Meredith took a sharp intake of breath as she entered the room and noticed the amount of people there. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a woman with silver hair striding towards them.
"Derek!" she called with her arms outstretched, embracing him in a hug. She then did the same with Addison, Mark, Naomi and Sam before stopping to look at Meredith. "And you must be Meredith," she said. "I'm Carolyn Shepherd, Derek's mother."
"It's very nice to meet you," Meredith replied, unsure as to whether or not she should shake her hand or offer a hug, but the decision was made for her when Carolyn stepped forward and hugged her.
"It's lovely to meet you too," Carolyn smiled, genuinely. The others had dispersed to greet various other friends and family members, leaving Derek, Meredith and Carolyn standing alone. "I only wish we had found out about you sooner, got a chance to know you before all this madness."
She cast a look in Derek's direction, silently scolding him for not telling her sooner about Meredith. He smiled apologetically and put an arm around Meredith's waist.
"Well, here she is," he said. "Where are the others?"
"Derek!" his question was answered, as a woman with long dark hair approached him and hugged him. Meredith noticed a striking resemblance between the two and stood patiently waiting to be introduced.
"Meredith, this is my youngest sister Amelia," Derek said. "Amelia, this is Meredith."
Amelia smiled at her. "It's very nice to meet you," she said. "So, how did you two meet?"
Meredith appreciated the conversation and despite knowing that Derek had told her how they had met, she was pleased she was not being made to feel like a bad person.
"I saved her life," Derek replied, a smile flickering on his lips. "She fell for my skills and good looks, and the rest, as they say is history."
Meredith, Amelia and Carolyn laughed and Meredith exchanged a look with Derek. He smiled at her, his eyes telling her that she was doing a great job. So far so good, Meredith thought to herself - she felt she had won over his mom, as well as Amelia, but she still had three sisters left to meet and was not sure if they would react quite in the same way.
Carolyn and Amelia disappeared to go and talk to other people and Derek lowered his head to Meredith's ear.
"See, they love you," he whispered, rubbing her back and guiding her towards the drinks table. Meredith lifted an orange juice. "But, I have to warn you, because…" he said, but was cut off as two other women approached him.
"Meredith," he said. "This is Lizzie and Kathleen - two more of my sisters."
They seemed less forthcoming than Amelia and Carolyn had been, but both smiled at her.
"Have you seen Addy?" Kathleen asked and Derek pointed in the direction he thought she was in and then they both disappeared.
"You were saying?" Meredith asked, hoping Derek could finish his warning before they were interrupted again.
"Ah Derek, there you are," Meredith sighed as another woman approached where they were standing and hugged him. "I've been looking all over for you."
"Well, here I am," he replied, running a hand through his hair. "Nancy, this is…"
"You must be Meredith," Nancy said, looking Meredith up and down.
"Nice to meet you," Meredith said, smiling once again and holding her hand out. Nancy ignored the hand and replied with a "hmm…"
She perused the drinks table and then lifted a glass of champagne. "Champagne Meredith? Oh sorry, my bad, I forgot you were pregnant… Does the father of the baby know you're out partying with Derek in New York?" Nancy asked, taking a sip of her glass of champagne.
"Nancy!" Derek said, shooting a look at Nancy, telling her to stop being rude. She shrugged at him and took another sip of her drink.
"The baby might be Derek's…" Meredith replied quietly.
"Well, if you didn't jump from one man's bed to another…" Nancy replied, laughing.
Derek took her by the arm and dragged her away from Meredith.
"What is wrong with you?" he asked angrily, keeping his voice down so as not to cause a scene. "Why is it so difficult for you to be civil towards her?"
"Is it civil to sleep with a married man?" Nancy asked, raising her eyebrows at him. "How could you do that to Addison?"
"We are not talking about this now," Derek replied, letting go of her arm. "Now can you please at least try to be nice?"
"I can try, but I can't make any promises," Nancy said, wandering off to go and talk to Addison and others.
"I am so sorry," Derek said as he returned to Meredith's side. "I was trying to warn you about Nancy… she can be a bit… well, you've met her!"
"It's alright," Meredith replied, setting her drink down as Derek kissed her forehead tenderly. "I'm just going to go to the ladies' room."
Derek nodded and Meredith left the room stopping to lean against the wall as she did. She had been expecting some degree of hostility but nothing quite that mean. She made her way to the toilets and when she got there she found Addison touching up her make-up.
"Hi," Meredith said, not wanting to be rude and ignore her, but also not really in the mood to enter into conversation.
"Hi," Addison replied, continuing to fix her make-up. Meredith disappeared into a cubicle and then heard the door to the toilets opening and someone else entering.
"Can you believe the nerve of that woman?" Meredith recognised Nancy's voice. "Turning up to this, knowing you would be here, and her just waltzing in like she belongs here.."
"Nancy," Addison said, her voice trying to inform her of Meredith's presence, but Nancy paid no attention and continued.
"And have you seen what she is wearing?" Nancy said, leaning in towards the mirror to re-apply lip-stick. "Bit revealing for a pregnant woman don't you think?"
Meredith finished her business and exited the cubicle silently. Nancy shot a look at Addison and the pair looked at Meredith as she washed her hands. Nobody spoke as Meredith then dried her hands and then left the bathroom.
"You could have warned me," Nancy said, turning to face Addison. "Now I'm going to get into more trouble with Derek."
"When have you ever cared what Derek says?" Addison asked laughing, and picking up her bag.
"True," Nancy replied and finished up. Meanwhile Meredith had returned to the party but could not see Derek anywhere. She moved to the far side of the room where a tables had been set up with chairs. She found an empty one and sat down, looking around the room.
"Mind if I join you?" a voice asked. Meredith looked up and found Amelia standing with a plate of food in one hand and a drink in the other. Meredith nodded in response and smiled as she sat down.
"Are you alight?" Amelia asked, as she took a bite of some of her food. "You look a bit lost."
Meredith nodded. "I am a bit lost. This is a lovely party, but it is all a bit daunting."
"I can understand that, this can't be easy for you," Amelia replied. "Look, I know you're probably taking some stick, under the circumstances, but once people get used to it, everyone will be alright."
"Even Nancy?" Meredith asked, turning to look out to the room. She finally spotted Derek, he was dancing with an older woman.
"I know Nancy can be a bit difficult," Amelia said. "But deep down she just cares for her family and she can get a bit over defensive. Speak of the devil…"
Meredith looked up and saw Nancy making a beeline for where they were sitting. Meredith braced herself for another of Nancy's comments.
"Meredith," Nancy said, hovering in front of her. "I'm sorry for the way I acted. I shouldn't have said what I said, and … I'm sorry."
Meredith had to bite her lip to stop herself from smiling. Nancy did not sound in the slightest bit sincere but had obviously been told to come and apologise. Satisfied she had done what she had been asked, Nancy turned and walked away before Meredith could respond. Amelia made her excuses and also left leaving Meredith once again sitting by herself. She wasn't alone for long as Derek soon appeared in front of her holding his hand out.
"I've done my turn with aunts," he said, grinning. "Now I want to dance with the most beautiful woman in the room."
Meredith grinned back at him and stood up, following Derek as he led her to the dance floor. He pulled her close to him and they swayed in time to the music. When they were finished, Derek led her over to where a group of people were standing chatting.
"So Meredith, what do you do for a living?" Nancy asked, as they joined the group.
"I don't actually do anything at the minute," Meredith replied, biting her lip. "I haven't quite found my path."
Nancy let out a snort of laughter, causing people to look at her.
"Oh come on," Nancy said, taking another swig from her glass of champagne. "I tried to be nice, but she doesn't have a job. Bit convenient she has landed herself a top paid neurosurgeon."
"Nancy…" Derek said, raising a warning hand.
"No, it's alright," Meredith said, putting Derek's hand down. "I have had enough of the looks and the snide comments."
Everyone looked uncomfortably between Nancy and Meredith as Meredith approached Nancy.
"My mother had Alzheimer's," Meredith continued. "And eventually we had to put her into a home. We could only just about afford paying the bills, so I worked two jobs while going through college just so I could have money of my own." Tears formed in Meredith's eyes as she continued. "When my mom died she left me money, money I have never touched. I have always paid my own way in whatever I do, and I don't want to spend my life stuck in some career I don't want to do. So Nancy, you can make whatever comments you want about the way I dress, or me being here, but do NOT make comments about my baby or things you know nothing about."
Nancy stood looking shell shocked and before she had time to respond, Meredith had lifted her dress and run from the room. There was a silence, as people did not know what to say or how to react. Carolyn leaned in towards Derek.
"I like her," she whispered, smiling. "She's a keeper."
Derek nodded and then rushed from the room to find Meredith.