Author's Note: This chapter takes on a different turn, and takes place about halfway through Burke's party. I wanted it to kind of feel like bits and pieces from an episode, if that makes sense. So I'm hoping that you all will like it. Please...be kind and leave me a review. Thanks!
Meredith sighed, adjusting the pillow of Cristina's couch against her back. "You're not dancing."
"Yeah, so?"Cristina asked, knowing full well what Meredith meant.
"You should get up. Have fun, you know."Meredith suggested, clapping Cristina against the leg. "Is something wrong?"
Cristina's eyes widened, surprised by Meredith's sudden enthusiasm. "Well, you're acting like Mary Poppins. But otherwise, everything is fine. Burke's talking to Webber about his CD collection, Derek and Mark are laughing about...whatever. Addison and Bailey seem to be happy." Cristina paused long enough to send a look in Meredith's direction. "If you're trying to make me be all happy, why aren't you?"
Meredith shrugged, offering a smile. "Personally, I'm fine."
A few feet away, Elizabeth sat of the floor playing with a ball that Cristina had given her. It wasn't much, but when Izzie spotted her, she was quick to begin a game of rolling it back and forth.
"That kid is gonna need me, you know."Cristina snorted, watching as Elizabeth shoved the ball back in Izzie's direction.
"Why do you say that?"
Cristina laughed, sending a look of disbelief in her direction. "Seriously? You have to ask?...With McDreamy as her father, and you as her mother, she'll need some sense of normalcy."
"You?"Meredith asked with a laugh.
"Shut-up."Cristina muttered as Elizabeth walked in their direction.
"Thank you, sweetie."Meredith said as she handed her the bright blue ball. "Are you having fun?"
Elizabeth nodded, a smile playing on her features. "Uh-huh, I am, Mommy."
A pair of black shoes were spotted, and Meredith didn't have to look up to know who they belonged to. "I thought I saw you from over there. It's nice to see you, Meredith."
"Chief...I mean, Doctor Webber."Meredith replied, quickly correcting her error. It had been years since she had last seen him, and it took a minute for her to register the reality of what was about to unfold.
"It's not Doctor anymore, Grey. I guess I've gotten used to people calling me Richard."He replied with a laugh. "And who is this pretty young lady?"He asked, kneeling down before them.
"Hi."Elizabeth said, suddenly slinking to safety in between Meredith and Cristina.
"This is Elizabeth."Meredith said, turning toward her. "It's okay, sweetie. This is an old friend of Mommy and Daddy...can you say hello?"
Elizabeth smiled, proudly walking over to wrap her tiny arms around his neck. "What's your name?"She asked, curiously shining in her blue eyes.
Richard recognized the baby blues were that of one Derek Shepherd, but said nothing. "Richard Webber. Your mother is quite a smart woman, you know that?"He said, sighing as he felt the pain from kneeling on the floor too long. "Your house is lovely, Doctor Yang. Burke and I were discussing the wooden floors, I'd say it was a good move to keep them."
"Thank you, sir."Cristina muttered as she watched him float back into the crowd. Looking over at Meredith, she saw a look clouding her face. "You get that he knew Shep was her father, right? Not everyone is going to judge you."
Knowing Cristina had her pegged, Meredith simply let out a sigh. "I'm going to get a drink. Can you watch Elizabeth for me?"
Meredith heard footsteps in the kitchen following her, and turned to see Derek standing there. "Hey."
"Is everything okay?"He asked, sensing her irritation.
She shrugged, pouring another drink into her glass. "Yeah, I'm good. How were things with Mark?"
"We talked about this one birthday of mine back in New York. Everything was supposed to be perfect. There was a pool, barbecue, everything. It was my seventeenth birthday, actually. Anyway, he had dared me to dive off of the board, but when I did, I realized too late that the trunks I'd been wearing had sunk to my ankles."Derek said, cheeks turning red from the memory.
Meredith's face lit up with a smile, realizing how embarrassing it must have been for him. "And what is it that you did back to him?"
"Shaved his eyebrows when he fell asleep that night. It didn't really compare, but it lasted much longer."
She laughed, feeling his hand brush her arm. "I can't really picture Mark without eyebrows."
"No, neither can I. It's too scary to think about."
Knowing that he was revealing details about the past, Meredith couldn't help but think of what kind of anecdotes his mother held from when he was growing up. The trip to New York wasn't too far off, so she knew she'd find out soon. But a strange sadness filled her chest when she realized that she herself wouldn't have any stories to share. While she had known Derek for several years, the two that they spent apart were enough to make her realize how much she had missed him. The year before she left was tumultuous enough, so there were no happy "One time..." stories from there that were good enough to be shared with family, nor were there any current ones. That was, they had made plenty of memories. Building the house, the proposal. Watching him with Elizabeth. But they were all little things. Small, simple things. Things Meredith didn't think deserved the title of 'best memory ever'.
"Hey-"Derek said, nudging her arm. "Talk to me. What's bothering you?"
"Nothing."She lied. She needed time to figure out what it was that she wanted to say, because while Meredith knew there were so many wonderful things in their lives thus far, no stories she had to tell seemed to stand out. Nothing in her eyes that wouldn't make herself seem horrible for keeping Elizabeth from Derek. "I'm fine."
Derek's eyes pleaded with hers, because he knew in that moment that something was clearly wrong. Meredith seemed different than the last time they had spoken. Somehow, Derek thought that the conversation with Richard was related. Or maybe it was the continued presence of her father within her life. Either way, it became clear that she wasn't yet willing to share. Upon hearing someone else entering the room, Derek cleared his throat.
"Hey guys-"Izzie said, grabbing a soda from the fridge. "Burke and Mark started a game of poker. People are taking sides."
Meredith bit her lip, glad for the reprieve. "I better go in there before Cristina starts killing people."
The party broke up just after eleven, and after bidding farewell, Meredith and Derek left with Elizabeth sleeping soundly in the backseat. The ride how had been made in silence, Derek wondering what had happened and what he could do to stop it. He knew Meredith well enough to know that something was bothering her, but what he didn't know was what it was.
Meredith followed the raindrops down the window, watching the reflection of stoplights all the way home. Try as she might, a singular thought wouldn't leave her. She couldn't shake it. She loved Derek; the family they had meant more to her than anything. Still, she couldn't forget the look that had been in Richard's eyes. While he hadn't said anything, Meredith knew he knew who Elizabeth's father was. He knew she had left, and as far as she knew, was aware of how long she had been gone. He wasn't judging her, that much Meredith knew. But at the same time, she couldn't help but feel that Derek's mother wouldn't be the same way. She would be judging, at least it was the picture Meredith had in her mind. She was pretty sure Derek's mother couldn't get past the idea that she had lied to her only son to see how much she really did love and need him.
She took a shower and climbed into bed, all the while on autopilot. She felt Derek kiss her forehead, whispering that he loved her. Derek wasn't pressuring her. He wasn't bothering her about details or anything like that. Meredith couldn't decide whether or not it was a good thing. It was obvious that he knew something was bothering her, but he still chose to do the only thing he knew would help her.
Silently, Derek held her. It was a symbol of the loving bond that the two shared, and at that moment, it was the only thing he knew would help. "Goodnight, Mer."
Meredith nodded, leaning in to his firm grasp. "I love you."