Here's the next chapter for the fanfic. The song is "Ever the Same" by Rob Thomas. LOVE LOVE LOVE him. :-) Enjoy.

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We were drawn from the weeds
We were brave like soldiers
Falling down under the pale moonlight
You were holding to me
Like a someone broken
And I couldn't tell you but I'm telling you now

Meredith woke up the next morning with a huge hangover. She could barely remember last night. Everything that had went on at the bar. She remembered that Derek had punched someone and that he held her hand as he drove her back to her house. She remembered how good it felt to have him holding her again...

She went to work with a headache, taking Aspirin as she went. Meredith met up with Bailey as she found out she had a surgery with Derek today. Oh joy.

She met up with him in the patient's room. She hesitated slightly as she walked in, trying to avoid his stare. When they were done, they both walked out of the room as Derek grabbed Meredith's arm.

"Hey, hey, you okay? You seem a little tense..." he asked with a worried voice.

She thought for a second. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine...just fine." she tried to smile.

"Oh...ok...good." he smiled weakly as they started walking towards the elevator together. When they got in the elevator, they saw it was empty. They glanced at each other before they got in. Meredith stepped in as Derek got in behind her.

As the doors closed, she talked.

"Thanks for...taking care of me last night..." she said slightly nervous.

Just let me hold you while you're falling apart
Just let me hold you and we'll both fall down

He flinched slightly as she said it but tried not to act uncomfortable. Meredith looked back at him.

"Oh...it was nothing. Really." he said, smiling as bet he could.

"But thanks anyway. I was getting a little too drunk..." she didn't laugh as she stared straight ahead.

"Yeah..." he agreed. The doors opened quickly as Meredith got out and walked away. Derek stared at her as she walked away. Until the doors closed. He sighed. Why did he always feel like he was regretting every single move?
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Later, Meredith was at the nurse's station. Her phone started ringing as she looked down to see who it was. The nursing home. She quickly looked around as she found an empty closet room. She answered her phone.

"Hello?"

"Hi. This is the Seattle Nursing Home. Is this Meredith Grey?" the person's voice was a little shaky. Meredith started to worry.

"Uhh yeah it is. Is everything okay?" she asked, her voice cracking.

"Meredith...I'm so sorry...your mother passed away 10 minutes ago." the woman said, awaiting the worst.

Fall on me
Tell me everything you want me to be
Forever with you forever in me
Ever the same

Meredith's heart stopped. Her mom was...dead. She just stood there, motionless as a tear went down her cheek. She slowly lowered the phone as she heard the woman still talking.

"Dr. Grey...Dr. Grey...are you still there?"

Meredith hung up the phone as she ran out of the closet, not caring about any of the wondering eyes that were following her every move. She ran towards the lobby. She had to get out. She had to get out now.

Derek was doing charts when he saw Meredith running by him, crying. He slammed his chart shut as he threw it down and ran after her.

"Meredith!..." he yelled as she burst out the doors of the hospital into the pouring rain. He quickly followed.

He ran faster as he tried to catch up with her.

"Meredith! Meredith stop!" he yelled again as he tried to grab her arm. She threw his hand back, furious.

"DON'T!" she yelled, tears now pouring out of her eyes uncontrollably. He grabbed both of her arms again, more firmly, so as she couldn't pull away.

We would stand in the wind
We were free like water
Flowing down
Under the warmth of the sun
Now it's cold and we're scared
And we've both been shaken
Hey, look at us
Man, this doesn't need to be the end

Meredith started struggling again as she started sobbing more loudly, sniffing in air. He wouldn't let her pull away from him though as he tightened his grip on her wrists. He pulled her to his chest, holding her tightly.

"Meredith...Meredith...it's okay..." he tried to sooth her. But it wouldn't work. She pulled away from him in a fury, pushing him away, her hands on his chest.

"DON'T Derek! DON'T TRY AND COMFORT ME. Just go away. Please." she yelled, her eyes shining with tears.

He stepped closer. She stepped back away from him.

"Meredith. Meredith please. Just let me help you..." he tried stepping closer again but she put her hand up to stop him.

"NO! I don't NEED your help! I can take care of myself. I don't need you. Just go...go find your wife..." she told him. She turned quickly, running away again. He ran after her.

Just let me hold you while you're falling apart
Just let me hold you and we'll both fall down

"Meredith. Addison is not the problem right now. You are. Just tell me what's wrong..." he said, following close behind her. She jolted around, making him stop dead in his tracks, preventing him to run into her.

"Derek! MY MOTHER IS DEAD! ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?" she screamed at him. Derek's heart skipped a beat. He breathed in a sharp breath of air as he stared. She looked away, covering her face with her hand. He stepped closer again.

"Meredith...I'm so sorry. I had no idea..." he regretted ever asking her. She started sobbing even more as he pulled her into his arms again, refusing to let her go again. She broke down on his shoulder this time, not trying to pull away anymore.

Fall on me tell me everything you want me to be
Forever with you
Forever in me
Ever the same
Call on me
I'll be there for you and you'll be there for me
Forever it's you
Forever in me
Ever the same

He held her tighter, placing his chin on the top of her head. He rubbed her back with the palm of his hand, trying his best to sooth her. They didn't say a word to each other. Words could not express how much he felt for her at this moment. And words could not express how much she loved his arms around her, or how much she was hurting inside.

She breathed in his cologne as she collapsed in his arms, not holding on anymore. He held her closer, not caring about anyone else in the world at the moment. Her. She was what he cared about. And loved.

You may need me there
To carry all your weight
But you're no burden I assure
You tide me over
With a warmth I'll not forget
But I can only give you love

Derek pulled his arms away from around her as he rested them both on her cheeks, staring her straight in the eyes. A pain paralyzed his body as he felt his knees get weak and he could barely hold himself up. He couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't see the pain in her eyes anymore. He couldn't do it. He just couldn't bear it any longer.

He leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips.

Fall on me tell me everything you want me to be
Forever with you
Forever in me
Ever the same
Call on me
I'll be there for you and you'll be there for me
Forever it's you
Forever in me
Ever the same

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Well, there you go my loyal readers. Tell me what you think, and if you want me to keep going with the story.

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