Title: World Spins Madly On
Author: Holly-Dane
Rating: T
Summary: After the prom, Meredith left Seattle, planning to never look back. When she is forced to return after her mother's death, she finds the world she used to know turned upside down (marriages, babies, divorces, disaster) MerDer Lexie Bang O'Callie Maddison.
Authors Note: This is where it all starts to unfold…in this chapter. I had to have the first few (more boring) chapters to get everyone acquainted with Meredith's new situation. Trust me, next chapter is going to be really, really good. All the action is going to be starting. I'm so excited!
Chapter Two: When I Come Home
Meredith awoke with a start, her breath caught in her lungs. She could feel her heart racing. Blood pumped through her veins so furiously, her wrists throbbed. With a trembling hand, she wiped the sweat from her brow and tried to steady her breathing. This was surely not the time to be having nightmares...especially nightmares about that, what would you call it? Perhaps incident. To Meredith it was more like complete catastrophe.
"I just have to relax." She told herself out loud, taking a swig of water from her Aquafina bottle. "Everything is going to be fine, I just need to make it to Seattle in one piece, get my mother's things taken care of, and then go home...never look back."
This statement of self-assurance made Meredith feel better, but little did she know that "never looking back" wasn't quite an option for her. There was just too much history to run away from. She had escaped her past and her mistakes once before, but this time, it wasn't going to be as easy as just hopping a plane to L.A. and never turning back.
Once Meredith's flight had safely landed in Seattle, she headed over to the car rental service, where - much to her dismay - she spent the next hour and a half waiting for her vehicle and getting car insurance. Things just never seemed to go Meredith's way, and she was dying to get on the road and make a start for her hotel. Once she finally made it to her car, it was already 6:30 PM. Great, she thought, this is exactly what I need...to be checking into my room at 10:00 at night. She placed the keys in the ignition and delighted at the sound of the purring engine. It was about time. With a smile on her face, and the radio blaring, Meredith Grey drove out of the Seattle International Airport parking lot, and headed straight towards the main highway...towards her mother and the funeral home. At least, that all she thought she was heading towards.
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Meredith now sat behind the wheel of her 1996 Chevy Impala rental, bobbing her head lavishly, the blaring lyrics to Duran Duran's "Hungry Like the Wolf," serving as her soundtrack.
"Stalked in the forest too close to hide
I'll be upon you by the moonlight side
Do do do do do do do dodo dododo dodo
High blood Drumming on your skin it's so tight
You feel my heart I'm just a moment behind
Do do do do do do do dodo dododo dodo"
Meredith chanted the words as if she needed the entire world to hear them. She only stopped now and then, just momentarily to catch her breath, then she continued.
"In touch with the ground
I'm on the hunt I'm after you
Scent and a sound. I'm lost and I'm found
And I'm hungry like the wolf
Strut on a line it's discord and rhyme
I howl and I whine I'm after you
Mouth is alive all running inside
And I'm hungry like the wolf."
As Meredith continued to sing, her mind wandered to a time not that far back; a time when she had been searching for what she called "complete strangers" that she didn't need to be nice to. These strangers were supposed to be the new inhabitants of her home. She remembered leading the potential roommate search in the waiting room of the hospital, asking people random questions like "What were you doing when the Challenger exploded?"
She laughed out loud at the memory. It had been quite humorous after all' especially when she had asked three or four people who their favorite 80's band was. She remembered hearing them name bands like Queen and Twisted Sister. She had been disappointed by their answers, being more of a "new wave" child herself. She then told her fellow doctors that their answers were basically a load of shit. Come on, it was true. Who would ever pick Twisted Sister over Duran Duran? I mean, come on, Meredith laughed, banging her hands on the steering wheel, Simon LeBon was way too sexy for you to not worship Duran Duran. What kind of girl doesn't love Duran Duran?
Meredith suddenly felt empty inside. The roommate search was a funny memory, but of course, it was another memory that brought her back to her days at Seattle Grace.
"I bet Izzie would have picked Duran Duran." Meredith sighed as the song on the radio came to a close.
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By the time Meredith finally reached her hotel, it was 10:30, and she was dragging from exhaustion. Not that it was surprising; she had been traveling all day, not to mention worrying about her mother and boyfriend. So, with legs that felt like jello, and eyelids sinking under the pressure of fatigue, Meredith collapsed onto the comforter of her hotel bed. Never before had she been so happy to close her eyes and drift off to sleep. Her mattress felt like a cloud beneath her petite body; the pillow below her head sinking like a marshmallow under the weight of her face. Tomorrow was going to be a long day, and Meredith knew that her only chance of surviving it rested on the assurance of sleep and energy. So she dozed off, hoping that her dreams didn't once again venture into the realm of nightmares.
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The next morning, Meredith strolled through the large wooden doors of Anderson's Funeral Home with teary eyes and a dead pulse. She wanted to walk on her tip toes, believing that it held some kind of unspoken respect for the dead. Perhaps in death, they liked quiet. It sure seemed that way; Funeral homes were always silent as a graveyard. It made Meredith feel uneasy, especially when she noticed that she was the only person venturing down the long, narrow hallway that led to the main office.
After a moment, she could sense the presence of another individual behind her, so she turned around, ever so slowly, as if moving too fast would cause the person behind her to disappear.
"Hello?"
"Oh, I'm sorry," a pale, slender woman replied, "I didn't know that anyone was in here."
Meredith shook her head, a lump caught in her throat, "It's fine,"
"Ah," The gaunt woman said, as if just remembering something, "Where are my manners? I'm Melinda Anderson...I run this home."
Meredith noticed how Melinda failed to add the word 'funeral.'
"Nice to meet you."
The woman began to walk towards Meredith, causing her withered appearance to become more visible. "Is there something I can help you with dear?" Her dull blue eyes fixed themselves on Meredith's own hazel ones.
"Yeah," Meredith responded, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, "Actually there is...I'm Meredith Grey." She extended her hand to Melinda.
The woman's dead eyes suddenly lit up, "Oh, Meredith...I've been expecting you. I'm very sorry about your mother." She shook Meredith's hand, causing her to flinch from the sheer cold of Melinda's skin.
"Thanks." The statement was bland and unfeeling.
Melinda sighed, "I know it's probably the last thing that you want to do right now, but there is some unfinished business that needs to be taken care of, regarding your mother, of course."
Meredith smiled politely, "Oh, I know."
"Yes," Melinda shook her head slowly, "So, if you would, my dear; follow me."
Melinda started to walk down the dreary hallway, as Meredith lagged behind her. Together, they entered a larger office, full of cold, leather furniture. Meredith took a seat in a large, navy armchair across from Melinda's desk, and together, they discussed the final wishes of Ellis Grey.
Through the conversation, Meredith learned that shortly before her death, Ellis had been lucid enough to sign over her entire estate to her daughter. Everything; the house and the money, now belonged to Meredith – permanently.
After Mrs. Anderson had finished explaining the terms of Ellis death and estate, she stood up and extended her hand to the thing blond woman. "It was a pleasure meeting you Miss Grey. I am so sorry about your mother."
Meredith stood up and slung her purse around her shoulder, "It's fine, thank you for your help." She took Melinda's cold hand and shook it for the last time.
Before Meredith could walk out the door, Melinda's voice reached her ears, "You can go and see her now…if you like. She's in the chapel."
Meredith felt her knees buckle, "Thanks," She replied without even turning around "…I'll go and do that."
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Peering into the open coffin, Meredith could see that Ellis Grey looked more peaceful than she had ever remembered seeing her. Apparently death was kinder to her than life had been. Her red hair was curled loosely, the strands falling lightly upon her shoulders. Her face was pale but surprisingly...
"Peaceful." Meredith let the word roll off her tongue. It wasn't a word she usually used, so her mouth savored its sweet flavor. One thing was for sure...'peaceful' was never a word that Meredith would have imagined using to describe her mother. Yet it was true...Ellis Grey did look peaceful; as if she was finally at rest. Meredith had always thought that the idea of 'resting in peace' was ridiculous, but standing and staring at her mother made her a believer. Perhaps there was a heaven somewhere...and maybe, just maybe, her mother was there right now, finally free...free from the pain that had plagued her in life.
"She looks serene..."
Meredith's entire body tensed at the sound of those three words. The voice speaking them was so familiar, yet she hadn't heard it in years, nor seen its owner. Meredith just wanted to stand there like a statue; pretend that she hadn't heard the voice at all...but she knew that she couldn't. Using all the energy that she still had in her numb limbs, Meredith turned around...
"Hi Chief."
So what did you guys think??? I'm getting really excited about the next chapter...it's gonna be a really good one; now that I finally have Meredith getting back together with the Seattle Gang. So please leave a review and tell me what you thought...I'd really appreciate it.
Thanks for reading,
Holly Dane