Title: Retracing Steps
Author: MissMouseMD
Rating: K+
Disclaimer: Don't own it.
A/N:Please review! Thanks!
Funeral
Meredith
"Mere…she…yours…?"
George is having trouble stringing a sentence together.
"Yeah. She's mine."
He's managed to put himself back together.
Mostly.
"Whose is it?"
She smiles wryly.
"I don't want to talk about that. Let's just say that I finally learned the error of my ways."
Izzie and George know when not to say anything.
She stifles a yawn.
Adrienne is already fast asleep in her arms.
"Listen, I'm exhausted, and I'm going to go get some sleep. Adrienne can just sleep with me tonight."
They nod, and she makes her way upstairs.
…
She wakes up to a finger poking her face.
A solemn little face is staring at her.
"Up now."
Her high pitched voice is plaintive.
Commanding.
"Uh, okay, one sec. Mommy's tired."
"Hungry."
With a groan, she drags herself out of bed.
It's 6:30.
…
The funeral is at 1:00.
She's pacing the floor.
Three more hours.
She lays her dress out on the bed.
Chews her fingernails.
…
With two and a half hours, she takes Adrienne to the park.
Her fingernails are ragged.
…
She gets dressed with one hour to go.
Her fingernails are chewed down to the quick.
She dresses Adrienne.
And waits.
…
She goes through the funeral in a daze.
Hugs her step-mother.
Half-sisters.
It doesn't matter that she's only met them once.
Adrienne is quiet through the whole service.
Everyone's staring at her with pity.
Poor, poor girl.
She doesn't have a father anymore.
She wants to scream that she never had a father.
Instead, she remains silent.
Lets them feel sorry for her.
…
When she gets home, her head is full.
She changes into something more casual.
She can't stay alone in the house.
She'll think too much.
Izzie rode with George that morning.
She borrows her car.
Drives to the hospital.
Adrienne in tow.
Derek
He's standing in the hall.
Reading a file.
He looks up, and blinks.
Hard.
He could have sworn he saw-
"Meredith?"
She whirls around, and sees him.
Her eyes widen.
She can't speak.
He notices something.
By her feet.
It's a little girl.
She leans down.
Picks her up.
And walks toward him.
A/N: Review, and I'll hurry with the next chapter. You know you want to...