Aftermath

Part 3

The next day, I sat in the chair by Derek's bed, like always. He was asleep. My stomach was churning and I had a headache. The violent cramps in my abdomen hadn't gone away either. I hadn't eaten since the morning of the shooting. I hadn't slept. I barely drank anything. I couldn't.

"Hey," Derek whispered from the bed.

"Hey," I took a deep breath and stood up, forcing a smile, and kissed him.

"That's a nice way to wake up," He smiled.

"Get used to it," 

He smiled, looking into my eyes. God, I hoped he couldn't see how bad I felt right now.

"Are you okay?" He asked suddenly.

Damn, he could read me too well. 

"Fine," I gave a small nod.

"When you say you're fine, you're never actually fine."

"I am actually fine,"

He shook his head at me. I moved to walk across the room to get him some water, but as I was walking a wave of dizziness rushed over me, and I stopped.

"What is it?" He asked from the bed. 

I opened my mouth to assure him it was nothing when my stomach heaved. I slapped a hand over my mouth and ran over to the trash can, just in time to vomit my guts out. I heard the door open beside me.

"Mer?" Christina asked my name.

"What's wrong?" Derek called. I could hear him shifting in bed, but I didn't have the strength to respond. 

Christina put a hand on my back and straightened me up. She put a hand on my forehead. I winced as pain sliced across my abdomen. 

"You're burning up," She whispered urgently.

"What's wrong?" Derek asked again more desperately. 

"No, you stay in bed. Don't even think about moving," Christina ordered Derek, who grudgingly obeyed. "Meredith, have you been checked out yet?" She whispered to me.

"No," I managed.

"You're showing early signs of sepsis. We need to get you up to OB now." 

"What about Derek?" I asked, trying to regain my strength.

"Someone will stay with him. We need to go."

"What are you whispering about?" Derek demanded from the bed.

I turned to look at him. His eyes held fear and concern. Of course my husband, one day post op after being shot, was worried about me. 

"Don't worry," I told him "I'll be okay."

"Meredith!" He called my name again, but Christina was already rushing me out the door.

I felt lightheaded, so I put more of my weight on Christina. I tried to control myself, but I gasped as another cramp hit me. 

"Get me a gurney!" Christina ordered.

"Don't let Derek see," I whispered.

I glanced up at my husband through the window in the door. He was sitting up, clearly debating wether to come after me or not. A nurse pulled the curtains over the window, blocking our views of each other. 

I felt myself being loaded onto a gurney, but I was barley aware of what was happening around me. We were in the elevator, then in an exam room. My feet were up in stirrups and Dr. Danforth was there.