Disclaimer: I do not own Grey's Anatomy or the characters affiliated with it.

A/N: So this is my new story. Some of you may have read my first one, Tequila Dreams. To any new readers, welcome. As mentioned in the summary, this is a story about Meredith's arrival in Seattle and the neurosurgeon she encounters there. It is a mix of humor, angst, and sadness. This story has already been written and completed, so updates will come daily (or as close to daily as I can manage). Unlike my last story, there will be no songs for chapter titles...just regular ol' boring chapter numbers. Sorry.

Anyways, here it is. And I hope you all enjoy it. Oh, and comments mean the world to me so make sure to leave them:)

P.S. The title of the story as well as part of the plotline is based on the song Seasons Change by Susie Suh. If you've never heard of her, you should definitely check her out. She's amazing.

Meredith took one last look at her house, the one she had lived in for the past eight years of her life. She looked over toward the living room. She could almost hear the giggling fits that had taken place on the couch during their many tickling fights.

Her gaze shifted toward the kitchen, instantly honing in on a paint stain on the hardwood floor. She could picture the moment in her mind perfectly, as if it were only yesterday. They had just moved in and he was meticulously painting the walls, careful not to spill a single drop. At that time they couldn't keep their hands off each other, much like most newlyweds tend to be. She snuck up behind him and began to kiss his neck. His body tensed in excitement and he quickly turned around to pull her closer, dropping the paintbrush carelessly so that both his hands were free to roam as they pleased. Meredith had always been fond of that paint stain and what it symbolized. But now, it was just a faded blotch on the floor that mocked her.

Lastly, Meredith's eyes wandered toward the stairs. She had climbed those stairs so many times she had easily memorized where all the creaky parts were located. Standing perfectly still she ascended the stairs with her eyes, knowing what room was at the top. She subconsciously shivered as she felt his phantom arms wrap around her like they had done every night.

After standing there for a few more moments, Meredith mustered up enough energy to open the front door. She inhaled deeply, taking in the familiar aroma of her house one last time. It wasn't until she had one foot out the door that she heard the telephone ring. Her body instantly went rigid as she waited for the answering machine to take over. She heard the voice of the caller….a voice she had grown accustomed to over the years. She tightly closed her eyes as she waited for the message to be over. She knew it by heart. If she wanted to she could easily say the message in unison with the caller. However, she knew the actual meaning behind the words and the thought of it made her sick.

Hearing the caller finish the message and hang up, Meredith knew she was doing the right thing. She straightened her back, squared her shoulders and attempted to look confident and put-together as she silently locked the door behind her.

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Meredith drove. It was as simple as that. She had no idea where she was going, and, frankly, it really didn't matter. All she cared about was that her future was in front of her and her past was behind her. She glanced in her rearview mirror and sighed. Whoever thought to write, "Objects in mirror are closer than they appear" should be shot. Twice. She increased her weight on the gas pedal in an attempt to reach her future more quickly.

She needed a distraction from her thoughts, so she reached over and turned on the radio. The melodious voice of John Legend filled the car. Meredith grimaced. She now hated that name. She quickly changed the channel, only to be met with the sound of Queen blasting through the speakers. Meredith had grown to love that band over the past eight years because it had been his favorite. Not any more. The channel was changed for the third time. Damien Rice. Meredith liked Damien Rice; his voice always had a calming affect on her. But then she realized what song it was….9 Crimes.

"Well," Meredith thought to herself, "I think it's pretty clear the music gods hate me." She let out another sigh as she turned the radio off. Silence rippled through the car, bringing her dark thoughts back like tidal waves.

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After a few more hours of driving, Meredith's fatigue began to kick in. She had been driving nonstop since early that morning. But she had sworn to herself that she would keep driving until she couldn't drive another second. She had just about reached that point.

Noticing an exit sign on the highway, she became aware of how hungry she was. The only thing she had eaten along the way was a few half eaten bags of stale potato chips she had found her in her back seat. It was disgusting, she knew that, but for someone whose favorite food was leftover grilled cheese it didn't come as that big a shock. But now, she had a craving for the biggest plate of French toast money could buy. Luckily for her, there was a 24-hour diner not one hundred feet from the exit ramp.

A few minutes later, she found herself seated in a booth next to the window with a large glass of orange juice in front of her. She was waiting on her food while trying to figure out where to go….with this sudden trip of hers, with her life, and with her heart. There were so many questions surrounding the decision she had made that morning, none of which had tangible answers. Just as her food was delivered, her cell phone began to trill loudly.

"Hello?"

"Is this Mrs. Levant?"

She instantly recognized his voice, and smiled at the thought of something familiar. "Richard, there's no need for formality. It's Meredith…just Meredith. How are you?"

"You have no idea how great it is to hear your voice Meredith! I'm doing great, but with your help I could be doing even better."

"Hmm, are you trying to hint at something Richard?"

"I'll just get straight to the point. My Head of Neurosurgery is going to be out of the country for a few weeks. I need someone to take his place while he's away. And I need the best. You, Meredith, are the best. So what do you say?"

Meredith thought for a few seconds. The entire time she had been driving, she was looking for a sign…something to tell her it was time to stop driving. Maybe this was her sign. And Seattle had always been special for her. It was where she was born, where she grew up, and where she had absolutely no connections, with the exception of Richard. Yes, this could be the exact sign she was looking for. Her fresh start. Her new beginning. "Richard, I would love to come help you out for a few weeks. I'm honored that you thought of me."

"Excellent! Can you be here by tomorrow?" From the tone of his voice, Meredith knew there was a large, beaming smile on his face.

"Of course I can. I've been driving west for the past 18 hours, so coincidentally I'm half way there. But there's something you need to know first, and it's something that I think will have a large affect on this situation; it's crucial you know before we finalize this whole thing."

Richard sat in silence as Meredith explained her dilemma. He was shocked by how messed up her life had become. His sympathies went out for the woman who had been his most successful intern. She had shown so much promise in the field of neurology, and he was beyond proud of the name she had made for herself in the medical field so far. He had made sure to keep up on her progress, always hearing nothing but praise and admiration from her bosses. But now, her life was spiraling downward and there was nothing he could do to save her. Her problems were something he couldn't fix.

"Meredith, I'm glad you made me aware of this. You have my sympathy, I'm sure this is very difficult for you. But you needn't worry about how this will affect your position in Seattle. Our hospital deals with things like this more than you would know. I'm not saying it's a common thing here, but it does arise every once in a while. We will find a way to work through it, don't worry." He took in a deep breath. "So I expect to see you sometime tomorrow. All of your accommodations will have been taken care of by then: your hotel, car, expenses, everything. This hospital is very appreciative of you coming here, as am I. So, I guess I will see you tomorrow and we'll get all the legalities signed and sent off and then you can start."

"Okay, thanks Richard. I look forward to seeing you again. Say hello to Adelle for me." As she closed her cell phone, a small smile crept upon her lips. She was starting over…by tomorrow it would be official. She was relieved that Richard had been so accepting and supportive of her situation. Her placed her phone on the table and brought her hand down to rest on her stomach. "So what do you think, kiddo? How does Seattle sound?"