I'm sorry it has taken me so long to update, I am really trying to make this important in how Meredith deals with her new life in comparison to her old life. I really hope you're liking the storyline!!
Meredith waited nervously at SFO, San Francisco's major airport in the lounges of the departure gates. Derek sat next to her and eyed Tess as she sat in front of the long and wide glass windows, staring and squealing at the airplanes as they landed and departed from the strip. James, on the other hand, had fallen asleep in Meredith's arms and was now snoring rather loudly. A noise that made Meredith laugh so much as it seemed it was the only thing he inherited from his mother.
Derek looked at Meredith with a slight smile and noted at just how apprehensive and anxious she looked to be sitting there right then and there. He reached over with his left hand and gently rested it on her knee as he proceeded to rub it affectionately and kindly.
"Are you okay, honey?" he asked softly.
Meredith nodded and slid her hand gently down the back of James' head, letting her fingertips graze his dark curls that formed at the base of his neck. They were so thick and so much like Tess and Derek in so many ways.
"Yeah, I'm just…" Meredith sighed. "Well…you know…and yeah, and I just…" her voice trailed off, indicating just how anxious she was. Her eyes holding no secrets and revealing everything about the central emotions she was certainly feeling.
Derek smiled at her sympathetically, using every attempt to make her feel better with his famous McDreamy smile.
"I know, honey…but, George, he's strong…he'll be okay…"
"We don't know that, Derek,"
"But Mer, I have faith in it…"
"There are so many things we need to look at before we can take faith on it…"
"Not necessarily…"
"Derek, it's like when we do an MRI or a CT…it makes us fully aware of what we're dealing with…" Meredith sighed. "You know what it is like flying blind in some cases….and well, using faith…that's contradicting medicine in so many ways…you're flying blind!"
"Meredith…we can do this,"
"He's my best friend…I can't just…"
"What?"
"I can't…I won't be responsible for killing my best friend…"
Just as Derek was about to search for the response to that cold and heartbreaking statement that escaped Meredith's lips, the speakers filled the gate lounge with directions to begin the boarding process.
Once on the plane, Tess rested her head against Derek's chest and closed her eyes, enough time for her to power nap just like her brother.
Derek turned and looked at Meredith with a gentle smile.
"You've missed everyone…and I know that it's going to be hard for you to go back under these circumstances," he said.
"Mmm…" was the response he managed to elicit.
"Meredith…"
"Yeah?"
"You're going to enjoy being back with your family…"
"I know…"
"And Lexie…god, it's been ages since you've spoken to her…"
"Yep…"
"Cristina's going to be excited to see you…"
"Uh-huh…"
"And Izzie and Alex and…"
"Derek!" Meredith cried. "I get it, okay!"
The plane landed momentarily and as they disembarked the gates, Meredith looked around at Seattle's airport, taking in the scent that was so familiar to her, comforting in the lightest sense of the word, but more importantly it was the smell that she couldn't give up.
Her eyes darted across the arrivals area, in search of the one familiar face she knew would be greeting her at the airport. And then her eyes locked with the close and comforting brown that fell opposite her gaze.
"Hey…" she said.
"Hey," Cristina answered.
Meredith couldn't help but throw her arms around her person, it was very unlike Meredith, but in that moment she didn't care. All she wanted to do was cry, but she refused to do so in front of Derek and Tess and James.
"Uh…you're hugging? You don't hug…" Cristina observed.
"Aunty Cristina!" Tess exclaimed as she ran over and threw her arms around Cristina and hugged her legs ever so tightly, not wanting to let go.
"Hey kid," Cristina ruffled her hair and lifted her up so that she could balance her on her hip. "Man, what has your mom been feeding you?" she turned to Meredith and shook her head. "This kid is so heavy!"
"Wait til you feel the other one," Meredith told her as she glanced at James, who was still sleeping soundly in Derek's arms.
Cristina's eyes widened.
"How is it, you are built like the national flag pole and your children are becoming little chubby rascals?" she asked with a chuckle.
Meredith shrugged.
"I honestly have no idea," she said.
Derek smiled at Cristina.
"How is everyone?" he asked her.
"Depressed…it's ferry repeats itself," she tried to make a joke.
Meredith frowned.
"I mean he isn't dying," Cristina cried.
"Cristina…" Meredith sighed.
"Let's go…" Derek suggested.
--
"Miranda!" Meredith called out.
Bailey turned around and her eyes widened.
"It's the Shepherds!" she exclaimed as she made her way over quickly, shoving what appeared to be a new group of interns out the way. "Why are you standing in my way?" she asked them. "Who is your resident?"
"It's um…Dr. Grey," one replied.
"Well, you can tell Dr. Grey that I am looking for her, and her sister is here," she said.
"Dr. Grey has a sister? Man, she can't compete with all the other residents…how the hell could she compete with a sister…?" one intern commented.
Bailey put her hands on her hips.
"This woman standing in front of me is Meredith Grey-Shepherd, Dr. Lexie Grey's older sister, now go and tell her!" she yelled.
Meredith laughed; Bailey certainly hadn't changed much.
"Look at how tall these children are getting…" Bailey smiled at Tess and James sweetly. "They certainly didn't pick up the apple under your tree did they?"
Meredith shook her head.
"Meredith!" came a familiar voice.
Meredith whipped around to come face to face with Lexie.
"Lex!" she cried as she ran over to her sister and threw her arms around her tightly. San Francisco had certainly changed Meredith Grey.
She pulled back when she felt something slightly protruding her stomach; her mouth dropped down to the floor when she saw the evidence of a baby bump.
"Oh my…"
"Four and a half months…" Lexie said happily.
"Who?"
"George… of course," Lexie answered.
Meredith couldn't help but smile.
"Oh…Lex…"
"He's so over the moon…"
"Meredith…" another voice filled the corridor.
Meredith looked over her sister's shoulder to see George making his way over to them, dressed in sweats and runners.
"George…"
Meredith felt her eyes fill with tears as she looked at George. He looked so different; his big brown eyes were sunken and his usually tanned complexion had faded, leaving him looking drained and ill. As her eyes focused on his for a second, she noticed what appeared to be black circles forming under them; her eyes travelled down what usually was a relatively medium built body, noticing how thin he had become in the short distance of time that she'd been away.
"Thank you so much…" George whispered.
Meredith let her arms encircle her friend once more as she realised jus how scary his life had become.
"Meredith, do you want me to take the kids?" Lexie asked. "I mean, I know that I can't go into the scan so, I may as well make myself useful in the time I'll spend reading into the possibilities…"
"Lexie!" Meredith interjected.
Lexie looked up at her big sister, scared and concerned.
"That would be great," Meredith told her.
--
As George was being prepped for a CT, Meredith fiddled with her lab coat and ID tag as she grazed her fingers over it. She looked in at George and noticed his feet twitching under the blanket.
"How are you doing in there George?" she asked.
Derek rested his hand on hers.
"Have I ever told you that I'm crazily claustrophobic?" George asked.
"You told me once," Derek replied. "Remember the plague scare…"
George laughed.
"How could I forget…sweating like a pig…crazy stuff…" he said. "I do think this is slightly crazier…"
Meredith shook her head.
"Okay, George…" she sighed. "Time to shut up and we're going to get this up and running,"
George signalled a thumbs up to her.
As the CT scan came up, Meredith and Derek both leaned towards the screen with their eyes darting from side to side.
"And there it is…" Derek pointed to it. "Now let's see where we are on this…"
And in that moment, two world class neurosurgeons stared at their friend's brain not knowing where to begin…
As this story unfolds, you'll see a lot of Lex/Mer bonding, the pregnancy was really a last minute, in the typing, idea...I hope you like that little surprise!!
Please Review, as it makes my writing improve!!
Amy.