Chapter 4

Derek rushed through the halls of Seattle Grace hospital, still dressed in his scrubs. As he turned a corner, he bumped into the familiar figure of Nurse Debbie, her files scattering onto the floor. Usually Derek would be a gentleman and help her, but this…this is was a special occasion.

"I am so sorry Debbie," Derek called out as he turned and continued to run. He slammed the door to the locker room open, opening his locker, grabbing only his coat and keys. Just as he rushed for the door, it opened, revealing Addison, dressed in her famous Salmon coloured scrubs.

"Derek, where are you going?" she asking, indicating the car keys still jingling in his hand.

Derek glanced down at the keys, slowly raising his head to look into his wife's eyes.

I might as well start telling the truth

"I'm going to the airport," he answered truthfully.

"What? Why?" Addison exclaimed, startled at her husband's response. Derek let out a deep sigh looking at the floor, slumping onto the wall.

"I'm going to catch Meredith," he whispered.

"Oh, HANG ON-YOU ARE CATCHING WHO?"

Derek looked at her, gaining confidence in his love for Meredith, " I am going to stop Meredith leaving," he replied sternly, pushing off the wall.

"Oh no you're not!" Addison replied, her voice becoming a shriek, " You are my husband, i am your wife and she is your ex girlfriend. Let her move on. Leave her alone!"

"But i can't" Derek yelled back helplessly.

"Let her move on. As a friend you aren't doing her any favours,"

Derek snorted, " Friends? I can't just be friends with her, i need her in my life. As my lover. I shouldn't have lied to her and you and pretended as if i could live with her as my friend. I have one chance to make things right and i am going to do it tonight,"

"Where does this leave us?" Addison replied, her voice just above a whisper.

"I guess this is it. When i get back it will be over and i will have to sign. You need to move on. Even if it is with Mark. I need you to be happy and…"

"I am happy. With you,"

"No, you're not," Derek replied firmly, " You and i… we can have a conversation, but besides that we are…not much. Our marriage is mediocre and its just not working. Our sex has gone to pot and we just cannot satisfy each other in the way we should satisfy each other,"

Derek glanced down at his watch, he needed to get moving. But Addison was in tatters and she needed him, maybe not as her husband, but as her friend. On the other hand, Meredith was getting ready to catch a plane out of Seattle. Out of his life.

"I am so sorry," he whispered as he pushed past her, walking out the door. However, he wasn't just walking out a door, he was walking out of a marriage, he was walking out of a family. And he was doing something he had never done before. He was walking out on a friend.

"Hi, can i have your passport and boarding pass please, " asked a attendant at the Seattle Domestic Airport. The woman the attendant was serving was a beautiful young woman, with silky blonde hair and was dressed in a pair of jeans and a lilac shirt. The woman slipped her boarding pass and passport across the counter and the attendant accepted it and looked at the computer.

"Meredith Grey?" she asked

"Yes,"

"To New York City direct?"

"Yep,"

"You have already checked in all luggage?"

"Yes,"

"Okay," sighed the attendant as she assessed passport.

"Long day?" asked the woman.

"Hell yeah, its my first day. Thank god i have my boyfriend to go home to,"

Meredith just looked at the floor.

Stupid red light! thought Derek in frustration. He checked his watch once again. The light turned green once more and Derek sped down the road. His nerves were all over the place. He turned on the radio and Meredith favourite song played,

When you're in your darkest hour,

and all of the light just fades away

and when you're like a single flower whose colours have turned to shades of grey,

well hang on and be strong,

taking each step one day at a time,

You can't lose your spirit,

Let live and let live,

Forget and forgive,

Its all how you see it,

And just remember to keep it together,

Cause don't you know you're never alone

Derek turned the radio off abruptly. He needed to get there and fast. He looked up and saw the sign, Seattle International airport. He was finally there.

"So, why are you going to New York?" asked a handsome young man sitting next to Meredith waiting for their plane. He was tall man, with broad shoulders and straight hair, gelled up at the front.

"Uh, i am moving there. Permanently, i think,"

He laughed, " What do you mean, you think?"

"Well, I'm a surgical intern and i got a transfer to New York County Hospital and uh, if i like it there i'll just stay there,"

"So what was wrong with Seattle, was the hospital crap or something,"

"No! No, no! Nothing like that. Just personal reasons,"

"Oh, so you're running away from something or someone," he chuckled, leaning into his chair.

"I am not running away from anyone," Meredith replied indignantly.

"Yeah. And I'm the sexiest man alive,"

"Enough about me. Why are you going to New York?"

He looked at her and smiled, " I am going there to visit my girlfriend,"

"Right," replied Meredith, " Well if i was you i'd get ready to be dumped because you are…"

"Perfect,"

"No, you're arrogant, like my ex boyfriend," Meredith stated, her voice trailing off at the mention of Derek.

"He's the guy you're running away from isn't he?" the man asked suddenly.

"No he's not!" exclaimed Meredith.

"Yeah he is,"

"Shut up…"

"Andrew,"

"Andrew."

Derek ran up to the front counter of American Airlines.

"Are there any seats available on flight SQ345?" he asked.

"I'm sorry sir, but SQ345 just took off."