Disclaimer: I clearly don't own Grey's Anatomy.
So this idea came to while I was watching the Glee prom episode (and I don't really watch Glee). I thought, considering what we know about Derek's High School life what would it be like if he went to his reunion and saw people that made is teen years miserable and he gets to show off his awesome life…and thus this fic appeared.
Also a quick thanks to my beta for helping me with a few pointers.
I'm also hoping to do one with Meredith going to hers as well but please bear with me, as I'm a slow writer so I can't guarantee when part two will be completed. But I hope you guys enjoy this in the mean time.
Derek Shepherd wasn't popular in High School. He had acne, hadn't discovered hair products therefore had an Afro and played the Sax in the school band.
Sure he had Mark as a best friend but that didn't help how he felt or how he was treated. People looked at him and called him a nerd, a dork even a loser. It probably had something to do with how smart he was. He was a good student. Rarely missed class, always handed his homework in on time and got straight A's.
When he graduated he got top honors and went to Bowdoin for College then Columbia for Medical School. He studied hard and eventually became one of the top Neurosurgeons in the country; being one the best at New York General before moving to Seattle and becoming head of Neurosurgery at Seattle Grace Mercy West.
He had a great life. He was married to the love of his life and had great friends, and an amazing family. He put High School behind him and moved on. So when he received an invitation his is High School reunion, he was a little hesitant.
"What's that?" Meredith asked Derek as she flopped down on the couch and curled beside him.
"An invitation to my High School Reunion." Derek told her as he examined the envelope.
"Are you going to open it?" She asked him
"I don't even know if I want to go." Derek told her
"Well open it first before you decide." Meredith said
Derek doesn't say anything in reply as he rips open the paper and looks as it read, "IT'S A REUNION AND YOU'RE INVITED!" In big bold letters "Saturday June 8th at 6 p.m. at the North West Country Club, New York, New York…"
"Swanky" Meredith told him
"Hmmm…"
"Are you going?" She asked him
"I don't know. High School wasn't exactly a piece of cake." Derek told her
"It wasn't great for me either. Pink hair, lots of black remember?" She reminded him
"Yeah, but you didn't need Mark to help you with your battles. You could defend yourself." Derek pointed out to her
"No, I didn't but you know what the great thing about High School is?" She said
"What?" He asked her
"Going back years later and seeing all the people who made your life hell and showing them how successful and attractive you got." Meredith said to him truthfully and softly "Most people would love to have your life Derek. Your one of the top Neurosurgeons in the country…hell, in the world even and your incredibly hot…"
"You think I'm hot do you." He said to her with a smirk
"Shut up and let me finish." She said sternly "As I was saying. Your successful, you obviously grew into your looks and you got the girl." Meredith said with a smile. "I think that's a reason itself just to show up. Show yourself off."
"Logically I know you're right." Derek tells her
"Then what's the problem?"
"I just don't want to go and it has nothing to do with the people I went to school with and 'showing myself off'. I just hated High School and the people I went with were just…mean. Why do I need to justify my life to them?" He said to her. He didn't care what his former classmates thought of him.
"You don't Derek, that's the point." Meredith told him
"I'm not following." He said blankly
Meredith sighed as she shifted and put her legs on either side of his legs so she was straddling him. "Teenagers are evil people. They're cruel, they'll taunt whoever just because they think they can and High School just makes it worse because they feel it gives them solidarity." She said as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "So when you grow up and leave most people work their asses off and it's not necessarily to change who they are. They get good jobs; they change their looks and try to improve who they are just because so when their reunion comes around they can say 'hey, you made my life hell but look at what I've become.'" She tells him "But you, you changed because you grew up. You grew into your looks, and were smart and determined and you've never need to prove yourself to anyone." She tells him honestly "And you don't need to. You're Derek Shepherd. Neurosurgeon extraordinaire"
"So you think I'm good looking?" Derek asks her
"Is that all you got out of that speech Derek." She asked him blankly
"That and you think I'm the best." He tells her
"Seriously, your ego could feed a country." She says to him
"Thank you." He tells her sincerely and he leans is and kisses her "I love you and love that you have confidence in me."
"I love you too." She tells him "So are you going to go?"
"I guess." He said, "But that means I'm showing you off." He told her
"Why me?" She asked him in confusion
"Because you're the best thing that's happened to me." He told her softly as he grabbed her and kissed her then proceeded to cover her as they lay back on the couch.
Almost a month later they were in New York for Derek's reunion. Although it was a 'vacation' they were only in the city for 3 days as they both had patients still, so unfortunately it wasn't going to be a relaxing one. Derek called his mother before hand and explained to her that even though they were in New York, he wasn't sure if they would have time to visit. The first day they arrived was late evening; as they both still had to work, then the next day was the actual reunion and then they had to leave right after brunch the next day.
Which was fine with Derek, even though he was glad to be in New York with Meredith he wasn't exactly thrilled for the occasion. Days following their departure Meredith tried to cheer up his spirits about the whole thing and though he loved her for it, it wasn't that he wasn't excited; even though he really wasn't, it was just that he didn't care.
They had a lot of things to do in a short amount of time for their trip. Between packing, last minute transportation arrangements and making sure their patients were taken care of and all, it didn't leave much time for sleep or anything else.
They'd packed 2 days before they left; simply because they were working and had no time to do anything and saved their toiletries and such for last minute packing, leaving out clothing to wear for the flight. Since the earliest they could leave was mid afternoon-late evening by the time the got to the airport, checked in and got through security they were both tired and hungry. They got a quick bit to eat at one of the terminals café's and boarded their flight and both nodded off.
After arriving in New York they collected their luggage and quickly fetched a cab and headed to their hotel. Once checking in they lazily put away some items before crashing, both exhausted.
"Did you call your mom and tell her we got arrived?" Meredith asked Derek the following morning. They had ordered some room service and lounged around for a bit before they started to get ready.
"Yeah, she said to call her once we've settled in and then see what our plans are. She doesn't want to impose." Derek told her, as he got ready, putting on a blue button down with his jeans.
"Impose?" Meredith said in confusion from the bathroom, "She's your mom, she's never imposing."
"Tell that to her, she said that she doesn't want to ruin any of our plans for the day."
"What plans?" Meredith told him as she walked out wearing a pair of skinny jeans, purple camisole top and black cardigan her naturally wavy hair down and bangs out of her face. "We're here for a day and a half basically." Telling him
"I don't know, I guess she thinks we'll do the tourist thing and go site seeing." He replies putting on his shoes.
"Site seeing." She said in confusion "She does remember you lived here right." She says jokingly as she puts on a pair of black flats. "Why would you do the tourist-site seeing thing?" asking him
"Maybe you want to do it." He said
"Uh, no. I don't." She told him "I don't do the tourist thing even when I'm in a place where it's expected. I don't like people telling me where to go and what to do." She says factually
"Yeah, I know." He tells her with a slight chuckle and smile "Which is what I told her and then she told me to take you around."
"And you told her…"
"That we'd see. We don't have any immediate plans and are just taking the day by whatever it brings." Derek told her fastening his watch
"'Just taking the day by whatever it brings'?" Meredith quoted him "That's very poetic of you Dr. Shepherd." Telling him as she wrapped her arms around his waist and stood on her toes and kissed him
Derek leaned his head down and kissed her pressing his body against hers letting himself fall into hers for a few moments before air was needed "What can I say, I'm a poetic guy." Telling her
"Um, Derek you are a lot of thing but poetic isn't one of them. Dreamy, yes; Poetic, no." Meredith told him
"You don't think I'm poetic?" He asked her softly, using his hand to brush her bangs away from her face.
"Trust me Derek, you don't want to be poetic." Meredith said, "All great poets are crusty and…old."
He grinned. "Is that your roundabout way of telling me I'm attractive?"
She rolled her eyes. "I honestly think you only listen to certain parts of things I say." Leaving his arms
"Oh, and what parts are those?"
She grabbed her bag. "The parts your ego wants to hear."
"You love me." Derek says with a smile as he grabs his phone, wallet and key card as they leave their hotel room.
"I really do." She told him with a quick kiss as they walked to the elevator.
Derek and Meredith tried to make the best out of their short stay. Though they'd planned on visiting Derek's mother unfortunately it didn't work out. By the time they'd finish doing their version of 'site seeing'; they would've had to be back at their hotel and get ready for the reunion but Carolyn understood and told them that she loved them and told them to have fun after telling Derek that she wanted them to visit when they had the chance.
They took a short stroll through central part, walked down Madison Avenue and 5th Avenue and got a light lunch at Cipriani's. Derek even dragged Meredith to Bergdorf Goodman's for some shopping and got her to buy a few new items, which Meredith insisted not by saying 'I'll never wear any of it' but Derek simply told her 'humor me, Mer.'.
Before they knew it, it was time to get back to their hotel to get ready. Derek wasn't exactly thrilled but Meredith was, more so for Derek getting to show himself off then the actual reunion itself.
Derek brought a black suit and wore a dark blue shirt underneath while Meredith chose a sleeveless V-neck dark purple dress with her black cardigan over top and black pumps.
"So what's the code word when we need to go?" Derek asked Meredith sitting on the bed while she was in the bathroom doing a final touch up.
"Code word?" Meredith asked him confusion as she walked out. Her hair was curled and she had on some blush, mascara and lip-gloss, but even with minimal make up but she looked beautiful.
"Yeah, for when time it's time to go so we don't seem rude just ditching this thing." Derek said
"We don't need a code work Derek. If we want to go, we can just go. It's not a big deal." Meredith told him
"Right."
"Look." Meredith said to him sitting down beside him on the bed. "I know you don't want to go tonight, and if your having a horrible time just tell me or give me any signal you want and we'll leave; no questions asked. But will you do me one favour." She asked him
"Anything." Derek replied kissing her softly
"Just try to enjoy yourself and have a good time, and if you're really not just fake it."
"Fake it?" He said in confusion
"Yeah, you know…laugh at people's joke's even you don't think they're funny. Smile and nod when they talk. Just fake it."
"Fake it, right. I can do that."
"Good." She said standing up and giving her hand to him as he stood up and they walked to leave their room "And you never know you might actually have a good time."
"Yeah, I doubt that." He told her, as he made sure their room was locked before heading out. He was going to take Meredith's advice but he wasn't promising anything.
Arriving at the North West Country Club for the reunion, Derek and Meredith walked up to the table with two women sitting behind it. Derek didn't recognize them and he hoped that they didn't recognize him; he wasn't in the mood for small talk. See, talk and leave was his plan.
"Hi there!" The women said, "welcome to North Ridge's 25th reunion. Can I get your names please?" She asked them.
"Uh, hi." He said back to them, "I'm Derek Shepherd and this is my wife Meredith Grey."
"Great! Here are your name tags." She said handing them each a sticky rectangle "The reunion is being held just in there." Pointing to the room to their left "You guys can go right ahead in"
"Great thanks." Derek told them
"Thank you." Meredith also said as they walked towards the banquet room, "See that wasn't so bad." She told him
"Getting my name on a sticker." He replied "No, actually having to see the people that's different story" he told her as he took her hand in his and they entered the room.
"Do you recognize anyone?" Meredith asked him
"Not yet…" Derek starts to say just as a woman with short brown hair walks up to them.
"Derek Shepherd?" She asks him
"Yes?"
"Oh my goodness! Look at you!" She says excitingly
"Uh, thanks…" He said uncertainly not remembering her
"You don't remember me do you?"
"No, I don't sorry." He confesses
"Oh, you! It's me Linda Conroy! We had grade 11 biology together." She told him
A look of realization appears on Derek's face "Oh yes, Linda." He says, "I remember you."
"Well you'd better!" She tells him, "How are you? What are you up to these days?" She asks him
"I'm good, this is my wife Meredith," he tells her, "And I'm actually a doctor"
"Neurosurgeon" Meredith corrects him
"Neurosurgeon, at Seattle Grace Mercy West."
"He's the head attending of the department actually." Meredith boasts him
"Wow, that's impressing." Linda says
"And yourself?" Derek asks her
"Stay at home mom for my 3 kids and my husband is a lawyer." She tells him proudly
"That's great Linda. I'm happy for you." Derek says
"You too. It was nice meeting you Meredith." She says to her then, "Congratulations Derek, on everything."
"Thank you." He replies as she walks away.
"She didn't seem so bad." Meredith said to Derek as they moved on
"Well from what my memory recalls she wasn't too horrible to me in High School."
"That's good." She says
"Because she spent most of it ignoring me." He tells her
"But didn't she say you two had biology together?" Meredith asks him in confusion
"Yeah." He admits, "But just because we were partners doesn't mean she talked to me." He said, "She didn't have a choice. It was either that or fail."
"Okay." Meredith says slowly, she got what Derek meant. She didn't talk to her biology partner is High School either, but she was a rebel.
"Derek Shepherd!" Derek heard called a few moments. He turned around to see a middle aged tall guy walk up with a blonde woman on his arm. Derek instantly recognized the man, much to his disappointment.
"Oh, no." Derek murmured to himself quietly
"What?" Meredith asked him confused, "Who's that?" She asked him
"Brad Ford." He tells her, "He was one of the biggest jocks in school and one of the reasons why Mark had to have my back most of High School."
"He made your life hell?" Meredith asked curiously
"Yeah" He said getting nervous. "I never thought I'd seem him again."
"Well this is one of those times I told you about." She said to him quickly as Brad got closer, "You have an amazing life, are extremely successful and…"
"Have a gorgeous and sexy wife." He said interrupting her with a soft smile
"Shut up." She smiled back, "You're Derek Shepherd, one of the best and most recognizable Neurosurgeons in the world. "She told him, "This is the time to brag about what you've accomplished." Saying to him as Brad walked up
"Well look at you." Brad said surprised, "You've really grown into your looks, have you now Shepherd."
"Uh, yeah." Derek said confused, "I have."
"What are you up to these days." Brad asked curiously
Meredith squeezed Derek arm secretly to remind Derek of what he had to do.
"I'm married and I'm actually head attending Neurosurgeon at Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in Seattle." Derek said proudly, taking Meredith's advice.
"Really." Brad said surprised, "That's impressive"
"Wait?" The blonde, "You're Dr. Derek Shepherd? You're published and world renowned." She told him, "I've studied you in school." She admitted
"Yes, I am." He said proudly, "Thank you."
"So you're married too." Brad said, quickly changing the subject.
"Yes." He said with an even bigger smile, "This is my wife Dr. Meredith Grey."
"You're a doctor too?" Brad asked
"Yes." Meredith replied
"You a neuro…whatever."
"Neurosurgeon." She corrected him, "Yes, yes I am." Not bothering to tell him that she was a resident but was planning on going into Neuro, they were just petty little details he didn't need to know."
"What are you up to these days Brad?" Derek asked him finding his voice.
"I own my own car repair shop. Best in Arizona." He said proudly, as the blonde next to him shoved him not so secretly. "Oh, and this is my girlfriend Rebecca."
"And what do you do Rebecca?" Meredith asked her
"I'm studying Biology at AU." She said
"Oh, so you're still in school?" Meredith asked curiously
"Yeah, and I'm loving it." Saying happily
"That's great." Derek says, "It was great catching up and seeing you both." He tells them as he and Meredith walk off.
"Well, that was awkward." Meredith tells him as they head to the bar and pick up some champagne on a silver plate
"What." He said, "The fact that I'm more successful then him, or the fact that I'm not a middle aged man dating a University student." He says bluffly
"Well someone found their courage." Meredith joked to him sipping her drink
"You make someone's entire High School time hell and find out that they're life isn't all that great it kind of make you proud of yourself." Derek tells her. It wasn't that he was trying to gloat with Brad but the guy basically tortured Derek when they were in school, so Derek was going to show him how great his life turned out.
"I get you." Meredith tells him, "And I'm glad you did." She says, "You're allowed to gloat a bit. You've got it all Derek."
"I do." He says as he puts his glass on a table near by and gathers Meredith into his arms, "And I have you with makes it all worth it." He tells her softly kissing her.
Meredith smiles, kissing him back. "You want to go?" She asks him
"God, yes." He replies honestly as she laughs and he grabs her hand and they leave quickly, avoiding the rest of the guests. He's done what he's needed to do and has nothing more to say to anyone.
The two of them head back to their hotel and order in room service and relax for the rest of the night. Changing into their Pajama's and turning on whatever crappy movie was playing they settled into bed.
"So what's the verdict?" Meredith asks him while munching on some fries
"Verdict on what?" He asks her as he takes a bit of his hamburger.
"On tonight. How bad was it?"
"On a scale of one to ten."
"Yeah."
Derek thinks for a moment "Four." He tells her honestly
"That's not so bad."
"No, it's not." He says to her, "You know why though."
"No, why?"
"Because I'll never have to see or talk to those people ever again." He tells her, lacing his fingers through his. "And I don't care for them at all. I have an amazing wife, great friends, great job, and a great life." He says, "And I don't need to justify that to anyone." He tells her cupping her face and kissing her.
"You don't." Meredith tells him, "You did great tonight Derek."
"Are you proud of me?"
"Yes I am."
"Proud enough to give me sex as a reward?" He asks her with a smirk
"Shut up and eat your dinner." Meredith jokes back, knowing that it's probably in their night regardless.
The next morning Derek and Meredith began packing up their belongings and getting ready and dressed for the brunch. Their plans were to pop in quickly and then leave as their flight left by late noon.
"Do we have to go to the brunch?" Meredith asked him brushing her hair. She wore a V-neck sweater with a pair of dark skinny jeans and black flats, not really caring about what she looked liked for the brunch. They were catching a ride to the airport after so even if she looked 'presentable' for the brunch she was comfy, which was more important to her.
"To the brunch?" Derek asked from the bathroom, walking out in a dark blue button down with a pair of dark blue jeans. "Yes we do."
"Weren't you the one who didn't want to go to this thing in the first place?" Meredith said to him
"Yeah, but a brunch is different." Derek told her
"How so?"
"With a brunch people don't actually want to talk to anyone, most people are just there for the food. So it makes it easier to go in and out faster." He tells her
"Whatever." Meredith says not really caring, "I just want some food then to leave." Meredith told him because as much as she loved being in New York, she wanted to go home to their friends who didn't care about who they were or what they did in High School, they were their family and loved them for them.
"Don't worry." Derek told her with a slight chuckle, "We're not staying long. We'll grab a cup of coffee and a small bite then head to the airport."
"Good." She says, "Did you call your mom and tell her we're leaving?" She asked him. They may have not been able to see Carolyn but she asked them to tell her when they were leaving to say goodbye.
"Yeah." Derek said, "She was just heading out for some sort of ladies breakfast thing so she said to have a safe flight home and to call when we arrive home."
"Was she mad that we didn't see her?"
"No, she understood." Derek told her, "But she did say that she wanted us to come back and visit and that we had to see her."
"And you told her…"
"That of course we'd see her." He said, "This time was just a short visit with a specific purpose."
"Okay, good. I don't want her thinking that we don't want to see her."
"Trust me Mer," Derek told her, "She doesn't. She knows, she understands." He said, "Are we ready to go?"
"Yeah, lets get this thing over with."
"I thought you were excited about the reunion?" Derek asked her in a jokingly voice
"The reunion where you'd get to show off your awesome life. Yes. But the stupid brunch, not so much." Meredith said crabbily, "I just want to go home."
"Your wish is my command." Derek said, "Five minutes tops we'll be there, then we're out." He told her, "How does that sound?"
"Sounds good to me." Meredith said as they grab their bags and headed out. They'd wished that their time in New York could've been longer but with their tight schedules and limited vacation time; especially for them both of them at the same time, they weren't given much time to really enjoy their 'vacation'.
"So five minutes remember." Meredith said to Derek as they entered the Four Seasons for brunch. "We have a plane to catch and I'm not going to rush through the airport and worry about missing our flight."
"Don't worry we're not staying long." Derek told her, as they walked into a large room filled with tables "Besides, I have to be in the OR by eight; so we can't stay."
"By eight?" Meredith asked referring to his patient, "I though you rescheduled it for tomorrow morning?"
"I was going to but I don't want to risk it." He told her, "He's been complaining since before we left that he wanted the surgery as soon as possible but I didn't want to do the surgery before we left just in case."
"So you rescheduled it for tonight?"
"Yeah," He told her, "I don't want to postpone it anymore then I have to."
"There he is!" Someone called behind Derek.
Derek and Meredith turned around to see Brad and Linda walking up to them.
"Brad, Linda…" Derek said
"I'm glad you're still here Derek, we'd love to sit down and really catch up." Linda said to them.
"We'd love to." Derek lied, "But we have a flight to catch home in a few hours. So we won't be staying long."
"Well that's a shame." Linda said, "Why the short trip?"
"We both have patients we have to get back to." Meredith told her, "And Derek actually has a surgery tonight so…"
"A surgery." Brad says, "Impressive. What kind?"
"It's just a shunt replacement," Derek said nonchalantly, as if it wasn't that big of a deal for him.
"What's a 'shunt replacement'?" Brad asked
"It's when you remove fluid from putting pressing on the brain." Derek explained to him in the easiest way.
"Wait?" Linda said to him, "Does that mean you go inside their brain?"
"Yup," Meredith replied casually, "You just drill into a part of their skull where the pressure is and put in a replacement. It's very easy." She told her.
"Wow, that seems hard." Linda said shocked
"It's really not." Derek said casually, "I've done dozens of them. It's a piece of cake."
"Ummm…Derek." Meredith suddenly, "Look at the time."
"What?" He asked before checking his watch, "Crap, sorry guys but we gotta go." He says to them, "It was nice seeing you again."
"Already," Linda asked, "But you just got here. Can't you wait a few more minutes and at least have some breakfast?" She asked them
"We'd love to." Meredith lied, "But Our flight leaves in three hours and we don't know how bad traffic will be…"
"We understand." Linda tells them, "It was great seeing you again Derek and it was very nice meeting you Meredith."
"You too Linda." Derek says as she walks away.
"Looks like you've done well for yourself Shepherd." Brad tells him, "Nice work."
"Uh, thanks" Derek says unsurely not knowing how to respond to that. He really didn't care what Brad thought of him anymore.
"And I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for the way I treated you in High School." He tells Derek sincerely, "You didn't deserve it and I'm sorry that I put you through so much."
"Thank you." Derek tells him surprised at his apology confession, "I appreciate it, and apology accepted." He says, "High School was about solidarity and people thinking that they were better just because," Derek tells him repeating the words that Meredith told him.
"Yeah," Brad says, "We were all pretty stupid."
"We were." Derek says, "It was nice seeing you again."
"You too. And congratulations on everything." Brad says as he walks away.
"Lets go." Derek says as he laces his fingers through Meredith's and they leave to the airport.
"So…" Meredith says
"So what?"
"Are you happy you came?"
Derek thinks for a moment "Yeah, I am" he then says. "Don't get me wrong, I could still care less about what they think of me and if I never have to see them again I'd be very happy." He told her honestly, "But Brad's apology was something I've been waiting for for over 20 years, so that itself made it worth it."
"I'm so glad Derek." Meredith told him softly, "If for nothing else, that reason made this trip worth it." She tells him as they make their way to the airport. Meredith knows that Derek wasn't excited about the trip or reunion in the first place, so to hear that he didn't have a horrible time and at least somewhat enjoyed himself, was good enough for her.
Their flight home was smooth and easy, now they were back to their lives and patients.
Derek told Meredith that he'd drop her off at home so that she could get some sleep but she declined. She'd rather just wait for him to finish so they could both go home together.
Getting right into the OR at eight, Derek's surgery went perfectly and he updated the family before heading to check on Meredith who was doing a few last minute charting at the nurses station while waiting for him, all their friends were done their shifts.
They got home a little after eleven and threw their laundry into the hamper and put away all their toiletries before changing and heading into bed.
"It feels so good to be home." Derek says as he climbs under the covers and relaxes.
"In our own bed." Meredith replies as she relaxes beside him.
The lay in silence for a few minutes happy to be home with their friends and regular lives.
"You want to know what the best part of this weekend was?" Derek said to Meredith
"No, what?"
"Knowing that after the whole thing is over, we can come home to our friends who love us and know us and don't care about stupid little things. Knowing that you have people in your life that respect you makes you realize that you don't need to know how former classmates think of you and how your life is now. Apologies are great and I definitely appreciated it but reminded me that High School was a time when people acted like jackasses because they felt that it made them better then everyone else when in actuality it didn't; and I know that now. " Derek told her
"I'm really glad you finally realize that Derek." Meredith told him, rolling onto her side to face him.
"I do," He tells her, "And I have you to think for it." He tells her caressing her face, "If it wasn't for you I wouldn't have gone to the reunion. So thank you for my vote of confidence." He says leaning into her for a kiss.
"You're welcome." Meredith replies, "But it wasn't me that did anything." She tells him, "You did all of it."
"Why don't we just say that the weekend was successful?" He says, not wanting to argue with her when he thinks she did more than she wants to say. Without Meredith he would've never gone to the reunion and therefore would've seen Brad and gotten his apology.
"I'm good with that." Meredith said gently, her eyes slowly closing as sleep took over.
"I love you." Derek says to her, gently kissing her before twisting around to switch off his bedside lamp then turning back around to wrap his arms around Meredith.
"Love you too." Meredith murmurs as she falls asleep.
The two of them fall asleep in each other's arms knowing that High School is the past and all that matters is the future.