Chapter 34:
February 22, 2007- Virginia Beach, Virginia

"You do realize that you are lucky, don't you?" Liz asked the next morning as she sipped her coffee.

"I know, she's amazing," Derek said smiling.

"She is and she's beautiful," Alley said. Derek liked this. He hadn't sat around a table, talking to his parents in years. It felt like he was living back at home again and as if he'd never left.

"And after all the things you put her through, she's still there," Liz said smiling back at Derek.

"I know I don't deserve her and that she's basically my world. I just really worry about her sometimes. She has so many bad things happening to her and she just seems to doubt everything: herself, me, and well us," Derek said bleakly.

"Give her more reasons to believe," Liz said, "That's all any girl needs. She just needs you to give her the reasons. She's spent a lot of time caring about you without reasons and it probably took a lot out of her."

"I know I just love her so much. I'm not going to hurt her like that again, I couldn't lose her," Derek said.

"Do you remember the day you asked me about proposing to Addison?" Alley asked. Derek nodded. He didn't really want to think about Addison, but he figured that his father had a point. "Remember how I hesitated and just told you to do what you thought was right?" Derek nodded again, "Son, you didn't feel this way about Addison. At least you never realized it. With Meredith, you know how much you need her and how much you love her. And not only do you two know it, but it's obvious to everyone who sees you two. You're lucky son."

"Thanks, Dad," Derek said before turning his head at the sound of footsteps. Meredith walked downstairs in a pair of jeans and a dark brown sweater with her hair up in a relaxed ponytail. Derek lit up at her presence and so did Meredith once she locked eyes with him. Liz and Alley smiled at each other as Meredith walked over and took a seat between Liz and Derek.

"Good morning," Derek said to her as he placed his hand on her thigh. She smiled up at him and took the coffee cup that Liz silently offered.

"How'd you sleep? That bed is as old as this house," Liz said.

"It was fine, very comfortable actually," Meredith said feeling more comfortable.

"Well I'm glad. Anna and Joshua should be by with the girls any time now. They should be relatively calm. Grace and Ava are teenagers and Chloe, Trinity, and Faith are extremely well mannered," Liz said as Meredith tried her best to memorize their names, "Don't worry, I'm their grandmother and I forget their names all the time."

Meredith smiled, "I'm horrible with names, so I'll be happy if I can just remember who they belong to." Meredith's smile quickly vanished, "Excuse me," she said before getting up from the table and heading back upstairs. Derek got a worried look on his face before getting up and following her up the stairs.

Derek saw Meredith run into the bathroom and lock the door behind her. He stood next to it, waiting for her. He heard the toilet flush and the water run. She opened the door and rushed into the bedroom without saying anything to Derek or acknowledging the fact that he was there. He heard the front door open and his sister's family walk in as he headed towards the bedroom door. He knocked on the door, but didn't receive any response besides tears.

"Mer? Meredith, are you okay?" Derek asked through the door. He stood there, waiting for her to respond, "Mer? Honey, I love you. Tell me what's wrong." Derek was getting increasingly worried and never noticed someone coming up the steps.

"She okay?" Anna asked. Derek turned around and met his sister's eyes.

Derek shook his head, "I don't know."

"Go downstairs and visit with your nieces. I'll talk with her. Girl to girl," Anna said trying to convince Derek.

He looked back at the door longingly with sadness in his eyes. He headed towards the stairs and stopped at Anna, "Thanks. I love her so much, but I don't know how to help her sometimes."

Anna nodded and watched Derek sluggishly walk down the stairs. Anna knocked on the door, "Meredith? This is Anna. I know we don't know each other very well, but I think I might be able to help you out. Or at least I can try." Anna waited and she slowly heard the click of the lock. She waited a few seconds before placing her hand on the door and opening it. She looked over towards her big brother's bed. Meredith was sitting on it, with her head in her hands, looking like a complete wreck.

Anna was cautious at first and hesitated, but she shut the door behind her and sat down next to Meredith. Meredith quickly wiped her face and tried to make herself look presentable.

"Given a little time, you probably will be my sister. As your future-older-sister, tell me what's going on and I'll try and help you," Anna said trying to comfort Meredith.

"It's nothing, nothing. I'm just overreacting. It's nothing," Meredith said.

"If you say nothing more than twice in the same thought, then it's not nothing: it's something," Anna responded.

"I'm just not ready for this," Meredith said after finally trying her tears.

"Meeting us? I don't think we're really that scary. Maybe a little overwhelming at first, but you'll get used to us," Anna continued.

"No, it's not you. You guys are great. I just can't. I can't do this," Meredith said, crying again.

"Did Derek do something? You know he loves you. I've never seen him be so affectionate," Anna said as she began to gently rub her back.

"I know he loves me, but I just can't have his baby," Meredith said shocking Anna.

"It's alright," Anna said letting the mother in her take over and pull Meredith into a hug as she continued to cry. Anna looked at the door and saw the shadows under the door turn and move in the opposite directions until they were gone.