The Elevator

Present: Seattle Grace

     I walk into the hospital more tired than usual. The baby had been kicking all night and I couldn't sleep. What made things worse were the thoughts that crept into my mind while I desperately tried to sleep. It was as if it happened just a few hours ago.

      "Meredith don't do this."
 
   "Do what? You want to go back with your wife that you didn't tell me about, then go. You don't get to ask if I'm okay. You don't get to feel better about this. You made me fall in love with you Derek. You can't fix me this time. Not anymore."
    
     "Meredith -"
 
     "Don't! Just go and leave me with whatever shred of dignity I have left!"

     And he did. The image of his sad face was burned into my memory, and his child would forever be apart of me. Isn't that fortunate.

     The elevator door opens and I walk in, just like any other  day. When I step inside however, is completely different  than every other day.

     "Meredith!" Derek yells to me and sprints into the closing elevator.

    "Derek?"

    As the elevator doors shut, he pulls the emergency stop button. His eyes quickly glance over my new body, one that I took so long to be okay with.

      Derek tries to find words to say and I try to remember any mention of him coming back.

     "You- you're pregnant." He stammers, still trying to look at me without being obvious.

     "Yeah, so." I move my own eyes over my bulging stomach.

     "So? This is life changing Meredith, did it even occur to you to tell me?"

     "Why would I? You don't call me to talk about your life that often."

     Derek's eyebrows furrowed and his eyes grew darker.   "Who- whose the father?"

     "It's none of your-" I go to undo the emergency button, but he yanks it back.

     "Meredith am I the father?" Derek yells, looking me in the eyes like he used to, making it impossible to turn away.

     I stood silent in his angry and confused gaze.

     "How could you not tell me something like this? I had a right to know!"

   Anger started to bubble in the pit of my stomach. He is getting so angry with what I didn't tell him because I didn't want to ruin his life. But what about me.

      "Well I had a right to know you had a wife long before you got me pregnant so I guess we're both bad at telling people things."

      "That's not fair Meredith! I couldn't just give up on my marriage!"

       "Well you seemed pretty okay with giving it up befo-" I'm cut off by a stabbing pain in my stomach. I gasp and clutch at where my baby is, even though I can't hold her.

       "Meredith, what's wrong?" 

     Water slides down my legs and instantly I know what's happening. By the look on Derek's face, I think he does too.

     "Okay, it's gonna be okay. You're going to be fine. We'll get you into a room in no-" Derek tries to push the emergency button back but it's jammed.

     He slams his fist into it, but nothing happens leaving a fearful Derek trying to hide the pain in his hand.  My eyes widen as I realize I'm in labor, trapped inside an elevator.