Drift Away

A Grey's Anatomy Fanfic

Derek/Meredith

Takes place after 2x12 "Grandma Got Ran Over by a Reindeer"

Author: Greyeyedgirl T

Disclaimer: If I owned GA, D/M would be back together by now. Satan needs to pack up her salmon-colored scrubs and ship out.

Summary: Derek Meredith pairing, takes place after 2x12. Quick Drabble fic.

PROLOGUE

"Derek, what do you- I mean-" Addison sat flustering at the table in The Emerald City Bar, looking at Derek's face with a smile plastered on her face. She stood up, knocking her scotch over and almost tripping over her chair. "Addison-"

"You fell in LOVE with her? What are you TALKING about? I am your WIFE! I thought you wanted to make this WORK-"

"I do, Addie, that's why I'm tell-"

Addison put up her hand to stop him, aware of the faces turned around and staring at them. "I don't care, Derek. Have your little girlfriend."

Derek watched her leave in silence, feeling the bottom of his stomach turn itself out.

Addison brushed a tear from her face as she swung open the door to the bar. So much for a Merry Christmas.

STORY

Drift Away

Derek stood outside the bar, leaning his body against the building with his eyes closed. He was in love with Meredith. That he was sure of. Did he still love Addison, though? That was the question. He used to. She had been his friend, full of spark and brilliance and love, that was just for him. But he had drifted away from her...felt himself falling farther and farther away from who she was as he discovered who he was himself. He thought he had known, thought he'd been happy. But he had started to feel discontent, and he suddenly knew why Addison had said what she'd said. "People do desperate things to get someone's attention." Had he stopped paying attention to her? He suspected he might have. But the more he had started liking who he was, the more he realized that she might not have been the One for him. And he still bristled when he thought of what she had done to him with Mark. He had left Manhatten for Seattle, and knew he was becoming what he wanted.

And that was where he had met Meredith. Meredith, who had made all his tentative feelings of discontent fly out the window, and he had known he loved her from the beginning. She had sat in Joe's bar, her long, sweet-smelling hair falling down her back, as she threw back a shot. He had sat down next to her, and her smile had lit up not only her eyes but his. She was incandescent, he hadn't been sure of it in the harsh light of the bar, but he knew it was true now. He paused in his thoughts. He didn't love Addison.

Meredith had lain under the Christmas tree with George and Izzie for a long time before she felt the need to move. Surrendering to her urge, she sat up silently, careful not to disturb the quiet sleep of her two roommates. She slipped out the door, and drove.

They met quietly outside of the bar, seeing each other coming before they were there. She looked up into his eyes, and recognized the gleam shining. His smile was small, his face giving away his nickname of Dr. McDreamy. "Meredith," he whispered.

"Derek," she said back. He smiled. "At least you're not calling me Doctor Shepherd," said quietly. She took a step forward and he tipped his head down, their lips met with a fire in the cold Seattle air. "I-I think I'm not in love with Addison," he murmured. She put her hand on the side of his face, before wrapping her arm around his neck and kissing him. "Okay," she whispered.

"I'm in love with you," he said quietly. "I tried to make it work. I tried to be a good guy. But everything kept bringing me back to you."

Her kissing became more urgent, as she led him to the door of her car. His mind was relaxed as he wrapped his arms around her, and as she fell into him, he separated himself completely from Addison, and she knew from the world to Derek she was starting to Drift Away.