"Oh Meredith," Emma breathed as Meredith stepped out of the bathroom in her wedding dress. "You look beautiful."
"Really?" Meredith asked, turning to look at herself in the mirror.
"Absolutely stunning," Emma nodded. "Derek is going to love it."
"Good," Meredith nodded. "Thank you for keeping the dress here. Derek thinks it's in Addison's closet, Mark's caught him searching for it for weeks."
Emma smiled. "It still fits alright?' she asked. "You don't need anything altered?"
"No, I don't think so," Meredith replied, smoothing her hands over the dress. "It feels perfect. I never want to take this off."
"Well, you're going to have to," Emma laughed. "Derek will be home from visiting his father soon, he can't see you."
"I know," Meredith sighed. "I just...it feels so wonderful."
Emma moved forward to hug Meredith gently. "I know, dear," she said. "But we've got to get dinner on the way. And we can't have you spilling anything on the dress."
Meredith giggled. "Knowing me that would probably happen," she said, frowning after a moment before she coughed loudly.
"Are you feeling okay?" Emma asked.
"Just a cold," Meredith sighed. "I can't be getting sick. There's too much to do."
"Alright," Emma nodded, pointing Meredith towards the bathroom adjacent to her bedroom. "Go ahead, dear."
"I'll be down in a few minutes," Meredith said. She stood for a moment, raising a hand to her head before she shook her head slightly and moved towards the bathroom.
"Are you alright?" Emma asked, concern lacing her voice.
"Hmm," Meredith nodded. "Just dizzy. I probably just need to eat."
Emma nodded suspiciously, eyeing Meredith closely as she closed the door behind her. She knew Meredith probably wouldn't tell anyone if she wasn't feeling well, and there was something about the way she was acting that made her wonder if the poor girl was running herself into the ground.
She made her way downstairs, smiling as she saw her son sitting at the kitchen table with Caitlin. "Hello, dear," she said, leaning down to kiss his cheek gently.
"Hey Mom," Derek said, standing to hug her properly. "Where's Mer?"
"It's nice to see you too, dear," Emma laughed as she moved around him towards the stove. "She's upstairs, she'll be down in a few moments."
"Good," Derek nodded. "Caitlin was telling me that Kath had a sonogram yesterday?"
"Yes," Emma said, her eyes immediately shining. "It seems that you are about to be the proud uncle of a beautiful niece."
"A girl?" Derek groaned. "Man, I was hoping the next generation would have some hope for at least a little bit of testosterone in this place."
"Watch your mouth, Derek Christopher," Emma warned. "The baby will be beautiful, and you'll adore her."
"I know," Derek sighed. "I guess it's up to me to have boys."
Before Emma could respond, Meredith entered the kitchen, a hand over her mouth as she coughed harshly. Derek's smile immediately turned into a frown as he noticed the miserable expression on her face. "What's wrong?" he asked, jumping out of his chair to make his way over to her. "Mer, are you okay?"
She groaned in response as she cuddled into his arms and buried her face in his shirt. "Mm fine," she murmured.
Derek's worried eyes met his mother's and he gently reached down to stroke her face, searching for any trace of a fever. When he felt the flush of her skin against his fingertips, he immediately wrapped his arms tighter around her and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Mer, you have a fever," he murmured.
"Hot," she explained, her fingers clutching his shirt.
Derek laughed slightly as he guided her towards the door to the living room. "That usually happens with a fever," he said. "Let's get you onto the couch."
"I'm not sick," Meredith shook her head. "We've got to meet with the minister, and graduation is in two weeks, and the wedding's in a month and a half, and...I'm not sick. I can't be sick."
Derek gently eased her onto the couch and ran a hand through her hair. "It doesn't work like that," he said softly. "Just get some sleep. Mom's an expert at taking care of her sick children."
"Don't leave me," Meredith whispered. "I'm tired, but...I want you."
Derek smiled as he leaned forward to press a kiss to her warm forehead. "Don't worry, Mer," he said. "I'm just going to grab you some tea and maybe some medicine. Are you hungry?"
She moaned, burying her head in the pillow. "No food," she whimpered. "Ever again."
"Wow, you really must be sick," Derek laughed. "I've never seen you turn down food."
"Shut up," Meredith weakly attempted to slap his arm.
"I'll be right back," Derek said, squeezing her hand before rising to his feet and slipping out of the room.
He ran a hand over his face as he made his way back into the kitchen, immediately going to the tea pot.
"How's Mer?" Caitlin asked.
"I honestly don't know," Derek sighed. "I've never seen her agree so much to everything I tell her to do. And she's burning up."
"I'm sure she just picked something up from the bug that's been running around," Emma sighed. "That poor girl has so much on her plate, the last thing she needs is the flu. I'll make her some soup."
"She's not hungry," Derek said, pouring the hot water into the mug. "Which worries me even more."
"Well, she needs to eat," Emma nodded firmly. "I'll make her the soup, and once she feels well enough she can eat reheat it."
"Thanks, Mom," Derek smiled. "You're the best."
"It's my job, dear," Emma smiled.
"She's going to fight me about taking her to the doctor," Derek sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. "She hates being sick."
Emma smiled softly. "If there's one thing I know about doctors, it's that they hate to be patients," she said. "Your father was the worst of them all."
"I remember," Derek nodded. "He was always good with me when I was sick though."
Emma nodded. "You're a lot like him, Derek," she said as she squeezed his hand. "Now go take care of your fiancé. That girl has enough coming up in her life, she doesn't need to be sick for it."
Derek nodded as he picked up the cup of tea. "I'm sorry about dinner," he said. "I know you wanted to celebrate Columbia and having us closer, but..."
"Nonsense," Emma said, pushing him towards the door. "She wants you, Derek, now go to her."
"I'm going," Derek laughed. When he made his way back to the living room, he smiled softly as he saw Meredith curled up on the couch, her hair falling softly in her face. He moved to sit on the coffee table in front of her, leaning his face close to hers. He reached out to brush her hair behind her ear before he leaned forward to whisper to her. "Wake up, Mer."
"No," she whispered, curling tighter into herself.
"Meredith, you need to wake up so you can take medicine," Derek whispered, gently moving the tea towards her. "It will help you feel better."
Meredith sighed dramatically as she opened her eyes, remaining horizontal for a moment before she sat up and reached for the tea. "For the record, I hate you," she stated as she swallowed the medicine, quickly followed by the tea to wash the taste away.
Derek frowned. "I'm trying to take care of my sick fiancé and I get hate in return?" he asked. "Wow, I feel loved."
"Derek, don't be stupid," Meredith said. "I just...I'm so tired."
Emma stepped into the room, concern etching her face. "Meredith, dear, how are you feeling?"
"Like crap," Meredith moaned as she laid back down on the couch, coughing loudly.
"I know you do, dear," Emma sighed as she reached to pull a blanket over her shoulders. "But we'll take care of you, and you'll be as good as new in no time."
"Hmm," Meredith acknowledged, not lifting her head from the pillow.
"And since you're sick, I'll even let you boss me around," Derek chimed in.
"I boss you around anyways," Meredith replied. "Liz says you're whipped."
Derek frowned. "I so am not," he said. "But I'll save that argument for another time." He leaned forward to kiss her forehead softly. "I'm going to run to the store and get you some stuff, okay?"
"No," Meredith whimpered. "I just need you."
Derek smiled softly. "You're sure?" he asked. "Because something tells me that you're going to want chocolate ice cream, trashy romance novels, and movies as soon as the store closes."
Emma smiled softly as Meredith sighed. "I'll have Caitlin run to the store," she volunteered. "She's still new to driving and gets excited when she has the chance to go."
"Good," Derek nodded firmly. "I'll make a list."
Meredith somehow worked up the energy to swat at his arm. "You're an idiot," she murmured.
Derek leaned close to press a kiss to her forehead. "Just doing my job," he whispered.
XXXXX
Two hours later, Derek sat on the couch with Meredith's head in his lap, gently stroking her hair as he concentrated on the baseball game on the TV. Emma had disappeared into Michael's study after dinner, announcing that she wanted to catch up on some reading. Derek was more than pleased that she had kept his father's spirit alive in the house by maintaining the study, and it had since become a safe haven in the Shepherd house. Whenever someone needed some peace and quiet from the bustling family, they knew that no one would dare disturb them in their father's study.
"Derek Christopher, you are lucky that you're my favorite brother," Caitlin announced as she stomped into the room.
"Shh," Derek hissed, looking down at Meredith. "Don't wake Mer. And I'm your only brother."
Caitlin rolled her eyes as she threw three plastic bags down on the ground. "I had to go to four pharmacies to get everything on your list," she ranted. "And I will have you know that I'm pretty sure they don't sell those fancy tissues for any less than seven dollars a box."
Derek shrugged. "Her nose is running," he said. "I don't want her to have the scratchy kind. Her nose is perfect, and I need to keep it that way."
"You are so weird," Caitlin rolled her eyes as she dropped into the armchair across from them.
"Hey, I'm pinning all my hopes on my kids having her nose," Derek shrugged. "Mine would look too weird on a baby."
"You should have thought of that before you got into a fight with Mark about who has more sex," Caitlin rolled her eyes.
"I was drunk," Derek replied. "And I didn't realize he would permanently ruin my face."
"Whatever," Caitlin sighed. "You think Mer's going to be okay?"
"She'll be fine," Derek sighed. "I just hate seeing her so miserable. But she'll bounce back, she always does."
"Hmm, stop talking," Meredith moaned, her hands moving to pull a pillow over her head.
Derek laughed slightly as he moved the pillow and resumed running his hands through her hair. "Sorry, Mer," he said softly. "How are you feeling?"
Meredith groaned as she tried to sit up, quickly collapsing back into his lap. "My head's about to explode," she whimpered.
"Do you want to go upstairs?" Derek whispered.
"Too tired," she replied, tightening her arms around his waist. "Sleep here."
"I'll carry you," Derek nodded, easing himself out from under her.
"Hmm, love you," Meredith whispered, resting her head on his shoulder as he scooped her into his arms.
"I love you too," Derek said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. He turned to look at his sister, who had already switched the TV over to a teenage drama. "Night Caitie," he said.
"Night Derbear," Caitlin said without taking her eyes off the screen. "I hope Mer feels better."
Meredith mumbled an incoherent response as Derek stepped out of the room, walking carefully towards the stairs. He carefully made his way towards the stairs and into his bedroom, setting Meredith on the bed and gently pulling the covers up over her still warm body.
"Mer, do you need anything?" he whispered as he knelt on her side of the bed, a hand resting on her hip.
"Just...you," Meredith whispered, weakly threading her fingers through his.
"I can do that," Derek nodded, slipping into bed beside her, pressing his lips to her forehead. "Sleep, Mer. Wake me if you need anything."
He sighed as he wrapped his arms around her, hoping that she would feel better in the morning. The last thing she needed was to stress out about being sick with everything that was everything that was going on in her life. But no matter what, he would take care of her, because that was what he had to do.