I'm sorry for the delay in getting this up. The next chapter after this is kind of a filler to lead to chapter 10 which is the grand finale! We're almost there. Anyways, read and review! As always thank you so much for reading!
Meredith was hurrying through the halls of Seattle Grace. Derek's mother had been in town for 3 days now, and Meredith was avoiding both of them like the plague. The woman was very unpleasant and, just like Derek's sister Nancy who had popped into town a few months back, didn't seem to care that much for Meredith.
Meredith didn't blame her either. She didn't compare to the designer shoes she was filling. Derek's ex-wife, Addison, was leggy and gorgeous and a world renowned Neonatal surgeon. And Meredith was…Meredith. A messy intern who had had a screwed up childhood and a track record for sleeping with inappropriate men.
Meredith heard the familiar ding of the arriving elevator and sprinted to reach it before the doors shut. She sighed in relief as she stuck an arm in just in time, and the closing door retracted to let her in. Meredith smiled at George as she hurried on, eager to check on her last patient so she could head home.
Meredith and George enjoyed the comfortable silence as they rode. The sound of Meredith's ringing cell phone brought them both out of their thoughts as she retrieved the small silver contraption and glanced at the screen. She quickly pushed a button to send the caller to voice mail and replaced the phone in her lab coat pocket.
George gave her a curious look and Meredith shrugged. "Derek."
The one word explained it all to her good friend who nodded knowingly. "Ah, so you're still avoiding the mom."
Meredith gave him a sheepish look before turning back to stare ahead.
George shifted back and forth nervously, "You know. Anyone who can't see how wonderful you are, is a fool in my opinion."
Meredith turned back to her dear friend and smiled appreciatively. "Thanks George."
George nodded and returned the smile. The elevator stopped and George stepped off as the doors opened. "Have a good night." He said over his shoulder as he hurried off.
Meredith sighed and leaned fatigued against the back wall as the doors began to close. Just as the two metallic doors almost met, an aged, manicured hand interrupted the meeting and the doors reversed their motion quickly.
Regina Shepherd stepped regally unto the elevator, shifting her large Bottega Vaneta handbag over her shoulder. She eyed the young intern with an unreadable expression and Meredith shifted uneasy, pressing herself as far back into the wall as possible.
The dark haired woman waited for the doors to close and the elevator to start its descent, before turning to face Meredith.
"You are just the lady I was off to see. You've been avoiding me and my son." It wasn't a question, it was a blunt statement.
"Oh, um… no… it's just that…um…" Meredith sputtered, wishing so hard she could just verbalize a coherent response.
"You can relax Meredith." Regina held Meredith's gaze. "I'm headed back to New York. My flight leaves in three hours."
Meredith felt uncomfortable under her fixed stare. "Oh, um... I'm sorry you have to leave…um, so soon." Meredith cursed herself, wishing she could stop stuttering and sound like an intelligent adult.
"I came out here because I thought Derek was alone and didn't have anyone to help take care of him. When Derek told me he was divorcing Addison, I thought he was making the biggest mistake of his life. That he didn't know what he was doing… And then when my daughter Nancy came home from Seattle, reporting that Derek was involved with a young intern, the first thing I thought was he'd thrown away eleven years for a gold digging home wrecker, but…."
Something snapped inside Meredith and she couldn't hold her anger inside any longer. She stood up straight and took a step towards Derek's mom, interrupting her. "You listen and you listen good! I don't care that you're Derek's mom… and there's some unwritten rule that I'm suppose to be polite and kind to my boyfriends family… I just don't care! I have had it with the rude names and the degrading looks. You and your daughter come prancing in from your upper class world, and look down on me past your stuck up noses, insinuating that I'm not good enough for Derek… that what we have can't possibly be real. Well news flash, I don't care if you don't approve. I don't care that you think I'm just a slutty intern that had some crazed need to break up a happy marriage. I love Derek. He is the man I never knew I always wanted. And we're happy. I had a crappy childhood and my adult life wasn't much better, until I met him. He completes me. And no matter what hell life throws our way, whether it be an exploding semi or a witchy mother, we'll get through it. We'll get through it together. I am going to stand by Derek's side no matter what the future might hold. I don't care if he's bed ridden for the rest of his life… I'll be there to help him, and love him, and take care of him. Me. Not Addison… and not you…. Me."
Meredith let out her breath and braced herself for Regina's rebuttal. She couldn't believe she had just told off Derek's mom. Meredith's short term pride for finally standing up for herself, started shifting into fear as the silence echoed through the elevator.
"…but," Regina continued when she was sure Meredith was finished. "…I quickly discovered how entirely wrong I was in my assumptions. In the nearly forty years since Derek was born, I have never seen him happier." Derek's mother turned so she was completely facing Meredith.
Meredith watched in shock as Regina' eyes filled with tears and she put her arms tightly around her, causing Meredith's body to immediately go stiff in fear.
Regina's voice shook as she continued, keeping her hold on the frightened intern. "I know what you did Meredith. Thank you. Thank you for saving my baby." Regina quickly let go of Meredith and dabbed at her eyes with a folded ivory handkerchief she retrieved from her pocket. She cleared her throat and went on, as if she had never broke her composure.
"I will now go back to New York with complete confidence that Derek is being well taken care of. You are doing a far better job than I could ever do…. And Meredith?" Regina paused and waited for Meredith to nod before continuing. "On behalf of Derek's family, I want to offer my most sincere apologies. My daughter and I were too quick to judge. I am so sorry. I can now see what Derek sees in you. You are an incredible young woman and Derek is very lucky to have you in his life now. I can only hope that one day you will be part of our family and find it in your heart to forgive us. I would be lucky for the opportunity to get to know you better as one of my daughters."
The bell chimed and the elevator came to a stop before the doors slowly opened. Regina stepped off and started to walk away before stopping and turning once more to Meredith. "Good bye Meredith. And again… thank you."
With that the doors closed and Meredith could only stand in awe, unbelieving of the scene that had just played out before her.
Meredith quickly finished the remaining of her shift, robotically dealing with her patient, before hurrying to the locker room to change. Her conversation with Derek's mother played over and over in her head until she knew she could put it off no longer. His mother had mentioned she knew she had saved Derek. She wondered if Derek knew as well, and what exactly did he know. And most importantly, was he mad? Did he blame her for the fact that his doctors didn't think he'd be able to walk again?
She quickly slipped on her jeans and sweater, then after gathering her discarded scrubs and stuffing them into her locker, she hurried out and towards Derek's room.
It was late so Meredith opened the door and stepped in quietly. She waited for her eyes to adjust to the dimness of the room before her gaze settled on Derek's piercing blue eyes, watching her carefully.
His stare was unreadable, so Meredith took a few steps closer, stopping at the foot of his bed. She kept her eyes glued to the ground, wringing her hands nervously, unsure of what to say.
"How are you feeling?" She asked quietly, finally meeting his stare.
A smile slowly spread across Derek's face as he spoke. "Come sit by me."
Meredith reluctantly moved to the side of the bed and sat gingerly on the soft mattress. Derek grabbed both of her fidgeting hands in his two strong ones, forcing her to still her nervous habit. Meredith stared at their joined hands, watching Derek's thumbs move comfortingly in small circles on her soft skin.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Derek's gentle question caused Meredith to snap her head up with wide scared eyes.
"Wh…What?" Meredith decided to play the ignorant card while she searched her mind for something that could possibly explain her actions.
"Mer. What's going on with you? I just don't understand. You were amazing… you were a hero. Do you know how many lives you saved that night?! You saved my life. Why? Why didn't you tell me?"
Meredith fought back the tears that seemed to always threaten. "I'm so sorry Derek. Please don't be mad." Her voice was only a whisper.
Derek's eyes went wide in surprise. "Mad?! Meredith how could you possibly think I'd be mad? I am so proud of you. You saved my life. What would even make you think for a second I'd be mad?"
"I don't know what I was thinking Derek! You were bleeding, and I was so scared. I knew I needed to stop the blood and all I could think was reverse atherose discarticulation. I know, that sounds insane! How could I possibly think I could pull of such a complicated procedure? I'm so sorry Derek, it's my fault. If you never walk again, it's all my fault. And I'm so sorry." Meredith began to openly sob.
Derek pulled her body into his and wrapped his arms around her, stroking her back in an attempt to calm her. When her sobs began to slow, Derek spoke. "That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard Meredith Grey. You did the only thing you knew of to stop the bleeding. I don't care if I ever walk again. That doesn't matter to me. What matters to me is being with you. Making love and waking up to you everyday for the rest of my life. I want to have babies with you. I want to grow old and grey, with you by my side. Nothing will ever change that. Whatever happens in the next few weeks, whether I can walk or not, doesn't matter to me. Just as long as I have you… and you're all right. That's what matters to me."
Derek pulled Meredith's face away from his chest for a minute to look into her eyes to see if she understood. Her eyes were red and shone with tears, but she nodded and finally smiled.
Meredith wiped at her wet cheeks with a sleeve of her sweater. Her heart beat wildly in her chest. She wasn't use to this. A man loving her so passionately and so openly. She never thought of herself as one to settle down and have children. But looking into Derek's eyes that were filled with so much compassion and honestly, she couldn't imagine her life any other way. She didn't want to imagine her life any other way.
Meredith slipped off her sneakers and moved herself so she was completely on the bed, lying next to Derek. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, and Meredith nuzzled into his chest. They laid that way, both content to just be in each other's arms, not needing any more words to communicate what they were feeling. Meredith fell asleep first, feeling safer and more at peace than she had in a long time. Derek quickly followed, sensing that for the first time since Addison showed up all those months ago, Meredith had finally let him in.
Meredith woke early the next morning and glanced at the clock. Rounds started in forty five minutes. That didn't give her much time to get to the locker room for a quick shower and to get changed into clean scrubs. She glanced at Derek, who still had his arms wrapped protectively around her, and tried to slip out of his grasp without waking him. She was almost out, her body as far to the side of the bed as possible without falling off, when his arms tightened their grip and pulled her back to his body forcefully.
"Where do you think you're going?" He finally opened his eyes and smiled down at Meredith.
"I have rounds Derek. I can't stay and cuddle all morning." Her voice was light and she smiled and tipped her head so her lips reached Derek's.
He pulled her even closer, deepening the kiss. Meredith let her hands wonder to his hair and ran her fingers through the soft tresses. The kiss became more passionate and Meredith quickly pushed him away.
"Ouch! You really need to shave." Meredith rubbed her hand over her mouth that was now red from whisker burn.
"Hey! It's not my fault, I haven't been allowed out of bed for more than two weeks!" Derek put both of his hands on either side of Meredith's face and pulled her close. He rubbed his stubbled chin in her soft neck causing her to erupt into laughter. She desperately tried to push him away, but he was too strong. He dropped one of his hands to her inner thigh, where he knew she was the most ticklish, and he attacked her there as well. Meredith gasped for breath as she laughed, uselessly trying to pound him with her ineffectual fists.
The door flew opened and Callie and George walked in, causing Derek and Meredith's little battle to come to an abrupt stop.
Meredith stood up reluctantly from his bed and Derek let out a defeated sigh.
"Good morning. We heard you stayed the night Meredith, so we brought coffee and bagels." George smiled at Meredith, showing he was glad she was talking to Derek again, as he placed the two Styrofoam cups with steam coming from the lids, and a brown bag that assumingly contained bagels, on the tray.
Meredith and Derek smiled gratefully as they reached for their gifts. Derek retrieved a cinnamon raison bagel and took a large bite before turning towards the newly weds, with a mouthful of half chewed bagel, and spoke, "Thank you guys."
Meredith giggled at him as she sipped her coffee, and was about to add her own gratitude, when the door flew open once more and a flustered Izzie hurried in.
Everyone's eyes fell on her as she retrieved a stained, crumpled up piece of paper and held it out in front of her, accusing eyes on Meredith.
"Meredith! What the hell is this?!"
Meredith immediately recognized the discarded letter and her mouth fell open in shock. "Izzie! Where did you get that?" Meredith's voice was laced with anger of her own.
"In the garbage! I needed a frosting recipe off of the powder sugar bag I threw away this morning and this was under it. What the hell is it doing in the garbage can?" Izzie demanded again.
Meredith's face paled and she wasn't sure what to do or say, so she remained quiet.
The other occupants of the room however were incredibly curios as to what was going on, and Derek stared at Meredith with questioning eyes. Finally, not being able to take it any longer, George reached over and took the soiled paper that Izzie was still holding up, and held it between him and Callie so they could read it for themselves.
A smile spread slowly across both of their faces as their eyes raced across the letter.
"Meredith this is great!"
"Wow Meredith." They spoke at the same time.
"What?" Derek finally asked, frustrated he had no idea what was going on.
"It's nothing." Meredith snapped at her friends and threw them a threatening look.
"It isn't nothing, Mer" Izzie softened her voice. "You're being awarded a medal of honor from the City of Seattle. This is big."
"No, it's not big. It is nothing. We don't even need to be discussing this! I am not going to the banquet, I am not accepting the award. End of conversation!" She picked up her discarded shoes from the night before, crossed the room and snatched the letter from George. "Now if you don't mind, I don't want to be late for rounds." Meredith huffed out of the room, letting the door shut loudly behind her.
All four of them exchanged a look, and then Derek sighed heavily. He rested his head back on his pillow and stared at the ceiling. Sometimes Meredith could be so frustrating. He felt like she took one step forward and two steps back. He shook his head. Her mother had really broken Meredith, and he vowed, that even if it took the rest of his life, he was going to fix her.
