Alright, so here's the problem I was having

I so want this to be twenty chapters, at least, but something was telling me to end it as it was with the last chapter.

I'm writing this one out off the top of my head and frankly, this'll be my first time reading it too.

Sorry if that sounds horrible, but it's true.

Need your opinions

PM or review I don't really have a preference

Enjoy!

Two weeks.

It'd been two weeks since Meredith's plan went up in smoke. Two weeks since the revised interview was released for the Tribune. Two weeks since Meredith's verbal dressing down by her own daughter. Two weeks since Alexis had taken to calling Kate mom. More importantly, two weeks since her life had changed.

Now, Meredith wasn't stupid. She knew what she did would come back to haunt her one day; that her actions hurt the people she loved, but she just bought presents and came for visits and assumed everything was fine. Now, the game had changed. Alexis was a grown up now and couldn't be bought. And Rick, well Rick's eternal flame for her had long since burned out. She could handle that, of course she could, she was Meredith after all. What she couldn't handle was someone stealing her spot.

This woman, this broken, trivial, mess of a woman had come in while she was away and stolen her family. She pushed herself into all the holes Meredith had left. The one in Castle's bed, the one in his office, the one on the couch in long rains, the one with Alexis at shopping malls, the one with Martha having a drink in the kitchen, the one as Rick's life partner and most importantly, the one as Alexis' model woman, yes she filled them all spectacularly. But, it left Meredith no room to fit in, no room to squeeze back into the only life she knew and definitely no room to share, or so she thought.

Meredith sat in the bar drowning her emotions in cheap whiskey. Is what her daughter said really true? Had she not been around enough? Had she let this happen? She thought back over all the fights and tears and long distance phone calls. She had done her best hadn't she? She was an actor after all. That demanded her time and Rick was an excellent father, he raised Alexis well. Between he and Martha, she was always well taken care of. There was really no need for Meredith around all the time, was there? Rick may have mentioned some forms of neglect and sleepless nights with Alexis all by himself, but she understood, hadn't she?

Now, looking back, she realized that it was all true. She had been neglectful. Sending presents and having five minute phone calls weren't how parenting went. All this time, she had put her career ahead of her family. And now, here she was. Just another thirty something, low grade "actor" sitting in a bar with nothing and no one. Well, not exactly nothing. She still had a very large savings account and a large house in California with a few cars, but those didn't seem to matter anymore. Not if she was alone.

It might've been the alcohol, but Meredith was feeling extremely vulnerable right then. Her emotions went from sad to a form of self pity all the way to anger. She was reeling and slinging cuss words as she stumbled down the streets of New York. She was alone and Katherine had everything that she wanted, yet couldn't have. She stumbled into a an alleyway, still half sobbing and swearing when she spotted people at the end of the alley having sex. Great, someone else who had someone. Thanks a lot, universe. Her feet began to walk her away, not wanting to interrupt their moment when she heard a scream. Only then was her vision cleared enough to see a bit.

On the pavement lied a shaking, slightly bloody woman. On top of her was a greasy man, having his way with her while two of his equally greasy friends held her down. By there disheveled clothing and unbuttoned pants, she only assumed they themselves had just finished with her. With a grunt the one on top pulled off of her and highfived his buddies before taking a knife and stopping the woman's pleas with one slice to the neck. Meredith began to shake with fear from her hiding spot behind the dumpster, but she couldn't be scared. This woman needed her help.

She thought back over everything Rick had ever told her or she heard on cop shows. It was obviously to late to call for help or stop the men (which would've been futile anyway) so she tried the next best thing: getting descriptions. Okay, she could do this. She peered out from behind the dumpster just in time to see one guy trashing the body and the others fixing their clothes and using wet naps to clean themselves a bit. Thanks to there wiping, Meredith spotted several distinct marks and tattoos on all three men that she mentally stored away for later. Next, she had to get a look at where she was. Luckily, there was a stop sign right in front of her which held the street name. Lastly, the hardest part, getting a look at the victim. She mustered up the courage, but when she looked back, one of the guys spotted her.

"Hey! Hey you stop!"

But it was too late. Meredith was already halfway down the street. Passing she accidentally fell onto the body, but quickly recovered and bolted. She tried to think of where she could go. Her hotel? No, they'd follow her in. Back to the bar? No way, they might just have help there. Her mind raced at 100 miles per hour. She finally came up with a place as a last resort and she thanked God she wasn't to far. The guys had obviously lost her, but she still ran. She ran past the doorman, despite his yells of stop. She ran up the stairs, despite having an elevator in the building, and she ran to the door, despite the late hour.

She knocked as loud as possible and tried to calm her breathing, but couldn't. She was a physical and emotional mess and she needed someone. Anyone, she didn't care who. The door finally opened and as soon as she saw who it was she fell straight into their arms and sobbed. Blood covered, dirty, emotional, and not to forget drunk, but that didn't cloud her judgement. She had just seen a woman be raped and murdered, was chased for at least 10 blocks, but none of that played into this. She needed this. Needed the warmth of another person, this other person. She needed their forgiveness.

"I'm sorry. I'm really, truly, incredibly sorry."

Yay! Who loves cliffhangers? We do!

I'm so kidding but on a more serious note, this chapter surprised even me!

I had to re read it myself! My fingers were working on their own accord.

Anyways, Enjoy!

Love Always, XOXOX