried to wake her up?" Bailey asked. The nurse shook her head. Bailey made a move to do so, but Derek stopped her. "I'll wake her." He said.

Derek walked closer to Meredith and stroked her cheek. "Wake up Mer." He whispered. Meredith shifted slightly in bed and whimpered.

"Open those green eyes for me, Mer." Derek said. Meredith groaned and slowly opened her eyes. Derek smiled. "Hi." He whispered.

Meredith shivered and pulled the blankets tighter over her small body. "How are you feeling, Meredith?" Dr Swender asked. Meredith coughed and shook her head.

"Home." Meredith whispered, closing her eyes, willing the nauseas and dizziness to stop. Meredith was in pain, and she felt like she was going to die. It was obvious, too, by the heavy breathing and shivering.

Bailey grabbed the oxygen mask nearby and strapped it over her interns face. Meredith tried to fight it but Bailey was insistent. "Home." She repeated, her voice breaking.

She shifted uncomfortably in the bed and was getting more and more agitated. "Meredith, you can't go home yet until your fever breaks." Derek said, trying to calm her down while keeping an eye on her heart rate and blood pressure.

"Wanna go home." Meredith said, tears coming down her face while she turned away from everyone and on to her side, body shaking with her sobs.

It broke dereks heart to see Meredith this way. "Let's sedate her. I don't want her working herself up, she has to fight off this fever." Dr Swender said quietly to Dr Bailey, who nodded in agreement.

"It's okay, Mer. You're okay. We're gonna go home when you're all better, okay?" Derek murmered, as the sedative was administered. Meredith latched on to his hand before letting her eyes close and her hand went limp in his.

"So, her fever is still up. Systolic is staying around 80, which is good, but I want that fever gone. Let's see if cooling pads help, and go from there." Dr Swender explained.

"You, go get them." Bailey ordered to her intern. Meanwhile, Derek was stuck, staring at Meredith. "Shepherd? You okay?" Bailey asked with a concerned face.

"I-no." Derek admitted. "I hate seeing her like this." He whispered. "Like what exaclty?" She asked. "Hurting. In pain. Tired. Sad. I just...I don't know what do to. I don't know how to help her." Derek said in a broken tone.

"Oh, Derek. You can't help her right now. The only you can do it's comfort her. You can't take away her pain completely, but you can make her feel safe and loved and protected." Bailey replied softly.

"It's not enough. I-I, dont wsnt her to hurt. When she's in pain it hurts me." Derek admitted. "I know it does." Bailey said, thinking back to when Meredith drowned.

"But you have to know what you can and can't do. You can't protect her drom everything, but you can make her feel protected and safe, like I said." Bailey said.

Derek nodded. "Now, go change because I know for a fact you haven't left the hosptial all night. I'll keep an eye on her." Bailey demanded as her intern came back with the cooling pads.

Derek left and Bailey went to work, placing the ice packs under Merediths legs and arms.

•••

Bailey stepped back into Merediths room and took a seat next to the bed. "Grey, it's Bailey. I know you're sleeping, but please, don't leave us. I know you feel like hell, and I know you're tired, but you can't die."

"Derek would be a mess without you. And I know I said I hated you and it wouldn't change, but it did. So, do not die. And if you so happen to hear this, you say a word to anyone and I'll make the rest of your internship a living hell." Bailey finished her speal.

Derek came back about an hour later after a nice shower and fresh clothes and PPE, and sat down next to Bailey.

"You look better." Bailey commented. "Yeah." Derek mumbled, looking at Meredith. "She'll probably be waking soon. Keep her calm, so we don't have to sedate her again." She said before leaving the room.

Minutes later, Meredith started to stir. "Wake up Mer." Derek urged quietly, grabbing her hand and squeezing. Meredith opened her eyes and smiled sleepily.

"Hi." She whispered. "Hey. How are you feeling?" Derek asked with a smile. "Sleepy." Meredith replied. "The sedative." Derek said.

"S'cold." Meredith shivered. "You have cooling pads under you to help break the fever." He informed. Meredith nodded and bit her lip thoughtfully. "What is it?" Derek asked, tilting his head slightly.

"Will You keep me warm?" She asked softly. Derek smiled. "How so?" He asked, a playful smile on his lips. Meredith patted the edge of her bed so he could sit.

"Not too close." Derek warned. She nodded. Derek sat on the bed, and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Normally, he would sit behind her and completely envelope her body with his, but that wasn't an option with her high risk of infection.

"You're my personal heater." Meredith murmured, shoving her hands up his shirt to his warn chest. So much for not getting too close. "I'll always be your personal heater. Go back to sleep. I love you." Derek whispered, rubbing her arm up and down soothingly.

"Love you too." She mumbled sleepily, lettting her fall asleep once again, this time in the safe, loving arms of Derek Shepherd.

Hey guys! We hope you all enjoyed this chapter and we hope your all doing well. As always, go follow my amazing co writer, merderrstan