Has absolutely nothing to do with the actual plotline of the show. It's set when Meredith is a senior in high school.

Hope you like!

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"Yes Meredith, what do you want? I'm busy," Ellis asked her daughter as she entered her mother's study."

"Um… it's almost the end of my senior year."

"Yes Meredith, I know that."

"Well… most of my friends are taking a senior trip and I was wondering if I could you know… take one too?"

"Yes Meredith."

"Yes I can go?"

"Yes Meredith."

"Uh… thank you."

"Shut the door."

Meredith shut the door and went into her bedroom. That was the longest conversation she'd had with her mother in the past month and a half. She wanted her mother to answer her with something other than 'Yes Meredith." She wanted her mother to say no to something, just so she could scream and slam her door. But instead she sat on her bed, quietly flipping through a magazine, once again getting her way just so her mother wouldn't have to deal with her.

Not more than 20 minutes later, Meredith heard her mother's unmistakable voice calling her to the study.

"Yeah?"

"I've booked you a ticket to New York that leaves the 26th of June at 9:00pm."

"New York?"

"I don't have time for this Meredith."

"You decided I was going to New York? Without asking me?"

"Yes Meredith."

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Meredith looked anxiously out into the crowd as she walked up to the podium. Her fingers toyed with the tassel at the end of her valedictorian stole nervously. Her mother wasn't there. She knew that. But she had to look didn't she? Had to look to see if maybe, just maybe, her mother had remembered it was her graduation day. That she was valedictorian. Ellis had been valedictorian at the same high school over 40 years ago. Her mother had stood on the same stage as she stood now, making her speech, her parents watching proudly in the crowd. But Meredith stood there at the podium alone, a dead silence settling over the room. No one was there to cheer her on, or smile at her from the crowd. She cleared her throat, and started to speak, her voice echoing through the packed auditorium.

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He fell into the first class seat next to her with a loud sigh.

"Was that supposed to wake me up?" Meredith said, opening her eyes and peering at the person who had sat down next to her.

"Not really. But what are you doing asleep already? We haven't even taken off yet."

She rolled her eyes slightly. "If you have to know, I'm terrified of flying."

"Really? You're scared of the most ingenious thing since sliced bread?"

"Yes. Now if you don't mind—"

He stuck out his hand to be shaken, so she did.

"Meredith Grey," she introduced herself.

"Very nice to meet you Meredith Grey."

"And might I inquire the name of the person who so rudely woke me up?"

"You might. I'm Derek. Derek Shepherd."

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