THANK YOU so much to all of you who reviewed with such lovely comments!!! Seriously im smiling like really big now and you know its one of those real goofy smiles but i dont care cos you made me happy!!!!

Anyway back to this its Chapter 14 and for this im letting up on the angst a little and its mainly MerDer and its Derek taking Marks advice from the last chapter and living up to his McDreamy name... Well i hope thats how it works out???

But as always for now Read/Enjoy and PLEASE REVIEW!!!

You Took My Heart

"Have either of you seen Derek today?" Meredith asked tiredly as even the simple task of pulling a scrub top over her head took more effort and energy than usual.

The whole of last night had been spent dithering between picking up the phone to call Derek only to hang up before it rang and simply staring at the information her mother had given her wondering where the hell she went from here.

She couldn't pretend that she hadn't seen it or that if she threw the address away everything would go back to normal because it wouldn't no matter how much she may want it too this was something she needed to deal with and make a decision about.

Even now after hours of playing out every scenario in her head she was still undecided but what she did know was that there was only one person with whom she wanted to share this with.

Yesterday after their moment in the elevator she had decided it would be better to keep a distance between them, it seemed fairer less painful but now all this had turned that on its head. Maybe she wasn't ready to be them again but this had shown her if nothing else that she wasn't ready to cut him out of her life either.

"No, why are you looking for McDreamy anyway? I thought you were taking space and that…" Izzy asked redoing her hair but watching Meredith.

"We are, I am but I need to talk something over with him…"

"What… Who gets what in the divorce? Take him for all he's worth Mer cos I'm guessing by the looks of that rock hanging from that chain around your neck McDreamy's McLoaded!" Christina's cackle was drowned out by Izzy screech.

"You're getting a divorce seriously?"

"No, no one is getting a divorce… Christina!"

"I'm glad cos he's pissing me off already with those you just ran over my puppy looks… Can you imagine how bad it would be if you actually divorced his silly ass???"

"So what is it then if it's not a divorce?"

"It's nothing Izz really it's nothing… I don't know what to do and he will or he should at least I think he should but maybe he wont." Meredith rambled as she began to wish she had never started this as she knew Izzy wouldnt let it drop untill she was satisfied and in some ways she was worse than Christina.

"But isn't the whole point of taking space is so you can figure out what you want and now your going to him for help… I mean Meredith you've only just found out that he stayed with that Sarah woman!"

"And do you think that suddenly I've forgiven him and forgot all about it??? Well trust me I haven't but… …"

"But what???" Izzy asked and slamming her locker shut with a bang Meredith turned to face her friends.

"I love him! He knows me, he's my husband, he's my best friend at the end of the day it's Derek- Even when he hurts me and even when I hate him he's who I wanna talk to!!!"

Meredith told them her voice quiet as she stared between her friends trying to make them see that the bond between Derek and her couldn't just be broken, they had shared too much to do that.

"Ah but he isn't your person…"

Christina moved from lying down on the bench to sitting up and Meredith sat down besides her dropping her head on to Christina's shoulder.

"No he isn't my person and Izz he…"

But Izzy stopped her, holding both her hands up as she shook her head.

"I get it Mer… Well I'll try too!"

Approaching the table in the cafeteria where Mark and Derek were sat Meredith felt eyes follow her progress. Now the actual truth was out about them instead of stopping the whispers they seemed to have escalated along with the interest in them.

"Hi." Meredith greeted causing both men to look up, Mark with a wide welcoming grin and Derek a softer smile that soon turned into a look of concern.

"Hey Mer, you okay?" Derek asked getting up and giving her his seat while he grabbed another for himself from the next table.

"Yeah you look worn out, still beautiful but worn out… Has my tyrant of a wife been riding you to hard, need me to sort her out kid???" Mark teased her but with a wan smile she shook her head.

"I'm fine… seriously I'm fine…" She assured as the two best friends looked at her with the same skeptical expression.

"Look I'll leave you two to it." Mark got up not even sure either had heard both absorbed in the other their eyes doing the talking their mouths weren't.

"I'll catch up with you later!" Derek murmured his eyes still on his wife, his fingers itching to reach out and smooth the frown from her face.

"What's up Mer and don't tell me your fine because it's pretty clear your far from being fine?"

"It's just well my mom gave me this before she left and I just wondered what you thought. Cos one minute I think I should go see him and then I'm not so sure… And I know about the whole space thing but your you and I can talk to the others but they might not get it and I know you will but…"

Meredith ran out of breath as Derek tried not to grin at her babbling.

"Mer you don't have to explain yourself to me and I want to be the one you turn too!"

Derek took the now crumpled piece of paper from her hand his mouth falling open as he read.

"Your mother gave you this… Your mother gave you your father's address… Seriously??"

Derek knew all too well what this meant to her and leaning closer he took both her hands in his. His grip tight as he shuffled his chair nearer to hers.

Throughout the years there had been countless times when her strength had held him up. When his father had died eight years ago it had been Meredith who had been the strong one. It was her who had given him comfort when no one else had been able to reach him, she was the one that had held him through his tears eased his mind and now he knew it was his time to be there for her.

"I think it was more Richard but now I don't know what to do… I mean is there really any point in opening old wounds? He's probably married with children…"

"Maybe so but you're his child too, Mer you've always wanted to know why… And now you have the means, the way to get the answers! It's not like you have to rush in to this, take your time you dont have to decide now..."

"Damn!"

Her pager going off broke them apart and looking down she frowned.

"Its 911 I have to go!" She said hurriedly getting to her feet but his hand on her arm stopped her from rushing off.

"Meet me later?" Derek asked on impulse.

"What?"

"At Joe's, we can talk more… Let me be a friend Mer if nothing else?" He pleaded and for a second Meredith lost herself in his eyes drawn in by his most persuasive smile.

"Okay."

"Okay I'll meet you there."

Meredith saw him as soon as he entered, watching with her heart thumping as his eyes searched the bar. His stance relaxing his expression softening in to a smile as he saw her.

"Good evening Dr Grey."

His grin was the exact same one she had fallen so hard for and it was obvious just how happy he was to be here and not wanting to make it slip or chase away his warmth she returned his smile with one of her own before pressing a kiss to his cheek.

"Dr Shepherd."

"No friends?" Derek asked his eyes scanning the room only to return to her as she shook her head.

"No, no friends. Um Joe can I get another beer and his usual?"

Joe nodded as smiling Derek eyed her with curiosity

"No tequila either huh?"

"No Derek no tequila either… Now you grab us a table and I'll get these."

Meredith couldn't stop herself from watching as he moved through the mid week crowd with all the arrogance of a man who knew that women's eyes were following him. But she couldn't blame them, Mark was right Derek and his blue eyes did make you dream of a happy ever after and she hoped with all her heart when they got through this there would be one for them.

"So…?"

Derek was the first to break the comfortable silence they had slipped in to, all their talking so far done by their eyes and tentative smiles.

"You think I should go see Thatcher?"

"Mer only you can make this decision … But it might just take care of some of your outstanding daddy issues???" His voice switched from serious to one of light teasing.

"I do not have any daddy issues!!!" She spluttered in to her beer as openly grinning now he nodded

"You do and may I remind you that you told me that yourself when you decided I was too good in bed to let go and that you'd have to set rules for us!"

Meredith was fighting her smile knowing he had purposefully set out to lighten her mood but Derek wasnt fooled he could see the answering gleam in her eyes.

"You are not that good in bed Derek Shepherd and for the record it was you who decided we needed rules!"

"Oh I am and you are trying to rewrite history Meredith Shepherd!"

Using his thumb he stroked her stubborn chin as he watched her, enjoying her fight to keep her scowl in place.

"It means a lot that you came to me with this." His voice dropping turning husky as she gave in and smiled warmly at him.

"You were the first person I wanted to talk too; you always are Derek, which is what makes all this so hard… And the fact that you are here means just as much to me and just so you know about what you said yesterday… I don't want us to be strangers either."

Meredith took the hand that was still cupping her chins in hers and squeezed it tightly as his eyes darkened and his head lowered.

"Good."

Derek knew that wasn't enough and he knew it in no way expressed how he really felt but knowing Meredith he knew any more would scare her and he would lose this openness that was with this slowly returning and for the first time he was thankful for Ellis Grey.

"I need to know why Derek, why he just left without a goodbye, why he didn't come after me… I need to see if his version is any different to my mothers…"

For two years she had never mentioned her father to him, every time he asked she would simply turn away and shake her head that was up until his own father's death. Now just like then she had that same brittle edge to her voice and moving his stool around to hers he placed his arm around her.

"And Thatcher is the only one who can answer that… When you're ready to do it whenever your ready I could come with you, wait in the car or something...?"

"Thanks but I need to do this alone…" Meredith said her head now resting on his shoulder

"You need to be you."

"I need to be me…"

She told him raising her head and moving that little bit further away from them knowing it was for the best even as her heart cried out to return to his warmth.

Reaching out Derek took hold of her left hand pressing his lips to the place where his rings belonged.

"I'll be there if you need me… I can never be just a friend to you Mer so I'm here and I'm waiting and I love you just don't forget that!"

You took my heart and ran away
Forever in my heart you'll stay
No matter what we've been through
I'm going to keep on loving you

So that was that and once again im not in love with this cos for me it seems a little stilted and doesnt flow quite how i liked but well i hope you guys did like it!!!

So Ellis gave Mer Thatcher's address and i guess some of you are wondering how this will help MerDer and i did drop clues in here... You know its got them talking again and its giving Derek a chance to be there for her etc. Now i know Thatcher is going to make an appearence but it wont be Mer falling into his arms cos well that jus a bit too unrealistic so im rambling now so il stop...

But next chap up in a few days but for now keep me smiling n PLEASE hit the blue button!!!!