"We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl."

After the meeting adjourned, Meredith grabbed some hot chocolate from the refreshment table, and stepped out into the cold, January air. Everything she had loved about New York when she had first moved here, she now hated. It all reminded her of Audrey. Every single thing reminded her of her cousin. She takes a deep breath, and sees him sitting alone on the steps. Farmer boy, or Derek as he asked to be called. He was picking at his well worn boots, and his wool hat barely contained his dark curls. She sits down next to him, and gets a good look at his face. Either he had been sitting in the cold for too long, or he had been crying. His face was blotchy, and his nose looked close to running.

"Hot chocolate?" She offers him the one in her hand.

"No, thanks." He continues to pick at his boots.

"Are you sure?" She asks. "It has marshmallows."

"I'm sure." He smiles weakly.

"You okay?"

"I don't want to go home." He says softly. "I love my family, I do, I just...can't handle it."

"Because everything is different?" She asks, familiar with the feeling. He nods his head. "How long has it been?"

"It was a month on Friday." Derek tells her. "She was getting her tonsils out over Christmas vacation, so she wouldn't miss any school. Seems a bit ridiculous now."

"Your sister?"

"Danielle. We were twins. Were..." Derek adjusts his hat. "Not anymore."

"She'll always be your sister." Meredith attempts to comfort him. "Nothing will ever change that."

"Nothing will ever change the fact that she's dead either."

"What happened?"

"She had a reaction to the anesthesia." Derek explains. "They said she would never wake up."

"It gets easier."

"It doesn't feel like it's going to."

"It becomes more tolerable."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

"How long has it been for you?"

"About five months." Meredith sighs. "I was so excited to move to New York a year ago. My mother didn't tell me we were moving here because my cousin had lymphoma, and was not going to get better."

"That is awful." Derek shakes his head. "I'm so sorry."

"I'm sorry about your sister."

"Thank you." He smiles, and looks over at the woman climbing the stairs, heading towards them. "Hey, Mom."

"Hello." She shows them a similar smile. "Ready to head home?"

"Sure."

"We could wait for your ride to get here if you'd like." She says to Meredith, surprising her.

"Oh, I'm walking home." Meredith answers. "It's only a few blocks."

Or twelve.

"At this time of night? When it's this cold?"

"It's really fine." It was only 9pm. "I walk everywhere I go pretty much."

"I wouldn't feel right."

"She doesn't take no for an answer very well."

"I see nothing wrong with that." His mother narrows her eyes at him.

"I wouldn't want to impose." Meredith starts to walk down the stairs.

"You wouldn't be."

"Okay." Meredith agrees. "Thank you for the offer, Mrs..."

"Shepherd."

"Thank you, Mrs. Shepherd."

"You are most welcome."