Chapter 67:

May 13, 2026- Seattle, Washington

When they got home, Meredith didn't want to talk about anything with Derek, so he just backed off. Instead she decided to deal with the other problems in her life.

Meredith and Derek sat down on the couch in their living room and called down Aimee. Aimee looked a little nervous as she sat across from her parents on the loveseat.

"Aimee, we've given you a few days to get back into the swing of things, but we need to deal with what happened. We don't ever want to make you feel like you have to leave again," Derek said as he held on tightly to Meredith's hand.

"I didn't leave because of anything you all did. I was mad, but I wouldn't leave because I was mad," Aimee said. She seemed to be a little more open then they had expected her to be, but she'd had a few days to think everything out.

"Honey, you need to tell us when something happens. I know I haven't really been around, but you can always come to me or your mother or your sister. Even your uncles or aunts," Derek said, knowing Meredith wasn't emotionally stable enough to have this conversation.

"I wanted to be a family. With Luke," Aimee said as she pulled down her sleeve a little.

Derek quickly took note of her hands moving and he didn't like what his mind was putting together, "Aimee, I'm glad you are home, but what exactly made you come home?"

This part, Aimee wasn't ready for. What was she supposed to tell them? If she told them the truth, then everything that they had said would have been true and she didn't want to admit to being wrong. "I just missed everyone," Aimee lied.

Derek doubted her response and the look on his face made Aimee realize that she hadn't been very convincing. He knew she'd been going through a lot and she didn't want to put her through anything else, "I'm just glad you're home."

Aimee smiled, "Thanks Dad. I am too."

"We should have asked her," Meredith said as she pulled the covers on her and got adjusted into bed.

"Asked her what?" Derek asked as he turned off the lights and headed over towards the bed.

"What she was going to do with the baby," Meredith said.

"We should give her some time," Derek said.

"If she wants to keep it, I'm going to let her."

Derek got into bed and looked over at Meredith, "Mer, she's sixteen. She's in school. She can't have a child. It'll ruin her life."

"If she wants it, she can have it," Meredith said a little more sternly.

"Meredith, everything that is important to her will fall apart. You can't keep up with sports when you're pregnant or when you are staying up all nights with a crying baby," Derek said.

"No, she'll just find new things that are important to her," Meredith said.

"Really?"

"Yes," Meredith said before turning away from Derek and closing her eyes.

Derek sighed. Of course. He'd managed to piss her off. Again.