Disclaimer: I have not, do not, and never will own Grey's Anatomy. If I did...well I would be in absolute heaven because I would get to stare and drool over Patrick Dempsey every day. And that would be pretty damn nice.
A/N: So this is my story. It's already been completed and I have posted it on other sites. I thought I would bring it over here and share it with you all. I am an absolute comment whore. I NEED COMMENTS! I LOVE COMMENTS! So...comment to your heart's desire. :) This is an AU Grey's fic. Any flashbacks will be in italics. This fic was not originally written in a way that allowed for chapters. As a result, a lot of the chapters will be short. I will try to put several updates into one chapter to make it longer, but there will be times when it just doesn't flow so I won't. Because it was written as individual updates, each update has a song associated with it because I absolutely adore music. Anywhoo...that's about it, really. I hope you all like it!
Derek was sitting on his front porch, hanging out with his best friends Mark and Addison. They were talking about the stupid homework assignments they had, what their plans for the weekend, normal teenager talk. They were 15 years old, and believed that they knew everything in the world to know. Derek and Mark were already extremely cocky. Just as they were about to start talking about a new topic, Addison noticed a little girl attempting to play with a hoola hoop.
"Aww, guys look at that little girl. She's adorable."
"Oh, that's my next door neighbor's kid. I don't know what her name is."
"Derek, how can you not know what her name is? That's just rude. She's your next-door neighbor for god sake. You've lived in this house your entire life!"
"Addy, she's just a stupid kid. Derek has better things to do with his time than hang out with some snotty-nosed brat. Speaking of your time, you coming over tonight Derek? I just bought the coolest movie, you have to see it!"
As they were talking, little six-year-old Meredith kept trying to play with her hoola hoop. She would throw it around her body and shake her hips, but she just couldn't seem to get it to work. But she was determined to get the hang of it. Her daddy had just bought her the hoola hoop, and she wanted to show him that she knew how to use it. So she stood in her front lawn, in her cute little pink summer dress and her blonde braided pigtails, wiggling her body with all her might.
The three teenagers soon entered Derek's house. The little girl across the street was quickly forgotten.
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Meredith was a happy-go-lucky kid. She had a loving mommy and daddy, or at least she thought she did. Being an only child and having parents whose jobs kept them busy, she was forced to create her own fun. Something she loved to do was climb trees. That was what she was doing that horrible day.
She carefully climbed up the tree in her front lawn, traveling higher and higher. She had made it to her favorite branch, and sat down. Hugging the tree and her teddy bear that she brought everywhere, Meredith gazed around the neighborhood. Inside her house she could hear her parents arguing. It had become a constant occurrence lately. But that day... it was the worse it had ever been.
Suddenly she heard her front door being pulled violently open. She craned her head to see over the leaves and branches.
"I know all about it Ellis. You don't have to tell me all the dirty details. Do you think I'm stupid or something? You are screwing that Webber guy. What do you want me to say? Congratulations??" Thatcher quickly stormed towards his car, steam practically flowing from his ears.
Ellis was quick to follow him. "I want you to know why. You are a failure of a husband. You are nowhere NEAR a man as Richard is. Even when we were dating, you didn't care. I was just a companion for you, someone to have the perfect life with. There was no heat or passion or lust. Hell, there wasn't even LOVE! Richard makes me happy, and you don't. So this marriage is over. I am SICK of you not caring!"
"Fine! Have it your way. I hope you have fun when he doesn't leave his wife for you. To him, you are just a piece of ass to pass the time with."
Ellis' rage had gotten the better of her, and she slapped Thatcher across the face. Her eyes were like daggers bearing into his face. Thatcher, however, looked at her and spoke in a calm, collected voice.
"Whatever this is...it's over. I am done. I'm going to a hotel, and you will get the divorce papers as soon as possible. Say good-bye to Merbear for me." And with that he got into his car and peeled out of the driveway, and away from Meredith. Ellis stormed back into the house and slammed the door. No one seemed to realize that Meredith had been sitting in the tree, seeing and hearing everything. No one except Derek, who had been watching the scene unfold from his window.
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(A couple weeks after Thatcher left)
Once Thatcher had left, Ellis had thrown herself into her work. She was constantly at the office. Instead of spending time with her daughter, she took the easy way out and hired nannies. The little happy-go-lucky Meredith slowly disappeared, being replaced with the reclusive, shy Meredith. She was sad all the time; her daddy had yet to come home or call her. She missed him. She missed her mom.
Derek, who a few weeks ago could have cared less, was shocked to find himself wondering were that little girl had gone. She was usually outside playing everyday. The day of the fight was the last time he saw her. He began to think that they had moved away.
Then...on the fourth of July, his family threw a huge backyard bash. There were easily 100 people there, consisting of friends and family. The smell of all their food wafted through the neighborhood, along with their loud music. Little kids ran in circles across the front lawn, waving sparklers in their hands.
Derek, Mark, and Addison were sitting in their normal hang-out place, the front porch. Mark and Addison were having a heated debate over who was better: Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera. (A/N: keep in mind, this takes place in the 90s). Just as Addison was about to say some quick-witted response, she noticed that Derek wasn't listening. He was simply staring at the house across the street.
"Derek, what are you looking at?"
"She's just sitting there."
"Who?"
"The little girl across the street. She's just sitting on her front steps, clutching her teddy bear. It's late. Her mom isn't even home. Who's taking care of her?"
Mark and Addison follow the direction of Derek's eyes. The three sat there, starring at the little girl. Mark poked Addison, and mouthed the words "so what?" Addison shot him a glare, and stood up. She went into the backyard and placed a large amount of food on a paper plate. When she returned to the porch, she handed it to Derek.
"Go give it to her."
"What? Why?"
"Because you have been watching her for like the past half hour. She just a little kid and she's probably lonely and scared. You said there's no one at her house right? She needs somebody. So go give this to her."
Derek sighs, takes the plate, and crosses the street. When he gets to her house, he sits down on the steps next to her.
"I brought you some food. You looked like you were lonely. Where is your mom?"
Meredith, hugging her teddy bear tightly, simply shrugged her shoulders. She hadn't even glanced at Derek.
"Umm, are you okay? You can come over to the party if you'd like."
Meredith shook her head no, and buried her face into her teddy bear...her shyness had gotten the better of her. Derek didn't know what to do. He glanced around the neighborhood, looked back at Mark and Addison, and then looked at Meredith.
"Well...umm, I guess I'm going to leave then. I'll see you around." He got up and headed back to his house. Addison quickly walked up to him.
"So, how'd it go? Is her mom there?"
"No, it looks like it's just her. I told her she could come to the party if she wanted to. But I think she's really shy. She didn't even say a word to me. I feel bad for her."
"Yeah, I do too. Who would just leave their kid to fend for themselves like that? Her mother should know better. Poor kid."
Derek nodded in agreement. Mark was calling him and Addison over to the picnic table, they were about to light some minor fireworks. As he was walking away, Derek stopped and looked over his shoulder one more time at the house across the street. He saw that the little girl was eating the food he had left for her. He gave a small smile and headed off towards his family.
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"Meredith, come on we are leaving. Get over here this instant!"
Ellis had decided they were moving. Being in Seattle was too much for her right now. Richard Webber had just informed her that he wasn't leaving his wife to be with her. Ellis couldn't stand working in the same hospital, having to see him everyday. So she was taking Meredith and they were moving to Boston. They would start over fresh. But Meredith was less than pleased.
There was a large moving van outside of their house. Ellis had just finished putting the last few boxes inside the van. She was now waiting for Meredith.
"Mommy I don't want to leave! What if daddy comes back?"
"Trust me, your worthless father will not be coming back. Now hurry up, we are leaving."
"NO! I want my daddy!"
"Meredith Grey...get in the car this instant or else!"
Meredith plopped herself onto the ground, holding on the grass as an anchor. She had tears pouring down her small cheeks. She refused to leave.
Ellis let out a loud, frustrated sigh. She walked over to Meredith and pulled her off of the ground. "I said we are leaving! End of discussion!" Meredith kicked and screamed the entire walk back to the van. She wailed her little heart out. But it made no difference...seconds later they were driving down the street and away from Seattle.
When Derek came home from school that day, he was surprised to see a "For Sale" sign in the yard across the street. He wondered where they had moved to, and was just a little sad that the little girl with the pink summer dresses and pigtails was gone. But life goes on and he soon forgot all about her.
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A little over a year after Meredith and her mother had moved away, Derek's father had a heart attack and died. The family was devastated. The loss of his father had made Derek very sad and depressed. He was now the only man in the family, which made him feel extremely isolated.
His mother couldn't live in their house anymore. Everything reminded her of her husband. So she decided that they would move to New York. They had some family in New York, so it would be good for the kids.
Mark and Addison had been crushed. Their best friend was moving away just before his senior year in high school. School wouldn't be the same. The three friends had sworn to keep in contact with each other and visit whenever they could. They had vowed that they would go to the same college no matter what.
As Derek got into the car, he glanced over at the house across the street. For the first time in a year, he thought back to that little girl. He realized they now had something in common...they were fatherless. With a sigh, he put his headphones on and listened to his music as the scenery around him became a blur.