Disclaimer: So my brother was telling me today that they're trying to make it legal for people to own other people's body parts. I'm going to own Patrick's hair. At the moment, however, I own nothing.

Thanks again for all the great reviews!

And seriously people? Me break up Mer and Der? Are you nuts? Trust me; this whole Mike showing up is going to make something very important happen. So don't kill me just yet.

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Derek's POV:

I thought I knew heartbreak. The day that I found out Meredith had stepped on a plane and was permanently leaving Seattle, me, I thought that was heartbreak. But this, seeing her kiss another man when I had honestly thought I had a chance. It went beyond anything I had ever felt.

"I'm out of here," I say, running my hands through my hair. I know Emily wants me to stay; I want to stay for her. But it hurts too much.

"No, Derek, don't. Don't go!" Meredith says, sounding a lot more calm than I feel.

"What? You want me to stay and watch the happy little reunion?" Venom makes my voice sound harsh.

"No! There is no reunion. Mike and I, we're over."

"So you usually kiss people after you're 'over'? One second, a certain exam room escapade is coming back to me. I guess you do." I didn't mean to say that. I didn't mean to cheapen that night. But I was hurt. Angry. Broken. It slipped out.

"How dare you!" Meredith is angry now.

"Meredith, you're the one that didn't tell me you were seeing someone, the one that made me believe we had a chance."

"I'm not seeing anyone. We broke it off when I decided to stay here. With you!"

"Well Mike here seems to think differently."

"That's because Mike is an idiot!"

"You should have told me," I quietly hiss at her.

"And you should have told me about Addison."

"Meredith, Addison is history. Hell that was over 6 years ago."

"And it was the same damn thing that's happening right now! We seem to be good at omitting the truth. So you don't have a right to be angry."

"I didn't kiss her in front of you."

"No you stayed married to her, and that's a lot worse."

"Meredith, I had to! I promised to when I married her, I had to give it one last shot." I yelled turning around in disgust. "I thought we already had this fight. I thought . . ."

"We did." Meredith said cutting me off. "And I don't want to fight about it again, but how can you be so angry I did this? It's what you did to me."

"I can be angry! Because you know what? It feels like shit, Mer. Complete and utter shit."

"Now you know how I felt."

The angry words that were on the tip of tongue raced back to my brain, refusing to be heard. Now I knew how she felt. She hadn't done anything I hadn't done. If anything I had done worse. "But he kissed you." My voice sounds small, even to me. It's the last leg I have left to stand on.

"And I pushed him away, Derek. Mike and I, we're over."

"I'm sorry." I'm an ass. An idiot.

"I know." Meredith gives me a sad little smile, reaching for my hand.

My hand finds her, and the feeling of desperation and defeat that came with Mike's arrival washes away. Our hands fit. This is right. We're right. She told me she finds her strength in me. I find my strength in her, it's there, in her tiny ineffectual fists.

"I should have breathed. Should have taken time to listen. But I was a sink with an open drain. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Meredith said, with a cute little giggle. "We're allowed a first fight."

I smile at her, still feeling shaky and sad. "I love you." Those three words, said too much. This time they were enough.

All that I am, all that I ever was

Is here in your perfect eyes

They're all I can see, I don't know where

Confused about how as well

Just know that these things will never

Change for us at all

If I lay here, If I just lay here

Would you lie with me

And just forget the world

Meredith's POV:

"I love you." The voice was shaky only moments ago, but not on this declaration. It sounds strong. The shocked look on his face tells me he didn't mean to say what he did, but he meant the words.

Derek Shepherd loves me.

I don't say it back. I can't say it back. I love him, but now, now is not the time. Instead I just smile, a whole face happy smile and give his hand a tight squeeze.

Those three words were enough.

Drawing strength from the hand in mine I turn to Mike. "You should leave."

"Meredith, baby . . ."

"No. You have to leave."

"Please, Mer. Think it through. I've never hurt you like he has," he begs shooting Derek a look of loathing. I think of times in the past when I have begged Derek, to pick me, and wonder if I looked as pathetic. Derek squeezes my hand.

"We don't want you here, Mike. You were my life if Detroit. I needed you there. Now I'm home. We don't need you anymore. Go home Mike."

"Come on, babe," Mike starts again.

Derek's hand gently slips out of mine as he moves to stand protectively in front of me. My hands find his back, giving him the strength he may need. He's my rock, my strength. I'm his.

"Mike," Derek sounds calm, rational. "I believe Meredith asked you to leave. So go!" He sounds like he is talking to a mad dog.

"She doesn't need you to fight her battles." Mike said, starting to turn the awful shade of red he does when he is angry.

"No she doesn't. But this isn't only her battle, it's ours." Ours, it sounds good. Right.

"You have no right . . ."

"Oh, that's where you're wrong. I have every right."

"Meredith, she's mine."

"Yet again. Wrong. She's not yours, Mike. Never was. Has been mine ever since that night in the bar. Will be mine till, well always. And Emily, she's mine too. Move along, and deal with it."

"Do you want to handle this outside, Dr. Shepherd?" Mike asks, forming fist out of his two hands.

"No, not really, Mike. I just want you to leave."

"What? Not willing to fight for the woman you love?" Love. That word again. Derek Shepherd loves me.

"I would, if I felt the need to. But you're not a threat, Mike. Just an annoyance."

"I don't have to go."

"You don't. I can call the police."

"I could stay, here in Seattle, and fight for her. You can't stop me." Mike is starting to sound desperate.

"You could. If you do, I will make your life hell. And you'll still lose."

"I could win."

"No. Because when it comes to Meredith, I will always win."

"Goodbye, Mike." I say, over Derek's shoulder, hoping one final goodbye will be enough to make him leave. I don't need Derek starting a fist fight with his daughter near by.

Mike gave me one last piercing look and left muttering curse words under his breath.

"I should go too, Mer. You and Emily should talk. I should go." Now that the threat is gone, Derek looks scared and bewildered. We had agreed to go slow. We needed slow. The things he had said, they weren't slow.

"You should."

"Tell Emily I said bye, and that I'll see her later. Give her a kiss for me."

"Will do." I respond, wondering if he has a kiss for me as well.

"Bye, Meredith. I'll see you around." He leans in toward me, and our lips find each other. Quick and soft. A simple goodbye.

"See you around," I answered as I watch him close the door behind him. "See you." I finish to the door, now closed and void of Derek.

I smile, going to find our daughter, wherever she is hiding, feeling a joy I wasn't sure would ever return. When and how was still uncertain, but things would never change.

Derek and I were going to be okay.

My first REALLY important note about this chapter, is three really seemingly insignificant lines that I'm hoping no one missed. Right at the end. The "You should" "I'll see you around" and the "See you around. See you". You've all heard them before . . .probably a gabillion times. Not even going to say where. Why did I use them? Because they're starting again, from scratch, and I wanted to show that magic. Oh, and although you can't see their faces . . .the looks they had in the scene I stole the lines from, yeah, same looks.

My other note . . .yeah, Emily wasn't around when Mer and Der were fighting. Because I don't know about anyone else but when my rents started fighting I went somewhere else. So Emily went to hide.

And yeah, this chapter has the same name as the story. But if you failed to notice, I referenced the song twice within the chapter. Those three words. And how things would never change. Yeah, I'm proud of myself.

And seriously, yet again . . .of course Mer and Der were going to be okay.

You know the drill . . .read, love, review. And I may or may not update this one tomorrow, depends on how my day goes. I really have to work on the S3 one. I should have done that tonight but I was scared I'd be killed if I didn't write this chapter. You needed to know that Mer and Der were fine. So definite S3 update tomorrow, possible update in this one.

Oh and this one only has 3 chapters left. And they will be lovely and beautiful and romantic.