"You drive." Derek informed Meredith as they walked out through the gift shop and into the open air.
"Seriously?" Meredith asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes, seriously." Derek replied with a grin, tossing her the keys.
"But you never let me drive." Meredith reminded him, grasping the keys in her fist.
"True." Derek said slowly as they walked towards the car. "Though there is a reason, Mer."
"You only know what Mark told you!" Meredith protested.
"He was shaking." Derek pointed out, standing beside the car, waiting for her to unlock it.
"So, he's a big baby." Meredith shrugged, sticking the key in the car door.
"He asked me if traffic lights meant anything to you." Derek chuckled. "Apparently he wasn't satisfied with your answer."
Meredith giggled, climbing into the drivers seat. "No, he wasn't."
"So what was your answer?" Derek asked curiously, buckling up his seat belt.
"I said sure they did. The green light meant go, the yellow light was a decoration and the red light..." Meredith broke off with a laugh.
"The red light was what?" Derek asked as she trailed off.
Meredith giggled. "The red light was just a suggestion."
Derek laughed, shaking his head. "That was cruel, Mer."
"You want to know something?" Meredith said quietly, mischief gleaming in her eyes. "I did it on purpose."
"You drove like a maniac on purpose?" Derek asked, raising an eyebrow.
"He told me that I drove like an old woman!" Meredith exclaimed, putting the car in gear. "I wanted to prove him wrong."
"I'll take that explanation because I taught you to drive. It could reflect badly on my teaching skills."
"Right." Meredith grinned. "So basically if I'm a bad driver it's your fault."
"Or you were just a really bad student." Derek countered, winking at her.
"I was an excellent student."
"Except for that one, tiny hole in the fence, yeah, you were." Derek grinned.
"Okay, what happened to never mentioning that again?" Meredith asked, turning left and leaving the city behind them.
"Sorry, couldn't resist." Derek smiled.
"Yeah, well try." Meredith muttered, her face flushing slightly. "It was one slip of the foot."
"Which cost us a hole in the fence and 3 garden gnomes." Derek chuckled. "Poor, poor Fergus, Flink and Bainbridge."
"Derek..." Meredith moaned, throwing him a pleading look.
"Sorry." He chuckled. "Consider the subject dropped."
"Thank you."
Derek leaned over and dropped his purchases from the Space Needle onto the backseat of the car.
"What on earth did you buy?" Meredith asked, glancing at him curiously before turning her attention back to the road.
"Nothing." Derek shrugged.
"You obviously bought something." Meredith pressed again. "It's now lying on the backseat of my dad's car."
"If you wanted to know what I was buying maybe you should have kept me company." Derek replied teasingly.
"I went to the bathroom!"
"And I went shopping." Derek grinned.
"In a gift shop?" Meredith said dryly.
"Yep."
"Alright..." Meredith trailed off.
"It's just souvenirs, Mer. Magnets, pens...that sort of thing." Derek informed her, shrugging out of his jacket and tossing it over the bag in the back, a small secret smile curving his lips.
"Oh. Well you could have just told me that."
"Why? You're cute when you're annoyed." Derek grinned.
"I must be cute around you all the time then." She replied, rolling her eyes.
"I like to think so." Derek said seriously, though his eyes sparkled.
She shook her head in exasperation, her smile bright.
"So, we need to get lunch at some point." Derek reminded her, looking out the window and watching as the houses flew past them.
"Oh right, I forgot. We can get some after this. If that's okay?"
"Sure." Derek said easily. "Want to tell me where we're going?"
"You'll see."
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Meredith turned the corner into the quiet street and pulled over in front of the house. She leaned back against her seat and took a deep breath, all the while staring out the car window. She knew this house well, it was the place that had shaped much of her childhood.
"Where's the frying fish, Daddy?" Meredith asked, glancing up at the stars. Thatcher laughed, drawing her close to his side and pushing the swing into motion with his feet. "That's flying fish, not the frying fish, honey." "But fish don't fly." Meredith screwed up her nose. "You fry fish, Daddy. Don't you 'member?" "But these are stars. In the stars the fish can fly. You see up there? That big bright star?" Thatcher pointed up towards the sky, his daughter squinting her eyes as she followed her father's directions. "That's the tail of the fish." "I see it, Daddy!" Meredith exclaimed, bouncing happily. "It looks just like a real fishie!" "So you don't want to fry that one?" Thatcher teased, tweeking her on the nose. Meredith giggled. "Don't be silly, Daddy. I'm not big enough to reach that fishie!" "Oh? Why not?" Thatche asked, pulling her onto his lap. "Cos I'm only four." Meredith reminded him, holding up four fingers. "Only four?" Thatcher asked, pushing the swing a little harder. "I thought you were forty!" "No Daddy, I don't have forty fingers." Meredith told him, wiggling a little. "And I can count how little I am on my hands." "Someday you won't be able to." "Yep. When I'm all grown up like you and mommy." Meredith giggled. "Exactly." Thatcher confirmed. "We better go inside, it's getting cold out here." "Will you and mommy yell again?" Meredith asked quietly, turning her big green eyes on her father. "Mommy's not home." Thatcher said briskly. "Oh." Meredith replied. "When is she coming home?" "I don't know." Thatcher answered honestly. "But she'll be home soon." "Ok, Daddy. Can I have some hot chocolate?" "Yes." He replied, smiling at the little girl who reminded him so much of his wife, in looks, not temperament. "With marshmallows?" She asked hopefully. "Yes," He said again, "With marshmallows." "I get four cos that's how old I am." She said happily, sliding off his lap and running inside the house."
Meredith exhaled slowly, the memory fading as she felt herself jerk back to the present.
"Mer?" Derek was saying softly, waving his hand in front of her face.
She turned to face him, a watery smile on her face.
"Are you alright?" He asked frowning. "You've gone white."
"I'm fine, Derek." Meredith assured him, closing her eyes and tilting her head back.
"You don't look fine." Derek argued, leaning forward in his seat to stare out the window at the house they were parked beside.
"Oh." He breathed softly. "This was your house?"
"Yes." Meredith said smoothly, rubbing her forehead.
"It's nice." Derek commented, inwardly kicking himself.
It's nice? What the hell kind of comment was that? Derek groaned.
"It was, once." Meredith said softly, opening her eyes. "I used to love that house."
"And now?" Derek asked quietly, shifting around to face her.
"Now...I don't know. It holds so many memories." She whispered.
Meredith slid under the covers, her small body shaking as the wind raged outside, the rain splashing against the window and rolling down the pain. A tree branch scraped against her window, the noise making the little girl shudder in fright. She hated storms, especially when the wind whirled and swelled around the house, causing her imagination to run wild. It was times like these that she imagined herself as Dorothy, sitting in a house being swept high into the sky by the swirling, roaring wind. Only she didn't have Toto to comfort her. She was alone. "There's no place like home." Meredith whimpered. "There's no place like home. There's no place like home." A window slammed somewhere in the depths of the house and Meredith sat up with a gasp. It wasn't working. The storm was still beating in her ears, terrifying her down to her very core. "Daddy, it's not working." She sobbed quietly, wiping away her tears with the back of her hand and clutching onto her teddy bear. "It's not working. I need you. Where have you gone? Why did you leave me? Home isn't here anymore. I'm scared!" She curled herself into a tiny ball, her pale face turned towards the window. Outside the clouds moved across the moon, spiraling her into complete and utter darkness. She gave a frightened moan and clutched her teddy even tighter in her small, frail arms, the only bit of comfort she could find amongst the paralysing fear. Meredith had always been jittery around storms, from the time she was old enough to register what they were. But her dad had always taken her in his arms and rocked her gently, telling her stories or singing quietly. She had felt safe and secure in their arms and gradually she would drift off to sleep, the storm fading into oblivion. As she got older he told her she didn't need to be afraid, that she was a big girl now. Trying to break her fear, Thatcher had told her that when she felt scared she should do what Dorothy would do. Meredith stifled another sob as a fresh load of tears gathered in her eyes, spilling down her cheeks one by one. "There's no place like home. There's no place like home." She recited again, closing her eyes against the overwhelming darkness. Somehow the voluntary darkness was less frightening. But the peace that had once resided inside her was gone. Her daddy had disappeared 3 nights ago, the night of the last storm. Meredith had watched him leave, a suitcase clutched tightly in his hand. She had called out to him, begging him to come back but he had walked out without a second glance, his figure silhouetted against the dark sky. Any sense of security she'd gained had vanished the minute the door had closed. Her fear of storms was back with a vengeance, heightened by the abrupt departure of the man she loved with all her heart. Her home had disappeared the night he had stepped out into the rain.
"He left when I was six." Meredith said quietly, staring down at her hands. "I remember it like it was yesterday. It was raining hard, and I was scared. I pretended I was Dorothy."
"Dorothy?" Derek asked gently.
"From 'The Wizard of Oz.' " Meredith said softly. "He told me that if I was scared, I just had to remind myself that there was no place like home. That I was home and I was safe. It was the first night I had tried it. I remember being so excited because it worked. It really worked. I wasn't scared anymore. I climbed out of bed and went into his room to show him how brave I was. He was packing a suitcase and mom was sitting watching him. I asked where he was going, and mom looked at him as if she expected him to answer. He turned to me but he didn't say anything. He just left. A few nights later I tried it again and it didn't work anymore."
"Meredith..." Derek breathed, reaching out to grasp hold of her limp hand.
"It's the only time I've ever seen my mother cry." Meredith whispered.
"She cried?" Derek asked, slightly astonished, squeezing her hand gently. The Ellis Grey he had known had been a bitter, demanding woman who threw herself into her career. He couldn't imagine her showing any sign of weakness, let alone crying. He just couldn't picture it.
"Yes. When I asked her why he left she pulled me onto her lap and she cried." Meredith replied. "She murmured something about us not being enough. That he had made his choice. She was always harder on me once he left. She became cold and distant, like she couldn't bear to look at me. The day after he left she changed, like someone had flipped a switch."
"Mer..." Derek began softly, his heart breaking.
What could he say to her? Her family life had been so different from his own. He couldn't image not being surrounded and supported by people who loved and cared about him. The first family get-together he had taken Meredith to had overwhelmed her. She had been dazed and confused, sticking to his side like glue. Gradually she had become used to the way his family operated and she had relished it, soaking up every new experience the way plants soaked up water after a drought.
"I just want to know, Der. I want to know what she meant." Meredith replied desperately. "I want to know why he left and I'm not leaving Seattle till I find out."
"We'll find out, Mer. You know we will." Derek promised.
"I'm scared." Meredith whimpered softly. "I'm scared to know, and I'm scared not knowing."
"You know that whatever it is, I'm here for you, right?" Derek asked, searching her face.
She turned to face him, a smile breaking. "I know."
Derek nodded and turned to look at the house again. He didn't know what he had been expecting. Some forbidding looking place with turrets and bats. No, that was too extreme. But the pleasant looking house in beside him was definitely not what he had pictured.
"Oh my god." Meredith's voice broke into his thoughts.
"What?" Derek asked, but she was already undoing her seat belt and leaping out of the car.
Derek watched as she walked swiftly up the sidewalk to the house next to her childhood home before he unclasped his seat belt and took off after her.
Meredith felt a huge smile break across her face, one she couldn't contain. With her heart thumping in her chest she hurried alone the sidewalk, past her house before turning into the house next door.
"Mr Walters." She called, stopping in the middle of the driveway.
The old man watering his garden turned at the sound of his name. When he saw Meredith standing in his driveway his tired, wrinkled old face broke out into a huge smile as tears danced across his eyes.
"Meredith?" He called out in wonder, dropping his watering can and making his way slowly towards her. "It can't be you."
Meredith meet him halfway, tears filling her own eyes. The old man held out his arms and Derek watched as Meredith walked right into them, her arms encircling the man and holding on tightly.
"My dear, I knew you'd come back." Mr Walters said huskily, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye. "Look at you. You're all grown up."
"I am." She laughed, smiling as he grasped her hands in his.
"Oh, it is good to see you. I haven't seen you since you were...oh, 13 or 14 I would say."
"No, you haven't." Meredith smiled. "You still live here?"
"I do. I'm too old to shift now." He said nodding, glancing up as Derek walked up to stand just behind Meredith. "And who might this young man be?"
"Oh, Mr Walters, this is Derek. Derek, this is Mr Walters, my old neighbour." Meredith said brightly.
"Nice to meet you." Derek held out his hand.
"So this would be your beau?" Mr Walters asked curiously, accepting the offered hand as Derek nodded in answer to his question. "I always knew you'd find a good one. Well, come inside."
"Oh, we don't want to bother you." Meredith said hastily. "You were busy."
"Oh, stuff and nonsense." Mr Walters scoffed. "I'm 78 years old. When am I ever busy? The garden will wait."
"Well, if you're sure, that would be lovely." Meredith smiled.
"Of course I'm sure." He replied, tucking her arm in his. "You'll have to tell me what you've been up to."
"That could be dangerous." Derek said laughing.
"Always was with this one." Mr Walters said smiling, his eyes bright. "Come in and you can have some lunch."
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"The place hasn't changed." Meredith commented when lunch was over, sitting down on the sofa and motioning for Derek to join her.
"No, I don't suppose it has." Mr Walters replied, lowering himself down into an armchair across from Meredith and Derek.
"How's Mrs Walters?" Meredith asked, any minute expecting to hear the bubbly voice of the little old lady who used to babysit her every so often as she came back from shopping, a pastime she had loved.
"My Essie passed away last year." He said sadly, glancing towards the pictures displayed on top of the piano.
"Oh." Meredith breathed, her heart sinking. "I'm...I'm so sorry."
"It was peaceful." Mr Walters assured her. "Her heart just gave out."
"You must miss her." Meredith said quietly.
"Oh, I do. But I had 59 years with the woman I loved. I think God was kind to us, really." Mr Walters replied. "She would have loved seeing you again, you know."
Meredith smiled softly. "I missed you both when we moved."
"Not as much as we missed you." Mr Walters assured her. "Derek, do you know we used to look after her occasionally when her mother was in surgery. She had quite the imagination, this one did."
"Oh god." Meredith said under her breath.
"Do you see that tree stump there, by the driveway?"
Derek stood up and walked to the window, nodding.
"Well, Meredith here used to pretend that tree stump was the table for the garden fairies. She used to leave them bits of cakes and muffins, cut up in to tiny pieces." Mr Walters said, his eyes shining. "She was always bugging my wife to make fresh sweets for her to leave out on that stump."
Derek laughed, turning to face Meredith. "Really?"
"I was six!" She said by way of an explanation, covering her face with her hand.
"Mer, that's adorable." Derek laughed.
"She made them swings, too." Mr Walters said nodding. "I have a photo somewhere."
"He doesn't need to hear about the swings." Meredith interrupted, groaning.
Mr Walters just smiled and pointed Derek towards the mantel about the fireplace. "The photo on the end, I think it is Derek."
Derek walked over and picked it up. It was Meredith all right. She was sitting in the middle of the lawn, a pile of picked daisies at her feet. Hanging around her neck was a long daisy chain. She was smiling at the camera, her two front teeth missing, her golden hair done up in pigtails on the top of her head.
"She was making them swings so they wouldn't get bored." Mr Walters said softly. "Always thinking of others, she was."
"She still does." Derek replied, replacing the photo at the end of the row.
"I would imagine she would."
"I'm still here." Meredith replied blushing heatedly, giving a little wave.
"So you are." Mr Walters said smiling at her, before stifling a yawn. "Excuse me. The new pills my doctor is making me take seem to tire me."
"We should really be going." Meredith said standing up. "We have to be back soon anyway."
"It meant a lot that you came and said hello, Meredith." Mr Walters said quietly.
"You're welcome." Meredith replied, bending down and kissing him on the cheek.
"Come and visit sometime, won't you?" He asked, clasping her hand in his.
"I will." Meredith promised. "You take care of yourself."
"Derek, it was nice to meet you." Mr Walters said sincerely, pushing himself up out of his chair. "You treat this one well."
"I will." Derek said smiling, shaking his hand. "Thank you for telling me the fairy stories."
"Don't you go teasing her now." Mr Walters said smiling.
"I think it's safe to say he will." Meredith replied, rolling her eyes.
Mr Walters laughed. "Oh, we always tease the ones we love."
Meredith gave an awkward smile as Derek coughed. "Thank you for lunch."
"Anytime, my dear, anytime."
Mr Walters escorted them out, waving down the driveway before shutting the door.
"I can't believe he still lives here." Meredith exclaimed, opening the car door and climbing in the passenger side. "You would have loved his wife, she was the sweetest person in the world."
"Sweeter than you?" Derek asked, turning the car on. "Fairy swings, Mer?"
"You aren't allowed to tease me, remember?" Meredith reminded him, smiling in spite of herself.
"I had four sisters and I don't think any of them ever did that." Derek commented as they drove away.
"Is my...grandmother coming tonight?" Meredith asked, ignoring Derek.
"According to your dad, yes. And nice dodge, by the way." Derek said glancing at her.
"Good. So there will be one person I know at this barbecue." Meredith sighed.
"It'll be fine, Mer." Derek replied, navigating the traffic. "We'll be there soon."