A/N: Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry I haven't updated in forever!!! A lot has been going on with preparations and such, so I lost sense of things I had to do online! But, here it is, chapter 12. Hopefully I can write another chapter tomorrow or something, and then post up ch. 13, but I'll have to see what the day brings.

Also, I think I might switch the story to 3rd person. First person seems boring to me, and it's starting to get a bit difficult so I think it's best. The switch won't happen until chapter 14, however!

Two days later, I found myself between Derek and a window, sitting first class on a trip to New York City. As we flew over what I assumed was somewhere in the middle of America, all I could do was wonder how I had let myself be talked into this…before I remembered I had willingly said yes. C'est la vie! Ah, well. I had gotten on the plane; that was a good step, right? I thought so, at least. I sighed and gazed out the window, seeing a gap in the clouds and raising a brow at the snow covered plains below us. It was January, and I knew New York would be completely snowed under – as if I truly minded? It was bound to be romantic, regardless.

I don't recall falling asleep, but the next thing I knew, Derek was shaking me awake and our fellow passengers were gathering their things. I rubbed my eyes and sat up straight, rearranging my dirty blonde hair.

"Welcome to New York, sleepyhead," Derek said to me, his hand caressing my cheek as a lopsided smile formed across his face. I grinned, leaning in and pressing a tender kiss to his lips, tucking a stray piece of hair behind my one ear. I was excited, and incredibly nervous at the same time..who wouldn't be? I was meeting my future in-laws for the first time, save for Nancy…who hated me anyway. Oh, this week was going to be a ball, I was sure.

As we stepped off the plane and into the terminal, Derek slid his hand through mine, lacing our fingers together as he threw me a reassuring look over his shoulder.

"I told Mom to meet us at baggage claim…and I think she has one of my sisters with her." My face fell completely, as I prayed it would not be Nancy. Nancy, who was more satan-like than Addison, minus the red hair. I dreaded it would be her, really and truly dreaded it. As we arrived downstairs, however, I took notice of two women, both short with wavy hair; the older of the two had hair that you could tell was once a lustrous dark brown, but now was graying. The younger woman had long black hair, with bangs tucked behind one ear. It startled me how much the two women looked like Derek, and I knew they were his mother and sister.

At once, his mother bounded towards us with astounding energy, and had seized Derek in a massive hug, while beginning the typical motherly naggings I had never had.

"Derek Michael Shepherd!" She scolded, a grin plastered across her face. "You leave for Seattle, and the next time we hear from you personally, which was over a year later, is to tell us you're engaged! I did not raise my only son to estrange himself from the family, leave New York without a word, and start a new life! The least you could have done is tell us about her before now!" With that, she let go of Derek, and turned her attention to me. She took both of my hands in hers, smiling warmly, her blue eyes full of mirth.

"You, my dear, must be Meredith." I nodded, smiling back at her as friendly as was possible for me; it seemed quite hard for me to believe this same woman gave birth to Nancy, Queen Bitch.

"Oh, it's so lovely to finally meet you! We've heard all about you, of course, from Mark! Yes, Derek, Mark is still a part of this family despite the awful things he's done, and that is all we're saying about that matter!" She gave Derek a sharp glare as he scowled at the mention of Marks name. "Oh, but Meredith, he never mentioned just how beautiful you truly are. In fact, his exact words are not polite enough to ever repeat, but you know Mark." She gave her eyes a little toss, before pulling me into a hug.

"Welcome to the family, Meredith. Please, call me Elizabeth." I loved her already. She was everything a mother should be, and I had known her only for five minutes.

As she and Derek began to argue and catch up with life, the other woman came forward and introduced herself to me.

"Hey, Meredith. I'm Abigail…But you can call me Abbie. I would like to apologize on behalf of all the other Shepherd women about Nancy." Abigail tossed her eyes, sniffing slightly in a way that made it clear that she took pride in the fact that she didn't let Nancy's hellish ways influence her.

I laughed, noting how friendly both she and her mother were, and I realized I could see myself becoming close with them both…and maybe even more siblings! I did draw the line at Nancy, however. I could never see myself warming up to her, ever since she declared I knew she couldn't be Derek's wife, seeing as how I already ran her off.

Derek soon returned with our suitcases, and slid his hand through mine once again, nodding at his mother to signify that we were ready to go. He led me outside, onto the crowded sidewalk of New York City, and I breathed in the cold, fresh air. The sights, the smells…they all reminded me of a childhood trip to the city, with both of my parents – back when we were happy, alive, and speaking to each other. It was a good memory for me to hold onto, seeing as how none of those three held dear to any of us at the present time…and never again for my mother.

I must have fallen into a daze, because the next thing I knew, Derek was tugging me towards a chauffer-driven SUV, and I was helped into the backseat. I tried not to think about the repressed childhood memories that drivers brought back to me, and settled in between Derek and Abbie. Now was absolutely not the time to bitch about my privileged childhood, and so I sat back and got to know my future sister-in-law.

A/N: Not quite as eventful as other chapters already posted, and some I've thought up to come, but it's a nice segue into the chaos of Derek's family. Hope you enjoyed it!