Never Expect The Unexpected: MERDER AU

Chapter 29: Peace Offering

"You're not funny." Meredith rolled her eyes as Derek chuckled while laying his head against the pillow and watching her. She was trying to walk to the bathroom but she couldn't stop her legs from wobbling with every step that she took.

"Do you need help?" Derek tried to contain his laughter as she steadied herself by putting her hand against the wall. Before she knew it he was getting up from the bed and wrapping an arm around her waist. He held her up as they walked to the bathroom and he set her naked body on the toilet seat.

"You did this to me." Meredith scolded him as he sat on the floor next to her.

"I hope you get a disease from sitting on that floor butt naked."

"Then I would just pass it along to you." Derek grinned as she scoffed. They sat in comfortable silence as she peed.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you the truth about my dad." Meredith forced herself to apologize.

"I'm sorry I told Ellis." Derek pressed a comforting hand against her thigh and looked up at her as a peace offering.

"It's easier to pretend he died, instead of remembering that he left me."

"Meredith," the more Derek got to know her the more he started to understand her actions, why she acted the way that she did, "he was a coward if he couldn't handle you. It isn't your fault."

"You don't know that," Meredith interrupted him.

"I know that any man who willingly walks away from their family doesn't deserve to know someone like you." He took her hand in his and rubbed his thumb against the back of her palm.

Meredith gave him a half-hearted smile and squeezed his hand before pulling away to finish peeing and flush the toilet. She got up to wash her hands and then joined him on the floor with their backs leaning against the sink.

"I failed her." Derek admitted while staring at the ground. His legs were laying flat against the cold ground.

"Who?"

"Amy. I'm her big brother. I'm supposed to take care of her, protect her. But I let them treat her terribly and never said a word." His voice was shaky and he looked up at the ceiling to prevent the water in his eyes from streaming down his cheeks.

"Sisters fight. There's nothing you could do to stop that."

"I should've tried. I watched them tear her apart every chance they got and I did nothing to stop it. I should've done something," Derek shook his head.

"Derek," Meredith reached for his hand and returned the comfort that he'd provided for her a minute ago, "Amelia adores you. If you failed her do you really think she would go into Neuro because of you?" She sat up to look at him.

"She told you that?"

"She didn't have to, anyone could see that she worships the ground you walk. Do you really think she'd be the person she was right now if it weren't for you?"

Derek didn't say anything but he knew she was right. Instead he just wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his chest.

"Thank you." He whispered to her and kissed the top of her head while she nodded. They sat in the bathroom with her head nestled into his chest and his arms holding her against him with his chin atop her head until they fell asleep.

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This chapter was really short but I just wanted to write something comforting. I have the entire ending and major events outlined but would you prefer it if I ended the story at chapter 50? Or added more filler chapters to stretch it out?

Yes Amelia is engaged to Arizona and yes there will be a wedding.