Plane Ride

They had to get up early to be at the airport early. She showered and threw on a pair of black sweatpants and her Stanford sweatshirt. Putting her hair up into a messy ponytail, she headed down to the coffee shop in the lobby and got a cup before meeting her family. She got her luggage out of her room and met her parents and sleeping brother in the lobby. They piled into the back of a taxi while Richard put the luggage in the back.

They pulled up in the drop-off spot at the airport and Richard got the luggage out.

"I'm going to go get more coffee." Meredith yawned.

"We're going to go check in and see if we see the others." Ellis said. Meredith nodded and sleepily walked to the Starbucks.

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After going through security, she spotted the other eleven people waiting in one of the gate waiting area. Most looked to be sleeping or 'resting with their eyes shut.' She sleepily walked over and fell beside her sleeping brother. Letting her eyes shut, she let out a long sigh. Dennis's head fell on her shoulder and she could hear people whispering and talking around her. She tried to block out the sound when she heard them call for their flight. Opening her eye, she took a sip from her coffee before tossing it into a near by trashcan. Standing up, she nodded at her mother indicating she could take Dennis. She carefully picked up his small body.

Each family handed the lady at the ticket check their ticket and boarded the plane.

"You can put him next to me, Mer." Richard said. Meredith nodded and gently laid him down as the others filed into their seats. Ellis sat next to Nina. Carol and Jane sat by each other. Steven and Larry sat next to each other. Richard and Dennis sat together.

Standing up, she looked around at their twelve seats. To see all of them filled except for the one next to Mark. Her shoulders fell and she shut her eyes.

"Somebody trade seats with me." Meredith whispered to four women.

"Meredith, sit down." Ellis ordered.

"Mom, he hates me. I'm not going to sit with someone who will sit there and glare at me."

"Go, Meredith."

"Fine, I'll go back into coach. I'm sure someone would love to sit in first class."

"Meredith Ann Grey, sit your butt down in the seat."

Meredith huffed and glared at her before walking back. Mark wasn't paying attention, because he was talking to Derek. She cleared her throat and she looked at her.

"I need to get by." She said quietly.

"You're sitting here?" He asked moving his legs.

"I know your life sucks. Whatever."

"Whatever. Just don't talk to me." She rolled her eyes putting her head down on the window.

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It was hellish. Plain torture. He would glare at her when she was trying to sleep. She could feel his eyes on her.

"One more hour. Then we'll be there and he'll be at the other house and I won't have to see him or any of the other morons."

At least she wasn't holding the past against them. She was holding the present against the. They had treated her like shit ever since she got back in New York. Putting her head down on the window, she could feel his eyes on her. Mentally going over what Christina had told her, she struggled not to lash out. Blocking the feeling out of her head, she tried to sleep but couldn't. Sitting up, she glanced at him sideways before digging through her carryon bag for her Ipod. Putting the ear buds in her ears, she ignored the feeling of being watched and listened to the music.

About a half an hour later, she was starting to fall asleep when the plane hit a bad patch of turbulence. She struggled to gain balance enough to sit up. Hitting her head against the window, she winced and rubbed it. The pain subsided as the turbulence did and the pilot came on the intercom and apologized for the sudden turbulence. Meredith sighed and looked at her watch.

"Half an hour more." She mumbled to herself.