"Nancy what's going on?" asked Derek seriously. "Is Mark right?"
"I was trying to protect you," said Nancy carefully. "You were married for eleven years you don't know what women like that are capable of…she'll use you…"
"I don't believe you," said Derek. "You lied, you blatantly lied to my face. You let me…Oh my god! What have I done?"
"This is low even for you," Mark growled at Nancy.
"I'm sorry Derek, I really was just looking out for you!"
"Where is she? Mark where is she?" shouted Derek as he grabbed Nancy's car keys from the table.
"She had a cab booked to JFK twenty minutes ago," said Mark.
"Right…when is the next flight to Seattle," said Derek looking around for his cell phone. "I might still be able to make it."
"She's not going to Seattle," said Mark.
"Where is she going?"
"I don't know, she told me she was going to the airport and getting on a plane to the first place that catches her eye," sighed Mark.
"She could be anywhere," shouted Derek.
"We're closer to JFK than the hotel," said Mark. "We could still catch her."
"Come on then, I'm driving," said Derek tearing up the stairs.
"No I'm driving, I think you've proved that you can't be trusted to drive carefully enough," said Mark following him.
"Derek, if there's anything…" started Nancy.
"Just stay the hell away from me," said Derek barely glancing back at her.
-----------------------------------------
"She could be anywhere," gasped Mark as he and Derek ran into the terminal.
"Uh…we just have to look everywhere," said Derek frantically looking around.
"She could be halfway to Mexico by the time we do that," said Mark. "Look at the size of this place."
"Ferry boats," said Derek.
"We're in New York, no damn ferry boats here," said Mark impatiently.
"No over there," said Derek pointing to a wall that had giant ferry boats painted on it. "It's a start."
"She's not here," said Derek frantically looking round under the painting. "It's always ferry boats."
"Maybe she got through security," shrugged Mark.
"I need a ticket," said Derek.
"You don't have your passport," said Mark obviously.
"I have to do something!" said Derek feeling almost hysterical then he spotted her.
He had missed her the first time round, because she didn't look like Meredith. She was standing directly under the painting looking up at it, she was wearing jeans and a hoodie three sizes too big for her, her hair pulled back in a messy ponytail. He sprinted towards her and then stopped abruptly when he could see her face, Mark had been right. Meredith hadn't slept at all the night before, her face was still tearstained in fact she looked on the verge of tears right now. He had broken her heart, he knew it he could see the damage he had done just by looking at her.
"Meredith," he said reaching out for her.
"Go home Derek," said Meredith flatly. "Just go home!"
"Meredith I'm so sorry," he said. "Nancy lied to me…she told me you didn't want to visit me and that you were with men and I…I'm sorry I didn't ask you or…I'm so sorry please don't go."
"I have to go," she said sadly. "This is it Derek, we knew it was our last chance…we didn't make it and it's time to accept that and let go."
"No!" said Derek taking her wrist and yanking her into his embrace. "I screwed up I know that but this isn't the end, it can't be. I love you, I love you too much to just let you fly off…don't do this! I'll make it up to you…I swear…"
"You broke your promise," she said quietly, standing rigidly in his arms.
"I know I hurt you again," he said holding onto to her even tighter.
"You left me…again."
"I'll never leave you again."
"I know you won't," said Meredith. "Because I'm getting on a plane, now!"
"Where are you going? I'll come with you…I'll come after you I don't care where it is…"
"We had our last chance," she whispered tearfully. "We have to give up…you know we do."
"Please don't…" Derek begged as he clung onto her wrist as she tried to walk away. "I love you, I always have."
"I love you too," Meredith whispered as she kissed his cheek. "I always will."
"Then stay."
"I can't," she whispered.
"You can."
She shook her head as the tears fell from her eyes. "It's too late now…I'm sorry."
"Please don't…"
"It's not your fault. Stop blaming yourself," she whispered to him. "You'll move on and be happy…don't live a life of regret, okay?"
"I'll come after you…I'm not going to give up."
"You don't know where I'm going."
"So…I'll hire a private detective…find out what flights are leaving…"
"Dozens of flights leave here every hour," said Meredith.
"You can't do this…"
"I have to," she said. She kissed his cheek and pulled away from him, but Derek held onto her wrist. "Let me go."
"No."
"Please Derek let me go, you have to let me go," Meredith begged unable to stop her tears from freely flowing from her eyes. "Don't make this harder…please let me go…please."
"I love you," he said desperately. "Remember I love you and you can come back anytime."
"I have to go," she whispered.
Derek released her wrist and could only watch helplessly as she passed through airport security and disappeared.