Say when

10

A month passed by and Derek got drowned in work... the booming business with the club meant that he had to do more office work, several times he'd been tempted to hire an assistant but he liked being in the office, he wasn't one to sit and stare at naked women all day, he didn't get a thrill out of it... well... with the exception of one woman...

He let out a heavy sigh and rubbed his tired eyes, the mound of paperwork he'd been working on since that morning was dwindling down but now all the letters and numbers on the page were starting to blend together...

He stood up and looked at the clock... he decided to go see if Terry needed anything on the floor seeing as how their business was picking up...

He walked out to the balcony to see if he could spot him when the figure on the stage caught his eye..

There she was dancing to the music wearing a cream colored string bikini type outfit barely covering all the right parts with rhinestones stuck all over her body... with the lights hitting her just right, he thought made her glow like a heavenly creature...

His mind started to wander, wondering how someone who looked so perfect, and innocent could be in a line of work like this....

Her dancing seemed to slow as her eyes diverted out into the crowd and she seemed to be fixated on something... she abruptly stopped dancing and she gasped... he turned his eyes to see what she was staring at when he saw a man in the club hunched over and collapsed...

He turned his eyes back to Meredith only to see her jumping off the stage and running towards him... Derek turned and fled down the stairs, fear running through his veins not just about the man with a health crisis but at the hungry vultures now in arms reach of his beloved prized object...

He got down there seeing a small crowd hovered around them... Meredith was kneeling at his side her tiny hand on the man's neck and the other on his chest... Derek made his way to the other side in a pant as he looked down at her wide eyed...

"What happened?" he asked out of breath...

"He's having an MI! His pulse rate is in the 140's, his pupils are dilated, and he has severe arrhythmia." She turned to the group of men around and shouted, "Did anyone call 911!" Derek just looked at her shocked...

"How... how do you know all that?" he asked..

Her expression went blank as she searched for an answer other than the truthful one... she opened her mouth to speak when she felt a strong hand on her arm pull her to her feet...

"Hey, your show aint over toots." A half drunk big bellied business man growled... she pulled her arm away from him and glared...

"My shows start and end when I say they do, someone needs help... why don't you go sit down." She hissed back...

Derek slowly rose to his feet not liking the looks of what was going on... the man reached out and grabbed Meredith by the waist pulled her into him with a strong grip...

"Why don't I take you in the back room and you can finish for me." He said in a deep voice stained with the strong odor of alcohol...

"I don't think so!" Derek yelped instinctively feeling his gut curdle as he crossed the distance in two strides pulling the man off Meredith and gripping his large muscular hand around the man's arm dragging him towards the door as he gritted his words through his teeth, "In fact I think its time for you to leave."

"I'll leave when I'm ready to leave!" he said slurring his words...

Still unable to release himself from Derek's grasp as he was drug to the door... Derek opened the door and shoved him out of it...

"Considering the tiny fact that I own the club, I would say that I have a better say at that than you do... have a good day." He retorted...

The man shook his head and angrily walked off... at the same time the ambulance pulled up and two paramedics jumped out with a stretcher...

"You guys called?" they said pushing the gurney into the club...

"Yeah, someone's apparently had a heart attack he's right over-" he said looking and pointing at the crowd, but felt his heart sink into his stomach when he saw Meredith gone, worry filled his gut and he felt a knot grow...

"Is something wrong sir?" they asked snapping him out of his thoughts...

"No, no.. he's um... he's right over there." He said pointing again... they nodded and walked off as Derek shut the door with a perplexed look on his face...

"You ok boss?" he heard and looked to see Terry standing there...

Derek looked around the room frantically as he started to walk off answering absentmindedly...

"Yeah, I just need to.... find someone."