If that's what it takes

73

Derek and Mark stared at the scan in front of them in an eerie silence. The last words passed between them were in the distant past as Derek reached his finger out to touch the monitor, running it along the object on the screen.

"That thing is going to..." Mark started as Derek's pager sounded. Derek looked down at the pager as Derek swore. "What is it?"

"It's Zoey." He said as he looked up at the screen as Meredith continued to go through the machine.

"What's going on?"

"I have to call... it's Izzie... about Zoey..." He said as he sighed.

"Well go..."

"I can't go, she's in the fucking machine." Derek said as he looked to the screen. "I... I mean... Look at that thing...I mean... how is she... how..."

"Is she even alive? I have no idea." Mark whispered as he continued shaking his head as they watched the other images coming from the machine, as Derek stared at his pager and back up to the machine, and to his pager again. "Don't worry about it." Mark said. "I'll get her back to the room, you call Izzie and find out what's wrong with Zoey.

Suddenly, Derek's pager went off again and Derek looked down at the message. "Fuck."

"What now?"

"It's Cris... code white..."

"Code white?"

"Chief... the chief is in the building. Get her the hell out of that machine now!" Derek said as he and Mark ran toward the room frantically. "Let's go..." Derek said as the machine slowly shut down as Mark and Derek rushed to get her onto the gurney as carefully and quickly as possible. Derek could tell that Meredith was worried, her body stiffened as they pulled her to the gurney carefully. "It's alright... it's alright..." He whispered. "Your baby had a nightmare, I think..." He whispered as he watched her eyes dart to his. "She'll be alright... Chief is roaming the halls..." He said as he felt her body relax slowly. "Don't worry..."

"Don't worry?" Mark muttered. "This is our jobs on the line, and you're concerned that she's worrying?"

"She has no control over the situation, Mark..." Derek snapped as he made sure that everything was connected correctly. "Get her to her room..." Derek said as he lifted the blanket to cover Meredith. He looked out the door down the hallway and could see the chief walking briskly down toward his office. He waved to Mark to stay, and walked out into the hallway releasing a slow, deep breath. He looked down as he walked nonchalantly out of the room.

"Doctor Shepherd?" The chief said as Derek looked up at him.

"Doctor Bailey." Derek swallowed.

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Mark waited for a minute as he watched Meredith looking at him. He could see the concern in her eyes as he stood there, her eyes flashed to the door, and back to Mark.

"We're waiting until Derek goes... he's going to stall the chief..." Mark said as he watched her blink. She began to blink furiously as she looked at him. "I don't know what you're saying, Meredith..." He replied.

"Meredith, relax... just relax..." He said as he watched her worry, her eyes still blinking, her breathing getting more erratic. Mark lifted his phone from his pocket and dialed Derek's house phone. "It'll be alright... it'll be alright..." He said as he touched her hand, grasping it as she blinked quickly.

"Derek!" The person on the other line exclaimed when they answered, the sound of screaming could be heard in the background.

"Jesus, Izzie... what are you doing to her?"

"You're not Derek!"

"No, It's Mark... what's going on, Iz..."

"She won't stop screaming! She had a nightmare! Derek warned me about her nightmares, and she finally woke up... but she won't stop crying! I need his help! It's killing me here!" Izzie exclaimed.

Mark looked to Meredith as she stared at him. "Nightmare... the baby had a nightmare... she'll be alright..." Mark said softly as he listened.

"Put the phone to her ear..." Mark said quickly.

"Mark! It's not going to..."

"Just do it, now!" He barked at her as he heard the screaming become louder immediately. "Zoey..." Mark said, his voice almost stern as he said her name, though there was a tinge of softness. "Zoey... Monkey... it's Mister Mark..." He said, his voice becoming softer as he imagined her screaming into her stuffed animals, maybe clinging to Izzie, maybe clinging to Derek's pillow, but her face red with frustration, tears rolling down her face. "Zoey Monkey... it's Mister Mark... talk to Mister Mark." He whispered, his heart breaking as he listened to her gasp between cries. "Baby girl...please..." He whispered, his voice whimpering as he listened to her crying. "Zoey Monkey..." He said softly as he heard her hiccup as she began to pay attention to his voice. "Zoey..." He whispered again. "Zoey girl..." He whispered, his eyes on Meredith as she watched him.

"Zoey..." Mark whispered as her screaming cries turned to a whimpering cry. "Zoey... talk to Mister Mark..."

"DD..." She moaned into the line.

"You miss DD?" He whispered.

"I want DD..." She whimpered.

"You want DD?" Mark whispered.

"Yes...Mister Mark... get me DD..." She whimpered.

"Oh, baby... DD is going to see you soon..." He whispered.

"Get me..." She sniffled. "Get me DD...please..." She whimpered.

"Baby girl... let me talk to Izzie..." He said softly.

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Derek was sitting in the chief's office as she went through a couple of things, looking for a file. "Was that all you needed, chief?" Derek asked as he tried his best to not look as if he were up to anything.

"Yes... I just wanted to make sure that there weren't any issues between you and Yang. She's one of the best we have here, and I don't particularly trust the rumor mill around here."

"Nope... Doctor Yang and I are fine... you know though... we have to keep those discussions between she and I pretty heated... keeps our chemistry going... keeps things rolling, the passion and whatnot." Derek muttered as he watched the chief look at him with a sideways glance, her eyes showing the confusion.

"Whatever." She muttered. "Just don't piss her off any more... I don't need to be hearing rumors rolling around this hospital any more than I already do." She said as she watched Derek pause. "What do you want now?" She asked. "I have to get back home... I only came in for a file or two, I have tomorrow off." She grumbled.

"You have tomorrow off?" Derek asked. "Must be nice to be the chief..." He said as he took a step toward the door.

"Yes... it's nice...whatever." She muttered as Derek waved. "I'll see you next week, Doctor Shepherd."

"See you next week, Doctor Bailey." He said quickly as he turned and walked out of the door, moving quickly down the hallway, he walked into the MRI room to find it empty, the monitors all shut down and the lights off. He flipped the switch and found a note.

'Putting the vegetables back in the fridge... Izzie is bringing the tater tot. -M'

"Smart ass." Derek muttered as he crumpled the note and shoved it in his pocket as he jogged toward the stairs.