Chapter 28: Rituals and Surprises
"Sweetheart, you had another vision..." Derek murmurs, brushing her hair away gently.
"Yes...I saw...a Bible, with a list of family names. Maybe it means something..."
Derek frowns. "I do recall a Bible, but I'm not sure where it may have gone. I wasn't exactly in the mood to read scriptures much after Kiera died."
"But maybe it has a clue to my past," Meredith protests.
"Darling girl, I don't know if it much matters. Thatcher is summoning Veronique - he wants this cleared up, and I can't say I blame him."
"Father was here...?"
"We were together, when I picked up your distress, as he did in the amulet. He arrived here shortly after I did - gave your friend a little scare, I believe."
Meredith struggles to sit up. "Where is Cristina, anyway?"
"Gone to get Richard and Adele..."
"Oh, so this is happening soon?"
Derek pulls her back down again, into the circle of his arms. "Yes, I don't like to see you this way either." His voice is soothing, the touch of his hands on her back working their usual magic. Meredith leans into him, her thoughts returning to the vision.
"Kiera seemed intent on writing the list. You don't remember seeing it?"
"No, love, I don't recall that. But she was the youngest of a large family, it's possible others have documented the family tree."
"We need to find that Bible, Derek. I think it holds the answers to this."
"Later, Meredith. You have the rest of your immortal life to straighten this out, but overall, I don't want you to worry about it too much. You are the only one I need in my life, you know that."
"Not even if Kiera was your first love?" Meredith asks softly, cradled against his chest.
Derek rests his cheek against the top of her head. "That was then, many lifetimes ago. You came into my life for a reason, to be the true mate for me, in ways that Kiera never could be."
"You are probably right..."
"Not probably, dear heart...I know I'm right..." Derek manages to make her smile with his convictions.
"Oh...have I told you lately you're an arrogant immortal?"
"Not lately...I believe smart-ass was the last compliment," he reminds her.
"Smart-ass immortal then," Meredith giggles, despite herself.
"We should get ready for the return of everyone. It won't be long now." Derek nuzzles her throat, tracing the beating line of her artery. "Are you strong enough? Do you need to hunt first?"
"I'm fine. It took a bit out of me, I admit, but I'm sure it will be all right."
Veronique carries in a large leather satchel, her lavender eyes calmly surveying the room. "Bon nuit, everyone. While it's lovely to see you all again so soon, it's unfortunate that the circumstances aren't better." She sweeps in towards Meredith, who is now sitting on the sofa, Derek on one side of her, and Thatcher on the other. Cristina, Richard and Adele are arranged in chairs facing them.
"Veronique, do we need to do this now?" Meredith asks, her eyes troubled. "I feel like Kiera was trying to communicate something, about the family genealogy..."
"My child, even so, it's time for her to rest. If you wish to pursue the family tree, you can still do it later on." She echoes the words that Derek had said earlier.
"Just as I told you, and I'm worried something may happen to you if you continue with these visions," Derek says, squeezing her hand, silently reminding her of their earlier conversation.
"Derek, I'm a vampire – I'll heal," Meredith points out, raising one eyebrow.
"Sweetheart, you know what I mean." He looks up at Veronique. "You're certain she can withstand this?"
"It shouldn't be too vexing, Derek. It's only a ritual."
Derek nods, and Meredith turns to face him again. "You're right, and I believe I'm ready to do this," she says, her voice soft. "I'm just sorry I wasn't able to help her."
He touches her cheek tenderly. "This is the way it's meant to be, love. She needs to be at peace. We can give her that, if nothing more."
"Is it weird to think of Derek's dead wife taking over Meredith's body?" Cristina whispers to Richard, watching her friend closely.
"Not so much, I've heard of it happening," he replies quietly.
Adele leans over. "Child, you have no idea what else goes on. You're just seeing the tip of the iceberg."
Cristina's eyes go wider. "Is there something you're not telling me?"
"This isn't the time, Yang," Richard mutters, crossing his arms, effectively ending the conversation and turning his attention back to Veronique. Tonight, she is dressed in a soft black gown, that sweeps below her knees, and her long black hair is caught up in a mass of curls. She is pulling items out of the satchel, humming softly to herself. Four black pillar candles are set on the coffee table, along with a packet of dried herbs, a copper bowl, a bag with flakes of dirt from Kiera's grave, and a vial of water from a stream on Derek's property.
"Here, cherie, put these in the four corners of the room," she instructs Derek, handing him the candles. They indicate the four points of the compass. She follows and places the herbs in the bowl at the eastern point, the water at the western point, and the flakes of dirt at the southern one.
"What should I do?" Meredith asks, when Veronique returns to stand in front of her again.
"Just lie down, relax, ma petite." She nods towards the sofa, and Thatcher hurries to help Meredith lay down, giving her a kiss on the forehead. Derek stands behind the sofa, his arms crossed, his thoughts in a worried tangle for his precious Meredith. Second thoughts about this whole thing are beginning to surface. He knows Veronique is the best one to do this, but if something goes wrong…
Hush, Derek…do not think of negative outcomes… Thatcher chides him with a little shake of his head. All will be well soon…
Veronique dims all the lights and walks slowly around the room. As she passes by each candle, it flares into life at the sheer power of her will. She touches the wick to the herbs in the bowl, setting them on fire. After a moment, the flare dies out, smoldering into black ash, emitting a pungent aroma into the room.
"Now, Derek…do not look so worried," Veronique tells him, patting his arm. "Come, kneel here beside your mate, hold her hand. Nothing will harm her; Kiera is not a troubled spirit after all. I do not believe she will try to prevent me from helping her."
Derek nods, falling to his knees, and taking Meredith's hand in his. "I'll be right here, my love. Just relax."
Veronique stood very still then, gathering her thoughts, connecting with some force within her. Everyone else holds their breath, anticipating, yet not knowing what will happen next. When Veronique opens her eyes, they seem to be even darker than before, the expression on her face fierce and powerful. Moving as if floating, she makes a circle around the room, encompassing all of them as she murmurs quietly in a language Derek has never heard before.
The haze of the smoke still lingers, as Veronique stops at the northern point. Spreading her arms wide, the air around her seems to shimmer, then waver, as if a curtain is being shifted open. She turns and heads to Meredith again, bringing the vial of water with her. Chanting softly, she sprinkles the water over Meredith's chest, as a ceremonial cleansing. Then she swiftly exchanges the vial for the copper bowl. Wafting the smoke towards Meredith, urging her to let go of all her conscious thoughts. Meredith goes limp, and Derek looks at Veronique sharply. With a quick shake of her head, she silences any protest he may have had.
"Kiera, you have been restless too long…the time has come for you to find your peace…"
Meredith's head moves suddenly, her eyes moving behind closed lids. Her breathing is irregular, and Derek tightens his hold on her. She moans a little, as Veronique lightly touches her forehead.
"Leave this earth now, Kiera. Be at peace, knowing that Meredith will be here for Derek. He has waited many centuries to find her. She will love him just as surely as you have." Her tone is urgent and commanding. "Leave this body, Kiera, go through the northern gate to your ultimate rest. Your reward…"
Meredith's body shudders, and her eyes snap open wide. For a second, she doesn't move, her eyes not seeing. Derek picks up thoughts from her that aren't her own.
I'm sorry, Derek…I'm sorry you were alone so long…I hope you will be happy now. Meredith is of my own kin - I leave you in her care. I've missed you…
The thoughts are sorrowful, wistful.
"You can rest now, Kiera…" Derek whispers. He feels a feather soft caress on his cheek as Meredith seems to relax again. "Be at peace. Be with our son."
There are no more sounds, no more thoughts, just another eddy of air around him again. Weaving around and through him, leaving him feeling a little sad as well. Sharp images of her flash through his mind, her laughing smiles and gentle eyes on their wedding day; holding their son the day he was born; the wracking pain of her illness…
"Goodbye, Kiera…" Derek clutches Meredith's hand tightly, as if taking strength from her. Air rushes around him again, swirling past Veronique and Thatcher, over Cristina, Richard and Adele, then finally towards the portal. For a brief second, all is still, as if she is undecided, then goes through, and the portal wavers shut. The candles all flare brightly for a brief second, before settling back to their serene flames.
Everyone looks around, as if waking from a dream. Derek's head falls forward, as he slumps over Meredith. She is very still yet, her breathing slow, eyes closed again.
"Wake, Meredith…" Veronique murmurs. "It is all over now, cherie…"
Derek feels the slow pulse beneath his cheek, and he adds his own silent urging to her to awaken. Meredith, love, it's over…Kiera has gone to her rest…
For a few moments, there is no response, and he looks at Veronique in alarm. "I can't even get a sense of her thoughts," he mutters, shaking Meredith a little. "Is she all right?"
"It may take a few hours for her to recover completely, Derek. Trust me, this is normal, cherie…" Veronique touches his shoulder softly. "I know how you feel about Meredith – believe me, I would do nothing to endanger her. You would have my heart, non?"
Derek nods shortly, gathering Meredith up into his arms. "If you'll excuse me, I'm taking her to bed now. Forgive me for not staying and being a better host."
It is close to dawn, and Derek sits keeping watch over Meredith as she lays so still and quiet. Thatcher and the rest of the group have left them alone; he sensed their somber leave-taking without acknowledging it. It should be a time to celebrate the peaceful exit of Kiera, but until Meredith is awake, his heart is too heavy. Despite Veronique's assurances this is normal, Derek is reminded too sharply of Mark's extended coma. Only this time, there isn't anyone to retrieve Meredith, should she need it.
By the time the sun is rising, there is still no real change in her condition. He has alternated between pacing the room, and sitting at her side, watching for any change to her condition. During his pacing, he resists the urges to throw the furniture against the wall, or rip the curtains from their rods, in his frustration. Why had he ever thought this was a good idea?
When he leans over her again, it does seem like she is sleeping, not just in an unconscious state, so he takes some comfort in that. The inexorable pull of day sleep tugs at him, and he knows there will be no change in her during the time the sun is up. Common sense tells him that, as he carefully lays onto the bed beside her, cradling her in his arms, however, common sense isn't helping him at the moment. Placing his hand over her small, cold ones, he rests his head against hers. As if willing his own strength back into her, realizing that he needs her more than she needs him. For a long time, he doesn't sleep, but instead simply holds her, listening to her breathe.
"Is Meredith going to be okay?" Cristina demands of Richard, as they wait to hear from Derek. The sun is nearly setting again, the evening following the ritual. Even though they had been scheduled to leave soon, there is no way she is leaving London until she knows that Meredith is okay.
Richard looks up tiredly from the medical journal he has been attempting to read for the last few hours. He rubs the bridge of his nose, realizing there is no good answer to give her. "We can only hope. She's strong, she has the blood of Thatcher and Derek mingled in her body, so I'm sure it's only a matter of time."
"I thought they're immortal anyway - how can this be a problem?"
"Immortal, this is true, but something like this takes a lot out of the body. Something that Veronique neglected to mention, somehow. But I do believe if there had been real danger, she would not have performed the ritual. It's like any kind of surgery that we might perform - a simple appendectomy can be fatal - you just never know how the patient is going to react in the long run. We can do all we are trained to do, and sometimes it isn't enough."
Cristina shudders. "Don't say it like that. That sounds morbid, like she's not gonna wake up." She paces back and forth, unable to keep still. "So, you knew all along about her past, and what was going to happen to her. Didn't you think it was all a bit, you know, bizarre?"
Richard shakes his head. "No...I realize this is all new to you, Cristina, and you probably think you've landed in the middle of a parallel world or something..."
"Hah...you got that right, Chief," she mutters, plopping down into a chair across from him. "If I hadn't seen that whole spirit ritual with my own eyes, I'd say someone had a vivid imagination..."
Richard leans back in his chair, crossing his arms. "Vampires as a culture, are generally not that different from mortals. They love, they live, they raise families if they are fortunate enough to have children. It's true, sometimes it takes a while to get to that point, since they are a sensual lot. They like their pleasure, and it's magnified for them, so they are not too reticent about taking what they want.
"There are also other species of beings that share the night with them. Beings that have learned to keep their presence shielded from the general population, because it would only create problems."
"Why do I feel like I'm not going to like where this conversation is going?" Cristina asks, hugging her knees.
"You wanted to know, didn't you?"
"Well, yeah, but finding out your best friend is a vampire, who's been having visions of her boyfriend's dead wife and then needing a spirit releasing ritual kinda has me at the point of too much information," Cristina rants sarcastically.
"Done?"
"Would it matter?"
Richard shakes his head, looking up at Adele, who has joined them. "Should we tell her?"
"For love of the goddess, Richard," Adele implores, throwing her hands up. "Cristina Yang, you're a no-nonsense kind of girl, aren't you? I don't know you that well, but everything I've seen so far tells me that. So am I, and while I'm good at keeping my mouth shut when I have to, this needs to be said, Richard and I are both werewolves. Deal with it, Dr. Yang. But believe me, this is the last time we will speak of it. Keep the information to yourself, child, do you understand?"
"Jeez, sure...whatever you say."
"Meredith's father knew we would be the only ones to take care of her after Ellis was killed. No one suspected the truth, until it was time for Derek to take her home. It was an honor for us to harbor Thatcher's daughter, and he has always been extremely grateful."
Cristina swallows hard, looking at the couple seated across from her. "Okay, well, thanks for clearing that up. I feel so much better now." She gets up and quickly moves across the room, towards the bedroom she has been using at the suite here. "I'm just gonna go and lay down for a while now. Maybe when I wake up we'll hear from Derek..." She shuts the bedroom door quickly, leaning back against it on the other side. Werewolves, vampires...what was next? The wicked witch of the west? Maybe Izzie should be the one here, this would all seem totally sane to her.
Richard shared a look with Adele. "I think you could have done that a little more tactfully, dear," he murmurs.
"Sometimes you just have to spit it out, and let the chips fall, Richard. Haven't you learned that yet?" she smiles at him.
"This is why I love you, Adele. You're the only one who isn't afraid to point out the obvious to me," he chuckles. He wraps one arm around her shoulder and pulls her in for a hug. "Now, if you could just make Meredith better, we'd all be happier."
"Don't you worry about that girl, Richard. Her body is capable of healing itself just as well as she can heal others. It just takes time."
"I feel for Derek - to know that your loved one is hurting because of a ritual to remove his wife's spirit..."
"They're both strong. This will make the bond between them stronger. Trust me, honey."
Richard's gaze softens as he looks at the woman that has been his mate for so many years now. "You're a wise woman, Adele."
"Haven't I always tried to impress that on you?" she laughs softly.
As soon as the sun descends once more, Derek rouses from sleep, forgetting for a brief moment that Meredith had been unconscious from the ritual. He had fought sleeping as long as he could, finally giving in, keeping her wrapped in his arms. "Meredith..." he whispers now, touching her cheek tenderly. She feels a little cool to the touch, a little paler, but he knows this is due to lack of fresh blood. She will need to hunt soon or take some of his blood to sustain herself. She is too freshly turned to go without sustenance for long.
Her pulse feels stronger than before, as he kisses her temple. "Wake up, honey. Don't you dare leave me here without you for eternity. I swear, I will go to the ground if you're not here with me. I would rather spend the rest of my existence that way than live without you..."
Meredith's body stirs ever so slightly in his embrace, as she slowly becomes aware of her surroundings. Aware that it is after sundown, and she is not feeling as rested as she would have normally. For a moment, she is content to rest against the reassuring strength of Derek beside her, happy to have his arms around her. Listening to the words he has whispered to her, hearing the aching sadness in his tone.
Derek senses the change in her body immediately, her thoughts suddenly clear to him again. By the time she gathers herself to open her eyes, he is overcome with relief. "Der.." she says quietly.
"Meredith..." He pulls her up against him, twisting his fists in her hair in sharp relief. "I was so worried about you. Are you all right?" Derek backs away, taking her face in his palms then. Searching her eyes, relieved to some of the sparkle returning. His thumb rubs along her bottom lip, tracing the soft fullness carefully.
"I'm...fine, Derek," she murmurs slowly. "I just feel a little disoriented. Did the ritual work? Where is everyone?" She touches his hand, her eyes darting around the room. "Is Kiera at peace?"
"You don't remember?"
Meredith shakes her head. "No...the last thing I remember is Veronique telling me to relax, and the scent of the incense. Then it was like I was falling into a spiral of nothing, just a rushing of air around me, and then nothing..."
"Kiera's spirit departed peacefully, not long after that. I felt her go by, as I believe everyone else did. Then you didn't wake up, and I feared for the worst."
Meredith closes her eyes again. "I was just so tired. I could hear you, I just...couldn't seem to move...like I was wrapped in cotton or something. It was a little frightening; I have to admit."
"For me as well. I was afraid you were heading into a black coma, like Mark, with no one to pull you back."
"Your love did just that..." Meredith whispers, watching his eyes glittering with sudden tears. "I could sense it, and I wanted nothing more than to return to you. It just took me awhile, and the day sleep helped as well..."
Derek blinks quickly, before leaning in to brush his lips over hers, tasting her sweetness, inhaling the scent of lavender, and sleep warmed skin. "Dear heart, I've been remiss in something between us."
"What - is something wrong?"
"No, but this has made me realize that even though we have had our private bonding ritual, and nothing will ever break that, I think we need to have a wedding ceremony. I want everyone, in our world, and the world you were raised in, to join us in celebrating what we have together. I want to marry you, Meredith, so that we are together in every sense." He clasps her hands again, his eyes full of passion and tenderness for this woman that has come to mean the world to him. "I will love you always and forever, Meredith Grey. Will you marry me?"
"Oh..." Meredith is suddenly lost for words, tears now filling her own eyes. "My god, yes, Derek..." Laughing, crying, she falls forward into his welcoming arms again. "I love you forever and always, Derek Shepherd...your soul belongs with mine; my heart belongs with yours. I think I've felt that way from the moment you walked through the doors at Joe's..."
Derek settles into her body, fitting perfectly against her - she was made for him, there is no doubt in his mind. Their mouths meet again in a hungry kiss, taking them in a slow slide to bliss.