A bit later, Derek was doing some paperwork while Meredith was still sleeping. Maggie and Winston took the kids to the cafeteria to eat something

"Derek?" She asked, totally disoriented

"Mer?" Derek jumped up and held her hand

"What? Oh.. Where are the kids?" She asked

"Maggie and Winston took them for lunch. They will be back in a bit

"News?" She whispered, her voice cracking

"Not yet.." He sighed

"Can you.. hold me?" Meredith started to tear up

"Of course" Derek gave her a sad smile and climbed in the bed, next to her and held her tight.

"I'm scared.. What if it's lung cancer?" She asked, showing a vulnerability that Derek barely saw in his wife

"Let's not think the worst, yet. Let's wait" Derek whispered and kissed her forehead. She kept sobbing which made her struggle with taking deep and steady breaths so Derek immediately got back up and placed the oxygen mask back on her face.

The two laid in eachothers arms for a while when Bailey and Teddy entered the room

"Meredith? We got your results" Teddy said

Maggie, Richard and Alex came running in later

"Maggie.. where're.. the kids" Meredith struggled to say

"Winston takes care of them, he'll bring them up when they're finished" She said and set down on Meredith's bed, grabbing her hand

Meredith nodded and placed her head back on Derek's chest.

"So?" She muttered

"Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Your lungs are badly scarred, it's a miracle you didn't notice before" Teddy tells them

"So.." Derek asked, not sure if he wants to continue his question

"We're gonna start you on meds which will slow down the disease. There's no real cure for IPF, we're gonna need to see how treatment works but it's pretty progressed" Teddy said, ripping off the band aid

"I'll need.. new lungs?" Meredith asked after taking off the oxygen mask, her eyes wet from crying

"Eventually, but we need to keep you on oxygen at all times.." Maggie said, replacing the mask.

"I.. my kids? Derek?" She started sobbing

"Mer, we need you to stay calm." Maggie said

Meredith kept sobbing and bursted out coughing. Derek started to rub her back

"But she's so young?" Derek asked

"We know.." Bailey sighed

"I'm gonna stay a doctor on your team if that's okay?" Teddy asked

Meredith nodded when Derek asked "Team?"

"We're gonna set a team together. A pulmonologist, pathologist, me and a physical therapist." Teddy informed him

"Derek, we're gonna take care of her" Richard finally spoke up, placing his hand on Derek's shoulder

"But no cancer?" Meredith asked

"No cancer" Maggie gave her a smile

"Okay, that.. that's a good thing" Meredith said, her head back on Derek's chest while his arms were protectively placed around her torso.

"We're gonna do a biopsy later today, for now you need to let this sink in, spend time with your kids" Bailey told her

"When can I go home?" She asked

"Meredith.." Derek sighed

"Mer, not very soon. We'll keep you here for at least a week to do all the tests we need to do and it will depend on those results" Maggie informed her

"I.. I need to go home, my kids and.." She started coughing again

"Mer" Derek sighed and rubbed her back, finally handing over a glass of water "I'll take care of the kids, you need to think about yourself first"

"We'll all offer our help" Maggie said

"We're gonna leave the two of you alone. The kids will be back soon" Richard said and they all left. Alex grabbed her hand and squeezed it before he followed the others.

"I'll.. need new lungs" Meredith whispered

"You will. But you'll be fine, Mer." Derek said and kissed her forehead

The two of them cuddled even closer in each other's embrace. Scared of letting go when they heard familiar voices

"Mamamama!!" Bailey yelled as he ran in, followed by Ellis and Zola

"Hey, bud" Derek said, wiping his tears away

"Daddy, why are you crying?" Bailey asked

"We.. We need to tell you something" Derek said as he was looking at Meredith, who was hiding her fears from the kids

"Mommy?" Little Ellis asked as she gave it a try to climb the hospital bed but failed so Derek got up and Placed her into Meredith's arms when the other two climbed in close to their mom

Derek sat down at the foot end and placed his hands protectively on her feet

"Mommy's sick" Derek started "Mommy will need to stay here for a bit so the doctors can help her. She had a lot of trouble breathing so they will do everything they can to make mommy better as fast as possible" Derek told them

Zola seemed to have a lot of questions. Bailey's fists clutching Meredith's hospital gown but he stayed quiet and showed no signs of letting go any time soon.

"Mommy sick?" Ellis asked

Meredith nodded and hugged the kids even tighter

"But I don't want mommy to stay here. I want mommy home" Ellis's lip started shivering

"I know, baby.. but for now mommy will stay here and we'll come visit her every day, how does that sound?" Derek asked the kids

The three nodded, not wanting to cause a scene as they knew this wasn't the time to do so.

"But.. what.. what's wrong?" Zola asked with a quiet voice

"I.. I have IPF.. That's" Meredith started when she coughed. Derek handed her some water and finished Meredith's sentence. "That's a lung disease. Mommy will need medication to keep her lungs as good as possible but also special exercises and.. maybe.. maybe one day mommy will get new lungs" Derek told them

"I wanna help mommy" Little Ellis spoke up

"I love you, sweetie but.. there's nothing... you can do now" Meredith caresses her daughter's face

"We love you, mommy" Zola said, a tear escaping her eyes

"I love you too, my babies" Meredith whispered