Merder: Different Circumstances

Chapter Eighteen

Since Ashley had left the room, not a word had been shared between Meredith and Derek. Meredith had tried to roll onto her side to not face him, but the searing pain up her back stopped her from being able to, so instead she just turned her face away. This behaviour between the two of them must have lasted at least twenty minutes, until Derek realised he was the one who needed to give an explanation and therefore should be the one to break to ice.

"Mer, please. Just look at me and let me explain everything."

Derek was met with silence and he was about to walk out of the room, beyond done with the childish behaviour, until Meredith twisted her neck back around to face him. Once he was met with her face, all Derek wanted to do was scoop her into his arms and lay next to her in bed, however he knew that she would not let him come near her until he corrected what she saw earlier.

"Addison kissed me." He said bluntly, but realised he needed to give a better explanation when Meredith just scoffed at him. "Meredith, please you have to believe me. I was scrubbing out of my surgery, getting ready to meet you for lunch, when she came in. She initiated the conversation and I did my best to keep to neutral, she's Ashley's mother after all. Addison then went on to tell me about how her and Mark broke up and as she was telling me she kept inching closer. When I went to walk around her, she pulled me in for a kiss and after the initial shock of it all I pulled away as fast as I could. I would never cheat on you Meredith, I love you so much Mer and could never do that."

Meredith listened carefully to his explanation, although she would never admit it, she was looking for any slight inconsistency in his story, a way she could trip him up ad accuse him of lying. But the whole story was flawless, not a single hole in it nor a place for her to question him. Even though they said it to each other on a regular basis, his declaration of his love for her still took Meredith by surprise every time.

"Meredith I was so scared. I thought I had lost you forever and god I don't know what I would have done with myself. I love you and there is no one else I want to spend the rest of my life with." Derek said, making his way over to Meredith's bed to sit on the edge of it.

"You promise, promise me that there's nothing going on between you and Addison?"

"Mer, I promise. I could never and would never do that to you."

A small smile appeared on Meredith's face and Derek assumed that meant that he was forgiven, so he leaned down to place a kiss on her lips. Meredith quickly reciprocated the action and caught his bottom lip in her mouth. The kiss made her momentarily forget about the pain shooting up her back, and when they pulled away Meredith couldn't help lean into Derek's hand when he caressed her face.

Their eyes held each others gaze for a short while. Although the physical pain running through Meredith's back was starting to reappear, the ache in her heart at the thought of Derek leaving her had faded away. The moment between them was cut short when there was a knock at the door, and even though Derek's hand left Meredith's cheek, he made sure it was soon holding her hand.

"Hi, I heard what happened and I wanted to make sure you were okay Meredith." The person at the door said, Meredith's grip tightening in Derek's hand.

"Addison, not the time nor the place." Derek said.

"Well I was just asking," Addison justified, receiving a glare off her ex-husband. "and I wanted to apologise for earlier."

Meredith couldn't help but look down at her bed covers, feeling massively intimidated. Addison was stood there in heels, with perfectly curled hair and from what Meredith could guess a freshly done manicure. Meredith was just, Meredith.

Derek's eyes thinned at his ex-wife's apology, knowing the way she played the game and he couldn't help but assume there would be something in it for her, or maybe she was trying reverse psychology. Either way, he struggled to believe that she would be so willing to just walk into the room and apologise.

"No, really I am." Addison continued after she noticed their hesitation. "I just thought I could pick up my life and bring it to Seattle when things didn't go as planned in New York, but obviously things have changed a lot over here. From what Ashley said to me, Derek really cares for you Meredith and, well don't let that go because it's really special. And, by the way she spokes about you, Ashley really likes you Meredith, so don't hurt my daughter. Night."

"Addison," Meredith called, making the older woman stop in her tracks and Derek confused as to what she was about to say. "I don't want to not be friends with you, if that's okay. I think it would be what's best for Ashley."

Addison was took by surprise, struggling to comprehend why Meredith was being so nice to her but feeling grateful that she clearly accepted her apology.

"Yeah, that would be nice." Addison said, before leaving the room.

Derek turned to Meredith with a smile on his face, his hand once again caressing her cheek. Everyday, he was reminded of how much he loved her and was constantly took away by her ability to forgive and welcome new people so easily.

"You're okay with that, you know me and Addison not being not friend?" Meredith asked nervously.

Rather than responding to her, Derek sat on the edge of her bed, kicking his shoes off. A matter of seconds later, his arms were wrapped around her, careful of the IV drips and wires attached to her body, and he placed a kiss on the top of her head.

"I love you so much Mer."

Worried, when he didn't get a response, Derek went to shake her gently but once he heard the soft snores coming from her mouth, although he would have never thought of being so, he was relieved and soon after fell asleep to the sound of them himself.