Endless Summer Nights

39.

Mrs. Shepherd walks into Meredith's room to do her pre-rounds check-up, but stops in the doorway as she views the site in front of her. Her son is lying in the bed with Meredith, his arm draped over her fragile body, his hand resting on the swell of her stomach. She smiles as Meredith's snores filter through the room.

She quietly steps into the room and begins to check all of the monitors, doing her best to not disturb the resting couple. She jerks in the direction of the bed as she hears a rustling noise. Her eyes meet the sleepy eyes of her son.

Derek grunts as he begins to feel the aches from the position he has been in all night. Meredith stirs a bit, causing him to freeze mid-stretch. She rolls over and buries her face in his chest, her fists gripping his sweater tightly as she sighs. Derek runs his hand slowly down her back as she settles back down, her body seeming to find comfort in the reassurance that he is still there.

Mrs. Shepherd smiles at her son. "She still has a slight fever, but I think that is just from her having the flu," she whispers to him as she makes a note on Meredith's chart. "Other than that, everything looks fine. She should be able to go home in a couple of days."

Derek nods at his mother before she closes the chart and walks out of the room, leaving the pair alone in the silence. Derek could go back to sleep. He should go back to sleep. But he doesn't want to. He wants to relish in the moment. He wants to relish the way her stomach is pressed softly against him. He wants to enjoy the way she clings tightly to him, almost as if she is afraid of losing him once again.

The still-familiar sounds of her snores once again begin to filter through the room. Derek forces himself to suppress a chuckle as he looks down and watches her. Her mouth is slightly parted and her nostrils flare just slightly with each exhalation, almost as if she is forcing that abnormally large sound out of those tiny openings.

He can hear the chirping of a bird outside of the window, the first sign that morning is approaching. He yearns to wake her up and watch the sun set, like they used to do on the cruise. But he knows. He knows that the sunsets on the cruise are much different that those in New York City. He knows that the mornings no longer have that hint of salt in their smell. But most of all, he knows that Meredith will not turn to him the second the sun has made its debut, its fresh rays casting a glow onto her porcelain face, and grab his face with frenzied need before kissing him passionately.

He notices her grip loosen and looks down at her again to notice her eyes fluttering open.

"Hey," he whispers softly as he leans down and places a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"Hey," she says huskily as she rolls onto her back, her body feeling the full affects from the day before.

"You okay?" he asks as he stands up, concern knitting his brows.

She looks at him with heavy eyes. "My body is sore and I'm nauseous just like I am every other morning," she says in an angry tone.

"I could get you some medicine for the nausea," he says as he brushes a strand of hair out of her face.

She shakes her head. "I have gone this long without taking anything for the morning sickness. I think I'll be fine," she says as she tries to sit up. She winces in pain.

"Let me raise the bed," Derek says as he reaches back and lifts the head of the bed so that Meredith can sit up comfortably.

"Thanks," Meredith says as she leans back and sighs. "Derek?" she says after another minute.

"Yeah?"

"I really have to pee," she says in a frustrated voice.

Derek chuckles as he stands up and begins to unhook her from the monitors. Just as he turns off the monitor that is tracking the heart rate of the baby, his mom returns to the room.

"What are you doing?" she asks in a confused voice.

Derek looks up at his mom as if he is a door caught in headlights. "She needs to pee," he says pointing at Meredith.

Meredith giggles, causing both Shepherds to turn and look at her. "You are still afraid of your mom," she says as she smiles at him.

Mrs. Shepherd laughs as she steps further into the room. "With good reason," she says as she sits down next to the bed.

Derek shakes his head. "I am not."

"Yes, you are."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"So, how are you feeling, Meredith?" Mrs. Shepherd asks, interrupting the little dispute between the pair.

"Besides have to pee?" Meredith asks with a raised brow.

Mrs. Shepherd smiles at her and nods. "Besides having to pee."

"I am nauseous and achy," she says as she squirms a bit.

"Well, that is to be expected," Mrs. Shepherd pauses as she watches Meredith continue to squirm. She turns to Derek. "Help her to the bathroom, Derek and I will go get some medicine for your nausea," she says as she stands up.

"I don't need meds for the nausea," she says stubbornly.

Mrs. Shepherd sighs. "I get that you have been dealing with nausea for a while, Meredith. But right now, your body has been under a lot of stress and anything we can do to relieve some of that stress will also be beneficial to the baby. So, let me help the nausea by giving you meds, okay?"

Meredith bites down on her bottom lip as she nods.

Mrs. Shepherd smiles at her. "Good. I will be back in about fifteen minutes," she says before leaving the room.

"You will get used to it," Derek says, causing her to look at him in confusion.

"Get used to what?"

"Being taken care of," he says as he stands up and extends his hand to her. He leaves no room for argument as he makes sure she knows that she will never be alone again. He will make sure of that. Even if she doesn't believe it yet, he means it and he intends to make her believe it eventually.