The Shepherd Legacy

Post-Appendectomy Drives

After Richard had firmly instructed that Mary was to remain on bed rest for another week, the Shepherd household had settled into a tense routine. Mary, ever the active and engaged doctor-in-training, found the confinement unbearable. Despite the warnings from Derek and Mark about taking it easy, Mary's turmoil was growing, and with it, her patience was thinning. The renowned adage 'doctors make the worst patients' seemed to have been coined with Mary in mind, her restlessness manifesting as a sharp tongue and a short fuse.

The first clear sign that Mary was struggling with her enforced inactivity came one afternoon. Derek, always the caring older brother, entered the living room with a gentle concern. "Hey, Mare, how you feeling?" he asked, trying to keep the atmosphere light.

Mary, her frustration simmering just below the surface, could only muster an eye roll. "I'm fine," she replied tersely.

Derek, sensing her mood but choosing to overlook it for the moment, pressed on. "Any fever? Or pain?"

It was then that Mary's patience snapped. Turning to face Derek fully, her voice tinged with exasperation, she exclaimed, "For the love of God, I told you, I am fine!"

Derek, taken aback by her sharp tone but still attempting to maintain his composure, asked, "Did Mark administer your shot already, or do you need me to?"

Her response was a dismissive eye roll. "Can't you just ask him?"

Derek, his patience wearing thin, crossed his arms, his tone dropping an octave. "I am just checking in on you."

"Well, you don't need to! Just leave me the fu-" Mary began, her voice rising.

Derek, his tolerance for her attitude evaporating at the swear word, cut her off. His voice was stern, a clear warning in his tone. "You better not finish that sentence." Mary halted mid-sentence, visibly taken aback by Derek's firmness. He continued, "I don't know what's gotten into you, and frankly, I don't care. I know you don't like being home all the time, but you have no right to speak to me this way. This attitude you have going on—fix it. Or I will fix it for you." Mary paled slightly, the severity of Derek's words hitting home. "Am I clear?"

Subdued, she nodded, her face flushing at being scolded. "Yes, sir."

"Good," Derek said, before turning to leave, his footsteps echoing his lingering frustration.

As he exited, he ran into Mark, who had been about to check on Mary himself. "What was that about?" Mark inquired, noting Derek's agitated state.

Derek exhaled deeply, the residue of his anger still palpable. "Her attitude. I'm done tolerating it."

Mark raised his hands in a gesture of mock surrender. "Hey, I hear you, Derek. She's just mad about being cooped up at home while we're working."

Derek sighed, his anger giving way to understanding yet firm resolve. "I get it—but that does not give her the right to disrespect everyone. She was rude to Meredith, and Mer just wanted to see if she needed anything. If she keeps up the attitude, I'll step in to correct it."

Mark nodded solemnly, understanding the gravity of the situation, and headed into the living room to check on Mary himself, prepared for the challenging conversation ahead.

Unbeknownst to both Derek and Mark, the real test of their patience and resolve was just around the corner, setting the stage for a confrontation none of them could have anticipated.

–

The next day, Mary, feeling the walls of the house closing in on her after days of enforced bed rest, decided she needed an escape. The anxiety that had been building inside her since her surgery had reached its peak. Convinced that a short drive would do no harm and craving a semblance of normalcy, she saw her chance when the house was left empty, with Derek, Mark, Meredith, and Lexie all at the hospital for the day.