The Fight for Chief

Chapter 9

Derek rolled his eyes as he looked to the ground, containing his anger. Meredith looked between the two, sensing that Mark was just rubbing it in Derek's face. "Oh, well congrats" Meredith said quietly. Mark nodded before looking at Derek who was only focused on his shoes. "What, Shep? You're not happy for me?" Mark grew serious yet there was still a jovial tone to his voice, almost like he was mocking him.

"Mark." Meredith signed as she stood up. This wasn't fair on Derek. "What? He clearly isn't happy that I have a kid. You can never just be happy for me. You're a shitty friend, man" Mark said as he came closer, but Meredith stood her ground, almost pushing him back. Derek laughed sarcastically. "I'm the shitty one? You slept with my wife. You don't deserve that kid." he said through gritted teeth.

"Guys-" Meredith sighed as people began to watch the exchange. Now wasn't the place for them to be talking about this. But who cares about talking, because Mark had other plans.

Without a second more notice, she was suddenly pushed back, her back slamming to the edge of the coffee table. She groaned in pain, but as she look up, she saw Derek and Mark fighting, well, Mark beating the crap out of Derek who wasn't even trying to defend himself.

"Mark!" Meredith shouted as she pulled herself up. "Stop it! Stop!" Meredith shouted as she tried to push him off her, her small body no match for his big frame as he continued to beat Derek on the ground, his face bloody and swollen.

"Alex, help me!" Meredith shouted angrily at him. Alex had come to help her pull Mark away, much to his dismay. Mark was pulled out of the room, leaving a crowd of people watching over Derek and Meredith. "Derek" she rushed down to him as she held his head still, stroking his cheek with her thumb.

"Are you okay? Tell me what hurts" Meredith said in a panicked voice. He groaned. "Face" he managed to get out. "Do you think you can stand up?" she asked. He nodded, pulling himself up to a seated position before she helped pull him up to standing.

"What?!" she snapped at everyone. "Don't you have better things to be doing?" she said as she brought Derek out of the room and down the corridor to find an exam room. As they walked, Dr Wilson was coming in the other direction. "Oh my God, what happened?" she asked as she quickly took Derek's other arm to help him walk. He winced a little.

"You don't need to help, Wilson. I- I was horrible to you" he groaned as they made it into the first available room and got him on the bed. "Well you're not wrong there" she countered humorously, making him laugh a little. They began cleaning up his face, suturing a few cuts on his nose and eyebrow, and inspecting his blackening ribs and abdomen.

"So what happened?" Jo asked as she sutured near his temple. Meredith and Derek exchanged glances. "Derek, tell her the truth, start standing up for yourself. Mark and Addison are in the wrong here, not you. Start telling people the real story." Meredith said, frustrated by his lack of defence.

Derek sighed. This was the least he owed the young intern. "I don't doubt you've heard I left my pregnant wife?" he asked. "I've heard things, but I try not to believe gossip" Jo smiled at him. "I'm not the father of Dr Montgomery's kid, Dr Sloan is my best friend who had an affair with my wife. I left her when I found out what was going on. And-" he sighed. "Dr Sloan likes to rub it in my face and wind me up. He paged me during our surgery last night to say she was in labour when I really didn't want to know what my ex-wife was doing. And I took it out on you. I'm so sorry, Jo. It's inexcusable." Derek said solely.