Chapter 12: Goodbye
Flashback- 1993
As she leaves the Shepherd house for the last time, the tears come, and won't stop. She walks into the house to hear Alex and Cristina arguing, but she can't deal with it, not this morning. She walks up the stairs, slams her bedroom door, and goes into the shower. Once she is in the shower, Meredith finally breaks down. As the sobs overtake her body, she collapses in the shower. She can hear Cristina and Alex banging on her bedroom door, that just gives her the strength to pull herself together.
"Meredith…"
"Guys, I'll be out in a moment."
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I am fine."
"We are going in an hour Meredith; we need to load your stuff up in the car."
"Most of my stuff is downstairs, I've only got a little more to pack."
"Okay, we will see you downstairs." she can hear them leaving, she sits on her bed. It isn't until she hears another knock on the door almost 45 minutes later that she realizes where she is.
"Meredith." Alex says through the door.
"Yeah?"
"We are loading up the car; we have fifteen minutes before we go."
"Okay Alex." Meredith gets up from the bed and grabs some clothes from one of her suitcases. Once dress, she ties her wet hair back into a messy ponytail, before dumping stuff into another bag, and makes it downstairs, just before the housekeeper arrives to close the house for the summer.
"Finally…" Cristina says
"Sorry"
"Ignore her, Meredith; she woke up a little cranky this morning"
"Shut up, evil spawn"
"See what I mean" Alex says to Meredith, causing Meredith to laugh for the first time that day. Alex takes her bag off her and puts it in the back of the car, while Meredith looks around for Derek.
"Ready Meredith"
"Not yet, Cris, Derek supposed to be here." Cristina just gets in the car, behind the wheel. Meredith glances at her watch every few minutes, with Cristina shouting at her to get in the car, 30 minutes passes, and Derek still hasn't turned up, the tears slides down her face, not believing that he didn't come to say goodbye to her, she feels Alex arms go around her, as she starts to sob, Alex pulls her close and holds her as her heart breaks.
"I told you he wouldn't come."
"For once Cristina, don't be such a heartless bitch" Alex snaps at her, he looks at Meredith and whispers in her ear. "Meredith, we need to go"
"He said..."
"I know, but come on let's go home." Alex says gently, feeling sorry for her.
"Okay." Meredith manages to get out between sobs. Alex helps her get in the car, before going around the other side and climbing in next to her, putting his arms around her, trying to comfort her.
Cristina hits the accelerator and then has suddenly has she started Cristina hits the brakes hard causing them to jerk forward.
"You idiot, I could have fucking killed you" Cristina yells.
"Cristina, what the fuck?" Alex says before seeing exactly why she stopped.
"Meredith."
"What?"
"I think someone is here to see you…" Meredith whips her head up to see Derek standing in front of the car. Meredith jumps out of the car, before finding Derek standing in front of her, she jumps into his arms, burying her head in his neck.
"I thought you weren't coming"
"I'm sorry, I needed to sort something out before saw you, I didn't think it would take so long."
"It doesn't matter now, you're here." Meredith lifts her head, and kisses him, with so much love and passion, Derek just wants to beg her not to leave.
"I'm going to miss you so much Meredith, I love you"
"I love you too, what you said this morning, I will always love you too."
"Meredith, I need to ask you this one more time. Please don't do this, we can find a way to make this work, please?"
"Derek..."
"It's okay Mer, don't say it, baby" he says kissing her again. "I have something for you, a reminder of this summer so you don't forget us"
"Derek, I could never do that."
"I hope not, but wait until you are in Boston and on your own before you open it."
"I will, I promise!"
"Bye Meredith, you better go."
"Bye Derek" she kisses him one last time, before pulling away and goes to climb back into the car, she looks back at him, and mouths "I love you always."
"I love you always too!" he says back to her and just like that, she was gone.
Meredith looked down at the wrapped present in her hand, and decided to open it, inside the was a picture of them from the night before, a picture of the two of them looking into each other's eyes with so much love.
"Cristina, stop the car, NOW." Before Cris can stop, Meredith jumps out the car, and runs towards Derek. Derek is a little shocked to her running toward him. As she jumps into his arms, she kisses him hard, but with so much love, and passion, it takes Derek back a bit. When Meredith pulls away, he grins at her.
"What was that for?"
"The picture, I love it."
"Good, I am glad."
"I will always keep it, Derek."
"I will always keep mine."
"I love you."
"I love you too." Derek kisses her for one last time, before pulling away from her.
"Goodbye Derek" she whispers. As the tears start again, before running back to the car. Just like that, she was gone.
"Goodbye, Meredith" he whispers, so softly as the sobs overtake him. He can feel Mark holding him up as he breaks down.