Sorry for the delay!
Derek dropped Meredith at train station a week later to head to the airport.
"I want to drive you to the airport." Derek reminded her. "It's not that far away."
"Derek, you shouldn't even be driving." Meredith told him sharply again, frowning at him from the passenger seat.
"It's an automatic car, my bad leg literally does nothing."
"I'm still worried. The train station is perfectly fine." She said, "Thank you, though."
He pulled up outside the terminal, "I'll miss you." He said, sadly.
Her expression softened and she instantly felt a pang of guilt for her gruff tone. "It's not even two weeks. You'll probably just spend the whole time studying, and it'll go past like a flash. When I get home, I'll help you do practice exams. It'll be fun."
"I'm already looking forward to it." He told her, pulling his sunnies up onto the top of his head as he pulled in to the carpark drop off zone.
"I'd better go or I'll miss my train." She said, looking at her watch. Derek jumped out and helped her with her suitcase, and gave her a quick peck and a hug. "Have a good time and say hi to your twisted sister for me."
She reached out and hugged him again, "I'll call you when I land." She waved good bye, and made her way into the station, Derek not leaving the car park until she was completely out of sight.
Leaving home was tough, considering she knew that when she'd be back, it would have new tenants. Ted had found a group of interns to move in, and she'd handed over the keys last week. Her room was no longer her own, and everything she owned was in storage or at Derek's house. She didn't have a home base or roots for the time being. Living with the Shepherds was very welcoming, but she wasn't used to being around people for that much at a time. Cristina and her could co-exist in their room quite comfortably, and some days one of them would relocate to the library for some alone time, but Meredith still felt she had to be polite, present and clothed, when with the Shepherds. She loved them all, but, part of her was looking forward to getting back to college so she could have her own room and space.
Meredith made it through the station and boarded her direct train to the airport, and relaxed into the blue seat. The carriage was fairly empty, she concluded Wednesday mornings must be a slow airport run. She played her music and enjoyed the ride, with her bag in-between her legs, and a good book. Checked in to her flight in record time, she breezed through security and found herself at the gate nearly two hours early.
Meredith never had trouble amusing herself in airports. Airports were the perfect place to people watch, where she could make up stories about the individuals travelling, their lives, and their families. On the times her mother couldn't find a sitter, she'd be taken along to medical conferences and hung out while her mother was on business calls. Meredith remembers one day that she asked to go to the bathroom and her mother had nodded and shooed her away, while talking to an executive. Meredith wandered through the terminal and sat on a bench and scanned the crowd. She didn't know which direction she had came from, or which direction the washroom was. Meredith could swear she was lost for at least an hour, and when she finally made her way back, her mother had barely noticed she'd gone. She could sit and watch people and hours could pass and she'd barely notice. But, today, she needed a coffee first. She wandered down through the terminal looking for a coffee shop, her handbag thrown over her shoulder. While waiting for her order, she took out her phone and sent Derek a message, letting him know she got to the airport alright and was waiting to board. He replied almost instantly with a photo of his desk covered in books and an unhappy face. She slipped her phone into her back pocket but she felt it vibrate again. After ordering she read his next message. but I'm glad you made it. We miss you already. x
She worried about her relationship with Derek sometimes. They were very different. She didn't overly discuss her matters, and she could tell it sometimes bugged her. Perahps the next two weeks would be good for them. For him to stop worrying, for her to have a break. She put her phone back in her bag, collected her coffee from the young smiling barista and started walking back down towards her gate. The coffee was steaming hot and extremely satisfying. Walking over to the window, she placed the cup on the ledge and starred off into space, watching the planes take off in the warm sunshine. She was definitely ready to leave town for a while.
When she turned back around, she looked out into the terminal. Her gaze was broken by a wave in the distance; Her attention was snatched when she saw Jackson Avery walking towards her. She took her coffee and met him in the centre of the busy walk way, people hurrying past them as they caught up.
"Well, here's a sight for sore eyes!" He grinned when they were only a few metres apart.
"Avery!" She smiled, walking into a hug, "What are you doing here?"
"Transiting." He pointed over to his mother, "Being socialised with the medical professionals for a five day conference. Can I interest you in a coffee?" He asked.
Meredith smiled, turned back to the window ledge picking up her coffee cup.
"Ah, beat me to it." He shrugged.
"We can walk and talk, though." She offered, noticing his mother was occupied on the phone off in the distance.
"Great! Where are you off to today?" He asked, throwing his bag over his shoulder, Meredith doing the same with her handbag. Slipping her cup, Jackson subtly waved to his mother to let her know he'd be back. She nodded and smiled and waved to Meredith, before turning her back and resuming her conversation.
"I was really hoping for a holiday this year, but, this conference might have to do." He laughed, "So, where are you off to again?"
"Visiting Cristina for a few days." Meredith explained briefly, wandering back to the same coffee shop she'd been at before.
"How long? I'll be back in town in a week. We should catch up. Robbins will still be around, we could have a thing at mine. Mum wouldn't mind!"
Meredith nodded, standing next to him as he slowly progressed through the line. "I'll be there for 10 days."
"Great! I'll text you guys."
"How has your break been?" Meredith inquired.
Jackson just shrugged. "It's been good. Time off after exams is always relaxing… Kepner and I have been hanging out together a— "
Meredith cut him off, "Kepner, hey?" She raised her eyebrows.
Looking away to avoid eye contact, he nodded.
"I think our whole friendship group is just going to end up as a giant group date next year. If we're all still around…" Meredith replied, her voice railing off at the end of the sentence. The past fe days she had received other offers, and she was certain that most of the others would have too. The thought had crossed her mind to cut town again, start fresh. It was too much to think about. Derek, his family, Cristina…
Jackson nodded again, "How could any of us ever leave? How were your holidays, though?" He asked, progressing up the line.
"Good." She shrugged, glad he'd moved on quickly, but still tossing up whether to bother to go into details.
"Just good?" He asked, "Been with Derek most of the time?"
"Yeah." She replied, looking straight ahead, hoping it wouldn't lead to further questions.
"You must be ready for your dark and twisty time with Cristina."
"I didn't realise 'dark and twisty' had become a universal term." She smirked, sipping her coffee.
Jackson stepped up to the counter and ordered, the same server as Meredith had spoken to only minutes before. He smiled, and then noticed Meredith, looking slightly deflated. Avery paid, dropped a dollar note into the tip jar, and moved to the side to wait for his order. Meredith stood next to him, and he whispered, "I think he thought I was your boyfriend."
Meredith smirked, "Derek'd be jealous."
"We'd have mini-surgeon-protégé babies. Wouldn't that make our parents proud?" He laughed. "Your children with Derek, though - Child geniuses."
"Changing the topic now…" Meredith stopped him. "Oh, your coffee is ready." She said, pointing to the cup on the counter. The both thanked the server as they walked back towards where they'd met, chatting about their past few weeks. Standing back by the window, Meredith was startled when Jackson's mother approached her from behind.
"Meredith, darling." Catherine hugged her. "How are you?"
"I'm well, thank you." Meredith answered politely.
"That's good. Now, Meredith, I hope Jackson here did pass on my condolences for the passing of your mother. She was truly an inspiration and pioneer female surgeon."
Meredith nodded, but couldn't explain why she suddenly felt like her insides had been ripped out. The past week had been tough, perhaps more tough than she'd realised. She could feel her face drop, and her voice disappeared when she went speak. All she could manage was a whisper. "Thanks,"
Catherine raised her hand to the side of Meredith's face, sensing her pain, "Honey, I didn't mean to make you sad."
"Oh no," Meredith replied quickly, "It's just been a long week."
Catherine in her motherly instincts pulled Meredith into a tight hug, "I hope you have a nice holiday, then." She turned back to Jackson, "Darling, we're boarding in five minutes."
"So, Meredith is visiting Cristina for the next few days, could they all come over next week when we're home?"
"Of course." Catherine smiled, "I'll see you then Meredith."
Meredith smiled and waved them away, breathing out another exhausted sigh, just wanting to be with her friend already.
XOX
After dropping off Meredith at the train station, Derek's day had been less than perfect. The more he thought about the events over the past few days, the more frustrated and worried he became. To top it off, he'd noticed a stack of her mail in her room when he went to put her jacket away. Three letters from rival colleges, of what he could only assume were other offers. Meredith hadn't told him she was moving - a decision he'd deemed major, how could he deny that she wouldn't just change colleges?The more he thought about it, the more it ate away at his mood.
On top of this all, he could feel a migraine coming on. Wandering into the kitchen, he downed three glasses of water and went and sat at his desk to try and distract himself. His heart skipped a beat when he received a short text from Meredith, and he crafted a carefully worded reply. He didn't want to seem clingy. He knew things would go badly if she could sense him freaking out.
After an hour, his work was getting nowhere, and he was even angrier than before. His frustrations were bubbling. All the things he hadn't said, hadn't asked, and now, with a plane trip between them, he felt so divided. Derek rolled his chair back and decided to climb into bed. Sleeping was was easier than studying and worrying. He closed his eyes and the pounding behind his eyes was getting worse.
When he awoke, he slowly opened his eyes to see Amy sitting cross-legged in front of him, staring straight ahead.
"… What?" Derek groaned, rubbing his forehead.
"Mum asked me to keep an eye on you. She had to go to the shops. I'm only doing what I promised I'd do." Amy explained.
"Why?" Derek asked. Self hadn't dissolved his worries, or his pounding head.
Amy shrugged, "You never sleep during the day."
"I have a headache." Derek groaned, rolling over, "You can leave." He ordered her, grumpily.
"What's up your ass?" Amy asked, rolling her eyes.
"Go away." He snapped. Amy didn't budge. Derek continued to huff and puff until Amy finally reacted.
"Not everyone is as well put together as you, ass."
"What are you taking about?" He angrily sighed, rolling over onto his back.
"You're clearly pissed at Meredith." Amy told him bluntly, "Because she's not all put-togehter like you. She doesn't do things in your order. She didn't tell you that she was moving, and then you saw all her college letters. She doesn't consult you on everything and you feel powerless."
"You're wrong." Derek snapped. "And how do you even know about the letters?"
"I saw them when I was vacuuming." She shrugged, "She's had a different life to you, and has learnt to do this alone. She's learnt how to survive, and it pisses you off because she seems all up in the air and you don't understand."
Derek remained silent, staring at the ceiling.
"I'm right and you know it."
"No. You're not." Derek snapped. "Meredith has nothing to do with this." He lied.
"Derek, open your eyes! The whole fact she doesn't tell you everything ticks you off. The second she leaves, it eats you up." The room went silent for an extended period of time. "I'm the Meredith of this family." Amy says, throwing her hands up in the air. "I have always felt left out here. I've never had my life all together like the rest of you. I've always been the odd one out, pulling it all together at the last moment, and the way you're acting now is the same way you act when you don't approve of the way I act, or the decisions I make. So, Derek. Get your head out of your ass. You can spend the next ten days seething, this building up inside of you, or you can accept that she comes to you when she needs help and be a man about it." Amy schooled him. "I know you. I'm only trying to help."
Derek swung his arm out, pulling back the covers for her to get it. "I hate you."
"You hate me because I'm right." She giggled, jumping up to the bed and in next to him. Derek closed his eyes again, and thought about what Amy had said. She'd cut to the root of the problem faster than he could have. He had to accept that she had learnt to survive for herself and the best way for him to get along with that was to be comfortable co-existing for a while, and not trying to swoop in, until she asked.
Amy moved in closer to Derek, and broke the silence with a nervous whisper. "You don't think she'll move, do you?"
"I hope not." Derek replied, hugging her.
