It was all about the elevators. Always, at Seattle Grace, was it about the elevators. If there were major conversations to be had, they were in the elevator. That was, after all, why God invented the emergency stop button. Meredith Grey knew that better than anyone, so when Derek Shepherd stepped into the elevator on her first day of freedom from internship, well…It didn't exactly surprise her when he put that little red button to good use.

"It's so over," he said as Meredith focused on the floor. "It's so over? And then you don't talk to me for days? How could it be over?"

Meredith shook her head. "I don't know…I just…With my mother and Susan being gone…and you told me that if I wasn't in it to let you go, because you couldn't do it, and I'm not sure what I want, and I'm not sure I ever will be, and I..."

Derek held up a hand to stop her mid-ramble. "I love you, Meredith. And I can't accept over. I won't. Not again."

"Derek, I…"

He put up a hand again. "Now, I know you don't believe me right now when I say I love you. But I do. And when I thought you had drown…my heart broke. I was so afraid of losing you, so afraid…I…I thought you were running away from me."

"I know," she whispered. "And maybe I was. Maybe the thought of losing you scares me too."

Derek smiled. "Let me get this, now. You're afraid of losing me, and I'm terrified of losing you."

Meredith shrugged. "I guess," she said, twirling a strand of hair around her finger.

"So we go slow. One day at a time. One week at a time. And we get it right this time." Derek hit the button to make the elevator start up again. "We get it right this time."

Meredith reached out as the doors open and took his hand. "Okay. I think I like that."

"I'll always hold your hand, Meredith. I'll always be there. No matter what."

Together, they walked to the nurses station. Bailey was there, along with Izzie, Christina and Alex. "Five minutes ago, Grey. You should have been here five minutes ago. You're lucky I'm not your supervisor anymore."

Meredith pulled her hair into a ponytail as she hurried to her group.

"Today begins the rest of your careers," Bailey said. "And I taught you well. So show it. You will begin branching out into specialties, and you're going to spend your day with the rest of the residents."

Izzie rolled her eyes. "As long as it's not Sydney, I'm good," she whispered to Meredith.

Everyone else got their assignments, and Meredith was to report to the OB section. "Dr. Bailey, I'm with Dr. Montgomery, right?"

Bailey raised an eyebrow. 'Did you hear me say that, Grey?"

"No, I was just wondering."

"Because Addison is gone, Grey. She's not here anymore."