Faster car

21

It was hot as hell. It was all Derek could think as he climbed out of the Porsche he was driving, desperately missing his Mazda. It was hot as hell. The sun was making the weather almost unbearable, especially in the car. But he was having a good time, a damn good time, and it wasn't hard to remember why he had always wanted to drive Le Mans. Sebring was a hard track, but he was doing great. It was still practice days but he was doing a little faster today than he did yesterday and he was up to par with everyone else on the track. Actually he was doing better than most of the guys in his class, only one care was going faster and that in itself was amazing. He still had the night practice to take car of which was always more of a challenge but he felt good. Oddly though, as good as he was feeling, he still couldn't help but think about calling Meredith. In the car, he was okay, but the second he was out, he was tempted to give her a call and make sure she was doing okay. He grinned as one of the pit crew guys handed him his phone. He was dying to know how she was doing, but he knew she was busy today, being a kick ass surgeon. "Shepherd!"

"Yeah?" he looked up to see who had yelled for him.

"Have a minute for an interview?" one of his favorite guys from Speed grinned.

"Of course."

"Great," Tom grinned widely. "And we're here with Derek Shepherd, who is fresh off disappointing drive in Homestead, but already running some of the best laps in class here at Sebring. How's the car doing, Derek?"

"It's feeling really good," Derek smiled. "It's a hard track but the car is handling it great."

"This is your first year driving here at Sebring. How does it compare to the Grand-am tracks you're used to?"

"It's a tough track, demanding and long and the competition here is solid," Derek nodded. "It feels different in the Porsche and I'd love to feel this track in my Mazda but it's a good track...lots of history."

"Is there any truth to the rumor that if you do well here, you're heading to Le Mans in June?'

"There was but there's been some changes in my life that is keeping me here," he sighed. "But I do find it's great testing for Le Mans when the time comes."

"Any of those changes have to do with the poor showing at Homestead?"

"You could say that."

"You know, the rumors are, you're going to be a dad," Tom grinned.

"Those rumors are true."

"I think it's safe to say the world of racing is excited for you," Tom clapped him on the back just as his cell phone vibrated in his hands.

"Thank you," Derek smiled, glancing at his phone. "I hate to cut this short but speaking of my baby..."

"Absolutely, you deal with that," Tom laughed. "Congratulations. And that was Derek Shepherd, confirming all the great rumors..."

"Hello?" Derek breathed, flipping his phone open.

"Derek?" Meredith's voice gasped into his ear.

"Hey! I was just about to call you."

"I...you need to...today is bad. Today is really really bad and you can't...I don't think I'm a good mom. I'm a bad, awful mom and you might hate me forever and decide not to stick around or you're going to want to take away my baby and if you do...I swear I didn't mean...I thought I was fine. Just like Emily thought she was fine except now she's giving birth..."

"Wait...what?"

"Emily's giving birth."

"She's...oh my god, seriously?"