Secret

Chapter One

-The Memory Keeper's Daughter-

There was a girl in front of her, probably around her own age, Peyton guessed. She had black straight hair, pulled back by a light pink hair-band, and Peyton could see her braces through the girl's grimace.

"I said I'm his daughter. I'm not surprised you don't know who I am though, the bastard probably kept me a secret." she answered through clenched teeth as her eyes narrowed in anger. Then, she shook her head and looked straight into the other girl's eyes. "Who are you? I heard he's well-known around here... Head of the neuro department, right?"

"You, you, you are not his daughter!" she yelled, and Peyton shrugged, unimpressed.

"Yeah, well, not really. Meaning he was never there for me or... Daniel. But biologically, I unfortunately am Derek Shepherd's daughter. And believe me when I say I would rather not."

Peyton looked at where the nurse had been a minute earlier, but she was gone. She glanced around and saw some signs that indicated on which floor each department was. Neurology was on the fourth floor, so she looked around again until she spotted the elevator.

"Wait!" the girl, who after a moment of shock had apparently followed her, shouted. Peyton blocked the elevator's doors to let her in, and she stopped in front of Peyton.

"Yes?"

"Who, who the hell are you? Because Derek Shepherd has no secret daughters, okay? He only has one child. One daughter. He only has, me."

Peyton opened her mouth to laugh at the girl's comment, but she stopped when she saw the tears that were streaming down her cheeks. Could it really be that way?

"What's your name?" she asked, flatly.

"Roxane."

"And how old are you, Roxane?" she questioned her again, her jaw and fists clenched, angrily.

"Thirteen."

"Pathetic." she pushed Roxane back, making her bang against the wall of the elevator. "Pathetic!" she yelled in rage when the doors opened and she could walk out. "That freaking son of a bitch! Damn!"

Peyton started to run, her mind blurred by the fury and pain she felt. She pushed away everyone who was in her way, and when she finally found the stairs she almost fell down since she couldn't see properly. Tears were streaming down her face too, now, just like Roxane. God! How could he?

The sliding doors of the entrance opened as soon as she got in front of them, and Peyton was welcomed outside by the pouring rain. It was only drizzling when she arrived, but now there were thunders and lightnings and she barely saw her own feet.

Gasping, the teen sat down on a bench, careless of the fact that she was already soaked and she could get sick.

Her dark brown curls were all flattened on her head, and glued to her forehead and temples. She ran her hand through it, slowly trying to calm down. Take a big breath, blow out some air. You will be alright. You will be alright.

x

"What are you doing, baby?"

Roxane sniffed, and looked up at her mother with watery eyes. Meredith immediately walked by and wrapped her in her arms, placing soft kisses on her hair. "What happened, baby girl?"

"There was this girl, Mommy." Roxane sobbed. "She came here to the hospital." Meredith hugged her tighter, trying to comfort her. "And she was looking for, Dad. And, she, said, she was, his, daughter." she finally let out the words, pressing herself against her mother's body as more tears fell.

"What?" Meredith stuttered, trying to pull back to look into her daughter's eyes.

"What did you say, Rox?" they both turned towards the door of Derek's office, where he was standing, shocked, with a bit of guilt in his eyes.

x

"Peyton Addison Shepherd!" Mark yelled through the phone when Peyton finally picked up.

She had checked in in a hotel, showered and changed into dry clothes. The dinner she ordered was about to be delivered, but it would take another while, so that meant she had to let her family know she was okay.

"I'm fine, Uncle Mark." she sighed, turning off the TV.

"Where the hell are you, Peyton? Do you realize we're worried sick? What were you thinking!"

"Calm down, please, Uncle Mark. As I said in the note, I'm in Seattle. I needed to see that waste of space I have as a father with my own eyes, so that I could blame him for Daniel's death."

"Pey..."

"Let me finish!" she exclaimed firmly, but when she talked again in her voice there was just sadness. "He has another daughter, Uncle Mark. She's only two years younger than me. It's, it's not fair." she could feel the tears sting in her eyes, but she didn't want to cry now.

"Oh, Peyton. He doesn't deserve you."

"I know, I just... I am a part of him. Or at least, I should be. And now, I destroyed that girl's perfect life." she couldn't help but sob, and a shiver shook her body.

"Where are you, Peyton? You're somewhere safe, right?"

"A hotel." she answered, holding back more tears. "I have money, Uncle Mark. It's okay."

"I'll still be on the next flight."

"You don't have to."

"I do. Who else can lecture you about it? Your mother is locked up in her room."

Peyton's lower lip quivered, but she stayed strong, as she always did. As Daniel would. "How is Mom?"

"She's going crazy, Pey. Daniel's death is breaking her. And when she didn't find you..." Mark's voice trailed off, as he reminisced of his amazing nephew.

"I didn't mean to scare her, Uncle Mark. I just needed to get away for a while, and... I don't know, one moment I was thinking about it and the next I was actually doing it."

"I know, Princess." the man sighed tiredly, and Peyton imagined his red eyes and exhausted face. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Don't leave Mom alone." she pleaded in a whimper, suddenly feeling much younger than she truly was.

"I'll do my best, kiddo. I'll do my best."