"You, my son, are one hard man to find," Michael sighed as he got out of his truck and looked out over the lake.

Derek frowned as he looked up from his fishing pole. "Dad, what are you doing here?" he asked. "It's six in the morning."

"Which begs the question of what you're doing in the middle of the woods instead of in bed like a normal person," Michael said.

"Couldn't sleep," Derek murmured.

"Well, thanks to you I didn't sleep," Michael sighed as he sat down beside his son. "I've been over every inch of Seattle looking for you since about four o clock yesterday afternoon."

"What's wrong?" Derek frowned. "Is everything okay, Mom and the girls…they're okay, right?"

"Of course they're okay," Michael nodded. "But I want to know why my son, who just graduated from medical school at the top of his class is living in the middle of the woods."

"I just needed a break," Derek sighed, casting off again.

"Hmm," Michael nodded, reaching for the spare fishing pole on the ground and baiting it. "Meredith?"

"It's been over six months, Dad," Derek sighed. "And I can't get her out of my head. We were supposed to leave today. We were supposed to be together for the past six months, and we were supposed to leave for a romantic two months in Europe. And instead I'm here, in the middle of the woods fishing at six in the morning because I can't stop thinking about Meredith Grey."

"Because you love her."

"I've tried to stop," Derek said. "I've tried to stop because she's with someone else and she's happy. But I really don't think I can be happy without Meredith. I can't imagine myself with anyone else."

"So you think the best way to pretend to be happy is to come up here?" Michael asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's always been where I've thought the best," Derek shrugged. "I know it's far away from the house and the lake we usually go to is a lot more convenient, but…there's just something about this place that makes me feel at ease. It's the only place I can get the racing of my head to stop. And I don't have to listen to Mark and Addie go at it like rabbits."

Michael laughed slightly. "Did you ever think of talking to Meredith?" he asked. "And I don't mean following on some stupid plan that her sister cooked up with your friends, but just talking to her?"

"She doesn't want to talk to me, Dad," Derek sighed.

"Hmmm," Michael frowned, reaching into his pocket. "That's interesting. She came into the store yesterday, seemed pretty desperate for you to have this for today."

"What…." Derek frowned as he looked down at the envelope, his name printed in Meredith's neat teacher handwriting. "She came to the store?"

"If I were you, I'd open that up," Michael said. "That girl seemed pretty determined for you to have that."

Derek frowned as he opened the envelope, inhaling sharply as he looked down at the single piece of paper in his hand. "Dad," he breathed. "Is this…."

"I'm no genius, Derek," Michael said. "But from what I can gather, this is her version of an apology."

"But…she's supposed to go with Andrew," Derek frowned.

"Maybe she doesn't want to go with him," Michael said. "Maybe she realized that you bought her these tickets, and she wants to go with you."

"And she's leaving it up to me whether I come or not," Derek breathed. "What time is it?"

"Six fifteen."

"The plane leaves at nine thirty," Derek breathed, jumping up. "I have to go."

Michael grinned as he followed Derek to his truck. "I'll drive you," he nodded.

Derek felt his heart pound in his chest, knowing that this was it. He was going back to Meredith, and they were going to be together forever. He was sure of it.

XXXXX

"He's not coming," Meredith said as she paced the living room, her suitcase and carry on already placed next to the door. "He's not coming."

"You don't know that," Izzie shook her head. "Maybe he went straight to the airport. That would make sense, wouldn't it? You didn't say to come to your house."

"Right," Meredith said, glancing at the clock. "It's seven."

"You should get there soon anyways," Lexie nodded. "International flights want you to get there early."

"Okay," Meredith breathed. "He's coming, right?"

"He's coming," Izzie nodded. "Now come on, we've got to get to the airport."

"Okay," Meredith said, swinging her bag over her shoulder and pulling the handle up on her suitcase. "You sure you're okay with staying here by yourself in the house for a couple months?"

"We're grown ups, Mer," Lexie laughed. "We can take care of ourselves."

"Fine," Meredith sighed, climbing into the passenger seat of Izzie's car. "You know you don't both have to come. I just didn't want to call a cab."

"Are you crazy?" Lexie asked from the back seat. "I'm waiting until you get through security to see if he shows up. I've had to listen to you bitch about this for months, I'm going to take any chance I can to see the two of you get back together."

"I did not bitch for months," Meredith rolled her eyes.

"You kind of did, Mer," Izzie laughed.

Meredith frowned. "You know, I could kick you out of my house whenever I want," she said. "And find roommates I actually like."

"You mean like Derek?" Lexie giggled.

"If he comes," Meredith breathed.

"He's coming, Mer," Izzie sighed.

"I know you both think that," Meredith sighed. "And I want to think that too. But…I can't. I can't tell myself that he's definitely going to come and then have him not show up. That would kill me. Especially since I'd be on a romantic European vacation for two by myself."

"That makes sense," Lexie sighed, but she couldn't help notice the way her sister's eyes were darting among the cars around them on the highway. She was obviously trying to recognize Derek's car, hoping to follow it to the airport.

But they reached the airport a few minutes later and there was no sign of Derek's old car. Meredith climbed out of the car and reached to open the trunk, noticing how badly her hands were shaking. "Get a grip, Mer," she muttered.

"You have to calm down," Izzie said as she and Lexie followed her into the airport departures gate.

"I'm calm," Meredith insisted, looking at the long line for her airline check in. "I don't see him. Do you see him?"

"Maybe he's already here," Lexie suggested.

"Just get in line," Izzie said, pushing Meredith forward into the line. "Just check in, and we'll wait for him."

"Okay," Meredith sighed, stepping into the line. He was coming. He loved her, and he was coming. Michael would definitely had gotten him his ticket, and he was coming. He was just…packing. He was packing. Or he was being Derek and spending way too much time on his hair. But he'd be here. He loved her, and he wouldn't leave her alone on their trip. He was coming.

"Hi, where are you traveling to today?" the flight attendant asked with a cheerful smile from behind the desk.

"Dublin," she murmured, handing over her passport.

"Miss Grey, I see that there is another person traveling on your reservation," the flight attendant observed. "Is he with you?"

"I…" Meredith shook her head. "He's on his way." I hope, she silently added.

"Alright, we can just print your boarding pass, and he can join you once he's through security," she smiled, handing her her passport and boarding pass. "We'll take your checked baggage here. Boarding time is at nine."

"Thank you," Meredith murmured, looking down at her watch. Seven forty five. "Did you see him?" she asked Lexie as she moved back towards the door.

"I haven't seen him," Lexie said sympathetically.

"Why don't you call him?" Izzie asked.

"I don't want to," Meredith shook her head. "What am I supposed to do when answers and tells me he doesn't want to come?"

"Oh," Lexie sighed. "I guess you're right."

"So…I guess I'm going to go through security and see if he's already at the gate," Meredith said, her heart beating wildly in her chest.

Izzie leaned forward to hug her tightly. "Good luck," she breathed.

Meredith smiled as she leaned forward to hug Lexie. "Thanks guys," she breathed. "For everything."

"You better call us as soon as you find him," Lexie smiled as she hugged her sister close. "I can't wait two months."

"I'll call you," Meredith nodded.

"Meredith," Izzie said as she started to walk away. "If he doesn't…I think he'll come, I really do. But on the off chance that he doesn't come, you should go to Europe. You've have a rough year, you deserve it."

Meredith smiled sadly. "I'll try," she said as she moved to get into the security line.

"He's going to come, right?" Lexie asked Izzie as they watched Meredith step through the metal detector. "He's going to come, and it will be okay?"

"He'll come," Izzie nodded, taking a deep breath. "Derek loves Mer. He's definitely coming."

"Okay," Lexie nodded. "Good." They were silent for a moment before Lexie asked, "We can stay and see if Derek comes, right?"

"Oh, definitely," Izzie nodded, moving to sit on the row of plastic chairs that sat beside the door.

XXXXX

"Dad, it's eight thirty," Derek breathed as he pulled into the parking garage of the airport. "Do you think I can make it?"

"If you run," Michael nodded, handing Derek his passport. "Your mother took the liberty of packing for you last night."

Derek grinned as he hugged his father close for a moment. "Thanks, Dad," he said. "Tell Mom I love her."

"I will," Michael laughed, clapping his son on the back. "Go on."

Derek jumped out of the car and grabbed his suitcase out of the back before he rushed into the airport, missing Izzie and Lexie's squeals of delight.

"Dublin," he breathed, shoving his passport across the desk.

The flight attendant frowned as she accepted the passport, clicking a couple keys before she smiled. "Yes, Mr. Shepherd, the other half of your party has already checked in," she said.

"Right," Derek said. "I need to get to the gate before boarding."

"Boarding begins in fifteen minutes," she said, handing his passport back to him. "It takes about twenty minutes to get to the gate from security. The line for security is currently ten minutes."

"Damnit," Derek breathed, grabbing the passport off the counter and rushing towards the security gate. His heart pounded in his chest as he waited impatiently for the line to move. He couldn't miss this plane. He had to get to her.

XXXXXX

"Flight number 501 from Seattle to Dublin, Ireland is now boarding first and business class passengers," Meredith heard the flight attendant announce over the intercom and she sighed as she looked down at her watch.

Nine on the dot.

She was a business class passenger, Derek had splurged. But she wasn't going to get on the plane if Derek wasn't there.

He was coming. He was just late.

XXXXX

"Seriously?" Derek groaned as the metal detector beeped loudly as he stepped through. "You've got to be kidding me."

"Sir, could you step over here please?"

"My plane's boarding," Derek said as he held his arms out, rolling his eyes as he was patted down.

"It's procedure, sir," the guard said. "We'll do our best to ensure you won't miss your flight."

XXXXXX

"Excuse me, ma'am?" a voice interrupted Meredith as she stood in the middle of the waiting area, clutching her ticket tightly in her hand. He wasn't coming.

"Yes?" Meredith asked.

"We're about to close the plane," she said. "Will you be flying with us today?"

Meredith opened her mouth to say no, but then she remembered Izzie's words. She deserved this. Even if she would be thinking of Derek the entire time, she deserved a break, and she could at least relax at his expense.

"Yes," she nodded. "Sorry, I was…distracted."

"It's alright," the flight attendant smiled as she led Meredith closer to the gate. She scanned her ticket and smiled warmly as she gestured to the gangway. "Welcome aboard."

"Thank you," Meredith whispered, looking down at her feet as she walked onto the plane, completely alone.

She was alone. Derek hadn't come.

With a sigh, she slid her bag into the overhead compartment and collapsed into the seat next to the window, closing her eyes tightly as she tried to squeeze back the tears that fell down her cheeks anyways.

He hadn't come.

She didn't know why she was surprised. She'd been horrible to him, she hadn't even given him a chance to explain everything that had happened with her mother. At the moment, she couldn't even remember why she had been mad. All she could feel was the pain that Derek hadn't come.

Derek didn't love her.

The door to the plane slammed closed, and she sighed as she unfolded the blanket on the floor in front of her, cuddling into it to gain some warmth. She wanted to be as warm as possible, because a life without Derek….all she could feel was cold.

She felt someone slide into the seat beside her and swallowed hard. They must have given Derek's seat to someone else. Because he hadn't come.

Before she could really process what was happening, however, the blanket was torn off of her and she was being pressed a very strong, very male, very familiar chest as lips met hers in a searing kiss. "Derek," she breathed, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.

He had come.