There's a stench in the air that tells her the entire life she knows has shifted. It's burned into flames and charred alongside the trees and wooden fence. And now the flames have taken even more.

She watched as the flames engulfed the place she'd called home for nearly two decades- without counting the first five years of her life.

Her children were safe. Her children were able to safely leave the house and that was all that mattered. It was all she cared about.

She stayed strong in front of the three treasures of her life because it was all she'd ever known. She'd kept it together for her children, for her sisters, for her friends, and for her mother. She always managed to keep it together. She kept it together for everyone, and it was what she needed to do now.

The rubber wheels of a car coming to a screeching halt pierce through the streets. Someone slams the door shut and races towards them. She can hear the steps become louder and louder, desperate as they try to reach their destination.

"Sir! I can't let you go-"

No one was gonna stop him from running to the scene, she knew that.

"Like hell you're not! Those are my kids! My kids were in that house! My-"

She'd recognize the voice anywhere. It was the voice of a desperate man who was trying to find some signal that the people he cared about were safe. And it didn't go unnoticed to her that he never mentioned her. It was a sting she didn't expect.

He was looking for his children. He wasn't here for her, Meredith thought. Still, she couldn't help but turn back to the father of her children as he ran down to the kids. She could see the desperation and fear drawn all over his face. His brow was furrowed and his chest heaved as he tried to catch whatever little breath he had left.

Zola, who had her arm around her mother, released her as she ran after the source of the voice.

"Daddy!"

Derek wrapped his arms around his youngest and then his eldest. Finally, he reached his only son, his hands cupped their cheeks as he studied them carefully, "Are you okay? You're good? Are you hurt? Is everyone okay?"

"Everyone's fine, I got here a while ago," Amelia answered softly as she too made her way towards her brother. He quickly embraced her, "Maggie was with the kids when lightning struck upstairs-"

"She got us out and I managed to-" Zola explained as her arms wrapped around him tightly. He took notice of her breathing and the way her cheeks were flushed. She was struggling. She was frightened and trying her best to be brave.

"Zo," he pulled away, "Breathe, princess. Deep breaths."

They inhaled. And exhaled. His daughter was too young to feel anxiety coursing through her body. Anxiety that had been plaguing her for the last few months and manifesting in panic attacks. The teachers said it was partly due to her recently being deemed as exceedingly gifted. Meredith blamed the research she'd done on her family history. More specifically her grandmother. Derek was sure it was the fact that her life had thrown some unfair curveballs at her.

There was little he could do about that except be at his daughter's side and try to pave a clear road for the future.

"I'm okay," Zola whispered.

His thumbs brushed her cheeks, "You're okay."

Amelia smiled as she watched her brother stop everything and everyone around him to be a father. He was a good one, she knew that. He had missteps and had struggled with the divorce but somehow he made the puzzle pieces fit. He loved his children more than anything in this world.

Derek turned to Amelia, "How'd you- Who?"

"Meredith," Amelia stepped closer and whispered, "I had just finished a surgery when she ran out of an OR. I was worried. She asked me to drive her over. She's a little spooked."

"Where was she?"

"In surgery," Amelia sighed, "Bailey took over and I

She gestured towards the people who were a few feet away from them. Maggie stood next to her, rubbing her sister's shoulder gently.

Derek sighed before looking down at the other little girl gripping at him tightly, "You okay, baby?"

"I'm scared," Ellis whispered.

"I know but you're safe," he pressed his lips against the top of her head, "Can you hug Auntie Amy for a few minutes while I go talk to your mom, please?"

Ellis nodded before she let him go. He stepped closer to the woman who was so close and yet so far away. So damn far away. Before he neared her, the fire lieutenant stepped towards her to explain something. He couldn't make out what she was saying but Maggie turned to him instinctively. She sighed in relief at the sight of him.

"Maggie, I can't-"

"Stop," she shook her head before reaching over to embrace him quickly. She pulled away and rubbed his arm in some sort of comforting way, "You know I'd do anything for those kids. We're family even if you and Mer-"

Maggie stopped speaking before she finished her sentence. She'd heard the stories of the great love story and secretly, the hopeless romantic in her hoped that one day they'd both dig their head out of the ground and reconcile.

Derek nodded. He didn't need to ask her to finish her sentence.

"We got them out as soon as we could and Bailey was smart enough to cover Ellis with a blanket."

"Oh my kid," he turned to his son with a sigh. Bailey had always had a softer side that wasn't always visible to those that weren't around him. Derek couldn't help the smile that crept on his face when he noticed Bailey dusting off soot from Zola's jeans. Zola reached to embrace her sister in her arms after she thanked her brother.

Somehow in the giant mess that Derek and Meredith had created for themselves, the one thing that had remained unscraped was their children. At least they'd tried to leave them unscraped.

"Yeah," Maggie nodded, "You got a good trio there."

She watched as his gaze turned back to her sister. That longing gaze that she'd heard of was still in his eyes. Today, it was also filled with concern.

"She's in shock," Maggie explained, "She's not fully here, I can't explain it, she's-"

"I know," he nodded before turning to her, "I was married to her once, I know her."

Maggie pressed her lips into a tight line. Of course, he knew her. He was just not sure if he was the right person to try to comfort her. He hadn't been over the last few years. He'd watched her rise in her ranks and watched her be an incredible mother to their children. She didn't need him. She didn't want him. She'd made that very clear.

And she deserved to live her life on her terms without him in the way.

He built up enough courage and made his way to Meredith.

From afar, Zola watched as her father- still dressed in scrubs- approached her mother. His salt-and-peppered hair contrasted with her blonde; they always seemed to be so different. But sort of like puzzle pieces that fit. They were just cut a little incorrectly, she thought. Like if the edges had been slightly askew due to overuse but when put together correctly, it just fit. And the final picture would be magnificent. There was no other way to explain them.

Her dad reached for her mother's shoulder and rubbed it lightly. Her mom looked up and exhaled, as if she was releasing a long-held breath. She said something and he listened. He nodded as his hand rubbed her shoulder up and down. She was doing her best not to cry and she pointed to the house and back at Aunt Maggie and the house again. He answered sympathetically and Zola could read his lips saying 'kids' and 'safe.' Her mom wanted to cry and he shook his head. His hand instinctively flinched as if he was about to caress her cheek but held back. Her mom looked back at the house and her arms wrapped around herself. Zola couldn't help but wish that he'd reach out and embrace her.

Her mom needed an embrace, Zola could see that.

Maybe if she wished a little harder he'd- he did.

He sighed as he pulled his other hand from his pocket and pulled her to him. Zola watched as his strong arms wrapped around her mother. Zola could see how she hesitated but her mother simply gave in. She let herself sink against him and flattened her hands against his back. It was surprising to Zola but she smiled. They always fit. It was almost like when she was a young child. Almost.

For a moment, Zola thought her mom would pull away. She had a boyfriend after all. Or had. She hadn't seen him in months and wasn't sure if she'd ever see him again. But to her surprise, her mom let her dad hold her. He did the thing that made everyone feel safe. He wrapped his arms around her tightly and rested his cheek against the top of her head. He was whispering something and then her mom pulled away and nodded. She turned back to the house and waited.

Zola's dad turned back to her and smiled. And before he could get closer, Zola tightened her hold on the small box in her arms.

"Hey," Derek's warm hand gently touched her shoulder and all she wanted to do was throw herself into his arms. She was tired of being the strong one.

She was exhausted, "The kids made it out-"

"I know. They're safe. Maggie said they did really good-"

"They said that they didn't know anything but they were trying-"

"They'll figure it out, it looks like it's almost put out-"

"The kids were in the house-"

"But they're safe, Meredith. The kids are safe-"

"The entire attic-"

"Meredith-"

This was when he usually placed his hands around her face. She watched as he hesitated for a moment and all she wanted him to do was wrap his hands around her and promise that everything was going to be okay. That the world would keep turning and she would move…forward.

But she couldn't breathe…

He finally pulled her towards him and his singular scent enveloped him. He was warm and it felt like she'd been out in the cold for eons and now she was finally home.

Her hands flattened against his back and she curled herself within him, not caring that it had been years since he'd held her. Years of anger and spite. Years of resentment. And still he was…it helped. His embrace helped.

"Breathe, Mer. Breathe."

She did. She exhaled softly and didn't let go. The world stopped for a moment and she could swim in the warm embrace offered. The world was safe and she wasn't drowning and the world around her wasn't on fire.

"What do I do?"

He pulled away and suddenly a gush of cold air hit her. She was good in a crisis. She knew that there were worse things and that all she needed to do was find a solution. So why was she asking him this?

Derek turned to his daughter and smiled. She was staring at her parents as if she was trying to read what they were saying.

"Zola's watching," he turned back to her, "She's trying to figure out the same thing."

Meredith exhaled. There was no time for her and her feelings. No time to freeze and no time to stop. She had to keep pushing and keep moving. Not just for her but for her children.

Meredith nodded, "They need to go back to your place. I know it's not your week-"

"Are you kidding me?" he blinked, "Meredith, of course they're coming with me. And you're coming-"

It was the last thing she needed, to be a burden. Much less a burden to her ex-husband, "No, I can book a room down in-"

"No you're not," Derek shook his head fervently, "You're staying at my place-"

"I can't ask you to-"

"You're not asking," he insisted before a switch flipped. He sighed, "Sorry, I'm overstepping. You're probably gonna stay at Nick's-"

They were both stubborn. They were good at it. So good, that it was what led to their fallout. Neither willing to take a step towards each other. Neither willing to move.

She had dated. So had he. This last one seemed very serious. She almost resigned her position at Grey Sloan and left for Minnesota.

Almost.

"He's gone," Meredith rolled her eyes, "I thought you'd heard. So that's not an option and I'm not gonna impose on Maggie while she and Winston are having issues so I'm just gonna get a room-"

He felt something in him skip a beat but he couldn't focus on the feeling tugging at him right now, "Okay, so then it's done you're staying with me and the kids. It'll help you feel better if you're with them and they will feel better and right now, that's what Zo needs- it's what the three of them need, you know that."

Meredith turned to the kids and watched as Zola clenched onto something in her arms. Bailey was sitting at the edge of a fire engine staring at the flames and Ellie was being consoled by Amelia.

"Mer," Derek whispered, "I know you. Let me help."

She turned back to him, unwilling to let emotions overtake her.

Meredith nodded, "Thank you."

"Dr. Grey!" The fire captain jogged over to her as the flames in the house seemed to die down.

"I'll get the kids," he muttered before turning back to their direction. Meredith turned back to the house. It had been a sanctuary for many. The place she called home and the place that held many memories.

"Goodbye…"

"Derek."

"Derek! Right! Meredith."

"Meredith?"

"Yeah..Mmhmm.."

The raven-haired man jumped over the couch. He was suave and charming. She remembered that. She remembered his stupid corny cheesy line and the way he kissed her. The rest of the night was a hazy memory.

"Nice meeting you," he shook her hand and offered a warm grin as if they hadn't spent the last night having rounds of drunk sex and she wasn't standing in front of him covered in nothing but an afghan.

"Bye Derek!"

It had been eons since that night.

She was no longer the naive intern who had a large legacy looming over her. She was a respected surgeon who had made her own name. She wasn't being chased by the newly hired neurosurgeon. The hospital was now partly hers and it was no longer Seattle Grace. People had left and people had passed. Every intern in her class had left for other opportunities. And the man she met that first night was no longer her spouse despite the fact that they shared three beautiful children.

Things had changed and the house she once called home had burned into flames.

Where did she go from here?

"Is momma gonna stay here tonight?"

Derek gently closed the door to the hallway closet. He was holding a few blankets, including a brown blanket that he had kept for years. He looked down at Ellis and smiled. She was sunshine on a cool day. The warmest and brightest thing when his world was in complete darkness. The only good thing that came from the D.C. mess.

"She is," he answered with a nod. "Her house isn't safe to sleep in tonight and she wants to stay close to you and your brother and sister."

"Is she gonna live here now?" she asked innocently.

It was like someone stabbed a knife in his heart to remind him of the reality of their lives. His daughter didn't mean to remind him, she was just curiously asking because this was something foreign to her.

"She is gonna stay here as long as she needs to," he smiled. "But um, Ellis-"

"I know," she sighed. She pouted slightly. "You and momma aren't really together. Not like other mommies or daddies."

Another knife to the aching heart.

"Ellie," Derek knelt to her height and dropped the blankets next to him, "just because your mom and I aren't married doesn't mean I don't care about her. I-"

He paused, unsure of how to continue. It killed him that his mistakes and his arrogance kept him from giving her what she yearned for. What she saw others have that she didn't. A typical family with the same home and parents who were together.

They worked well. This dysfunctional family of sorts that they had was one that took a lot of work to build, but there was still a lot of regret. If he could take back all the fights over jobs and D.C. and houses, he would do it in a heartbeat. But life didn't work that way, so he and Meredith took the cards they were left with and placed them as best as they could.

"I care about your mom a lot. She gave me the best thing in my entire life and you know what that is?"

"What?"

"You," he grinned as he poked her belly, "and Zo and Bailey. I care about her a lot and we're family no matter what. And family takes care of each other. Okay?"

"Okay," she whispered.

He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Do me a favor? Go take a shower and get ready for bed?"

"Are you gonna say goodnight?"

Derek grinned. "I promise."

He watched as she ran into her bedroom before he made his way down the hallway.

Meredith stood in the living room staring at an old picture of the children. They were smiling directly at the camera as they stood on the deck of a ferryboat. His condo was homey. It wasn't the grand dream house that he once built on the land. It was a condo he bought right after their separation. The house was sold and so was the land. And the dreams they once had to raise their kids and live to one hundred and ten.

She shouldn't be here, she thought. She shouldn't be in the house of her ex. She should be making calls to the home insurance company and finding solutions and figuring out what the hell she was gonna do. Her world had imploded and she couldn't put the pieces together.

She could hear murmurs between Ellis and Derek coming from the hallway. She had always been a daddy's girl and had had him wrapped around her finger since the instant she was born.

She was intelligent like Zola and adventurous like Bailey. She was what was unknowingly missing for the siblings. And it pained Meredith to know that she yearned for the family she read in some of her fairytales.

She had chosen not to tell Derek that she had suspicions of her pregnancy. At least at first she did. She had decided to keep it a secret until she no longer could. If Ellis Grey could run off and have a child alone, so could she.

But she never ran. She just hid the truth as long as she could.

Derek had been angry. He had been furious and he made it no secret. They fought loudly and publicly. He had a right to know, he claimed. He wasn't her husband so what did he care, she yelled back. The yelling and the resentment lasted for at least the first trimester.

Until she arrived at the house and he had been sitting on the porch swing. His face was one of a man who was exhausted and defeated.

"We can't fight like this, Meredith," he sighed as she stepped up the porch. "I can't fight with you anymore, I just can't."

She stuffed the keys in her bag and exhaled.

"And I don't want to," he continued. "I don't want to fight with you anymore."

"I don't want to fight with you either," she confessed. She sat next to him on the swing. "I wanted to tell you. I just didn't know how. I needed time, Derek, I just needed time."

The difference between her and her mother was that Meredith had set aside her pride. She didn't let her anger towards Derek keep him away from their children. And they were both better for that.

"Amy said she'd stop by with your bag from work soon and I'll look for a new set of sweats in case you need them. I left a pair of towels on the bed. The kids are getting ready for bed and I promised we'd say goodnight unless they're already asleep, Bailey could barely keep his eyes open. You can use my shower-"

Meredith watched as he dropped the blankets and pillows on the couch adjacent to where she stood. "Derek, I- I can- I can take the couch or share a bed with Zo, I can-"

"Will you stop being stubborn?" he sighed as he stepped close to her. "Mer, it's late and you need to rest. You're gonna have to deal with the insurance and work and the kids and- Meredith, you need rest."

She bit her lip in resignation. "I don't know where to start."

Her hands covered her face. He watched as she slouched down on the couch, her hand buried between her hands. "They said we wouldn't be able to stay there for a few weeks. There's a big hole in the attic and I can't-"

She pulled her head up and shook it.

"Meredith, it's just a house," he whispered as he sat against the armchair. "It's just stuff. You and the kids are safe."

He was right. In hindsight, that's all that mattered. That her children were safe and sound. Except it had been more than a house.

"Was Richard the one who-"

"Yeah," Derek nodded, "I was finishing a consult and he found me. He said you'd asked him to tell me as soon as you found out."

She pressed her lips together before the door opened. Amelia tumbled in with a duffle bag hanging over her shoulder. She blinked at the scene in front of her. "I, uh, used my old key. Sorry."

Derek shook his head. "It's fine. Thank you for helping."

"Hey," Amelia sighed as she offered Meredith the bag. "I, uh, I brought some things that were in your cubby and Maggie also wanted to send a few things. Your overnight bag is here and I stopped at the store to get you a few lady things that I won't share with your ex-husband in our presence-"

He breathed out a chuckle as he shook his head. He watched as Meredith looked through the bag and thanked her. They had always gotten along. They had always been friendly and sometimes he thought that if it hadn't been for their divorce, they might have been closer. But Amelia had taken his side. Amelia had been upset on his behalf. Amelia had yelled at Meredith in the hallway for the world to hear and Meredith had yelled right back.

And it had surprised him that his sister didn't hesitate to stand up for him. They had been close ever since.

But now, their issues were buried and he was happy to see that they were friendly.

"Thank you," Meredith scoured through the bag. There were deodorant and shaving kits and other hygienic products. There were new undergarments and the clothes she had left at the hospital. "You- you really didn't need to- thanks."

Amelia shook her head. "I gotta go to Link's and pick up Scout. Technically it's my night and uh if you two need anything- if you, Mer, need anything- you just, you call me or text me or whatever. I'm here."

"Text me when you're home," Derek said before his sister left through the front door once more. There was the overprotective brother Meredith recognized. He could be overbearing but he meant well. It was a glimpse at the type of father he would probably be to his teenage kids one day. And that was fine by her. It was more than fine.

"You should get some rest," Derek whispered. He leaned over to rub her shoulder once more.

She didn't fight back. She didn't flinch away. Rather, she found it endearing and comforting that he hadn't left her side. That he had given her space and taken care of the kids while she tried to make sense of the mess her life was right now.

"Daddy?" Ellis called from her room. "Are you gonna say goodnight?"

"Just a minute, Ells, I'll be right up." He answered as he turned to the hallway. He turned back to Meredith. "I promised I'd go say goodnight."

She watched as he made his way to his daughter's bedroom, his voice echoing in the hall. "Get some rest, Meredith."

She trickled down the hallway and into the master bedroom.

It was nearly bare. Minimalism at its finest. There was a bed with a duvet that was a deep hue of blue. The nightstands held one bed lamp each and there was a book and some journals tossed on the nightstand of his side. The drawer was practically empty except for a few frames. A photograph of the kids on Halloween. Another of him and Scout, Amelia's son. The boy had the same Shepherd eyes as his mother and his uncle. Blue and bright.

She swallowed the bitter lump that, like her, he had removed any photographs, any memory of what they were once. Her heart clenched but she couldn't blame him. She had done the same.

She wondered if he had hidden them in his nightstand drawers the way she had and for a brief moment, she was tempted to open the drawer to check.

But she didn't. Instead, she made her way to the bathroom and washed off the disaster of the day.

"Red tabs for initials. Blue tabs for signatures," the lawyer indicated as she gently slid the stack of papers to her, "I'll be right back, I need to bring in a few documents. In the meantime, you can sign. Help yourself to some water if you'd like."

The click of her heels faded as she exited the room leaving the pair alone. They sat on the opposite sides of the glass table.

Meredith stared at the stack of papers in front of her. Most assets would be divided straight in the middle. She'd keep her earnings from the house in Queen Ann's Hill- her mother's house that was then sold to Alex Karev. He'd keep the house in Bainbridge- per her request. It was his land and it was his trailer. It was never hers to begin with, she told him. He'd sell the house, he counter offered. The earnings would go into a trust fund for their children's future education. They'd settled on a custody agreement after weeks of going back and forth. They'd spend two weeks with Meredith and would switch off every Sunday to Derek's for two weeks. They'd switch off holidays and school breaks.

Mediation helped. It helped with the paperwork and helped with the legal aspects. But the heartbreak was irreparable. No mediation helped there and no cardiothoracic surgeon would be able to repair any broken hearts.

"So this is it," Derek muttered as Meredith reached for the pen, "This is where we end our marriage. After everything you and I have been through, this is where it ends."

Her fingers clenched around the pen tightly as she looked up at the man she called the love of her life.

"Derek," she sighs. It's almost inaudible. A bare whisper. She's tired. She's exhausted of the fighting and the yelling. Of walking down the hospital halls knowing everyone has heard the pair yell how much they resent one another. She's tired of trying to block the image of him walking away when she told him to go.

She's just tired.

The room felt cold, sterile, the air thick with unspoken words and lingering pain. He bit the bullet and reached for the second pen placed in the middle of the table, its metallic sheen catching the light. He'd done this before he knew the routine. So he began signing next to each tab. He knew she wouldn't change her mind. He knew her that well. After everything—the fighting and the yelling, leaving for D.C.—giving her what she asked for was the least he could do.

Meredith blinked back tears before she began signing her own set of papers. With each signature, everything she believed in- everything she let herself believe in- vanished.

The sound of their pens scratching against the papers echoed in the silence.

And with one final signature, the legend of Meredith and Derek, ended.

She didn't expect anyone to be in the bedroom when she's finished showering, so when she stepped out of the bathroom, she couldn't help the jolt through her body when she saw Zola sitting with her legs crossed on the bed.

"Oh, Zola," Meredith exhaled, "Are you okay? I thought you'd be asleep by now."

"I can't sleep," she answered with a soft whisper.

Meredith tossed the towel in a hamper before she moved to the bed. She mirrored her daughter and watched as she fiddled with something that's on her lap. She couldn't quite make it out as she had partially covered it with her calf.

"Are you okay, Zola?"

Zola nodded. "Dad says that you're staying here until you need to."

"I," she scratched the back of her head, searching for an answer that wouldn't raise her daughter's hopes too high, "He's being very generous, Zo. I'm gonna start looking for places tomorrow."

"You don't miss this?" her daughter looked up, confusion and hurt shining in her eyes, reflecting the dim light of the room.

Meredith froze for a moment. She's surprised that in all the years since the divorce, her daughter has asked this question, "Zola-"

"Mom," Zola kept her gaze, "There was a fire and Dad was the one who showed up for us. Dad showed up. Not Nick. Not anyone else. Dad showed up. He always shows up-"

"Of course he did, Zo, he was worried about you and your siblings-"

"You don't miss us being a family and living together?" Zola kept her steely gaze on her mother.

"I-," Meredith sighed, "Honey, it's so much more complicated than that-"

Meredith's heart aches at Zola's words. She reached out, taking her daughter's hands in her own.

"Zola," she began softly, "I know it seems simple, but sometimes, grown-ups make mistakes. Sometimes, those mistakes mean we can't live together like we used to."

"I'm not Bailey or Ellis for you to explain it to me," Zola muttered. There's anger in her voice.

"Zo-"

"You and Dad lied," Zola cut her off, her voice trembling with emotion. "You said you were forever. You said you'd take care of each other. You said you'd love each other even when you hated each other and you don't."

The words are an echo of vows long forgotten. They're knives stabbed into Meredith's heart and her daughter in unknowingly twisting them deeper and deeper. She could embrace her daughter and promise her the monsters will go away. She could hold her hand and count breaths with her. But Zola is no longer the little girl she often saw her as. And her emotions are so much more complicated. Meredith stares at her daughter, without answers.

"Zola," a deep voice called out from the door, "Zola, that's not fair. And you don't talk to your mother that way."

"Why? Because you know I'm right?" Zola stood from her place and marched to him. She shoved a wooden shadow box in his hands and ran out of the room.

Derek stood at the frame, shocked and in disbelief that his sweet, kind, and brilliant daughter had acted out in such a way.

"Zola!" Derek called out. A slam of her bedroom door echoed through the hall as a response.

Meredith buried her face in her hands and exhaled deeply. The night couldn't get any worse. She looked up at Derek, her eyes catching the familiar item in his hands. Her heart clenched with pain.

"Is that-?"

"The post-it," he answered before she could finish her question. He lifted it slightly, the blue paper reflecting the dim light, and showed her the long-abandoned item, "She had the post-it."

A/N:

Don't forget to let me know what you think about this! Okay bye!