Title: Retracing Steps
Author: MissMouseMD
Rating: K+
Disclaimer: Don't own nothing.
A/N: There's only one more chapter after this, so enjoy. And for whoever asked, I turned the big 1-5, lol. Only one more year before I'm driving!
Leave
She walks over.
Tries to disentangle her daughter.
But his face becomes angry.
Protective.
He won't let her go.
She smiles, and leaves them be.
…
It's late.
Or early.
Depending on how you look at it.
She can't sleep.
She's content to just sit and watch.
Her daughter and her McDreamy.
She doesn't know how else to label him.
He means more than a friend.
But he's not quite a boyfriend.
It's all very confusing.
She tries not to think about it.
…
He wakes up early.
He has to.
He has an early surgery.
He doesn't want to move the little girl.
But he has to.
So he scoops her up, and goes to take her to her room.
A voice stops him.
"I'll take her."
He turns around.
Realizes that she's been there the whole time.
Smiling, she walks over.
Takes her daughter.
And carries her upstairs.
He makes his exit, quietly.
…
When she comes downstairs, he's gone.
She can't help but feel disappointed.
It's selfish.
But she wanted him to stay just a bit longer.
She's leaving in two days.
And she wants to spend as much time as she can with him.
She really doesn't want to leave at all.
But she has a job in Boston.
A life.
And she can't just pack up and move to Seattle.
Just because of him.
He's not even her boyfriend.
Sighing, she starts to make coffee for George and Izzie.
…
He can't concentrate at work.
Well, he can concentrate enough.
Enough to keep from killing someone.
But not enough to be able to carry a concentration.
He keeps thinking about her.
He has to remind himself that it's not permanent.
That she'll be going back soon.
The thought of losing her again terrifies him.
But he can't just ask her to stay.
Stay for him.
It seems so selfish.
And besides, he doesn't even know how she feels.
If she still has feelings.
Or if he's just an old friend.
…
He doesn't call her after work.
This upsets her more than it should.
She watches Barney videos with Adrienne.
Makes cookies.
Or tries to, anyway.
But the distractions don't help any.
She can't help thinking about him.
…
It's been a day.
He hasn't called her.
She feels empty.
The way she felt for five years.
It was finally going away.
And now it's back.
And she can't make it stop.
Sighing with frustration, she picks up the phone.
Dials his number.
Waits for him to answer.
He doesn't.
The machine does.
She leaves a message.
"Derek, it's me, Meredith. Listen, I kept waiting for you to call, but you never did. Anyway, I'm leaving tomorrow. Flight's at three. So, call me, okay? Or at least come to the airport to say goodbye. I'd really like to see you again. Bye."