It Came Upon A Midnight Clear

75.

Derek sat at the table with Mark again, several interns had come and gone, introducing themselves to them both and Derek watched as Meredith would talk for a few minutes, and run out of the room again to use the phone. He secretly thanked his mother for her patience, and knew that Meredith was probably driving her crazy with her questions and reminders. He wanted to just hold her, let her know that everything was alright.

"Your mother should be elected for sainthood by the time tonight is over..." Mark said as he watched Meredith make her way across the room again, her cell phone in her hand.

"Tell me about it." Derek sighed. "I know she misses him... but she can't keep doing this..." Derek shook his head. "She's turning into an insane person."

"She needs to rest and relax." Mark said as he gave Derek a sly grin.

"She does...she needs to rest..." He replied, standing up.

"Where are you going?" Mark asked, watching Derek glance to Ellis across the room talking with a few people, and back to the doorway where Meredith had slipped out.

"I need to use the restroom..." Derek said as he casually walked around the room, slipping out one of the doors as Mark shook his head and chuckled to himself.

Derek walked down the quiet hallway, listening for her voice. He smiled softly as he heard her talking, her voice was full of anxiety as she talked on the phone, her instructions were clear and concise and he could hear the tears in her voice. He followed the melodic sound of her voice down through the hallways to an empty lounge and watched her for a moment as she sat in the chair, her head down as she talked into the phone.

He took a silent step into the room, standing before her, he was sure that she could see his feet in front of her, and slowly, her eyes lifted, climbing up his legs, body, chest, and finally to his face, where she lay her tear soaked eyes on him. She mumbled something into the phone, and watched as he slowly reached his hand out for it. His eyes were tender and full of love, and she knew that he didn't want to hurt her, she knew that it was all for the best. She slowly lifted the phone and placed it in his hand.

He lifted the phone to his ear, and sighed softly. "Mom?" He whispered into the line.

"Derek, honey?" His mother said, her voice concerned.

"How is the little one?" He asked softly, glancing down to Meredith as her ashamed look began to shift.

"He's doing very well... I just put him down for the night." She said softly into the line.

"Please give him a kiss from mommy and daddy... tell him that we'll be home as soon as we can... and that our hearts hurt terribly that we have to be away from him..." Derek whispered, his eyes still on Meredith's.

"I'll tell him." She whispered.

"We will talk to you when we get home." Derek said, raising his eyebrows at Meredith. "Thank you, Mom."

"I love you both..." She said softly as she hung the phone up.

Derek closed the phone slowly, his eyes staring directly into Meredith's as he crouched down to her level. "I love you." He whispered.

"I know." She whispered.

"I want you to be happy." He whispered.

"I know." She whispered.

"Here..." He said softly as he reached his hand into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. "I'll trade you... this phone... for this picture." He said as he carefully pulled out a laminated paper from his wallet.

She turned the paper around, and on the other side was a picture of Richie, sleeping in his crib. "Derek." She whispered as she looked up into his eyes. "I..."