Chapter Three

There was a certain lull in the apartment that felt very out of place; as if what she was doing was wrong. The packages and boxes that patterned themselves across the kitchen were haunting, she felt as if she should unpack them, but she couldn't. Her husband sat cross- legged on the floor, feeling the harbored wood with his hand. They didn't exchange a word, just a long, mesmerizing glance that made her decision even tougher. The bed was still there, but she had the sheets, and the couch was still there, but she got to have the pillows.

"I guess this is it," he commented, now staring at the floor, a blank look on his face.

"Yeah, Mer should be here soon to take me to the airport," she replied, "are you sure you want to take all these boxes to the post office?"

"I figured you'd be too busy settling in Minnesota to want to deal with all this delivery crap," he responded, his eyes still fixated on the floor, his hand tapping and fingers shaking.

"I'll miss you," she sat on the floor, touching his hand softly, "just because we're separated doesn't mean I don't still love you."

"I'll never stop loving you," he looked up at her, fighting the tears that welled, how he had dreaded this day. He thought that the plane crash would change their relationship, that she'd realize that they needed each other, but it was the opposite. All she wanted was new and to get away from "Seattle Grace Mercy Death." She wanted to begin again where people knew her as an excellent surgeon, and nothing more. He knew that this was what was best for her; in his heart all he wanted was for her to be happy.

The car honked from outside, startling the couple as Cristina slowly stood up, releasing her hand from his grip. He still sat on the floor, so broken in the moment, watching her grab her suitcase and purse, and run her fingers through her hair. How he wanted to run his fingers through her hair, but he resisted.

"I guess this is goodbye," she stated slowly, turning the knob to the front door.

"Kickass in Mayo," he smiled, "I'll miss you."


The car ride was quiet, Meredith focused on the road, surprised she even made it out of the bed to drive her person to her new life. Her heart ached as the people that were supposed to be her family disappeared left and right, even Derek was in a crappy mood all the time.

"So will I be seeing you in Boston?" Cristina broke the tension, smiling softly.

"I don't think so," Meredith replied, "Brigham understands with everything that happened I need time, but if Derek can't operate then the position at Harvard may be repealed, in which case he'll go crazy."

"How is he?" she looked concerned, "How's the hand?"

"The hand's getting better, but his attitude not so much," she responded, "I mean he's trying to be there for me with everything that's happened, but I can just tell that smile plastered on his face is out of pity, even around Zola, he's not happy."

"Can you really expect him to be?" Cristina retorted, "if I lost my hand.. I don't know what I'd do with my life."

"But life isn't just surgery, it's so much more then that," Mer countered, "he has me and Zola, he has his mother, he has so much love."

"It's not the same thing," Cristina stated, "love and happiness are not the same thing." Meredith wanted to roll her eyes and tell Cristina that all she wanted was to stop driving the car and turn back toward the hospital, how much she wanted everything to go back to how it was. She wanted to cry and scream and tell her how hard it was so watch her best friend leave her life, and how hard it was to see her not even sad about it.

"We're here," Mer's voice cracked, but she tried to cover it, "sorry I have a cold."

"No you don't," she smiled, both getting out of the car, "don't go all weepy on me."

"I won't, I won't," Mer reassured her, wiping her tears swiftly, "this isn't goodbye, we're going to visit each other."

"Of course," Cristina pulled her bag out of the back of the car, "and you and Derek will be happy, I know it."

"I'm going to miss you, so much," her voice still uneasy, "I think this constitutes hugging."

"I think so, too," Cristina wrapped her arms around Meredith, "tell my godchild I love her very much."

"She knows," Mer responded, "if you don't call me I will hunt you down and drag you back here."

"Oh Meredith," Cristina broke away, staring straight into her best friend, her own eyes slowly beginning to water, "I swear to God you better not make me cry."

"I'm sorry," Mer looked away for a moment, trying to focus on how good this was going to be for Cristina, how straying away from this life of forebodings is going to be so good.

"You're still my person," Cristina added, "you'll always be my person."

sorry it's been so long and sorry that was so short, I got sick and I have finals I'll try to update again this weekend, but only if yall review! I wanna know what direction people want this to go in :))))