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Meredith's breath hitched in her throat as Derek gently knocked on the door. She heard some rumbling from the other side and then the door opened revealing a woman in her early sixties with soft brown curls and deep brown eyes.

"Derek!" exclaimed his mother as she engulfed him in a hug. "You're here, you made it. How was the flight?" she asked as she pulled away.

"It was fine, no turbulence, little bit of a rough landing though." eyeing Meredith from the corner of his eyes.

Jane Shepred smiled at her son and turned to Meredith. "And you must be Meredith, it's a pleasure to meet, I've heard about you." as she hugged Meredith, much to Meredith's surprise.

"Only good things I hope." said Meredith nervously.

Jane smiled kindly. "Only wonderful things." she said as she stepped aside. "Come, come in everyone's inside."

Derek gently took Meredith's hand as he led her into the foyer and into the dining room where everyone was.

"Aunt Meredith!" squealed Ava as she ran and hugged Meredith's legs.

"She already calls her aunt." mused Nancy as she sipped the last of the wine in her glass.

"Nice to see you too Nancy." said Derek.

"Hi Ava." said Meredith as she bent down to her level and Ava immediately hugged her.

"Aunt Meredith, you came where I live." said Ava

Meredith laughed slightly. "Right, just like how you came to visit me in Seattle." as she patted the little girls head as she stood up.

"Mere… this is Amy, my youngest sister." said Derek as he indicated to a young woman in a purple cardigan sitting at the end of the table.

"Yeah try having him as an older brother." as she stood up to shake Meredith's hand. "Hi nice to meet you Meredith." she said as she smiled.

"Nice to meet you too." said Meredith as she smiled as best she could, in a nervous situation.

"Very funny Amy." said Derek as they hugged. Amy pulled away and flashed her left hand at him. "Ah so you and Matt finally got engaged. Congratulations." he said as he hugged her again. "Where is he?" said Derek looking around.

"He had to work tonight, but you'll see him tomorrow night for Christmas dinner." she said as she sat back down.

Derek smiled as he moved onto to the only blonde in the room. "My other younger sister Grace, she's only two years apart from me." said Derek as he smiled at his sister.

"Yet he won't let you forget that he's older." said Grace as she shook Meredith's hand and smiled at the younger woman. "How you put up with him all the time, I have no idea."

Meredith giggled. "Well he's a little hard to put up with sometimes." flashing Derek a grin.

Derek smiled slightly. "Obviously you know Kathleen." said Derek. "And Nancy you remember Meredith?" said Derek as he and Meredith sat down in the two empty chairs near his mother.

"How could I forget the whore that stole you from Addison." said Nancy with a smile.

"Nancy!" both Derek and Jane shouted angrily.

Nancy rolled her eyes as she walked into the living room to join the others. Meredith looked at Derek with wide eyes. He squeezed her hand gently as they went into the living room.

"Boy this is going to be a long night." thought Meredith as they walked in together.

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Meredith sighed on the inside as she sat there trying to make conversation. This wasn't even Christmas dinner and she felt like she was going to commit herself. In the last hour or so, Nancy had something negative or rude about her at least five times already, and she really couldn't take it.

"So, Meredith." said Amy breaking Meredith out of her own thoughts. "What year of residency are you in?" she asked.

"I'm almost done with my second year. Next year I pick my specialty." said Meredith.

"What are you going to pick?' asked Jane with a kind smile.

"Um... actually I'm going to go into Neuro." said Meredith. "I just find it fascinating." said Meredith as Derek smiled at her gently.

"I'm sure you do." sighed Nancy as she sipped the coffee from her mug.

"Nancy." warned Derek more sternly, and angry then last time and giving her a death glare with his eyes.

"No seriously Meredith, did you think that if you drove away the wife that'd you'd be his next one?" asked Nancy.

Meredith opened her mouth to protest but nothing came out. "Excuse me." said Meredith getting up and starting for the door.

"Meredith wait." said Derek as he stood up to go after her, when the door shut behind her. He turned around to Nancy. "What the hell was that? Can't you once, just for once be nice? "said Derek as he grabbed his coat and left his family in the living room.

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Meredith shivered as she ran her hands up and down her arms to keep herself warm. In attempt to get out of there quickly, she had forgotten to grab her jacket. The only good thing about visiting Derek's family was that there was a park across the street where she could run and hide when she needed to. God, she was horrible being with any sort of family wasn't she?

"Meredith." said Derek as he sat down next to her on the bench.

Meredith turned to face him. "Go back inside Derek, I' fine." said Meredith as she shivered again.

Derek quickly removed his jacket and placed it around her shoulders. He then wrapped his arms around her rubbing gently to keep her warm. Meredith smiled a small smile gratefully at him. "Your sister hates me Derek." said Meredith quietly.

"Mere, who cares if she does, I don't care if she hates me for never coming home. I can tell you though that my mom loves you already and so do Amy, Grace and Kathleen." said Derek

"Yeah but…" started Meredith as she looked away. " She's apart of your family and she still hates me."

"Meredith. Even if she does, she's going to have to accept that you're my family too. You're going to be for the rest of my life and that's the way I want it." said Derek as he tenderly pulled the coat tighter around her petite body, so she'd stay warm.

Meredith turned back to face him. "Maybe I just should've have never come out here, Christmas time and I have never gotten along quite too well." admitted Meredith, suddenly regretting saying that knowing Derek would ask questions.

Derek looked at her questioningly. "Why have you and Christmas time not gotten along?" asked Derek.

Meredith shook her head as she stood up. "Never mind." She put her hand out. "Come on let's got back inside before someone thinks we left." said Meredith as they both smiled and started to head back.

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Meredith felt herself being shaken ever so slightly; she opened her eyes and blinked away the blurriness. She then regained vision and saw Derek standing outside the taxi with the door open trying to wake her.

"Mere, we're back at the hotel." said Derek.

Meredith slowly got out of the car as Derek gently slid his arm around her waist, to support her, since she was still very groggy. They slowly walked into hotel and onto the elevator; Meredith leaned against Derek's chest as they rode their way up to the twelfth floor. When they got into the room both Derek and Meredith immediately changed into something to sleep in and curled up for a long night's sleep. Or what they thought what was going to be a long night's sleep. Meredith and Derek had been in a deep sleep, until about three am.Meredith jolted out of her sleep, gasping as she sat up trying to remember the dream. She felt hot tears well up in her eyes.

"Mere?" said Derek's sleepily as he sat up and turned the side lamp on. "What's wrong?"

Meredith felt tears come down her face as she tried her hardest not to let her emotions from so long ago, get the best of her.

"Oh Meredith." said Derek as he gently pulled her into his arms as she started to sob. He felt her tears soaking through his tee-shirt as she grabbed fistfuls of his shirt, with her tiny ineffectual fists. He gently stroked her hair in attempt to soothe her. He continued to do this until her breathing became regular again and she was sniffling.

"It happened in October, when I was five." Meredith said suddenly. " He left right before all the holidays started, that's why I hate holidays, personally for me I think their cursed." said Meredith. "He never even said goodbye. Right after that my mom went into this complete workaholic mode. I was home by myself around the holidays a lot. She gave me a small amount of money every year, telling me to buy my own gifts." said Meredith.

Derek sighed as he pressed a kiss to forehead. Meredith rarely cried and when she did you could usually guess it had something to do with her family. How she could still be so strong, it truely amazed Derek.

"You're extroidinary Meredith."