"I just have go sign this discharge, then I'm off" Meredith stood and stretched her arms.

She was relieved her shift was ending not only because she felt so tired, but also because she knew her husband needed her.

"Okay" Derek mumbled.

"Derek you need to find Lily" She said.

Derek shook his head.

"Lily is the last thing on my mind" He replied, looking up to meet Meredith's concerned eyes.

"Hmmm hmm, you keep telling yourself that and you just might fall for it… I know it's your Dad and the fight with Lily bothering you" She said as her pager beeped.

"I gotta go honey" She said, kissing both her boys and spinning on her heel.

"Lobby in 15 minutes" She called over her shoulders.

Derek looked at the sleeping Thomas and thought how lucky he was.

No concerns, no worries… no sisters. All he needed to consider was when he'd get his diaper changed and his next bottle… and not necessarily in that order.

"Penny for your thoughts"

Derek looked up to see Addison standing in the lounge area doorway.

He half smiled.

"I saw Lily"

"Oh yeah" Derek stood up and began to hook Thomas's diaper bag on his stroller.

"And what sob story did she spin for you… the benefits of having a writer for a sister is the great stories" Derek said, a little too calmly.

"Derek, you can't be someone's savior all their life and then suddenly pull out their safety net…. It's not fair"
"Addie" Derek looked at her.

"Tell me how this is any of your business" His eyes were cold and Addie took a second to recover from the sting in his voice.

"Ahhh there's the Derek I know, lashing out to anyone who tries to help when his down… perhaps you'd prefer I kick you rather than help you up…. But that's more your style" She retorted.

The two stood and stared at each other for a moment.

"No I'd prefer you leave me alone" Derek started to leave and Addie sighed.

"And wasn't it you who always told me I did too much for her… I had to let her fend for herself… because I'm sure it was Addie, it was one of our issues… one of the many" Derek stopped to look at her.
"That's right Derek, get nasty, you'll feel better" Addison crossed her arms and rolled her eyes at Derek's antics. Why was it that men always had to fight dirty, she wandered.

"I'm just saying Addison you should be happy – this is me admitting you were right… I'm sick of looking out for Lily"

"I never said you needed to bail on her… it's called baby steps Derek, not just a flying leap where someone whose world has been devastated… as yours and her has… is suddenly left alone" Addison argued back.

"Stay out of it Addison" Derek didn't like what she was saying.

"Fine! This is me…. Staying out of it" She turned around and started to walk away, pausing as an after thought.

"Lily is leaving… she's flying out today… make amends" Addison finished before walking away again.

Meredith could see Derek as soon as she exited the elevator. He always sat on the same seat in the Lobby, one of his strange habits.

He was on the phone and looked annoyed but his eyes softened when he saw her.

She picked Thomas up from the pram and listed to Derek's conversation.

"That's the earliest flight… ok… ok, thanks I'll call back, I just need to talk to my wife" he said, hanging up.

"New York?" She asked.

He nodded.

"I spoke to Richard and he cleared it… I also said you might come…"

"Of course" She said wanting to be supportive.

"He'll only give you 3 days… so you might have to come home early"

She nodded.

"Have you called Lily?"

"I'll see her in New York" Derek said redialing the airline.

"Thanks Dr. Shepherd" Laura, The Shepherd's Nanny said at the airport. No Matter how many times they insisted she call them by their first name, the polite 20 year old Australian Nanny refused.

"It's respect" She said and they smiled, Amused by her manners.

She gave Thomas a kiss on the cheek at the Airport as Meredith held him.

"Be good for Mommy and Daddy" She said.

"Enjoy your time off Laura, I'll let you know when I'm coming home" Meredith smiled at Laura.

"Safe travels' Laura said before turning and walking back through the crowds.

"Did you call and let them know you were coming?" Meredith asked. It had been a whirlwind to get ready for the flight, Meredith's shift had only ended four and a half hours earlier.

"It'll be a surprise" He replied as his wife yawned.

He leant in and kissed her head, taking Thomas from her arms.

"I'm sorry Baby, you must be exhausted, thanks for coming"
She rolled her eyes.

"Where else would I be?" She asked.

Derek's eyes wandered, Meredith turned to see Lily staring back at Derek. Just then, a Tall rugged man with sandy blond longish hair came up beside her and placed his hand softly on her back, whispering in her ear.

Lily responded and the man looked over to Derek and Meredith.

Derek looked away, Meredith smiled.

Lily waved back slightly to her and then steered the man, obviously her new boyfriend in the opposite direction.

"Ping"

Meredith unlocked her seatbelt as the sign flashed off on the airplane.

She moved the sleeping Thomas to Derek, spinning around to hop up on her knees.

Rather awkwardly Lily and her boyfriend had sat behind them on the plane. Derek had tried to ignore them, placing his headphones on straight away.

"Hi" Meredith popped her head over the seat. Lily, sipping a glass of wine, wiped at her mouth, surprised.

"I'm Meredith" She extended her hand.

"Sam" he smiled warmly, and shook her hand.

He was tanned, with sandy blonde, longish hair. His cheeks dimpled through his day old stubble when he smiled.

"So… what do you do Sam" Meredith tried to fill the silence.

"I'm a lecturer… film and literature" He replied.

"Interesting" Meredith said genuinely.

"That's how you met?" She looked from Sam to lily.

Lily nodded.

"I went in to talk to his class and…"
"And I asked for more than another book signing" He finished her sentence and they shared a smile.

Meredith noticed as he slid his hand to hers and gently squeezed it. She noticed Lily's body language lift as he did.

It was like Meredith faded away, ten Sam looked back to her.

"And you're a surgeon, I've heard a lot about medicine since being with Lily – very impressive"

Meredith smiled.

"Are you staying at your folks?" She looked to Lily.

"No, a hotel… "She said softly.

Meredith smiled at her, knowing the feud with Derek was eating away at her. Their bond was strong and Meredith knew it was troubling the both. But as strong as it was, their pride was stronger and neither would apologize.

"I look forward to getting to know you Sam" Meredith smiled.

"Yeah me too" His mouth curled up into another smile.

Meredith turned back around and sat down. She leant over, lifted Derek's headphones and whispered.

"He seems really nice"

Derek just nodded pretending not to care.

"You have to talk to her" Meredith said, waiting for their bags on the carousel.

"We should share a cab" Derek screwed up his nose.

"Why not ask them to share a ride" Sam said lifting Lily's bag up.

She shook her head, giving him an annoyed look.

"I don't get you two – pig headed is obviously a family trait… maybe we should isolate the gene" Meredith teased, setting up Thomas's stroller.

"So what's the story with you two… you just going to ignore each other"
"Ignorance is bliss" Lily said beginning to walk through the crowd.

"Pig headedness is not becoming" Sam responded.

"I'm sick of bailing her out, is all" Derek said as they began to walk.

"So don't bail her out… but if you ask me she was just looking for some brotherly advice"

"I'm sick of his self righteous, holier than thou attitude" Lily said, dodging a person moving the opposite way.

"So you'll just ignore him?"

"If I'm lucky… I've refined that skill with my sisters"

"if you're not careful you might just ignore them away Lily," Sam replied, and Lily stopped in her tracks and looked at him.

"What does that mean?"

"I just would think with your father sick… you'd be more forgiving" Meredith was frustrated by Derek ignoring her concern.

"What are you trying to say Meredith" He walked a little faster.

"You know what that means Lily" Sam stared back at him. He put out his hand to hers.

"Don't ignore people away" He pulled her in to his arms and embraced her.

"I'm trying to say… maybe it's not Lily that makes you angry… maybe it's actually the situation… the powerlessness of it all" He looked at her sideways, she looked back, then he gave her a small smile, marveling at just how well she knew him.