Meredith looked to Derek nervously, she didn't know what was happening but it was clear something was.

"I..." she stuttered.

"Mom what's happening?" Derek asked.

"Oh Meredith." Carolyn looked at her.

Kathleen was still staring at her, her eyes glistening slightly.

"Meredith I was your teacher." She smiled sadly.

Meredith gasped audibly, that's where she knew her from. Mrs Adams was sitting in front of her. Mrs Adams was her boyfriend's older sister which meant she had met Derek before, she remembered him pushing her on the swings before her dad caught her. Mrs Adams sat in the hospital with her for days whilst her mother worked, and now she was sat in front of her heavily pregnant with her own child.

"Mrs Adams?" Meredith asked quietly.

"That's me." Kathleen nodded.

Meredith's own eyes filled up too. This woman had been who she looked forward to seeing everyday, she had trusted this woman so deeply and was cruelly took away from her.

"I remember you. I remember you completely." Meredith told her, her hands shaking.

"I do too, I always thought about you and where you ended up. I never imagined you'd be the Meredith that is dating Derek. You two have met before."

"What?" Derek frowned.

"I-i know."

"You know? What?" Derek frowned at her.

"We met once when we were younger, Amy too, I was like 6. I lived next door and..." she was cut off.

"Oh my god! And I asked you to play outside with us but your dad found out and got mad at you." Amelia stood up.

"Yeah. I never put it together until now." A tear rolled down Meredith's cheek.

"Oh Mer." Derek pulled her in.

"Can we catch up outside Meredith?" Kathleen asked her.

"Sure. I'd love to."

As they walked out of the kitchen, they heard the gossiping off the others in the kitchen. Nancy still didn't know what was happening, nor did she seem that interested, Amy and Derek were still in shock for the most part and Carolyn hadn't said much. Meredith vaguely remembered Carolyn and she was pretty sure she was the one who seen her at her worst.

Following Kathleen out, they sat on the swing that was on the front porch. It was silent at first but she could still feel the gaze on her.

"Meredith I'm so happy that you're okay. I worried so much about you." Kathleen hugged her suddenly, her bump in the way.

"I- I'm sorry. You shouldn't have worried, I'm okay."

"Don't ever apologise, it was never your fault."

"I know, I just don't know what to say to you. This is crazy."

"I know, I don't know where to start either. Alls I know is that I'm so glad you're out of that and that you are okay."

She caught Meredith staring off at what she know recognised was her old house.

"Do you know what happened to him?" Meredith asked quietly.

"I don't. I don't know how much of the situation you remember, you were still very young."

"I remember everything, it's not something you forget." She blinked turning back to her.

"I tried to help you."

"I know you did. I remember you being at the hospital."

"I tried so hard, i want you to know that. I wanted to take you in myself but against your mom... I had no choice." She shook her head.

"It's okay and it's not your fault. You have your own child to worry about now and you're gonna be an amazing mom. Thank you for being there for me though."

"I couldn't not Meredith. I cared for you so so much and I felt so helpless, when I saw your face that day I..." Kathleen breathed.

Meredith grabbed her hand.

"I'm okay." She smiled.

"I know you are and I'm so so grateful for that but that day when I saw your face, you thought I was angry at you." She shook her head crying. "I knew something was wrong, I should have tried harder for you. You- you were a child."

"Please don't blame yourself, you did much more than you ever needed to. Trust me." Meredith assured her.

"I just... I didn't want to cry, I'm just hormonal and crazy." She joked.

"Well I'm just crazy then." They both laughed.

"Shall we go back inside? I don't want Derek to think I've kidnapped you."

"Sure. I'm so happy that I got to see you again, I was so sad when I realised I wasn't going to see you anymore."

"So was I Mer." She hugged her.

"Growing up I wanted to be a teacher, right up until I started college actually. That's because of you."

"I'm so proud of you." Kathleen hugged her tighter.

"You too."

"Okay." She laughed taking a deep breath, "let's go back inside."

They stood up and started walking back inside the house.

"Do you know what you're having?" Meredith nodded at her stomach.

"A girl." She smiled rubbing her stomach gently.

"That's so cute." Meredith giggled.

"Hey you, I thought she kidnapped you." Derek said as they came back in.

"What did I say Mer?" Kathleen laughed, going to her mom.

Carolyn hugged Kathleen tightly giving her a quick kiss on the forehead and whispering something to her. Meredith smiled at the sight of her old teacher, she was so happy that she got to see her again, it might be 13 years later but she was grateful that she got the chance to thank her.

"Is everything okay?" Carolyn asked smiling at Meredith knowingly.

"Yeah. We're both just in shock." She replied.

"I'm not surprised."

"Mom is dinner nearly ready?" Derek asked trying to change the topic as he could see Meredith looked uncomfortable.

"Yes just about to plate it up. Why don't you and Meredith set the table in the dining room."

He nodded and they both got up to do as they were asked.

"Are you okay?" He hugged her.

"Yeah. I- I don't want to talk about it anymore." She shook her head.

"That's fine. I can't believe we already met though." He joked, "how didn't I remember your pretty face."

"You're such a cheese ball." She laughed loudly.

"Yeah that was cheesy, even for me." He winced but happy to see her smile.

"I'm starving."

"You're always starving." He rolled his eyes.

"Shut up! And I can't wait to try your mom's cookies, I've been thinking about them since she said it."

"Of course you have. They're good though, you're missing out." He teased her.

"Well not for long... your mom loves me, she'll make me some."

"She definitely will."

"Good. I might become a regular." She laughed.

"I'm sure mom would actually love that, she'll cook and bake at any given opportunity."

"Really?"

"Oh yeah."

"I couldn't imagine ever liking that."

"I can't ever imagine you liking that either, mostly because you should never be allowed to like that." He laughed.

Meredith shook her head laughing as she chased him swatting the back of his head.

"Take that back!"

"No." He laughed running around the table, her following him.

"Yes!"

"No."

"Yes."

"Make me." He smirked.

"Oh I'll make you alright." She pulled his ear.

They didn't realise they had a small audience watching them with smiles as they were too engrossed in each other. Carolyn and Kathleen stood at the door with food in their hands but they couldn't help but stop and watch the two of them so happy around each other. Both of them hadn't seen or heard Derek smile and laugh like that since before his dad died and that was enough to make them happy.

As for Meredith, they were glad that she finally had something to laugh about. Kathleen could count on her hands the amount of times she'd seen Meredith happy when she was a kid but the scene right in front of her was enough to outweighs those.

"You two are so cute." Kathleen chuckled.

"Mom she's hurting me." Derek tattled.

"You're such a baby." Meredith stuck her tongue out.

"I believe she has a good reason to do so then." Carolyn said as she put a pot of food onto the table.

"Seriously?" He looked at her.

"That's my line." Meredith pointed out.

"Well now it's mine."

"Never."

"Looks like it is cause I just..."

"Pasta!" Meredith shouted.

The others laughed at her excitement as she turned beetroot red and covered her mouth.

"Oops." She muttered.

"You're adorable." Derek kissed her head still chuckling at her reaction to the food. "Go eat."