"Derek?" Miranda said as she entered the room "Can you come outside? We need to talk"

"What's wrong?" Derek asked as he walked into the hallway, giving a last glare at Meredith

"Her lungs are starting to fail" Miranda sighed "We need to get rid of this infection asap and then we need to look for a transplant"

"I.. already?" Derek started to sob "No, Bailey! This can't be true!" He yelled

"Derek.." Miranda looked at him with sad eyes

"I'm gonna tell her" Derek said and returned to her room

He stepped in the room and broke down. He sat down on the chair next to Meredith and grabbed her hand. He rubbed her hand gently. He then climbed into the bed and held her close as she was asleep.

His fingers went through her hair as he kept sobbing. She looked pale and exhausted, her breaths were heavy and labored.

Derek was lost in thoughts. Memories of him and Meredith and the kids came into his mind.

Derek was pulled out of his thoughts by Meredith gasping for air

"Shh, shh" Derek tried to calm her down.

Meredith's hand slowly went to her chest as she was catching her breath. Derek highered the oxygen

"Hey sleepyhead" He smiled

"What's.. wrong?" She asked as she saw Derek's red eyes

"Mer.. you'll need your transplant very soon" Derek told her.

Meredith nodded as tears were building up in her eyes

"First.. we need to clear you from your infection and then we can look into a transplant" Derek told her

"Kids" She whispered

"Not now. You're too sick" He told her, knowing this would break her

"I.. might die.. I need.. to see them" She replied, now fully out of breath

"Mer, don't say that, please" Derek started crying again.

"Sorry" She whispered

"It's okay. you're gonna be okay" He kissed her forehead, his PPE mask disturbing a real kiss "Sleep. You need your rest" He said and cuddled in the bed closer to her

'Amelia, I need PPE for the kids and I need it ASAP.' He texted her

'I'll try to find it' She replied

...

A few hours later, Meredith woke up again and felt even worse

"Der" She tried to get out

"Hey, you're awake" He said as he got out of the bed

"Hmm" She smiled weakly

"Want some water?" He asked her

"Please" She nodded

"Slow" He reminded her as he held the cup close and put the straw in her mouth as she sipped

"Hmm.. felt good" She smiled weakly

Derek smiled and went through her hair with his fingers

"Hmm" She smiled again as she groaned in pleasure

"Anything you need?" Derek asked her

"I'm cold" She whispered

"Want another blanket?" He asked

"Hmm" She nodded "And my own.. heater" She smiled as she tried to pull his arm

This movement made it clear for Derek how weak Meredith is at this point. He gently got back in the bed after grabbing another blanket to put on his wife. He pulled her close and she buried herself against him. It felt weird to touch the plastic of the PPE but she was in her husband's arms. Feeling safe and warmer

The next couple of days were the same. When Derek went home to spend the night, the kids begged him to sleep in the big bed, they kept asking when they would go see mommy, the kids, even Zola, refused to go to school.

Amelia found some kids PPE online for the kids so they could finally see Meredith. Even though the infection was almost gone, they wouldn't take the risk to expose her for another infection

"I wanna go see mommy" Bailey wined

"We can see mommy today but you all need to promise that you'll behave" Derek told them

"We can?" Zola asked with big eyes

"We can" Derek smiled

"Let's go!" Bailey yelled

"Bails, wait!" Derek yelled

"What's up daddy?" He asked

"First we all take a shower, then we'll go to the hospital and then we'll wear a special suit to protect mommy" Derek told them

"A suit?" Ellis asked

"Yep, a special suit so mommy can't get another infection" He told them

"Cool!" Bailey yelled as he run toward the bathroom

"Zola, will you be fine?" Derek asked and she nodded

"Come on, Ellie. Let's go give you a shower" Derek smiled as he saw his daughter's eyes lit up

"Can we hug mommy?" She asked

"Of course" Derek smiled "I'm sure mommy will want to cuddle with all three of you"

"I missed mommy" She said as a tear left her eyes

"I know you did" Derek said as he gave her a sad smile and kissed her forehead

"Let's go get ourselves ready!" Derek said