hey guys, sorry again for the wait. ok here's what's going on, the ending to this I think is gonna make a lot of Derek/Meredith fans just a tad angry. BUT LISTEN! just keep telling yourself at the end of this: this is a der/mer fic! this is a der/mer fic! it'll help you get through what I' planning. and so...just press that pretty little purple review button and the more reviews, the quicker the post! AND REMEMBER: this is a der/mer fic!

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Meredith hastily pulled on her scrubs, seeing as her clothes were covered in blood, careful to make sure no one was at the door watching. She unattached all the wires from her body, leaving only the IV in, and pulled her hair into a low ponytail. Grabbing slippers from the side of her bed, she slipped them onto her feet and padded silently out of the room, careful not to wake the woman with whom she was sharing. Meredith walked down the corridor, attracting some curious glances from the nurses at the nursing station but payed them no attention. The smell of coffee wafted down the hall in a taunting way, making her want it all the more because she couldn't have it. In all honesty, she had no idea where she was going. All she knew was that she needed to get out of that room, to walk around, to be able to use her legs again. To see Derek ...

"No," she thought to herself, "You can't keep thinking about him. He's with Addison. Yes, you're carrying his child, but all the same he's with his wife."

She hoped that, if she just kept telling herself over and over again that he no longer loved her and that he was married to Addison, then eventually she would believe it. But she was wrong. Every time she told herself that he didn't love her, it was like snapping off a piece of her heart. But eventually, she kept telling herself, that once all the chunks of her heart were torn out, she would no longer feel the pain of rejection that kept trying to swallow her whole.

IV stand still in her hand, she proceeded down the hall, trying her best to avoid all her friends and co-workers. Especially Derek. Meredith knew that he had come to visit her every night after his shift while he thought she was sleeping, even though he never said anything about it the morning after. For an hour, at the least, he would sit in the hard chair beside her bed, holding her hand for support. After her brain scan had come back clean and Derek no longer had to opperate on her, he took himself off the case, feeling that it was unethical to be her doctor while she was carrying his baby. But every night while she was sleeping, and only while she was sleeping, he wouldn't come in if she was awake, he would come and sit beside her bed, whispering in her ear that everything was going to be ok. That he was there fo her.

Lost in her thoughts, Meredith ran smack into someone.

"Grey! What are you doing out of bed?" Bailey scolded.

Meredith gave her a guilty smile. "I needed out of that room. I was going insane," she pleaded.

Bailey gave her an unsympathetic smile. "Grey do you want that baby to make it?" she asked.

It was a retorical question and Meredith knew it, but she answered it anyways. "Of course. It's just, laying in bed like a vegetable isn't gonna help at all. I was beginning to forget what it felt like to walk!" Meredith said.

"You're supposed to be on bed rest," Bailey said, concern peeking through her scolding.

"I know, I know," Meredith said, turning around so she was facing the direction she came from.

"However," Bailey said. Meredith whipped back around. "I have the results from the bloodwork we did on the baby and I don't see why we can't walk while I tell you about them."

Meredith flashed her a grateful smile but her enthusiam quickly turned to worry. "Everything's ok right? The baby's still fine?"

"Relax Grey. You and the baby are both doing fine. I also have the results of the baby's sex. If you want to know."

Meredith contiued to walk, contemplating on whether or not she should find out her baby's sex. On the one hand, it would be easier for her to prepare. She could get the room decorated and buy all the clothes she needed, less work to do for after the baby was born. But on the other hand, she loved surprises and would have no problem waiting to find out if she knew there was someone who was going to help to care of the baby with her after it was born.

Even though Derek had insisted over and over again that he was going to be there for his baby, Meredith knew that something was going to come between that. That something wentby the name of Addison Shepherd. Derek had still not told her and despite his proclamations that he was going to tell her sooner or later, Meredith had her doubts.

"Alright. Tell me," Meredith said polietely.

"You sure you wanna know?" Bailey asked sincerely.

"Yes."

"Ok. Congratulations Grey. You're having a little baby girl," Bailey said, turning to Meredith with a smile on her face. But Meredith's face was expressionless.

"Grey? Did you hear me?" Bailey asked, slightly impatiently.

"Oh my god. I'm having a baby girl?" Meredith asked, the news finally sinking in.

"Yes you are. You're going to be a great mother Meredith. You really are," Bailey encouraged.

A full-blown smile finally broke out on her face. she was glowing. Radiant. But suddenly her smile fell and her turned to Bailey, very serious.

"There's something I need to tell you. And I need you to promise that you won't tell Derek until after," Meredith said.

"Tell him what after when?" Bailey asked.

"I'm leaving," Meredith said sadly.

"What do you mean you're leaving?"

"I mean I'm leaving. I'm leaving Seattle Grace, I'm leaving Seattle. I'm going to Boston. I've already asked Webber and he agreed to transfer me. Izzie, George, Christina and Alex all know. And I know that Derek said he was gonna help me take care of our baby but I just know that Addison is gonna get between that. She didn't even want Derek to see me, how do you think she's gonna feel about the fact that we share a child together. It would have been different if he had just told her but he hasn't. I need to leave," Meredith finished in a huff. It had been a lot to say in twenty seconds.

Bailey was silent. "You're sure this is what you want Grey?" she asked.

"It's what I need. What my daughter needs."

Bailey nodded. "When do you leave?"

"Tonight."

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Meredith walked around her house, stuffing a couple last minute things into the suitcases she had packed earlier. Izzie and George just stood around, completely at a loss for what to do.

"Are you sure that we can stay here while you're gone?" Izzie asked, a sad expression on her face.

"Of course," Meredith said, standing back up and looking into the sad faces of her friends. "You guys have lived here for awhile now. This is just as much your home as it is mine. And the last thing I want is a derelict house in my name. I would much rather have you guys living here and looking after it then having it rot away," Meredith said.

Izzie suddenly ran over to her and threw her arms around her in a hug, Meredith hugging her gratefully back.

"I'm gonna miss you guys," Meredith said.

"Us too," George said, moving in for a hug as well.

After George had carried her bags out to the waiting taxi and final goodbyes had been said from Alex, Christina and Burke who had all shown up, Meredith waved goodbye to her friends, to her home, and overall, to her life.

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"Have you seen Meredith?" Derek asked, walking into Webber's office and sitting down in a chair across from him. "I went to go and see her but she wasn't in her room. And as far as I know she wasn't released."

"She didn't tell you?" Webber asked, looking up from his paperwork and into the eyes of the man who loved the woman that was like a daughter to him.

"Tell me what?" Derek said, concern apparent in his voice.

"She left," Webber answered simply.

"Oh she was released. When?"

"She wasn't released Derek. She left. She asked to be transfered."

"What! Transfered?" Derek proclaimed, "To where?"

"Boston General."

Derek felt the slack in his jaw loosen again. She was gone. She left to the other side of the country with their baby without even telling him.

"When does she leave?" Derek asked, his body half out of his seat.

Webber pulled up his left sleeve and looked at his watch.

"Two hours ago."