Disclaimer: Do I really need to explain this? Not mine, pure and simple. The lyrics are from "Power of Two," by the Indigo Girls.

A/N: This takes place several years in the future. Everything else is self explanatory.

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"Now the parking lot is empty,

Everyone's gone some place.

I pick you up and in the trunk I've packed,

A cooler and a two day suitcase.

Cause there's a place we like to drive,

Way out in the country.

And five miles out of the city limit we're singing,

And your hand's upon my knee."

There is a river in Egypt, and you are its queen. Queen of denial.

The first year and a half of your marriage had been picture perfect, a honeymoon long after your week vacation to Hawaii ended. It had been so perfect, in fact, that Christina had taken to "Mcvomiting," whenever the three of you were in the same room. You had never laughed so much, never smiled so frequently. For the first time in your life you had a true family, you even shared your name with one of them. Dark and twisty Meredith was no where to be found.

And suddenly, in the place where dark and twisty Meredith had once stood, stands dark and twisty Derek.

You tried to pretend nothing is wrong, but if you are honest with yourself you have to admit that something has been wrong for months. He still looks at you across the room, but the sparkle is gone from his eyes. He overdoes it with the cocky brain surgeon act at the hospital. He forces his laughter at Seattle Grace and never so much as smiles at home. There are phone conversations he has tried to keep hidden from you, and he has become obsessed with getting the mail himself. Even in sleep he has begun to pull away from you, curling into a tight ball and staying so close to the edge that you have stopped trying to wrap your arms around him at night for fear that he will try to pull away and end up falling out of bed.

You have tried to talk to him, to find out why he is hurting. Every time you ask he says he is fine. For the first time you understand how he felt all those times you said that in the early days of your relationship. Out of sheer desperation you cornered Mark one day, dragging him into one of the hospital's supply closets and begging him for information. He told you he didn't know what was eating his best friend, and you spent the next half hour sobbing into his shoulder.

You know that you will lose Derek unless something changes. And so you are waiting in the parking lot when his shift ends. When he sees you he assumes you are just there to pick him up. He does not know that the trunk of your car is packed with a cooler, two changes of clothes for each of you, and a tent. He doesn't realize anything is different until you take the road that leads away from your house and towards the land he never got around to selling.

"Meredith, where are we going?" His voice is flat, lifeless, as though he doesn't really care about the answer to the question he has posed.

"Away," you say simply. His sigh indicates that he wants more information. When none is forthcoming he snaps at you.

"I don't have time for this. I have work tomorrow night, and I have other responsibilities."

"I talked to the chief. He said the hospital can survive without you for two days. As for your other responsibilities," you shrug nonchalantly, "I guess they'll just have to wait."

"So you're kidnapping me?" That "I don't give a damn" tone is back in his voice.

"If that's how you want to think of it then yes, I'm kidnapping you."

"Why?"

"Because Derek. Because I don't know what else to do." His shoulders slump in pure, miserable, defeat.

"This isn't going to be a fun, laid back, vacation?" It isn't really a question, he already knows the answer.

"I have beer," you offer as if the promise of alcoholic beverages will make the next two days easier for either of you. You reach over and turn on the radio, using your thumb to push the preset buttons until you find a song you both like then cranking it up and letting your hand fall to rest on his leg. You are not a particularly talented singer, but you sing along with the music anyway. And, as you see the "Welcome to Seattle" sign pass outside your window, you hear him join you.

"So we're okay,

We're fine.

Baby I'm here to stop your crying.

Chase all the ghosts from your head.

I'm stronger than the monster beneath your bed,

Smarter than the tricks played on your heart.

We'll look at them together then we'll take them apart.

Adding up the total of a love that's true,

Multiply life by the power of two.