After lunch Derek caught up on some paperwork and then took off with the rest from his office to the pediatrics floor OR. While Meredith was spending the afternoon in the OR with Dr. Robbins, Derek had a late afternoon surgery scheduled, but he also hoped to also catch all of his wife's surgery before he had to go scrub in himself. It would be tight time wise, but he wanted to support his wife and she deserved his support.
He had years of gallery time to make up to her. He promised himself that as much as she supported and been there for him while he did surgeries for the first time as an intern, was scared and nervous that he would do the same when she was an intern. He'd support and be there for her as her cheerleader, up to now though most if not all of her surgeries had been neuro cases with him making him very lucky to not have to watch her from the gallery but having her right by his side assisting him.
It had always made him feel special when he'd look up in the gallery and see his wife sitting there watching him with pride. She was always easy to spot, always sitting in the front left side and she'd be the only one not dressed in hospital garb. In whatever cute outfit she wore to school that day or just jeans coming from home to spend time with him at the hospital. His resident at the time and now current Chief Webber and gotten her clearance from human resources to be in the gallery after seeing her sneak in there a couple times. Being Ellis Grey's daughter and wanting to watch surgery nobody was going to say no to that.
Even if she wasn't looking at him doing the surgery, but instead typing a paper on her laptop or doing her homework. Her presence alone calmed Derek and gave him the courage he needed, she was the only one who knew him. Who knew how scared he was to fail and not be good enough. Her unwavering faith and trust in him got him to being the world renowned surgeon he was and he was going to support and love her just as much.
Derek took two steps at a time up to the gallery, as he reached the door opening it to see a few scattered doctors and pediatric residents. He took the first row left side seat that Meredith always used to take and looked down to see the more seasoned scrub nurses prepping the OR and a few new ones looking lost. He remembered the older and experienced scrub nurses in New York were always nicer to him than Mark and he thought it had to do with how he'd boast that his wife is up there watching him.
From his angle he could see the Doctor Robbins who clearly underestimated his wife and Meredith enter the scrub room after each other. Meredith removing her rings and clasping her necklace on her neck with her rings safely tucked away under her scrubs before putting her hands under the water as Dr. Robbins watched his wife's ritual in interest.
As Meredith walked into the OR she instantly looked up seeing her husband sitting in her seat and Derek gave her a big smile and a little wave to show that he was there to support her. He saw her eyes as they brightened and sparkled with happiness that he was there to watch her surgery. Nestling in his seat, he got comfortable to watch his wife brilliantly work.