Chapter 56:
May 6, 2026- Seattle, Washington
Meredith opened her eyes and felt an arm around her waist. She turned off the loud alarm clock before turning her attention back to the arm. "What are you doing?" she asked blankly.
"Trying to sleep."
"Why are you here?"
"Because this is where I sleep," Derek said talking into his pillow.
"Not when I'm mad at you."
"You aren't mad at me."
"Yes I am."
"No you aren't."
"Why aren't I?"
"Because you can't be mad at me. It's part of the McDreamy thing."
"I hate you," she said throwing the covers and his arm off of her and getting out of bed.
"No you don't, you love me."
"Don't remind me," Meredith joked as she walked into their bathroom.
Meredith got ready and walked out into the kitchen where she found Celine eating and reading a book. Meredith poured herself a cup of coffee and one for Derek who was only steps behind her. "Where's your sister?" Meredith asked, noticing that Aimee hadn't been downstairs.
"I don't know. I haven't seen her all morning," Celine replied without looking away from her book.
"She's your sister. She lives next door to you and you share a bathroom with her. How could you not have seen her in the morning?" Meredith asked as Derek wrapped his arms around her waist and she tried to ignore it.
"Maybe she's still in bed. I don't care," Celine said before finally looking up and seeing her father about to kiss her mother's neck, "Eww." She got up and headed out the door, "I'm leaving."
"You are going to make your kids hate you," Meredith said, still trying to hide her smile.
"When has that stopped me before?" Derek whispered into her ear as he began to kiss her again.
"I have to go check on Aimee," Meredith said pulling away from Derek, "I don't want her missing school."
"Fine, leave me," Derek said trying to sound pathetic.
Meredith just rolled her eyes and headed up the stairs. She walked to the door at the end of the hall. When she knocked, it opened a little and Meredith pushed it the rest of the way. Aimee's room was perfectly clean as always. Aimee always had been a neat freak. Meredith looked around and noticed a couple of items missing and the empty, perfectly made bed with a sheet of stationary on it.
Meredith picked up the pretty paper and read it's glossy ink. She didn't process the information at all. All she did was the only thing she could think to, "Derek!"
Derek placed his coffee cup down and ran up the stairs. He didn't like the desperation in Meredith's voice. It worried him. He pushed through the partially opened door and stood behind Meredith reading the sheet of paper over her shoulder.
Slowly it slipped between her fingers and she fell into Derek crying.