Chapter 1: The Cape House

Flashback- 1993

Meredith Grey was in her bedroom at her mother's home, in Boston. She had just returned from her first year at Dartmouth. She just turned 17. Yes, graduated two years ahead in high school. Meredith was looking forward to going to her mother's house on the Cape. Meredith was waiting for Cristina, Izzie, and Alex to pick her up. They all met on their pre-med course and became good friends. Cristina came across as being emotionless and cold, but she wasn't. She was the first friend that Meredith had made at Dartmouth. Over the year, they became close, Cristina was her person. Izzie was the complete opposite of Cristina; she could be at times a little too happy. Cristina, always called her 'Barbie', which Izzie hated, but Cristina didn't really care. Alex had become like a brother to Meredith, he always looked out for her, they were both a lot alike, Meredith loved tequila and boys, she had a succession of one-night stands since she broke up with her high school boyfriend Matt. She heard a horn beep outside the house and heard Cristina shouting. Meredith was spending the entire summer out at the Cape, with Cristina and Alex. Izzie was staying for a few weeks than going back to Dartmouth.

As soon as they arrived at the house, Meredith put her bikini on and headed down to the beach. She left them, fighting over which bedrooms they were going to have, she wanted to enjoy the Cape Cod air, and the ocean. She had missed this for the past 4 years, since her father Thatcher died. She noticed another few people on the beach. It was quiet, only used by the Grey's, Shepherd's, Radcliffe's, and their friends.

She went straight for the water to swim. She knew these waters so well; she had been coming here for most of her life. Since her father's death, her mother had thrown herself into her work, not leaving time for any vacations or even her daughter, it was like once her husband died, Ellis Grey gave up. Meredith was looking forward to seeing the Shepherd's again. The last time she saw them was after her father's funeral. When she got out of the water and walked over to her towel, she could feel someone's eyes on her. Meredith grabbed her towel and wrapped it around her, before she turned around, her eyes met blue, she could feel his eyes bore right into her, by just looking at those eyes she knew exactly who it was.

"Derek!" she said with a smile.

"Meredith!" Derek said pulling her in for a hug. "It's been a long time."

"It has, how are you?"

"Yeah good, and you?" Derek couldn't help but scan her body with his eyes, she looked gorgeous.

Meredith motioned for him to sit next to her. Meredith couldn't help but notice how hot Derek was, seeing Derek in just swim shorts, how he has filled out. When she last saw him, he was still skinny, but the past four years had been good to him. They could both feel the sparks between them. Meredith and Derek had always been more comfortable than they should have around each other, but this was something new. They were deep in conversation, catching up on the last four years, not realizing that they kept moving closer, their fingers lightly touching, feeling the shoot of electricity that happened when they touched. Meredith could hear someone calling her name, she knew it was Alex. Derek felt his heart sink, thinking that Alex was Meredith's boyfriend.

"What is it, Alex?"

"I think you might want to come into the house, Matt decided to turn up."

"Matt…"

"I don't know what he wants. He just wants to see you…" Meredith shook her head, gathered her stuff up, and introduced Derek to Alex. She said bye to Derek and headed back to the house. Matt was the one person that she did not want to see. Meredith hoped that he wouldn't cause her any problems this summer. She told Alex that she would be okay; he left the kitchen, leaving Meredith alone with her ex.

"Matt, what do you want?"

"I thought I would come over and see how you are…"

"Well, you can see that I am fine, so you can go now."

"Meredith, don't be like that!"

"Like what?"

"Mer..." Matt said walking closer to her, causing her to back off.

"You don't get to call me Mer, not anymore. Matt, just stop." Mer said, before bumping into someone, it made her jump, she turned around and visibly relax.

"Derek!" Mer exclaimed in surprise. "What are YOU doing here?"

"I thought I would come over to see if you were alright"

"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks" Mer said, getting lost in his eyes, completely forgetting that Matt was in the room. She heard Matt clear his throat. She begged Derek with her eyes, for him to stay, Derek simply smiled, and she felt her knees go weak, by the way he was looking at her, it gave her the strength to turn around and face Matt.

"Matt, I think you should go!"

"Meredith, I wanted to see if we could try again?"

"Matt, please just go?" she asked, looking him square in the eye, as she felt Derek's arms wrap around her waist, and whispering in her ear, Meredith leaned into him. Meredith felt herself melt into his arms. Matt looked at Derek.

"So, you are Meredith's new boyfriend?" Derek felt Meredith stiffen slightly in his arms, he whispered to her.

"Relax…" Derek looks at Matt. "Yes, I am"

"Good luck, you'll need it with her. Just make sure she doesn't cheat on you." Matt said, walking out of the house. Derek put his hand over Meredith's mouth to stop her from shouting after him. Once Matt was gone, Derek unwraps his arms from Meredith's waist, leaving Meredith instantly feeling cold, she was horrified by what Matt said, knowing full well it wasn't true.

"Derek, what he said wasn't true." she wanted to reassure him.

"Meredith, it doesn't matter."

"I don't want you..." Meredith trails off when Derek touches her cheek with the back of his hand and gives her a smile.

"You don't want me to what?" he asks

"To think badly of me" she says quietly, Derek only hears her.

"I couldn't Mer, never could!" Derek lifts her face up, so she is looking up at him. "We are having a party on the beach tonight, if you would like to come?"

"What about my friends?"

"They are welcome too!"

"I don't know Derek; it has been a long day."

"I want you there Mer, please?" Derek, pleaded with her.

"Okay."

"Good!" Derek said, smiling at her. She felt Derek's arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him. Their lips just inches away from each other. Their lips almost met, when she heard Cristina calling her.

"Meredith!" They both pulled away from each other.

"I'll see you tonight, Meredith!" Meredith nodded as Derek left.

"Who was that?" Cristina asked, seeing Derek leave the kitchen. Meredith turned and faced her.

"That was Derek from next door, an old friend of mine, he came over to invite us to their annual start of summer party, they always have it, at the start of summer." Meredith rambled, not noticing Cristina staring at her, seeing the look on Meredith face.

"Okay then" she said, as Meredith walked out of the kitchen and to her bedroom, deciding to have a shower before the party tonight. She had felt something different with Derek, like she was connected to him, and it scared her, they had almost kissed in the kitchen, she was glad that Cristina had interrupted them, she liked him, well more than liked him. However, Meredith knew it wouldn't work between the two of them.