-1This is my first attempt at a high school fic. I came up with this idea thanks to my brilliant and amazing friend Amy aka Skullflap. Thank you for taking the time to read and please let me know what you think. Good and bad comments are welcome.

Premise: This is an alternative universe fic where all the interns, and some of the attendings, are in high school. They attend a prestigious boarding school in Boston. Some of their background stories from the show are the same, but some I have changed because they don't really fit in with my storyline.

Pairings: There are no definite pairings for this fic as of yet. It is really more about the individuals and their choices.

Disclaimer: I do not own Grey's Anatomy. If I did Derek would grow some balls and not stand by while the woman he loves is slapped, Meredith wouldn't be Shonda's personal punching bag, George wouldn't be getting more play than the man whores, and Izzie and Alex would admit they love each other.

July 4th,

Seattle, Washington

The bursts of color that illuminated the sky and danced across the dark water of Puget Sound brought only a ghost a smile to the slender girl sitting on the rail of ferryboat F234978. One baby blue flip flop had already slid from her foot into the churning water. Her breath had caught momentarily when the rubber and foam had disappeared into the darkness. It hadn't been enough to scare her back onto the safety of Deck B though. While she might be ordinary, she followed through. She had committed to this suicide thing and she would see it through. If for no other reason than to show the world that her mother wasn't perfect, because perfect mother's did not have suicidal children.

"You don't want to do it."

Green eyes grow large, fingers start to slip. She sucks her breath it, grappling to steady her precarious perch on the cold rail. The other shoe slides into the black water. When she would have slipped as well a pair of strong hands grab her under her arms. "Let me go!" She twists her body every which way. She wasn't going to let some unknown boy ruin her suicide.

"Will you stop doing that? I'm trying to save you here!" The boy tightened his hold on her, grunting a bit as he tugged her over the rail. They fell backwards, hitting the metal deck with a resounding clang. Nobody noticed, the other passengers were to engrossed in the fireworks lighting up the night sky.

"I didn't want to be saved, you asshole!" They had fallen in a tangle of limbs. It takes her a moment to free herself from his warm embrace. She shivers slightly, rubbing her bare arms. "Thanks a lot. Now, I'm going to have to go home and explain that note to my mother."

"You were serious? You were going to jump?" The boy stares at her, his face frozen in shock. A boom shakes the ferry slightly as another round of fireworks illuminate the sky. Brilliant blues. The fact that the boy's eyes were the same shade of blue wasn't lost on her. She was suicidal, not blind. "Why?"

Why? She frowns. She hadn't really thought of a reason, other than pissing her mother off, which suddenly did not seem like a very good reason at all. "I'm dark and twisty. Dark and twisty people jump off ferry boats." Had she really just said that? God, she really was as pathetic as her mother said.

"You got dumped, didn't you?" He gives her a sympathetic, knowing look. Anger spurs her into motion. She rises, standing over him, her pixie like face a mask of fury. "Hey, no need to get pissed off. I have five sisters. I know all about girls being dumped."

The arrogant prick. She didn't care if he had five hundred sisters. In fact, she didn't care one way or the other what he thought. Not caring didn't stop her from biting back with "For you information, I wasn't dumped. In order to be dumped I would have to have a boyfriend and I don't have time for loser's. Like you. My life just sucks." Tossing her shoulder length hair back, she raises her chin. She does what she knows to be a perfect replication of her mother's condescending look before turning to walk away. The deck was cold beneath her bare feet and a wind had picked up, bringing a cool breeze off the Sound. Her tank top and khaki shorts did nothing to protect her.

"Here." A dark blue flannel shirt drapes around her shoulders. It smelled of fabric softener and fresh smelling cologne. "I'm sorry if I upset you. Usually when one of my sisters get suicidal its because they've been dumped. Although, I have to say, none of them have pulled a Titanic and climbed the railing of a boat. Closest one ever came to that was Nan threatening to jump off a bridge when Toby Harris dumped her for Kylie Adams."

Was she suppose to care? She didn't. Right now the only thing on her mind was having to face her mother, who had most likely seen the note by now, and the fact that in two weeks she was being shipped off to Boston. Apparently normal high school wasn't good enough for her mother. Oh no, had to ship the ordinary disappointment off to some hoity toity school in a stuck up city. "You didn't upset me. I just have issues. Lots and lots of issues. Mostly Daddy issues."

"Ah. Divorce." Again he had that all knowing tone, that sympathetic look. She shoots him a dark look, noticing for the first time how much potential he had in the cuteness department. He wasn't a grade A hottie but he had definite potential. His looks were one's he had to grow into. One day he would be a real dream boat. He already had the eyes. Crystal blue, all seeing.

"My parents got divorced when I was three. I barely remember dad. Hence the Daddy Issues." She slides her arms into the shirt. The cuffs fall well past her to thin wrists. "Well, it's been real, but I have to be going. This is my stop." It wasn't her stop. It wasn't anywhere near her stop. She would have to wait for another ferry but that was okay. She just wanted away from this boy with the all seeing blue eyes and the knight in shining whatever complex.

"Hey, wait, aren't you going to at least tell me your name? I mean, I did save your life and all."

She looks over her shoulder, smiling. "Meredith." She makes her way towards the line that had formed to disembark the boat.

"Don't you want to know my name, Meredith?"

He just wouldn't go away. She lets out a frustrated sigh, wincing as the man in front of her steps on her bare toe. "Fine. What's your name of wonderful knight in shining whatever?" She mutters a curse, sucking in her breath when the man once more steps down on her foot. Son of a bitch it hurt.

"Derek. Derek Shepherd." His voice was practically in her ear. She could feel the warmth of his body behind her. Great. The guy saved her life, uninvited, and now he was stalking.

"Derek, you can go away now. I'm fine. No more jumping off ferries. And, I promise not to step in front of any moving vehicles. I'm going to get a cab and go home." There. Maybe now he would take the not so subtle hint that he wasn't wanted, or needed, in her life.

"I'm not following you. This is my stop to. My car's parked in the aquariums parking lot. I just caught the ferry so I could see the fireworks. And rescue pretty damsels in distress."

Just her luck. She shouldn't be surprised, not with the way her luck ran. Really, she wasn't. Wrapping her arms around her, she steps onto the cement of the dock. "This is where I'm suppose to say thank you…even though I didn't want saved…so thank you. Now, you're suppose to say you're welcome and leave."

"Okay. You're welcome." He grins at her, two dimples appearing in his cheeks. Yeah, definite dream boat material there. All the more reason to get away and get away fast. "Sure you wouldn't rather I give you a ride home?"

"Thanks, but no. I rather enjoy conversing with the cabbies. Gives me a chance to brush up on my foreign languages. Good bye Derek." She gives him one last tight lipped smile before running towards the nearest cab. Once inside, she leans her head back, trying to think of what excuse she could give her mother for the note. Nothing comes to mind. There was no excuse. Maybe that's what she would tell her mother. She was dark and twisty Meredith and Ellis could just deal!