Another crippled title, I'm, sorry.
Yesterday (today for me actually) was Grey's night and they always leave us with cliff-hangers. Damn it!
Back to the story, we are getting to the heart of the story, just be patient a little more. Titled from Evil by Interpol, which I think it had already been used someplace else. Anyway...
Derek's mind this time. Enjoy and review!
Part 9 – Right Will Take You Places, Yeah Maybe to the Beach
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost
J.R.R. Tolkien
I went out to dinner with Meredith. Nothing fancy, just the way she liked. Even if in simple, comfortable clothes, she was stunningly beautiful, a strange glow around her. Maybe it was just Los Angeles' warmth that was messing my thoughts. The whole evening she had been incredibly happy, the hint of tears I spotted when we met in the lobby quickly replaced with wide smiles and her infectious giggle.
We arrived to Amelia's place and we remained pleasantly surprised by the fact that it had a private access to the beach. It wasn't as cold as any mid-spring day in Seattle and it was only March.
"Derek, please, let's take a walk, it's so beautiful"
She lightened up as I took off my shoes and rolled up my trousers, holding out my hand to her. I couldn't say no to such eyes.
"It would be crazy to do this every night, don't you think?"
"Yeah, I like our daily routine better" I admitted
"We should come back someday. You can't miss your godchild growing" she kept up the easy tone of the whole evening. It was natural being around her. "Amy told me you are over the moon"
"Yeah" I half-smiled
"But?" she read me pretty well
"No buts" I looked away and she smiled
"I know you, there's a but"
"I'm worried about her..." I confessed
"I get that you still see her as your little sister. I've seen you two talking when she came to Seattle, but she's a grown woman. She's a mother. She knows better"
"She had so many issues" I trailed off.
"And I didn't? You helped me going straight, Robert will help her" she brushed her fingers down my back.
"I gave you even more issues, Mer" memories of the past years came rushing back, like a tide of guilt
"That's true, but you're the reason why I'm here now" She looked at the ocean, the full moon lighting the entire shore. "Remember when I drowned?"
The sea had never looked so painfully closer. Since that day we never got closer to the shore much before old memories flooded.
"I'll never forget" I know my face darkened and I looked away again, because her hold on my hand tightened. She never talked about the drowning so openly. We have so many things we never talk about.
"I came back for you" she looked back at the water and the memories were vivid for both of us then
"What do you mean?"
"I had a sort of dream, virtual reality, near-death experience or whatever that convinced me to go back to you. I realized I wasn't ready to let go of you and I would have broken you. Remember I told you my mother was dead?"
She woke up asking about her mother, she saw something...
"Yeah. She was in your dream too?"
"She came in the end. She told me I was extraordinary, just like she always asked me: 'be an extraordinary woman, Meredith'. And I did it" she clutched tightly to my arms and started sighing, her eyes welling with tears, so I cradled her in my arms, kissing the top of her head. "I came back for you and you wouldn't breathe for me anymore. You wanted a house, and kids and grew old with me, die in my arms at one hundred and ten and I chickened, because I realized I wanted the same things and now we can have it Derek. We're living in that..."
She was doing the talking, she was trying to tell me things and I was glad for it, despite the weird tears out of nowhere and the constant rambling.
"I know. Our home is almost ready, there are just the furniture missing..."
"I miss my Mom" she sighed again, cutting me off and nuzzling her face in my chest. I couldn't understand where did the sentence came from, maybe her personal train of thoughts. Despite everything, she loved Ellis Grey so unconditionally. I brushed her hair tenderly, tracing soft lines down her back.
"I miss my Dad too sometimes, it's ok. You're even more extraordinary for that" I tried to say something back
"She would have loved you, my Mom"
"Even if I yelled in her face?"
If I knew what was going to happen, I might have walked away. Or maybe not.
"Especially because you yelled in her face. That's the most I've ever loved her before she died. I can't believe I did this to my mother" her face disappeared again on my chest, silent tears tracing their paths on her cheeks
"Hey, hey, hey," I lifted up her chin to level our gazes, looking deeply into her glistening eyes in the dim light "you didn't do anything wrong. You two just couldn't find a way to get along. I'm sure if things would have been different, you would have loved each other in the best way possible" I tried to reassure her
"You mean if Richard stayed with us?"
"Maybe. I can't say that. But something good is still here if you keep loving her and missing her. I'm sure she's proud of you" I would have. I am.
"She never liked whiney Meredith" stammered, wiping away some tears "but maybe she is" she leaned to me again, quiet this time, her sobs soothed and I trailed my fingers through her hair again, down to her back and she shivered.
"Is it too cold?"
"No it's just you" she smiled, tilting up her head to kiss me "Thank you. I just had a meltdown, It's been a long day, I'm sorry."
"We're even with my Christmas' one" I grinned
She kissed my lips again, then grabbed back my hand and kept walking
"I'm sorry I never told you this things before" her eyes still gazing the water
"It's fine. I don't talk about my issues either"
"You should. It feels better"
"I know. I will" she squeezed my hand
"No rush"
The rhythmical sound of the waves kept us company, avoiding silence, filling the walk with peace. We really needed some time for ourselves, escaping the hectic rhythms of the hospital
"Are you ok?" I asked, even if I didn't expected any kind of complicated answer
"Kind of. I'm ok as long as you're around"
"I'm not planning on going anywhere" I smirked and her eyes sparkled. She just needed reminding sometime, especially after long, stressful days.
"I know. I really thought you would die when you got shot" she whispered, her hand grasping mine and holding on to it for dear life for a couple of steps
"Me too. But I couldn't leave you alone, I promised" I leaned in to kiss her temple
"I wasn't. In that moment I wasn't" her hold on my hand tightened again, her body leaning to my chest
"I couldn't leave anyway"
"I'm glad you're here, even if our baby is not" our gazes locked and I saw grief and sadness flicker through hers for a second
"If protecting our baby would get me killed, then I will. Or you. I will always protect you. That's what my father taught me to do."
She stopped in the middle of the beach to hug me tightly, nuzzling her head on my chest and placing her feet to stand between mine, her body flushed close, her warmth radiating to my skin.
"He would be proud of you" she mumbled, her breath tickling my chest, after my admission. I couldn't talk about my father just yet.
"Yeah, he would"
I trailed my fingers along her back, brushing her hair softly, the marine breeze mixing to her peculiar lavender smell. She smelled so differently than home.
We let go of the hug, walking quietly for a while, letting the sound of the waves fill our silent conversation, our hands still intertwined.
"The building company will place the hardwood floors next week" I radically changed subject, reminding only then my morning phone call to the architect.
"Seriously?" she looked up at me, wide-eyed. A twinkle flickered into her eyes, shimmering with tears.
"We can move in soon. Early April probably..."
"Oh my God" she stopped walking facing me with an amazing smile "We built our home Derek"
"Yes we did" I grinned back
"With a porch, French doors, a wall-wide window and kids room"
"Exactly"
"Are we crazy?" her smile had never been wider
"No, we're extraordinary"
She laughed, then kissed me and I felt her joy on my skin, her soft hands trailing on my back, under my sweater. Happy tears filled our eyes.
"Mer" I grinned, her heat flushing again against my skin, contrasting with the light breeze. She deepened her kiss, her fingers tangled in my locks.
"Don't tell me it doesn't feel like college to you right now" she grinned with lust when she pulled away
"Dirty mind"
"I was a dirty young lady" her laugh filled the beach and I couldn't look anywhere else, her beautiful curves daring to be touched, her honey hair dancing with the breeze and her happiness.
"You were the dirty girl at every beach party, uh?" I teased
"Yeah. Me and tequila, good team. Maybe we even met, I used to come to the Hampton"
"How do you know I had a beach house at the Hampton?"
"You're from Manhattan" she smirked
"And?"
"Does people from Manhattan like skinny dipping?"
I laughed at her suggestion, she giggled with me, her features softening with joy, then kissed me again.
"It's midnight and it's cold" I faked an excuse, I would have given everything to do that with her.
"Please. I've always wanted to do that..."
"Swim in the ocean in winter?"
She nodded and I couldn't help but laugh again.
"Please. It's almost spring..." she added the puppy dog's eyes too, so I just zipped off her hoodie and she took off my sweater. I tickled her ribs and she wiggled away, yelping like a little girl and we started chasing each other. In a few moments we were in the water, strangely warmer than expected, thanks to the previous sunny day. I wrapped my arms around her as we kept on laughing histerically.
"I love you" she smirked when our laughs became just smiles, before kissing me passionately and tightening our hug. Her laugh filled the endless sea again and I felt complete once more.
The following morning I woke up with the piercing smell of lavender and salt, jumping back immediately to the night before. I looked at the alarm and it clearly showed that it was late. Meredith was beautifully lying next to me, her hair scattered freely on the pillow right near my nose, hence the lavender, her bare breasts peacefully moving after a long, tiring night full of us. It was so unfair to wake her, but we had to go back to the hospital to see Amelia and save her from Mom. I trailed my finger through her messy hair, then down her back, coming back up to her cheek before brushing softly her lips with mine in a soft kiss. She slightly groaned, mumbling something undecipherable, that sounded a lot like "Sleep, please...". I pecked her lips again, but this time she kissed me back then uttered "Good morning", her eyelids fluttering open
"It is a good morning" I greeted, marveling at the sight of her in all her naked glory. She's breathtaking this morning.
"It's sunny! If we haven't built a house just yet I'd ask you to move here" she giggled, waggling out of the warm sheets to shower, her hips swaying seductively as she walked to the bathroom.
"I'm showering alone or we'd be late" she shouted, closing the door behind her and made me laugh.
We went to the hospital without breakfast, hoping to grab an early lunch with my mother. She was already in the room when we arrived, hovering over Amy, her brand new grandson gently held in her arms, a sincere smile on her face.
"Mom" I asked hesitantly. She tilted up her head briefly, rewarding me with her best smile, all the life-threatening words somehow magically disappeared. I realized I missed her so much in those months after Christmas.
"Derek, Meredith, it's so nice to see you..."
Meredith smiled, and I waited for some kind of outburst, maybe she was hiding something.
"I'm still here, Mom didn't bite" teased Amelia. She looked genuinely happy.
"Mom, I know is kind of rude to ask, but..." my face surely puzzled
"I know what you're about to ask and yes, Amelia and I are pretty fine. We talked and she explained everything. We are good. I'm even staying here for a while"
"A long while, she said" Amy's good mood was something I didn't considered in my morning. I didn't considered swimming in the Pacific at night either.
"How's my godson today?" I eased the tension
"He had an exciting meeting with his Granny, but he seems pretty ok with it"
"I think so. Sorry we came so late but we don't get many days off to sleep in"
"I know. LA nightlife is pretty exhausting" we all laughed
"So you're good if we leave a little bit earlier, right?"
"Why? Don't you have the week off?" Amy seemed a bit disappointed
"Just three days, but I had an important patient scheduled for tomorrow"
"Work over sister and baby?" teased
"If you want me to" I grinned and she laughed
"Yeah, go, get your Neurogod-ego boosted. And if it's cool give a chance to Meredith to scrub in"
"Thank you, finally some Neuro fellow who considers me. I'm seriously thinking about moving here" Meredith laughed in the most beautiful way "It's a shame we have just built a house, uh Derek?" she slapped tenderly my forearm
"Really?" Both Amy and Mom were surprised. She nodded, grinning.
"We're moving in a few weeks"
"That's great! I might come around soon then, you have to show me something more than just grass and water as last time" threatened Mom
"I just put up walls. The rest is all Meredith"
"Derek, you helped with painting and pipes and other boyish stuff I can't even recall, it's not just walls..." I smiled at her humbleness.
She was right, it was home. She did all the work. She chose floors, curtains, paint, furniture, even the bathroom. I just agreed on everything.
"I'm glad she did. I hope you have better taste on furniture than on clothes when you were five" my Mom teased, reminding blackmailing episodes of my childhood and made everybody laugh. Robert was the only one unhappy and started crying to be fed, so we left Amy alone with him to grab some lunch and enjoy the last few hours away from the routine.
AN: How was that? I know, bad chapter conclusion, looks kind of rushed, I'm sorry, I'm just bad at finishing chapters.
Mama Shep didn't bite, just a little appearance. I need to have her around every other chapter to keep balance of things. And because I love her.
We had some talking, some tears and a wintery swim. I really enjoyed writing this chapter, you know...With the next update we'll be back in Seattle, forget about swimming. A hint of summer during a gloomy evening was everything I needed.
I hope you enjoyed and you keep sticking around!