Awkward silence hung in the air as he set his things down. She walked further in the house and glanced around. It looked exactly the same as it always had. A small smile kept across her lips as she walked to the mantle. The picture of her mother and one of her as a little kid still sat there. She picked up the last picture. It was taken not long after Meredith and Alex started dating. She remembered that day perfectly.

"Can you believe it?" Izzie chirped as they walked out of the hospital. It was late in the evening, and the sun was just starting to set. The clouds were pink and purple. "We are second year residents!"

"Meredith!" Richard called running after her. She turned to face him.

"Yeah Dad?"

"I need a picture!"

They all groaned. "Seriously, Dad. I'm not three." She rolled her eyes.

"No, but you are my daughter." He chuckled. "And the board wants a picture for a magazine or newspaper or whatever."

"Fine." She groaned.

Alex pulled her into his arms by her waist. She giggled and kissed his cheek. Christina rolled her eyes and moved into the picture. Izzie got one of her bubbly smiles on her face as she and George moved in beside them. Alex rested his head on Meredith shoulder.

"Smile." He smiled. They all smiled as he snapped the picture. "Thank you guys."

"I remember that day." He said coming up behind her.

She smiled to herself. "Yeah, me too."

"Want a drink?" He asked disappearing into the kitchen.

"No, I'm fine." She returned the picture to its spot and sat down on the couch. He eventually returned with a beer in his hands.

The silence returned as he got comfortable in one of the chairs. "So we need to talk?" He said after about five minutes.

She looked at the ground and nodded but said nothing. After fidgeting in her seat for awhile, she looked at him unsure where to start. His face stayed unchanged.

"Alex, I… I honestly don't know what to say." She said.

He tensed up a little and sipped his beer, but didn't say anything for a while. She felt like a five year who broke her mother's vase and was getting the silent 'look what you did' stare.

"What do I have to say to make this better?" She asked as tears welled in her eyes.

"Just tell me why? I've spent years wonder why." His voice was a little cold, but she understood why it would be.

"I needed to get away." She answered honestly.

"From me?" He nearly yelled. "I thought we were okay. I thought you loved me." He felt like a little girly but didn't care.

Tears raced down her cheeks. "I do."

He ignored that she said 'do' instead of 'did.' "You've got a funny way of showing it." He was now pacing the room. There she was sitting in front of him, and he didn't know what he should feel. He felt the love that he had for her still there, but he also felt anger.

"Ale, you have to understand…"

"Then maybe you should explain it, because it's all kind of fuzzy. One minute you were there, then you were gone." He yelled.

She opened her mouth to say something, but her phone cut her off. She removed her tearful eyes way from him long enough to find her phone in her bag sitting beside her.

"Hello?" She answered as she sniffled trying to keep her tears at bay.

"Meredith." George's voice came.

"George, I can't talk now. I'm…"

"Madi's awake. She's looking for you."

She looked at her watch. "She shouldn't be awake until tomorrow."

"She really wants you, Mer."

"Alright, I'll be right there." She stood up drying her eyes and hung up. "I have to go."

"Meredith." His voice had softened greatly. He was worried she'd leave for good again. Sure, he was mad, but if she left again then there would be no hope. And he really needed hope. Even after all those years, he still held out hope for them.

"Madi… She's… I really have to go." She walked to the door, but he grabbed her wrist. She turned to look at him. "I'll be back." He could hear the promise in her voice, and even though it was probably stupid, he trusted her and let go off her wrist. She gave him one last apologetic glance and walked out.