Her room was empty. Well… almost empty. There was still the dresser, bed, and desk, but that was about it. She sat down on the mattress and let out a sigh. She wanted this. She really, really wanted this, she just couldn't leave the issue she had with Lexie like it was.

Lexie is a big girl. And Meredith was going to have to let her make her own decisions, even if she knew how it was going to turn out in the end.

Meredith walked across the hall to her sister's room and knocked on the door. "It's open."

She walked inside and closed the door behind her. "So, I'm leaving really soon and I don't want us to not be friends. Your one of the few people that I felt comfortable talking to and I just want that back. Can we just forget about what happened and go back?"

"I'm sorry," Lexie sighed and attacked her sister with a hug. "I'm such an asshole."

"Well, I am too," Meredith smiled slightly. "Promise me you'll stay in touch and if Ryan screws with you, you'll leave him?"

"I will call you and he won't, so don't worry," Lexie smiled and hugged her one last time. "Bye."

"Bye," Meredith sighed. She headed downstairs knowing that things weren't perfect between her and her sister, but hopefully, in time, they would be.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Meredith?" Thatcher looked at his daughter who nodded. "Okay. You can drive your car up and I'll drive the truck."

"Okay," Meredith nodded. "I just have to pick up Derek on the way."

"Do you know how to get there, right?"

"Yeah," She told him and then got into her car. She headed to Derek's house and was about to walk up to the door when he was slowly walking- well, more like limping -out to her car. "Where are your crutches?"

"I'm fine," He smiled and kissed her.

"Derek, you're going to hurt yourself even more," She groaned, but started to drive off anyway.

"Baby, it doesn't even hurt that bad."

"Bullshit." She shook her head. "Are you sure your mom's okay with picking you up tonight? Cause I could drive you back, if you want."

"Yeah, she's going to be out that way anyway for work. And baby, I'm not going to make you drive me back to my house, then back home."

"I happen to like having my license thank you." She laughed.

"Oh, god," He smirked as she lightly smacked him on his chest.

"Whoa! Ten and Two!" He smiled brightly.

"Don't make me turn this car around, young man." She warned him.

"Are we there yet?" He said in a childish voice. Meredith just looked over at him and shook her head. "Keep your eyes on the road, mommy."

"I'm going to beat you," Meredith just laughed.

"Am I allowed to like it?" He raised and eyebrow at her. Obviously, there was no way to win a conversation with Derek Shepherd.

x.x.x

"I'm tired," Meredith rested her head on the steering wheel, when she pulled into her new driveway.

"Wake up," Derek smiled.

"Eh," She sighed before getting out of the car. Derek did the same and they both headed up to the front of the house. She knocked on the door and waited.

"You know, you don't have to knock on the door anymore," Nicole smiled as Meredith hugged her. "Hey." Nicole was a twenty-nine year old, independent woman and Meredith admired her for that.

"Thank you so much for this," Meredith finally let go of her. "You have no idea how much this means to me."

"You know I love you," Nicole smiled. "And who is this?"

"Oh, right. This is my boyfriend, Derek. I dragged him here with me," Meredith laughed as they walked inside.

"I volunteered," Derek smiled.

"What did you do?" Nicole shook her head at the cast he was wearing.

"Dirtbiking accident," He explained. "Not sure how long I have to deal with this yet, though."

"Well, good luck with that."

"Thanks," Derek laughed.

"Where's my Dad?" Meredith pushed the hair out of her face.

"Upstairs," She explained. "He moved in all of your boxes, so you just get to unpack tonight."

Meredith nodded. "I'll be right back." She headed up the stairs and into her new room. She would be doing a lot of unpacking. "Thank you."

Thatcher sighed. "If you need anything, or want to move back, just call me." He pulled his daughter in for a hug.

"I will. And Dad, I'll be in town a lot, I just think this is the right move for me right now."

"And I can respect that," He nodded.