Thank you all for the reviews as always. Your continued enthusiasm for this story always makes me happy!

It's been a hellishly busy week at work, making my mind a mush by the end of the day so I'm surprised I even have a chapter to post for you today. As for this one, I'm not going to dwell lots on the arrest aspects, since this isn't a police drama after all. I know you're more interested in MerDer (murder, ha), and their relationship, so I hope you'll enjoy this chapter. Will they be sharing with secrets with each other yet, or continue the 'art of deception'...?

Chapter 11
Don't Let Go

You get my senses running wild
I can 't resist your sweet, sweet smile
So take this feeling 'n make it grow
Never let it - never let it go

Song lyrics from "Don't Let Go" by Sarah McLachlan w/ Bryan Adams.

Meredith was rooted to the spot, watching the flashing lights disappear into traffic. "What the hell just happened?" she murmured, taken aback by sight of Derek taken away in handcuffs. Behind her, a small crowd had gathered, and she was aware of someone standing beside her.

"Well, I can see I should have come earlier."

She looked at the man who had spoken. He was tall and distinguished looking, wearing a dark suit and tie. "What are you talking about?"

"I meant to speak with Derek tonight, but I was unavoidably detained."

"Are you a friend of his?"

"Yes, one of his oldest friends. Allow me to introduce myself. Richard Webber," he said, holding out his hand.

"Meredith Grey."

"Ah, yes, Derek's mentioned you," Richard said, his eyes knowing.

"Oh really? He hasn't mentioned you," Meredith countered. "They've arrested him for his brother's murder. Do you think he's capable of that?"

"Knowing him and Gareth as long as I have, I would say no. The two of them were never close, but Derek has always been level-headed. Killing someone is just not in his nature."

Meredith took a steadying breath. "I just don't know what to say right now. Hunt just swooped in here and carted Derek away so fast."

Richard offered her his arm. "Come inside and have a drink, you look like you need one right now. I assure you that Derek is able to take care of himself, and he will have his lawyer on the case immediately."

"A drink might be a good idea," she agreed, letting him clear a path through the still chattering group. By the time they reached the main ballroom, she could tell that the news had traveled quickly. Mark spotted her, and quickly joined them at the bar, glancing at Richard curiously. Meredith made the introductions, accepting the glass of champagne Richard handed her.

"I just heard what happened, you look white as a ghost," Mark said. "It must have been a shock."

"You have no idea. Hunt's convinced he has the evidence to arrest Derek. I can't believe it."

"You know you need to write this piece, Grey. You were right there, and you've covered everything about it so far, don't back away now."

"Mark..."

"It's your job, Grey; don't lose sight of that fact."

"Of course, it just seems wrong." Meredith could still see the haunted look in Derek's eyes, and it felt like a betrayal to tell the world what just happened. Especially after he'd kissed her and seemed to be on the brink of telling her how he felt about her.

"Ms Grey, I'm sure you can do the right thing here," Richard spoke up. "Perhaps it's a better thing for you to write the article given your relationship to Derek. Someone else might do a far more damaging report than you."

"Exactly!" Mark agreed, checking his watch. "And if you hurry, you can get it done in time for the morning edition. Too bad we don't have photos. Why didn't you think of pulling out your phone...?"

Meredith gulped the last of her drink before thrusting the glass into Mark's hand. "Insensitive ass!" she snapped before looking at Richard. "It was nice to meet you, and I'm sorry we didn't have time to talk longer, but my boss here is a slave driver."

"I understand, and I hope we can meet again under better circumstances."

Before Meredith could make her escape, Anya came up beside Mark and tucked her hand in the crook of his arm. "Are we ready to leave now?"

"Seriously, Mark?" Meredith felt her eyes rolling so back in her sockets she was sure there would be permanent damage.

"Hey, she needs a ride home, and I offered my services," Mark said with a wink. "And you have work to do..."

"Well, don't let me stop you then."

Derek looked up as the door to the interrogation room swung open. Hunt stepped into the room, carrying a sheaf of papers and a coffee cup. Setting these down, he took a chair opposite Derek and shuffled the papers for a moment. Derek sat back in his own chair, crossed his arms over his chest and plastered on his best expression of bored arrogance despite feeling disheveled and tired. He was not going to say a word, no matter how long Hunt dragged out the silence. Finally Hunt sighed, and slapped the papers back into a pile.

"You must be curious why I brought you in here. We found Gareth's car, abandoned in a parking lot at the marina. In the course of our search, we found physical evidence that places you there."

"It was my brother's car, what do you expect?"

"True, but I don't imagine you spent much time in it, considering it was an old Toyota Corolla. Not exactly your kind of luxury vehicle."

Derek frowned, trying to remember if he ever had spent time in Gareth's car lately. He had to admit, he couldn't recall anything, but he made sure not to betray his thoughts. He shrugged negligently. "I'm sure you think the worst of me, Hunt. I don't blame you, the evidence is starting to look grim. But I didn't kill my brother."

"And of course, he didn't borrow your cufflinks?"

"What?" Hunt tossed a plastic bag across the table, and Derek groaned inwardly, recognizing his missing cufflink. "Where did you find that?"

"Under the driver's seat, I assume it's yours? We've got the fingerprint report, so don't lie."

Before Derek could say another word, the door opened, and he looked up into Addison's green eyes. Beside her stood another man, with short cropped hair, and a confident set to his shoulders. "Don't say another word. Hunt, you know better than to question Mr. Shepherd without his lawyer present." The other man set his briefcase down and glared at Hunt.

"Karev," Hunt glared back. "I should have known you would be showing up."

"Derek, I had to call in someone else," Addison spoke up. "Alex is our best criminal attorney, he's got more experience in this sort of thing than I do."

"And as your attorney, I'm telling you to keep quiet," Alex said. "Hunt, your evidence is flimsy at best, laughable at worst. You really can't expect to hold my client with this." He looked dismissively at the arrest papers, and the cufflink still on the table. "I need to review everything in detail, and until such time..."

"I can expect to keep him here for questioning. You can't deny me that."

Alex pulled up a chair to the table and grinned at Hunt. "Are you charging him? I trust you read him his rights."

"We haven't formally booked him," Hunt admitted. "But if he's innocent, then he can tell me why his cufflink was in his brother's car."

"I need some time to confer with Mr. Shepherd, alone."

"Fine." Hunt stood up. "I'll be back in ten minutes. Are you staying?" He looked at Addison, who nodded.

"I'm his business attorney," she explained.

Once the door closed, Alex took out his pen and legal pad of paper. "Now, tell me everything," he said, looking at Derek. "Addi tells me you think someone is trying to frame you for this. I don't know about that, but I want all the information you can give me so that there aren't any surprises down the road. Is that clear?"

"Very clear," Derek agreed, wondering just how much he was going to be able to tell Alex. Or what would get him in the least trouble...

Meredith rubbed the back of her neck tiredly, and closed her eyes. She had just finished writing the article about Derek's arrest and sent it off to the copy editor. Mark had phoned to make sure the edition was held for her story. He was almost too gleeful about getting the scoop on the arrest. She was surprised he was even thinking about anything besides taking Anya home.

But it was done, and she'd tried to put a more positive spin on it, but really what could she say? People had seen Derek unceremoniously led away, after all. She wondered how he was doing, and when she would hear from him again.

For now, she pushed away from her desk, and left the nearly deserted office. All she wanted was to get home, kick off her shoes and take a nice long bath. It had been a hellishly long day, from the high point of being with Derek in the early morning to now. She waved at a couple of other staff still at their desks, before taking the elevator down to the main level. The guard at the front desk unlocked the front door for her.

"Good night, Ms Grey. You okay to get to your car okay?"

"Fine, Stefan. It's close to the door. You can watch me if it makes you feel better."

"If you say so."

"I have my keys in my hand."

She stepped outside, where a persistent drizzle had started. "Damn rain," she muttered, just about to unlock her car when someone grabbed her arm and pulled her backwards, away from the lights. Her heart kicked into overdrive and she struggled to free herself, just as a strong hand was clapped over her mouth. All of her self-defense lessons seemed to desert her as sudden panic took over.

"Just keep quiet, all right? I'm not going to hurt you, just listen…" The voice that hissed in her ear was pitched low and she couldn't tell for sure if it was a male or female. The only clear thing was that the person was tall and strong.

Meredith nodded, wondering if Stefan was still at the door.

"Good. I thought you were a smart woman, but you were acting a little foolish tonight, dancing with Derek like that. People might get the wrong idea; you know how gossip spreads. Now he's been arrested, and I can give you some exclusive details about his past for that paper of yours; all you have to do is keep quiet about this little meeting."

For a second, the hand was removed from her mouth. "I don't understand," she murmured. She realized that whoever this was had been watching them at the ball, and that sent a shiver down her spine.

"Just listen, he has something that I want. I've asked him nicely to hand it over, but he seems to be rather stubborn about that. Maybe a night in jail will make him hand it over, but more exposure in the paper will add to his misery."

"You left that photo in my mailbox, didn't you?"

"Very good, Ms Grey."

"Why are you so intent on destroying him?"

"That's a story for another day. Do we have a deal for now?"

"What if I say no?" Meredith hedged, and then winced at the grip that tightened on her arm.

"Then you'll be sorry." The voice in her ear hissed. "You don't want to be sorry. Bad things happen when people say no to me. Don't disappoint me, Ms Grey, tell me we have a deal."

The knot of fear in her stomach intensified, and she managed to nod quickly.

"Good."

The hands keeping her upright released her quickly, and she pitched forward, clutching at the side of the car for balance. She managed to gather herself sufficiently to get inside the car. Her hands were shaking, and she looked over to the front of the office building. Stefan was a few feet away from the door now, cell phone to his ear, having missed the whole exchange.

By the time Meredith pulled into her driveway, she had calmed down somewhat but she still felt a little shaky. Before she got out of the car, she grabbed her cellphone and called Cristina. "Hey, it's me."

"Mer, what's up? You sound a little weird."

"You have no idea. I just need to keep talking to you while I go inside my house."

"What?"

As Meredith walked, she gave her friend the outline of what happened. "It's crazy, I don't know what to think," she said, keeping an eye on the bushes warily. "Derek's involved in something really big."

"So talk to him, find out what his side of this is."

"That makes sense I guess."

"Or run like crazy in the opposite direction and tell the cops."

"That isn't helpful. And I'm going to give Mark a piece of my mind tomorrow. If he hadn't been consumed with lust over Anya, he would've been at the office," Meredith ranted, stepping into her house. "So much for protecting me!"

"You lost me, Mer."

"Oh, he was hustling Derek's ex-girlfriend tonight. They're probably in post-coital bliss somewhere right about now."

"Seriously? Here I thought he was consumed with lust for me," Cristina laughed. "At least he's always coming on to me every time he sees me at Joe's."

"Trust me; you're better off without him," Meredith replied. She flipped on the lights, and everything looked serene and quiet, just as she'd left it earlier. "Okay, I'm inside and there's no one lurking around. I think I'm safe."

"You sure? I can come over and bring the tequila."

"I'm fine, really. I just want a nice hot bath and then sleep. I can figure out this thing with Derek in the morning."

"Okay. Just be careful."

"I will."

Meredith ended the call and turned around to lock the front door, when it eased open slowly. She nearly screamed, finding herself face to face with Derek who looked at her in concern.

"Meredith, what's wrong? You look absolutely terrified," he said gently. "Did I surprise you that much? I meant to knock, but the door was ajar..."

"No, no...what are you doing here? I thought you were locked up?" she demanded, trying to regain her thoughts.

"My lawyer worked his magic, and managed to have me released. I wasn't formally charged yet, thank god," Derek explained, running a hand through his hair. He looked rumpled and exhausted, hardly his usual urbane self. His tie was gone, his shirt was open at the throat, and he had smudges of dirt on his previously immaculate tux. "Can I come in?"

"Oh god, yes..." Meredith stepped back so that he was able to join her, closing the door behind him. "I just got home, I had to write the piece about the arrest. I'm sorry, I tried to get out of it, I mean, I'm sure you'll hate me for it...but Mark insisted...and then he and Anya..."

"Shhh..." Derek pulled her against him, his eyes dark and unreadable in the dim light of her foyer. There was intent in the way he moved against her, toying with the strands of her hair. "I don't care about the article, or what Sloan said or did. He's welcome to Anya if he thinks he can handle her demands. Are you going to tell me what scared you?" he asked, lowering his head to press his lips along her collarbone. "I can feel your pulse still going like mad…"

Meredith closed her eyes, her thoughts scattered. If her pulse was jumping at the moment, it had nothing to do with the mysterious assailant. It had more to do with Derek's arm around her, his mouth on her skin, and the scent of him wrapping around her. She hated to admit it, but she felt safe with him. She tipped her head back, and his mouth moved lower, along the edge of her dress where it dipped low to hug the curve of her breasts. "Let's not talk right now, okay?" she whispered. It was easier to just float on the way she felt at the moment, and forget about everything else.

"If you're sure," he replied, pressing her back against the wall.

"Very sure." Meredith wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer. She could feel every muscular inch of him against her, intimate and arousing. His mouth covered hers then, and his tongue assaulted hers, demanding response, needing a response. A response she gave willingly; there was something so edgy and dangerous about being with him, she couldn't deny how much she wanted him.

When he lifted his head, she took his hand. "Come on, it's been a long day and I'm not doing this here. I don't know about you, but I need a bath, and a drink, maybe not in that order."

"Whatever you have in mind sounds good to me."

Meredith smiled at him, leading the way towards her bedroom. They were barely inside the room, when he lifted her up and carried her towards the bed. Setting her down, his hands moved up beneath her skirt, sending delicious shivers along her spine. He stroked her expertly, just as he slipped his mouth over one erect nipple, bared as her dress slipped away from her chest. Her whole body clenched in pleasure, as all rational thought fled. All she wanted was this man, inside of her, giving her all the pleasure she craved. By then, his fingers had found the edge of the wispy silk thong she wore, and teased it away from her so that he brushed her wet cleft with familiar strokes. All she could do was gasp and arch her back, hungering for more.

She whimpered as he slid his finger then along the inside of her thighs, and up into her wet waiting warmth. Her breath was taken away for a moment and she spread her legs wider to let him find more of what he was searching for. His head lowered, and his teeth grazed the skin of her thigh, before sliding his tongue deep into her, fingers still at her clit, making her writhe and pant. The pleasure rushed through her, and she lost herself in the climax that was taking her over. "Oh God, Derek…. now….now… oh god, now….." she urged, bucking into him.

Derek let her go slowly, giving her a seductive smile. "Now? I thought you said something about a bath..." he teased, but obliged her by undoing his pants. Within moments he was pressing the tip of his cock against her softness, rubbing along her, sending more jolts of heat through her. Unable to hold back, he pushed into her, and she pulled him in eagerly. They moved together in rhythm, faster and deeper, skin to skin, while he kissed her. She swore he was nearly growling with satisfaction, and she felt like purring in response as the orgasm slammed through them.

For a few moments, they lay tangled together, breathing heavily. "We didn't get too far, did we?" she asked.

"I'm not sure I can move," he mumbled against her throat. "I really just planned on coming here to talk to you, finish our conversation..."

"I'm glad you're here." Meredith sat up slowly, surveying the tangle of half removed clothing. "I still say, bath first, talk later...okay?" She didn't feel like giving up the feeling of contentment just yet. "Stay there, let me get things organized." She slipped away, stepping out of her dress as she walked towards the bathroom. Glancing over her shoulder at him, she found his presence in her bed strangely comforting. Amidst the pillows and rumpled bedding, he looked content to watch her as she moved around the room to gather her robe and some candles to take to the tub.

She hummed softly to herself, as she started the water running, adding some lavender and vanilla scented bubble bath. It wasn't long before the air was scented and damp, and she had a bottle of wine and two glasses sitting on the counter. She turned to call Derek, and found herself face to face with him, his clothes now stripped off. "Oh, hey..." she laughed softly, as he pulled her robe open and slid his arms around her.

She shifted against him, feeling the hot throb of his cock against her leg, and she moaned softly. The sound was low and wanting, and he got caught up in her wanting. His arm slid around her hips, lifting her to him, as he pressed close to her, feeling the wet warmth of her waiting for him. "We better get into that tub now, or it'll get cold," he whispered against her ear. "I'd hate to waste it after you've created such a calming atmosphere."

"I'm afraid the wine isn't exactly the vintage you're used to."

"Honey, I haven't always been the suave charming restaurant owner," he said, raising his eyebrow. "Whatever you have is fine."

Meredith wondered briefly if he was going to say anything else about his past, but he took her hand and helped her into the frothy tub. She watched as he poured them each a glass of wine, and then settled in behind her. With a small sigh, she relaxed against him, and took a welcome swallow of wine. "Oh, this is much better…"

Derek slid his arm around her, stroking her lightly under the water as he took a few swallows of his own drink. It felt miles removed from being at the police station, and he was thankful she hadn't turned him away. He leaned in closer, and kissed the lobe of her ear. "Now, we never did finish that conversation we started before everything went to hell," he whispered.

"Oh, the one about jealousy?"

"Yes, and how everything with you is different. I can't explain it, but I hope we have the time to explore what it means. You make me feel things I don't normally let myself feel, and I don't want to let you go. And believe me, I have never said anything like this to another woman. It feels like everything in my life is shifting, and I need to find my focus again."

"And you think I can help you find that focus?" Meredith tipped her head back to look up at him. "Then you have to be able to confide in me."

"There is so much I can't tell you right now, Meredith," he sighed, as his hand continued to stroke her skin. "Can you tell me what you were so scared about before?"

Meredith hesitated, tucking a strand of loose hair behind her ear before answering. "There's someone very interested in you, and is willing to give me some details about your past in order to get what he or she wants. I was going to my car in the parking lot at work, and someone grabbed me, told me you have something of theirs and that you need to be pushed to give it back."

She felt Derek go very still, and she turned her head to look at him. "What? Are you hurt? Damnit, you shouldn't be part of this," he said hotly.

"I'm already part of this, whether you want it or not," she pointed out. "I found a picture in my mailbox of us taken at Gareth's funeral, and whoever this person is saw us at the ball tonight. What's going on, Derek?"

He inhaled sharply, before running his free hand through his hair, dampening the already messy curls. For the second time that night, he had to decide how many of his secrets to share...