Never Expect The Unexpected: MERDER AU

Chapter 35: Dress Shopping

The print on Richard's paperwork started to blur the longer he stared at the stacks of files on his desk. He wouldn't have known someone was on the other side of the door if Amelia hadn't taken it upon herself to walk right in.

"Chief." She closed the door behind her and the beaming energy that radiated from her transmitted to Richard as he suddenly felt rejuvenated.

"You can call me Dad, Amelia." He watched as she cringed at the word and dug her hand into her pants pocket. There must've been a reason that she wasn't wearing her navy scrubs but he wasn't aware.

"Chief, I...wanted to ask you something."

Before Richard could give her the go-ahead she blurted out her request nervously.

"Can you walk me down the aisle?" Amelia's eyes wandered anywhere but at the man in front of her who looked taken back and somewhat confused. It couldn't have been the most bewildering idea that Amelia would ask him. Other than her brother he was the closest thing she'd had to a father.

"Isn't Derek gonna...I mean I would. I will if you want me to." He took a deep breath and waited for his mouth to catch up with his brain. "I would like that."

"Great! That's great. Thank you, Richard." Amelia nodded gratefully and exited the same way she entered, only feeling more relieved that he'd accepted her invitation.

***
"I cannot believe I am doing this." Meredith groaned as she slid another dress down her legs.

"Think of this as your way of thanking me for making you my Maid of Honor." Amelia grabbed the sage dress from underneath the dressing room door and handed her a strapless yellow one.

"You could've chosen any one of your sisters, it didn't have to be me."

"But it is you, I chose you, Meredith. You're my family, whether you like it or not." Amelia reached for a darker tinted brown dress. "So put this on and suck it up."

Meredith rolled her eyes at her sister's demands and took the dress out of her hands, giving her a disgusted glare through the door before sliding it over her legs.

"Derek should be here any minute, I have to go meet Arizona at the bakery and pick out a cake. Chocolate or lemon?" She picked up her coat and searched for her keys.

"Amelia I couldn't care less about what cake you get. As long as there's-"

"Booze. Got it."

Derek showed up at the hole-in-the-wall boutique not long after Amelia's departure. Meredith examined him as he walked through the glass doors carrying a bag of what looked to be food. She hoped it was food; for his sake. She'd been dragged along by Amelia the majority of the day and they hadn't gotten a chance to stop and eat.

"I figured you'd be hungry." Before Derek could hand her a bag she peeked inside and pulled out a paper-wrapped sandwich, opened it, and took an enormous bite.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Meredith questioned with a mouth full of bread and turkey.

"It means you eat like a bodybuilder, except the only exercise I've ever seen you do is that bendy thing where you put your legs above your head during-" he silenced himself with his own laughter when she pushed the paper bag against his chest.

"Well, your...penis is small!" Meredith struggled to form a coherent thought as the only thing consuming her mind was the need to stuff her face with food.