Well this is an episode tag to "Wishin' and Hopin'" I really didn't want to write this, but it demanded, completing my annoying obsession with GA. So here is goes, I'm a new viewer, so if things don't seem right please forgive me. Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Grey's Anatomy.

"Me too," Meredith whispered eyes shining with unshed tears as she flicked them towards the Chief. Quietly but quickly she left her mother's room. Not wanting to go home, but wanting to be alone she made her way to the hallway of gurneys that she and her friends had claimed as their own. Throwing her purse and coat on to a wheelchair she climbed onto a gurney, pulling her knees up to her chest and hugging them to her, she leaned her cheek against the window watching the quiet night life and thinking of everything and nothing.

It was in this same position that Derek found her twenty minutes later with silent tears streaming down her cheeks. Still dressed in his dark blue scrubs he quietly walked up to her gently sitting next to her his hand coming to rest softly on her hair.

"Mere?"

Quickly wiping away a tear she gave him a quick smile before looking back out the window. Successfully hiding the new onset of tears that came when she felt the difference in Derek, that he was more reserved, more hesitant and she bit her lips in an attempt to fight the tears as he got up and moved away from her.

But as she sat there the emotions of the day caught up with her and resulted in a bubbling anger. "Where are you going?" she demanded.

He looked at her in surprise, but she didn't give him the chance to respond as she quickly stood her eyes narrowing as she did so. "She got to you didn't she? My mother, damn." She closed her eyes, placed her hand on her hips, and when she opened her eyes they were flaring and she let him have it. "I don't need this Derek, not now, not ever. I warned you about her. I warned you. This has been one of the most emotionally exhausting days and then you try to pull this on me!"

She started pacing, throwing her arms up in the air, Derek leaning against the wall arms crossed over his chest watching her. "First my mother is completely lucid, then she collapses. Then I find out George had run off and gotten married! And when I finally talk to my mother, after avoiding her for half the morning, I tell her that I'm happy, that I'm in love, and you know what she says? No! Well I'll tell you!

"She tells me I'm ordinary, what's happened to me, and that once again I'm a disappointment and then you!" She poked him hard in the chest with her finger, "You for some God only knows reason won't let me help, making me go back to my mother, where I have another fight with her. Then I watch you perform surgery, and then I get to watch you collapse," she paused here, taking a deep breath, closed her eyes, fighting a moment of distress. "God Derek, I watched you collapse."

He wanted to reach out to her but she had recovered and continued her pacing.

"Then I go to my mother, try and make her understand, only to tell her everything and then find out she was gone, that she doesn't remember again, and now you try and pull this crap!" She stopped her pacing and glared at him, "And now you have that look on your face!"

"What look?" he asked innocently.

She narrowed her eyes again stopping closer to him. "That of so wonderful affectionate look, mixed with the look that says you've seen me naked!"

"I have seen you naked" he reminded her.

"That's not the point Derek, that's not the point," she whispered burying her face in his chest, "Please don't let her get to you, I need you."

Derek wrapped his arms around her pulling her even closer as she cried into his shirt clenching it in her small ineffectual fists. "I'm sorry Meredith, I'm sorry for letting her get to me even if for a moment. I'm sorry for scaring you." He paused and kissed her hair, "I'm sorry for not letting you help. A small part was because I was angry because of your mother, but a larger, a much larger, part was because I wanted you safely away from all of the danger, but you ended up saving the day and I am so proud of you." He kissed her hair again, "I love you Mere, and I'm sorry."

She nodded against his chest, her arms moving to wrap around him, "I need you Derek, and please don't forget that."

"Never." He held her then, eyes closed as were hers. Letting her share the burden of her pain, and reiterating to her and himself that he would always be there.

Feeling calm, loved, and comforted she rubbed her cheek against his shirt, hearing his heart beat, a small smile on his lips. She relished in the moment.

She titled her head to look at him and having felt her move he looked down and met her eyes, "I want to go home Derek, take me home?"

"Of course," he whispered kissing her forehead and then her lips.

Well there you have it, hop you enjoyed. Maybe some day I'll extend it, but I highly doubt it.