(Standard disclaimer – I don't own GA. Shonda does. My thanks to everyone reading. And to those reviewing. I greatly appreciate your comments.)
Ch 12. Get out
His attention kept drifting back to her hands. Fast moving. Fingers long and elegant. She kept the nails short and neat, and when the mood struck her, coated with a polish light in color. His recall of her simple manicure came and went unnoticed as Derek stood in the living room window fixated on Meredith, her hands vehemently pressing her point of view, went toe-to-toe with Mark in the driveway. Pinned under Meredith's heavy fire, Mark planted himself next to the open driver's side door of his rented SUV. Arms crossed over his chest, Mark's defensive stance and frowning expression didn't appear to be giving in to Meredith any time soon.
Fred's wet nose distracted Derek. Chuckling quietly, he gently scratched behind her ear. "I know you're happy I'm staying. You need to help me work on her." A car door slamming brought Derek's attention back to the window. Angry Meredith stormed across the small yard to the front door. Scratch that. 'Angry' couldn't accurately describe her state of being. She was petite and fierce in her rage. She sparked with it. Mark followed in her wake, not looking forward to Round Two. Derek couldn't help the upward lift of his lips.
"Don't give me that head injury bullshit again, Mark. You're a freaking broken record I don't want to hear anymore. I don't care! I really don't care! Get those papers signed and go!" Meredith let the door swing shut in Mark's face. Mid-tirade, Meredith paused in the living room doorway, struggling to catch her breath as she faced her close-to-being-ex-husband. His enjoyment of her anger made Meredith her want to strangle him. "Stop that!"
"Stop what?"
"Smiling! You're enjoying this and it's pissing me off."
"No I'm not."
"Yes you are!"
"No. I'm not."
"Then wipe that damn smirk off your face! You can remember. Everything. You can, you just don't want to. And you know what? I don't blame you. If I had your history, I'd want to forget it too."
"Meredith, calm down. We can work this out." Mark ignored Meredith's resistance as he guided her into the room and to the couch. Sensing her distress, Fred moved to Meredith's side, leaping onto the couch and draping 80 pounds of fur and muscle across Meredith's lap. Meredith wrapped her arms around Fred's neck in a fierce hug. Shifting into protection mode Fred growled at the two men, forcing Mark to shift away from the couch.
"Meredith." The ache started small. He massaged the scar line. "This is the only way that makes sense. Forget the flashcards. Recreating 'us' will pull everything out into the light."
"Meredith, please, we need you to do this," Mark sighed. "Please. Give us a week or two. I know this is difficult for you."
"'Difficult' is a poor word choice Mark." Meredith kept her hold on Fred, who lay there, daring Mark or Derek to make a move toward the couch. "Try 'impossible.' Try 'out of the question.' Try 'hell no!' And you." she turned to Derek. "I have no desire to revisit the scene of the crime. I've paid my fine. I've done my time."
Damning the increasing ache behind his eyes, Derek glanced at Mark as he risked a step closer to Meredith, the couch and Fred's low growl. "Was I that much of a bastard to you?" He found it impossible to picture anyone treating Meredith in that way.
Instead of answering his question, Meredith looked to Mark. The tilt of her head, her expression, her anger, handed the duty off onto Mark. Shaking his head, Mark deflected her silent demand. The silent tug-of-war confused Derek, and he couldn't keep the demanding tone from his voice. "Mark?"
"Ah, there's the Derek we all know and bow to." Meredith chided. "See? All cured."
Fred nosed Meredith's cheek. She knew what Meredith needed at that moment, and Meredith cherished Fred's infallible intuition and unconditional love. Meredith glared at Mark as he prepared to open his mouth. Their friendship, which developed during the initial radiance of her marriage and the devastating, destructive end of it, never stopped her from forgetting Mark's role as Derek's attorney and mouthpiece. She knew he would never use it against her. And he never did. But it could come in handy. Like now. She couldn't give voice, in detail, to how Derek's personality, his behavior, radically altered after his return to New York. It would hurt.
"You could have been...nicer to Meredith."
"God Mark, I thought attorneys were supposed to be masters of oratory." Meredith gasped. She really wanted to laugh at his choice of words. Derek could have been...? "Nicer? Try acting like a human being. Acting like a husband." She didn't bother tacking on the words 'who loved his wife.' The pointless words didn't matter any more. Groaning, Meredith buried her face against Fred's neck. Agreeing to help Derek with his memory had to be the second most stupid thing she's ever done. Falling for him in the first place will always be at the top of that list.
"Did I cheat on you?"
His warm breath caressed the curve of her ear. Meredith shivered. Oh why didn't she train Fred as an attack dog? If she had, Derek would never have gotten close enough to whisper in her ear. Did he cheat? She had no clue. If anyone had asked her during the early days, Meredith would have laughed at the suggestion as impossible. Even during the limping last days of their union, sex was the glue keeping the pieces together. Those flames burned hot, and often enough for Meredith to doubt a third party existed. "If you did, I never knew about it."
"But you thought I was capable of it?" The notion of turning to other women confounded Derek. Looking at the silky fall of Meredith's hair, the curve of her jaw, he knew – without a doubt – that he never strayed. The thought of touching any other female hit him as repulsive. His hand lifted. He could picture the strands sliding through his fingers. He could feel them against his skin. Her attention shifted to his hand and then his face. Derek froze.
"Derek, I think we should go." The ringing left earlier by Meredith's fierce argument finally cleared his ears. Mark felt solely responsible for the miserable looking female clutching the large black dog like a shield. He had been certain a face-to-face meeting would help them, but he never pictured this. Not one for guilt, somehow she brought it out in him. "Meredith, I'm sorry."
"I want you to get the hell out of my home."
"Meredith." Straightening, Derek dropped his hand as Mark grabbed the back of his sweater, pulling him away from the couch. "Talk to me!" Seeing Meredith huddled behind Fred twisted his insides. Resentment dissolved desire, and his anger level threatened to rocket through the roof. Frustrated at what he couldn't remember. Worried about what he didn't know. Pissed at the increasing headache, he thrust a hand through his hair, pushing strands off his forehead. The damn throbbing muddled his brain.
Damn Derek and his habits. He did the hand thing again. Tough. She was frustrated too. Screw his uncle. Why didn't he go back to New York? "Don't make me call Alex. Get out. Both of you! Now!" Fred leaped to her feet, the couch giving her the added height to be near face level with Derek. Her warning growl gave way to a warning bark.
Recognizing Fred was ready, willing and able to leap at them to protect Meredith, Mark captured Derek by the arm and forced him toward the front door.
"I want those papers signed. Today." Meredith hesitated. Not wanting to say the next sentence, she didn't know what else to do. This stupid plan of Mark's had to end. Now. She was fed up and needed her life back. Her Derek-free life. "Or I'm calling your uncle."
Her words stopped both men at the door. "Meredith, I know we can work something out." Mark pushed Derek behind him. "I'll call you..."
"Go ahead," Derek cut Mark off. "Call him." Before Derek could stop himself, he pushed Mark aside and walked back to Meredith. Anger controlled his movements. Ignoring Fred's growl, Derek gently guided the dog onto the floor. He took no notice of Fred's pacing and whining. Grabbing Meredith, he yanked her upright and flush against his body. His arms locked her into place as his lips descended. Meredith braced herself for a harsh assault. Pushing him away didn't enter her mind, and she didn't question it. His mouth was soft and soothing, savoring the brush of their lips. Her mouth opened, inviting him in. The erotic glide of their tongues pushed air from Meredith's lungs to catch in her throat. "I dare you." Derek whispered the words against her lips.
Not sure if she was stunned or drugged, Meredith slowly sank back onto the couch as the door slammed shut. She raised a hand to the bottom swell of her lip. She and Fred were alone. Finally.
