Maybe she never really had him in the first place, or maybe he never really had her. Because deep down, whether they both know it or not, he belongs to them.
Meredith watched as Derek stopped by her, distracted, phone in his ear.
When Addison Montgomery moved to Los Angeles, the divorced couple thought they had the custody arrangements down pat… because, apparently, the world should expect nothing less from world-class surgeons.
"Der—"
She stopped when he raised a finger, wanting her to give him a second.
"What do you mean 'drunk'?!" Meredith watched as a mixture of horror and outrage took over her boyfriend's face the moment he said "drunk."
"Addison, I told you I did not let Casey get even five feet near any alcohol when she was here!"
When Derek looked at her for support, Meredith just nodded… as if Addison could see her.
"Well, she should be! She's 13, god damn it! I told her countless times that she's not allowed—what did she just say? You know what? Tell her when she gets here, she better not show me that attitude or I will—"
"Derek." Meredith snapped, knowing that if he doesn't stop, he's going to do more damage than what he's currently doing. That earned her a glare, but he still did.
"Alright, alright! But I swear to God—give me updates before the plane leaves, okay? I'm gonna pick you both up at the airport, but I'm definitely gonna have a talk with Sam—yeah, yeah, okay." The moment Derek ended the call, he immediately turned to Meredith.
"Drunk, Meredith! Casey went home drunk with Maya! And their flight's tonight! I love Naomi and Sam, but damn it, my goddaughter causes nothing but—"
"We haven't had a date night for a month now… since you dropped Casey to the airport," Meredith blurted out, tired of listening to Derek's rants… which, based from experience, was something that could go on and on if not stopped.
And it's true, they haven't been on a date for a month, which is half of how long they've been in an official relationship.
Two months and it's already dying out?
"No. That's not true… we had—are you sure?" She knew that look Derek was currently sporting. And with all the bitterness in her, she knows Addison had known what that look was all about too, with their more than a decade relationship.
"Of course, I'm sure, Derek." She snapped, looking at him as if he grew another head. He's stalling because he just realized. And she's waiting for the regret to come but it seems as if it's not coming anytime soon.
"Sure of what?" Mark, like he always does, sprouted out of nowhere behind Meredith.
"None of your concern—"
"We haven't had a date for months," Meredith simply said, making Derek glare at her exaggeration.
"Oh. Well… maybe you could have one tonight? I could pick Addie and Casey up…"
Meredith stared at the handsome man wondrously, thinking how he managed to pass med school with all the ignorance neutralizing his physical attributes.
Just bringing up Addison and Casey to Derek, after all their tangled web of messes and even if he's a part of the Dirty Mistresses Club, Meredith knows he shouldn't have said that.
"Are you kidding me, Sloan?" The venom in Derek's voice was enough to get the wires working inside the plastic surgeon's head.
And that's what the best of the east side could offer.
Huh.
"Derek, I was just offering—"
"Well, shove that back in. I'm picking them up… besides I have to get a word with my daughter…"
When Mark looked at her for explanation, Meredith explained, again, to Derek's distaste.
"Casey went home drunk."
Mark's reaction was comical when he turned to Derek.
"Little Casey? Casey, the little girl who forced me to tea parties and did-my-first-princess-make-up-Casey?!" Meredith watched as Mark followed Derek when he walked away, the two having a conversation as if they weren't just on the verge of fighting a few seconds ago.
As if Meredith didn't exist.
In hindsight, taking Meredith to the airport with him so they could spend more time together was the worst decision he ever made… for their relationship.
As he focused on picking up his family, Meredith became a spectator, someone who dangles by the baggage and could have been dropped at any moment with no one noticing.
His focus remained on the two redheads the whole time, the two women of his life that were equally angry yet for totally different reasons. But as he picked up his ex-wife and daughter's luggages, Meredith slipped out easily, hailing a cab to get away from the worst break-up-not-a-break-up in history.
Neither Addison nor Derek could afford a relationship outside their own family, as compared to the other divorced couples with children, they are pretty much too wound up with each other to fully commit to other people.
Ironically, the divorce made them too civil, too toxic for romantic relationships other than their own.
"I had a talk with Sam. No more hanging out beyond 4 pm."
"Dad!" He shut his daughter with a glare, then sneaked a look at his ex-wife, who was pretending to be busy ruffling through "flight" documents.
As if they didn't fly to Seattle through the family plane.
"Unless you want all other privileges suspended, you'll do as we say, right, Addison?" He looked at her pointedly the minute her eyes landed on him.
He tried to pinpoint what was different, yet he was too distracted with his daughter's teenage tendencies to take time and figure it out by himsef.
When she didn't let out a word, Derek had to roughly breathe through his nose to hold back a shout.
"She told me she's not speaking unless we're in the hotel or in your tin can, whichever comes first." That made Derek stop to look at his daughter, having a silent conversation with her.
We're both in trouble, Dad.
Oh, god. Why am I included?
Derek had always been the one reacting impulsively when it comes to disciplining their daughter. Addison was always the "laid back" one, who stays quiet when Derek shouts at their daughter, letting him do all the talking because after all the shouting, Casey still snuggles with him for comfort as if nothing happened, and always follows his every move, a typical daddy's girl.
But the minute Addison speaks up?
It seems as if Casey got into trouble with Derek as her sidekick. Like she burned a house down with Derek holding the match.
When she's angry, it's always at the both of them and not at Casey alone.
Addison's right. He thinks like a child.
"Let's…" He cleared his throat, attempting to stabilize his shaking breath. "How about let's have dinner first, alright? I know a place, my treat."
Addison's glare told him everything he needed to know.
"No. I'm speaking. She's obviously like this because you keep implying she's getting old enough to drink!" Her mom cut her dad off when he tried to calm her down.
Casey watched her mom pace in front of her, with her equally tensed Dad sitting beside her.
"What has gotten into you, Cassandra? You're 13!"
Pacing is not good.
Pacing means Level 4 trouble. She looked at her Dad and yup. So much trouble.
"I'm not a little girl anymore." Casey started with a mutter then went certain as she was done speaking. She held her mother's gaze despite her raising heart.
And she knows her Dad badly wants to cover her mouth shut.
It's not like her parents will ever physically hurt her. She's more nervous of their words—what they would confiscate, or what they would make her do to pay her dues.
Exhibit A: going to Bizzy's brunches.
More importantly, she's nervous of what this would do to her parents.
Exhibit B: their divorce.
"Yes, Casey. You're not. Being a grown up doesn't mean you can do whatever you want. Being a grown up means being responsible and accountable for your actions, which right now? You're not. You're being irresponsible."
"It's just a few drinks, Mom." No, it wasn't. It was so much more than a few drinks but Maya told her she would take care of her. Besides, it's not everyday somebody turns 13… like some teen initiation… right? It's her first year as a teenager and she should be able to enjoy it.
"Few drinks—when you can prove to me a few drinks means almost hitting your head by the front door, then by all means, Casey, go drown in alcohol and see what happens."
"Addison!"
There was silence, yet it was beyond tense—that Casey knows. She hadn't wrapped her head around the implications of her mother's words, but judging by her Dad's reaction, she went beyond the line.
"Oh god. I'm-I'm so sorry, Casey… I…"
"It's alright, Mom…" She said immediately, seeing how horror replaced her mother's previously stern expression.
She can take it when her parents are angry. That's the easiest version to deal with. She's a pro at it.
When they're being all affectionate with her? There's a bit of internal awkwardness and pretentious detachment going on but she ends up hugging them and basking in all their affection.
But when they're not hiding their sadness in her presence?
That… makes her want to leave, stay, and disappear at the same time.
Like the few times they slipped up before their divorce, shouting and crying in front of her.
Moving to LA with her mom was actually the best for all of them. And it's not like her father's completely away, they have more than two visits per month and that's perfectly fine with her.
The tons of windows of freedom were also plus points for her.
She watched in slight horror as her mom sat on the other hotel chair in front of them, shaky hands covering her face to hide her obvious crying.
She looked at her Dad for help... yet he was as lost and worried as him.
"I'm sorry, too, Mom. I won't drink anymore—forever, I promise… and-and I'll do whatever you want—" Her voice was obviously getting shaky. She felt her father's hand on her back, trying to stop her own tears from falling. But it was futile as they already rolled down her cheeks the moment she caught sight of her mother's slight shaking shoulders.
She went to hug her mother, apologizing over and over again.
"I just don't want you drinking unsupervised, alright? It's too dangerous and you're still so young… okay? You're still our little girl." She pulled back from her mother's embrace and nodded her head, not holding back her sobs.
Little girl. Judging by how she's openly sobbing unlike her mom who's silently crying, she's still obviously not old enough.
But she doesn't want to be a little girl anymore.
"Casey, why don't you go get ready for bed? We'll talk about your consequences later. I have to speak with your mom." Casey nodded after her father dropped a kiss on her forehead.
Pretending to be busy wiping her eyes, she knows her parents thought she didn't notice how her father softly kissed her mother's forehead too, like how he did back when they were married.
She would not point it out this time. Instead, following Maya's advice of just eavesdropping if you really want to know everything, she walked away, stopping by the corner that's far enough for her parents to think she's out of hearing range yet not entirely so.
"You gonna tell me what's really wrong?" She heard his father's voice. Concerned about her mom.
"Casey got drunk. That's all, Derek."
"We both know there's something more going on with you."
She thought her mother once again ignored her father, like the many times she did back in Seattle when she wanted the conversation to end.
But after a moment, before she could walk away to really get ready for bed, her mother spoke.
"I can't raise two children alone, Derek."
It was the first time Casey became aware of how gradual her eyes went big.
"What?"
"I'm four months pregnant." Her eyes remained big and she wondered whether they would fall out of her sockets. She had a hand on her mouth to stop the squeals from getting out resulting to her being heard.
"Mine?"
"Are you serious? Or are you just really a brainless neurosurgeon?"
"Last time we had sex—"
"—was four months ago. Yes. Would you like a medal now?"
Ew. Ew. Ew.
Casey started to walk away, the dinner digesting in her stomach warning to make a reappearance.
Well, at least she has a little sister or brother coming.
Before she could go far, she caught something her father said, making her instinctively run back to them.
"You're moving to California?!" She asked excitedly with a big smile on her face. She can't help but bounce on her feet, as the sudden revelation pumped adrenalin all over her body.
Dad and a brother or a sister with them in LA, by the beach.
Less freedom, but it helps Uncle Sam's house is just beside them, allowing her to sneak out easily.
Everything's perfect again.
When they both looked at her in surprise and her mother's eyes slowly turning into slits as she connected the dots, she ran back to the bathroom.
She should get drunk more often. Or pretend to.