Something New

Chapter Three

Meredith stood in an imaging room next to her best friend, both studying the same set of scans in front of them.

"What do you see, Deluca?" Meredith asked the resident behind her, stepping aside so he could see the scans.

"Uh, the graft Dr. Yang placed is holding well and there is no damage to the surrounding tissue. No signs of any internal bleeding or free fluid, meaning Dr. Grey's repairs are holding. He looks good,"

Both women nodded in approval.

"Let's get him standing today?" Meredith questioned.

"Definitely. I'll come with you for that. No surgeries for a few hours,"

Meredith grabbed the scans from the room and they made their way down to the patient's room. He was asleep, so Meredith asked Lohan to wake him up.

"Agent Shepherd," The blonde greeted when his brilliant blue eyes opened and focused on the doctors standing in front of him.

"I'm Dr. Yang, the cardio surgeon on your case. Dr. Grey and I have reviewed your post-op scans and everything looks to be healing well as it should be," Cristina introduced.

Shepherd nodded and Lohan smiled.

"We want to get you standing today. It's going to be hard and hurt like hell, but we'll get you sitting up and standing for ten seconds before you can go back to bed," Meredith explained.

The look of pure determination set in Shepherd's eyes made Meredith smile warmly at him.

Meredith and Cristina went to the side of the bed, supporting him as he sat up on his own and swung his feet over the side of the bed.

"That's it, good. Catch your breath here for a moment and then try to stand up. I'm right here, just put some weight on me or use me for balance," Meredith instructed.

Cristina stood behind him, supporting his back and helping him get on his feet. Soon, he was standing, clinging to Meredith as Cristina stood behind him in case he fell.

"Yes, that's it. You've got it. Great job! Stand here for thirty seconds and you can get back in bed," The blonde cheered.

Shepherd studied the ground, throbbing pain coming from his abdomen and his chest heaving, desperately trying to catch his breath. Meredith rubbed his back gently, trying to soothe him.

"Okay, that's time. Let's get him back to bed," Cristina announced half a minute later.

Slowly, the two doctors assisted in getting Agent Shepherd back comfortably into bed.

"Morphine?" Meredith whispered as he tried to get comfortable.

He only answered her with a nod, so Meredith moved to give him a dosage. In a matter of moments, he was out cold and the two doctors left the room.

"What the hell was that?" Cristina demanded as soon as they closed the door.

"What?"

"Since when are you so soft and caring with post-op patients? Why were you acting like that?"

"I don't know what you mean,"

"Oh my god,"

"What?"

"You like him, don't you?"

"Excuse me?"

"God, Meredith. You like him, Special Agent Derek Shepherd,"

Meredith frowned. She had to admit, she had imagined him a few times but it wasn't like it was ever going to happen. It wasn't real.

"No, of course not,"