-1It had been sixteen years since Derek Shepherd was last in Seattle. Sixteen years since he has seen her. He had spoken to the chief of surgery, Dr. Preston Burke, earlier about his job; he was to start the next day. It was quite a shock to hear that Burke and Cristina had gotten married and they had a 16 year old daughter named Natalie and a thirteen year old son named Nick. However, Burke seemed "off" when he asked about Meredith; like as if something was different. Burke advised him to see her, which Derek was going to do already after the meeting. As he pulled up to the house he had spent so many nights in, he felt like he was finally home. He felt his stomach do summersaults as he walked up to the door and rang the doorbell.
The door opened and there stood a young girl, about the age of sixteen/seventeen with curly light brown hair and piercing blue eyes. He stared at her. She had his freakin' blue eyes.
"Can I help you?" inquired the teen.
"U-uhm yes," Derek stumbled, "I'm looking for a Meredith Grey. I'm an old friend."
"Yeah she's here. Come on in. I'll get her for you."
Derek walked through the threshold into the familiar setting, except for the fact that it seemed more 'homey' or 'cozy'. Kind of like his house in New York when he was growing up.
"Mom!" yelled the teen girl.
Just then a young man, with dark and wavy hair, about the same age as the girl, ran down the stairs.
"Did she see it yet?"
"Oh yeah! That's why you can hear silence." The teen guy rolled his blue/green eyes. Meredith's eyes, thought Derek.
She sighed at her presumable brother. "Seriously. How can you get a Din English. You freaking speak it."
The young guy smirked, "Oh. You'd be surprised." He laughed. "Besides, I'm more of a math and science guy." He smiled the infamous McDreamy smile.
The girl rolled her eyes in exasperation. "You are so full of yourself aren't you?" She shoved him. "Li what am I going to do with you? Honestly what does Nat see in you?"
'Li' said, " Oh well I'm charming, handsome, intelligen-"
The teen slapped him over the head. Derek chuckled to himself. This reminded him of his childhood with his sisters. "It was a rhetorical question you pompous ass." She laughed.
"LIAM JAMES SHEPHERD!" "Shepherd? Did she just say Shepherd?" Millions of questions were going through Derek's head.
"Yes mom?" Liam smiled innocently.
"Don't you dare 'yes mom' me. How could you get a D in English?"
"Psh. You and Arabella think alike don't you?"
"Mom, you have a visitor. He says he's an old friend of yours." Arabella points to Derek.
Meredith practically drops the report card she was holding. "Derek" she whispered.
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"Meredith"
"Mom?" asked Arabella.
"Liam!" Liam said gleefully.
"Li! Shut up! Can't you see they need privacy? God for a wanna-be brain surgeon you are so freaking brainless. Seriously!"
"Arabella, Liam. Go upstairs. I'll deal with you later Li." Meredith spoke softly, never taking her eyes off Derek.
After they trudged up the stairs, Meredith spoke. "Derek what are you doing here?"
"I came back home. I missed you."
"Derek, don't. Please. You hurt me. You left me." Meredith spoke with tears in her eyes. "How do I know you're not just going to walk back into my life and them walk out?"
"I spoke to Preston. I'm reporting for duty tomorrow. I left because I wanted you to be happy. I didn't want to hurt you again."
"Did you ever stop to think that maybe leaving me again would hurt me? For your information. I left Finn. I was going to tell you but you left. Without saying good-bye." She paused. "You were the one."
Derek looked at her. She had hurt in her eyes. "I'm sorry." he wasn't sure what else to say.
"Sorry? That's it! That's all you have to say?!"
"I was stupid. I wanted you to be happy. I wanted to be the better guy. I wanted to give you a shot at happiness. I didn't want you to have more baggage. You deserved to start fresh with someone else."
"I want to be happy! I have two kids. Freaking twins that are total opposites! I love them to death. But I want to be happy with you!" she shouted.
"I want to be happy with you too Mer." The way he said Mer, the way he just let that endearment roll off his tongue made her melt.
"The past has given me reason to not trust you. What about Addison?"
"She and I got divorced about 15 and a half years ago. She's married to Mark now I think. That year I wasted trying to make it work with her. No matter how I set my mind to it. You always were in my heart. I was miserable for that year. Up until prom. That night meant something to me Mer." There. He did it again, Mer. He continued. "I've been trying for sixteen years to be happy but I couldn't. You're the only person I want to be happy with. To spend forever with. I love you Mer."
Meredith sniffled, tears were brimming up in her eyes. "I love you too Derek."
He approached her and wrapped his arms around her. He kissed the top of her head. Taking in the sweet smell if lavender. She smelled the fragrance of his cologne. They missed each other so much.
"Derek, promise me this.."
"I promise."
"We have to take this slow."
"No problem."
"Oh and another thing"
"Yes"
"Liam and Arabella are the product of how much prom night meant."
Derek looked at her and smile his McDreamy smile.
"Even Liam has your smile. Arabella has your eyes. It was so hard to look at them everyday and not miss you."
"I missed you too Meredith. More than you can possibly imagine."
0o0o0o0o0
Meanwhile…….
"Oh my god. He's our dad!" Arabella whispered excitedly to her brother who was crouched right next to her at the top of the stairs.
"Explains where I get my good looks from.."
"Ewww! Did you just think our dad was good-looking. Dude are you gay?"
"Shut up." he hit her arm playfully.
"That explains where I get my eyes from.. And my hair. And your hair.." As she said this she flicked her hair off her shoulders. She continued".. and your smile..and your nose and our dimples.."
"Hey Ara-B. Shut up!"