Title- This Way of Life

Author- ThatGirlWithGlasses

Summery- Takes place after If/Then (S8/E13). Continues on where the ep left off. Mainly MerDer.

Disclaimer- I don't own a damn thing, this is purely for my enjoyment and amusement.

Rating- Strong M-lots of swearing and sexy times.

...

Chapter One-

"What do you mean you're moving out?" Ellis Grey's voice was shrill with disbelief and anger.

Meredith kept her back to her mother and continued to fill her suitcase. "I found an apartment. I'm leaving tonight. I will get the rest of my things over the weekend." Her voice was steady, her tone clipped.

"The last thing you should be doing is moving out. You need to be home and focus on your career, which, by the way, is circling the drain as we speak! This 'personal time' you've been taking has just pushed you that much farther behind your peers. Between this and that 'relationship' with Karev, thank God that's over—"

Ellis kept on ranting, not noticing how her daughter's hands were clenched and she was taking deep, slow breaths.

"You're distracted. You are not focused. No daughter of mine—"

After another moment of her mothers' raving about her failing career and sham of a relationship with Alex, Meredith snapped.

"Mother, will you just stop!" Ellis stopped in mid-sentence, shocked. Because her mother was not shocked into silence very often, Meredith went on. "You are the reason I am leaving. You're right, I need to focus on my career and I need to rebuild my life, because frankly I'm a mess right now. I am hanging on by a thread and I can't deal with you! I need to get away, away from you!"

Ellis's mouth opened, but remained silent. Meredith took advantage of that small mercy, grabbed her bag, and rushed down the stairs. Richard, her step-father, was standing by the door, silent.

"Dad, I'm sorry. I can't be here right now. I won't be small around her and I won't be ordinary for her. I just won't." Meredith gave him a kiss on the cheek and opened the door before he could say a word.

...

"You're leaving, where are you going to go? This is your home!" Addison's face was tear and mascara streaked as she watched her husband pack up his things.

Derek didn't answer her, didn't even look at her. He felt cold, a bone deep numbing kind of cold that, if a patient of his were experiencing this, he would have explained away as shock.

"Derek, please… You can't leave me, not like this. Derek!" Addison was bracing herself against the door frame, one hand over her rounded belly.

It had been two days since Derek had found out the truth about the baby, two days since Mark Sloan had arrived in town. It had been two days since Derek had slept. He was tired, so tired and numb.

Addison's sobs echoed in the silent room and within Derek's throbbing head. He closed his suitcase and turned around, facing his wife. "Shut up."

Addison didn't hear him and kept crying, wiping her face seeming to fold in on herself.

The sound of her sobs grated on Derek's frayed nerves and he slammed his case down, yelling "Shut up, Addy, just shut the hell up!"

Addison choked back her cries and stared at this man, her husband, someone who she didn't recognize anymore. "Derek, we—"

"No." Derek cut her off, staring at a point above her head because he knew he couldn't look her in the eyes without doing or saying something he would later regret. "This is it. This is the last straw. The baby…" Derek shook his head, even though he had dreaded this baby with every fiber of his being, he had grown to care for it, to love it even when he didn't love the woman bearing it. But now…that door was shut. "I'm done, Addy. Call the lawyer; take it all, I don't care. I'm done."

Addison raised a shaking hand to her mouth, her face pale. Derek took her in and because he was not completely heartless, something softened, slightly. "Call Mark, or Torres, someone to stay with you for a while. I'll be at the trailer." Derek pushed past her silently and gently and stood outside of their bedroom just long enough to hear her take out her phone and start speaking to someone. He walked through their enormous house for what he knew would be one of the last times, but didn't pause to take anything in.

He had meant it when he said he was done.

...

Meredith sat at the bar, her suitcase under her stool. She had lied to her mother about having an apartment. It had been equal parts desperation to get out of that house and wishful thinking that an apartment would just pop out of nowhere, just for her. She wasn't entirely worried though, she had some cash and still a few days until she had to go back to work.

"Can I have another, Joe?" Her voice was rough as she pushed her empty glass away. She had been here for an hour and 3 small shot glasses sat in front of her.

Joe smiled sadly at her and cleared away the glasses, handing her a new glass filled with amber colored liquid and a glass of water. "You gonna be driving tonight?"

Meredith's lips twisted into something closer to a grimace than a smile. "I think I'm staying across the street tonight." She flicked her hair over her shoulder and smiled winningly at Joe, "So, no."

Joe nodded and pushed the two glasses in front of her, walking away to tend to the other customers next to her.

"Meredith."

Meredith stiffened and hastily threw the shot back, liking the way in burned through her.

"Go away, Alex."

"What are you doing? Getting wasted?" His voice was accusing and harsh, "You haven't been to the hospital all weekend."

Meredith didn't respond. Her hands were shaking now and she wanted another drink. Instead, she sipped her water almost desperately, just wishing Alex would leave. She couldn't deal with him right now.

"Mere, we've got to talk about this."

"There's nothing to talk about." Meredith's hands tore at her napkin, shredding it into little pieces.

Alex threw himself into the seat next to her and leaned in close, forcing himself into her field of vision.

"We can get past this, Mer, I made a mistake."

"You fucked my best friend, Alex. No, we cannot get past this." The tequila made Meredith bold and she liked it, like being able to say what was on her mind with no hesitation. She heard the door jangle as it opened above the bar noise.

Alex looked shocked at her behavior. "You're drunk. I'm taking you home." He grabbed her elbow and tried to make her stand.

"Get off of me!" Meredith's voice was loud an angry and several people turned to stare, "I am not going anywhere with you." Meredith tried to yank her arm away, but Alex held on.

"We're going outside, you need some air."

"Let her go, Karev."

Alex turned, angry at the situation, angry at Meredith, and angry at this intrusion. "Fuck off, Sheperd."

Derek had walked in just as Alex had grabbed Meredith. Taking in the situation, and looking for an excuse to take his anger out on someone, he strode up to them and shoved Alex's shoulder, making him stumble off of the stool. "She doesn't want to go with you." Derek chuckled darkly, "Not that I blame her."

At that, Alex's temper broke and he swung at Derek. Meredith shouted at them to stop as Derek shifted to the side, causing Alex to miss. Derek then swung back and his Alex square in the nose.

"Goddammit!" Alex cursed, bending and cupping his now bloody face.

"Sheperd, Karev! Out!" Joe shouted, coming from around the bar.

Meredith looked between the two men, one holding his face and then other shaking out his hand, smirking. She downed her last shot that Joe had placed in front of her while she and Alex had been arguing, threw some money on the table and followed Derek out of the bar.

"You punched him." She laughed, incredulously and maybe a little drunk.

"That I did." Derek grinned down at her. "That guy's an ass."

Meredith noticed how his smile seemed to open up his face. She didn't think she had ever seen him laugh and she had been working with him for three years. "That's what I used to say about you."

Derek laughed, "You think I'm an ass?"

"I'm staying at the hotel… Do you want to grab at drink?" Meredith didn't wait for an answer and walked away without him, her suitcase in her hand.