Title: World Spins Madly On

Author: Holly-Dane

Rating: T

Summary: After the prom, Meredith left Seattle, planning to never look back. When she is forced to return after her mother's death, she finds the world she used to know turned upside down (marriages, babies, divorces, disaster) MerDer Lexie Bang O'Callie Maddison.

Authors Note: I am really excited about this one. I know it's going to be really, really good! I have some great ideas, and I've had so much fun working on this one. I hope you all enjoy it!


Prologue: I Don't Believe in Fairy Tales

"Running away will never make you free."

Meredith (monologue): Fairly tales...we all believe in them when we're children. We think that they're true; that they can really happen. In fact, we trust in the power of the "dreams really do come true" lie so much that we base our entire future off of it. At the ripe old age of ten, I had already planned out my entire life...my whole future. I envisioned it as being somewhat of a cross between The Little Mermaid and Cinderella. In this fantasy land, I would find my prince charming and he would sweep my off my feet. Of course we would have to face a few obstacles before we could finally be together, but hey, Ariel had to do it in order to finally obtain her "happily ever after" with Prince Eric; didn't she? I though it wasn't a bad deal - I just hoped I wouldn't have to give up my voice.

For years I believed in these imaginary stories, but then one day, it hits me like a ton of bricks...none of these stories could actually happen in real life. There aren't even any princes anymore, and without a prince charming, how can there be a fairy tale? This seemed to be pretty problematic when I was in grade school...but I got over it. I moved on.

Once I had finally come to terms with the fact that my future held no dragons, white knights, or glass slippers, I realized that there was something else to have faith in...true love. It seemed kind of corny to me at first, but after I watched Gone With the Wind on a rainy, Sunday afternoon, my entire perspective changed. I don't quite know what it was about the southern love song that captivated me so intensley, but I was hooked. Maybe it had something to do with the way Rhett Butler looked at Scarlett O'Hara, or maybe it was the way he always appeared to be so debonair, telling the woman that he adored things that every girl dreams of hearing from her true love.

"You should be kissed and often, and by someone who knows how."

What girl wouldn't want to hear these words? What girl wouldn't want to live in Tara?

These both seemed like formidable questions to me. But there was always one thing that I never understood...how could Rhett walk out on Scarlett? She was, after all, the woman that he loved more than life itself...and he left her. He left her even after she begged him not to. For a long time I pondered this; asked myself how someone could leave the one who stole their heart. Unfortunately, I did find out how...

(Flashback)

"Meredith." She could feel all the joints in her body freeze the second that Derek uttered her name. The sweat that covered her skins was still cooling off, but she panicked as she sensed additional beads of perspiration forming below her hairline.

"Meredith." Fin's voice rang through her ears like the sound of a freight train, ready to barrel into her soul.

She looked from Fin to Derek, and then, her heart began to skip several beats; it felt as if any second now, it would crash through her ribs and go flying out of her chest.

It is during moments like these that we can either accept our fate or deny our heart that which it truly desires. We can run - no, bound - to the one that we love, or we can turn on our heels and run like hell in the opposite direction.

Go ahead; just guess what choice I made.


I know that this was short, but it's my intro/monologue. So what did you think? Do you like it?

Please leave me a review – it will push me harder so that I can try and post the next chapter this week, even though I have exams! If I get enough reviews, I'll have it up really soon.

Thanks for reading,

Holly Dane