Chasing Cars

Chapter 16

"Good Morning Grey! How are we feeling this morning?" Dr Bailey asks as she walks into the room and picks up Meredith's chart, reading it over quickly.

"A little bit better." Meredith said softly, clutching onto her blankets for comfort.

"Good to hear! I'm just going to check your vitals and take your temperature." Dr Bailey listens to Meredith's heart and lungs and nods in approval at what she hears. She runs the thermometer over Meredith's forehead. "Your temperature is decreasing Meredith. You're starting to beat this infection!"

"Good." Meredith said, shivering.

"Cold Grey? Want an extra blanket or two?" Dr Bailey asks.

Meredith nods. "I'm freezing."

Dr Bailey quickly grabs two more blankets and puts them on top of Meredith. "There you go sweetie. That should help to warm you up." She soothes Meredith by running her hand over Meredith's head, accidently making the last patch of hair fall off. Meredith is now officially bald.

"Sorry Grey." Bailey quickly apologizes when she sees the hair fall off Meredith's head.

Meredith quickly brushes away a tear. "It's okay." She whispers. "It's all gone anyway. Maddie is going to be scared the next time she sees me. She's not going to like that I don't have any hair. I don't like that I don't have any hair." She whispers, letting tears stream down her face, not bothering to stop them.

"Hey. Look at me." Bailey lifts Meredith's chin gently with her hand, forcing her to look at her. "You are beautiful with or without hair. Maddie will get used to it. She's never seen you without hair so it'll be a change for her. She's little so she doesn't understand why it's happening. But you are beautiful Meredith Grey and you better not ever forget it."

"But I'm bald..." Meredith sighs.

"Your hair will grow back. And you can wear your scarves to cover your head to keep it warm. But like I said, you are beautiful with or without hair."

"Thanks Bailey." Meredith says, attempting a smile.

Bailey continues examining Meredith and is satisfied with her exam. "You're slowly beating this infection Meredith. Your fever needs to drop a little bit more and then you can see Maddie. It's getting there."

"Good. I need to see my baby girl. I miss her." Meredith said weakly.

"I know you do, sweetie. You're getting so close to being able to see her. You just keep on improving and you'll see her in no time." Bailey said, smiling at her intern. "Close your eyes and get some more sleep Mer. You need your rest." She says after seeing Meredith's eyes starting to close but quickly opens back up.

Meredith nods sleepily and allows her eyes to close and quickly falls asleep.

———

Dr Bailey is finishing some charts at the nurse's station when she spies Derek walking down the hall. She had already let him know that Meredith's condition was starting to improve after examining Meredith that morning.

"Morning Dr Bailey. How's she doing?" Derek asks Bailey.

"Shepherd, it's 12pm, it's not morning anymore." Bailey says sarcastically.

"Right. Good afternoon Bailey. I was busy with Maddie this morning. She was sobbing because she misses her mom. She kept asking for her Mom all morning. She doesn't like being separated from Meredith. It took me a long time to convince her to let me go and visit her mom without her." Derek says sadly.

"That poor child. Tell her that she can see her soon. Tell her that her mom is getting better and she'll be able to come visit her soon." Dr Bailey tells Derek sympathetically. "Tell her that I'm working hard to get her mom back home to her."