Don't Give Up On Me

Chapter 29

Friday, 10:35am

Merediths first day as an engaged woman felt different. She still felt sick and horrible, but it's like the environment around her changed. She was getting married to Derek Shepherd.

"Hey." She heard his voice say as he entered her hospital room. "H-hi." She responded sleepily. "You feeling okay?" Derek asked as he walked over to her bed.

"T-tired and a- headache." She replied as Derek gently and carefully got into bed beside her. "I'm sorry." Derek apologized.

"We're engaged." Meredith said, changing the subject with a big smile. "We are." Derek said, his eyes lighting up at the mere thought of being married to her.

"H-how long h-have you been p-planning t-that?" Meredith asked. Derek wrapped his arms around his frail and skinny body and kissed her head.

"A few weeks. I wanted it to be perfect." He replied honestly. "I-it was p-perfect. But d-do you r-reallt want to b-be en-engaged with m-me? I....I c-could die a-at any t-time." Meredith said softly.

"Of course I do. I said whether it was 5 more days I get  to be with you or a lifetime, I want it to be with you." Derek replied softly.

"I...I w-want a lifetime." Meredith whispered as Dr Swender came in. "I know. We'll get it." He replied.

"Alright Meredith, chemo today." Dr Swender said enthusiastically. "Also, congratulations on the engagement." She added.

"Thanks." Meredith responded. "Do you want to go the chemo room or stay here?" Swender asked. "C-chemo room. C-change of s-scenery." She replied.

It was a small struggle to get Merediths weak body from the bed to the wheelchair, but after a few minutes, Derek was pushing her down the hall, with Swender walking alongside them.

They got to the chemo room and wheeled Meredith in. "Can you stand up?" Derek asked gently. Meredith was zoned out, just staring blankly ahead.

"Can you lift her?" Swender asked quietly. Derek nodded and bent down to pick his fiancée up. "When she zones out like this...it's just easier to wait until she snaps out of it rather than talking to her." She explained.

Derek placed her down gently in the chair and pulled a blanket over her lap. "Mer." He whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"Oh, I-sorry." She said, refocusing her vision on Derek. "It's okay. We're going to do IL2 today, so it's going to be a tough day." Swender said with a sympathetic smile.

"Do you want me to bring my laptop over? Maybe we can watch a movie." Derek asked. "We could move you to the bed, too so Derek could lay with you. I know this isn't how your typical day would be after getting engaged, but we can do our best." Swender offered.

Meredith nodded and Swender pulled over a gurney. Derek lifted her on to the gurney and then climbed in beside her, so that she was in between his legs, her back against his chest.

"Dr Swender, can you grab the laptop out of my briefcase?" Derek asked. She nodded and handed it to him.

Swender hooked Merediths IVs back up and began the IL2 treatment. "I'll be back in a little while to check on you. Derek, if she spikes a fever or anything, you page me." She said. "Okay. Thank you." He replied as she left.

"What do you want to watch?" Derek asked quietly. "C-can we w-watch A Q-quiet P-place 2?" Meredith asked. "Sure. We watched the first one together, right?"

Meredith nodded. Derek got the movie on and playing. Meredith shivered as she felt the IL2 enter her system. "Cold?" Derek asked softly.

Meredith nodded once again. Derek wrapped his arms around her, enveloping her with his body, which was easy since she had lost so much weight and muscle.

"I-if I d-didn't have cancer, I-I would g-give you d-dirty engagement s-sex." Meredith said with a smile playing on her lips.

"Once you're better, I'm going to hold you to that." Derek said with a chuckle. "I-I wish I c-could give y-you that n-now." She whispered as she sank further into his arms.

"I don't care about the sex, mer. Cuddling, sex, and just talking to you are all equally amazing. We don't need to have sex to show our love for each other." He replied.

After a few minutes, he felt Merediths body get heavy. "Tired?" He whispered, trying not to wake her if she was already asleep.

"Mhm." Meredith mumbled. "Go to sleep. You still have a few hours here." He replied, kissing the top of her head.

•••

Derek felt himself drifting off when a tap on the shoulder shook him awake. "Mom? What are you doing in here?" He asked groggily.

"You're getting engaged?" Carolyn asked in surprise. Derek smiled slightly and looked down at his slumbering fiancée. He nodded.

"How did you do it? When?" She asked quietly. "Yesterday. Her friends brought her to the beach, and i asked her to marry me." Derek replied simply.

"That's great, Derek. Is she happy?" Carolyn questioned. "I think so. She's still sick, but I think she's happy." Derek trailed off.

"She's out cold, huh?" Carolyn asked, looking at her future daughter in law. She hadnt  missed how tenderly and lovingly Derek was holding her, and the way rubbed her arms gently every time she stirred.

"Yeah. The chemo and IL2 wears her out. She's a trooper." Derek said gently, kissing her shoulder. "She is." Carolyn agreed with a smile.

Meredith whimpered slightly as she turned onto her side. Derek made sure she didn't accident ly pull out her iv. She rested her head on his chest and burrowed even closer.

"Do you think...do you think you'll get to marry her?" Carolyn asked hesitantly. Derek looked up at her. "I know I'll get to marry her. She never backs down from a fight. She'll be my wife some day, and you'll be there at the wedding." Derek replied honestly.

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