Who Would Have Thought

Chapter 15

The ass wasn't answering his phone. Not that that was a bad thing. Derek didn't really want to talk to him. He just called to...he didn't want to talk to him. Mark was being an ass. Mark was paying guys to go out with Meredith to make sure he didn't go out with Meredith. Mark was being an ass to Meredith because of something that happened twelve years ago. It was idiotic.

Idiotic. Immature. Stupid. He could probably think of thousands of words to describe his brother's behavior. And now the bastard wasn't answering his phone. Which was probably a good thing as Derek was pretty sure if Mark Sloan answered his phone, there would be threats to kick each other's asses that would only end in violence. Still, the bastard wasn't answering his phone.

They didn't fight. There had been some times when they had been younger and full of testosterone that their mother had to break up but they didn't fight. They definitely didn't scream at each other the way they had and they tended not to ignore each other's phone calls. And they definitely didn't fight over girls. It had been some stupid rule Mark had made up when they were thirteen, no fighting over a girl.

Except this wasn't a fight over a girl. This was a fight over Mark being a four year old who couldn't let go of a twelve year old grudge. Yes, Meredith had hurt him. Yes, from what he understood, Mark had found him passed out in a pool of his own vomit and had spent the next year practically sleeping in the same bed with him. But that didn't mean he got to treat Meredith like this.

It had been over a decade ago. Derek had moved on. Or well hadn't as the case migh be but he wasn't mad at Meredith anymore. He couldn't imagine being mad at Meredith anymore. She had done nothing wrong, nothing to cause the kind of hatred Mark clearly felt for her at least. She had made some mistakes. So had he. They were both better now and not about to make those mistakes again.

He ran his hand through his hair and turned back to his computer. He had no idea why he was best friends with Mark Sloan. He should probably really examine the reasons before killing him though. He jumped slightly at the soft knock at his door. "Derek?"

"Addie, hey," he smiled at her.

"Hey," she grinned, holding up a salad. "Lunch?"

"It's already lunch time?" Derek frowned.

"That's what I figured," Addison laughed slightly. "Mark takes a day off and you forget to eat."

"I'm happy he's not here today," Derek sighed.

"You look miserable, Derek," Addison shook her head.

"I'm fine," Derek shrugged.

"You're not fine," she shook her head. "You and Mark haven't fought in years."

"I know we haven't but he's being an ass."

"Yes, he is," she sighed.

"Glad you agree," he nodded.

"But he has his reasons."

"What?"

"You know Mark, Derek," Addison said as she poured dressing over her salad. "He's not generally a vindictive or mean person."

"No, but he's generally an ass."

"Derek..."

"What? Meredith doesn't deserve how he's treating her."

"You know I agree," Addison nodded. "But, Derek, I get it. I get why he's treating her like that. I don't think it's right, and we've had a lot of fights about it, but I understand why he's doing what he's doing."

"Well that makes one of us."

"Derek, what would you do if I had hurt Mark the way Meredith hurt you twelve years ago?"

"I don't know," Derek shrugged.

"Imagine if Mark had broken up with me...." Addison trailed off. "Imagine Mark and I were even together, and he broke up with me, and I accused him of cheating. And when you came home, he was lying in a pool of his own vomit, barely conscious."

"That would be...it was twelve years ago, Addie."

"Just imagine it, Derek."

"I'd want to kill you."

"And then you'd be worried, wouldn't you?"

"Probably but I wouldn't be an ass about it."

"But you're not Mark," Addison sighed. "Mark who is emotionally stunted."

"True," Derek nodded.

"He's worried, Derek," she stated. "He's terrified he's going to walk into your trailer in a year and you'll be dead."

"That's not going to happen this time."

"Logically, he knows that. Logically, we both know that."

"You're worried to."

"Of course I'm worried," she smiled softly. "I think Meredith being here could either be the best thing that has ever happened to you or the worst. I think it could be the best, but that doesn't mean I'm not terrified history will repeat itself. You loved her so much, Derek. When you broke up with her...of course I'm worried."

"There's something still there," Derek admitted quietly. "I don't know what it is yet but it's there."

"I know," Addison nodded, reaching to squeeze his hand. "Which is why I'm so worried. And why Mark is worried, even if he is showing it in the most childish way possible."

"You don't have to worry. She's not...we've both grown."

"That doesn't mean we're not going to worry about you, Derek."

"You don't have to. Mer and I aren't even sure where this is going."

"If what Mark is saying is true, and I'm pretty sure it is, then it's going exactly where he and I think it's going."

"What?"

"It's the way you look at her, Derek," Addison smiled. "It's the way you've always looked at her."

"I don't still look at her like that," Derek frowned slightly.

"Yes you do. The second she walks into a room..." Addison shook her head. "Why do you think we're so worried, Derek?"

"Because she hurt me so much the first time," Derek shrugged.

"But if I thought Meredith Grey would just remain a colleague, I wouldn't be worried. But the way you look at her...Derek, there's something still there. And that's why we're worried. Last time, you fell so hard and she broke you."

"She didn't break me," Derek sighed. "Well she did but...we hurt each other a lot."

"You two definitely hurt each other," Addison nodded. "That relationship was...Derek, no one could have survived that. It was bad timing."

"It was," he agreed. "We've talked about that, Addie. We've talked about everything."

"That's great, Derek."

"She's so different, Addie," he sighed. "She's grown so much. She's stronger and braver. And she talks. If she's upset she doesn't just say she's fine. She actually talks."

"She grew up."

"She did."

"Do you want to be with her again?" Addison asked gently.

"I don't know," he sighed. "Maybe."

"Oh, Der," Addison sighed.

"She's...I took her to the spot."

"Oh, Derek, you...what did she think?"

"She loved it," Derek smiled. "She completely loved it."

"It's a beautiful view," Addison smiled widely.

"It is," he murmured.

"Derek, I know she's not the same person. And you're not the same person. I know this could really work this time. But please be careful."

"I am, Addie," Derek nodded. "We haven't jumped into anything. We've talked a lot."

"And that's great, Derek," Addison nodded. "But if it does actually happen, be careful."

"I will be," he nodded.

"Good," she sighed.

"I'm not going to let it that badly this time," he sighed. "I mean if it starts."

"If it starts, you have my complete support. And you'll have Mark's eventually."

"I hope so," Derek nodded. "She's...Meredith."

"I know."

"Do you think I'm crazy?"

"For what?" Addison asked.

"Even thinking about giving Meredith another shot."

"Derek, you loved her. You were going to marry her. And then the situation went really bad. If you want to give that another shot..." Addison shook her head. "If you're crazy, I'm crazy."

"It can't happen again. It can't go that badly again."

"I won't say it won't," Addison sighed. "It could, but she's different, Derek. She seems different."

"She really is," Derek nodded. "She's...she did it all by herself, Addie. Isn't that just...amazing?"

"It is," she smiled softly.

"I wanted that for her."

"I know you did, Derek. And maybe breaking up with her was the best thing you could for her at the time."

"It might have been."

"And now you just have to see where this goes. If you both want it to go somewhere."

"I have no idea what she's thinking," Derek sighed. "I walked away from her. That doesn't just go away."

"And she walked away from the relationship months before you did," Addison pointed out. "That doesn't go away for you either."

"I know."

"You both have things to go through when it comes to the relationship."

"I know we do," he nodded. "And we've been talking through them."

"At least you guys talk," Addison sighed.

"We're good at it now."

"Good."

"We didn't do it much the first time. Even when things were good."

"You were kids," Addison shrugged.

"We were," he sighed. "We spent a lot of time naked. And laughing."

"You were in love, Derek. There's nothing wrong with being naked and laughing."

"I know," Derek smiled slightly. "We were happy."

"It's been a long time since I saw you smile about this."

"We got closure, Addie."

"And that was exactly what you both needed."

"It was," he nodded. "We're starting fresh. I just don't know as what."

"You'll figure it out, Derek. It just has to be what's best for both of you."

"I know it does."

"And I can't make any promises that neither Mark nor I won't kill her if it doesn't go well."

"I know," Derek laughed.

"I'm glad you know," Addison laughed, taking a bite of her salad. "And I'll see what I can do about Mark."

"Thanks," Derek sighed. "I don't want him hating her if we're going to go for this."

"He'll get over it," Addison sighed. "Of course, I could be wrong. I feel like I barely know Mark Sloan right now."

"Need to talk about it?"

"It's been twenty years," she sighed. "Twenty years and he won't even..."

"I know," Derek shook his head. "I've been trying to tell him to."

"And now he's become this weird, jealous, over protective Mark," Addison shook her head. "It's this Karev thing."

"You could tell him that you're not sleeping with him," Derek suggested.

"I know. I thought it would make him finally say something...but instead he's...him."

"You could say it first."

"Mark Sloan knows how I feel about him."

"I'm not sure he does," Derek shrugged. "He thinks you'd sleep with Alex."

"He's such..." Addison shook her head. "It wasn't until the last year or two he finally stopped sleeping around."

"He's Mark," Derek sighed. "The fact he's not sleeping around is a victory."

"I know," Addison nodded. "I know that. But he's...I love him, Derek."

"Tell him."

"So he can chicken out? He can say it first."

"You two are impossible."

"There used to be a time when we were the ones in a healthy non relationship."

"It's just about time you start an actual relationship."

"I know. The waiting until I was forty was supposed to be a joke. I've wanted to be in an actual relationship with him since freshman orientation."

"I know you have," Derek nodded. "You two just need to talk."

"Derek?" Meredith poked her head in as she knocked. "Oh, um...sorry. I didn't...I can go."

"Don't go," Derek grinned. "Come in."

"Are you sure?" Meredith smiled slightly as she came in. "If you and Addison are busy..."

"We're just talking about Mark's lack of a brain," Derek shrugged. "Nothing that's not public knowledge."

"Oh," Meredith breathed, walking up behind his desk and snatching a crouton. "Yeah...Mark...total lack of a brain."

"Okay, why did that not sound convincing?" Derek frowned up at her.

"I um...talkedtoMark," she coughed into her hand before reaching for another crouton.

"You did what?"

"I might have talked to Mark," she shrugged before reaching for the package of crackers sitting beside Derek's salad.

"When did you talk to Mark? Why are you still alive?"

"During my lunch break," she shrugged. "And...I don't think he'd actually kill me, Derek."

"You...why didn't you tell me?"

"Because then you would do the Dereky thing."

"Dereky is not a word."

"Dereky is a word."

"No, it's not. Twelve years ago it wasn't and it still wasn't."

"It is definitely a word. Because nothing else describes the Derekyness."

"Which is also not a word."

"It is a word. It's always been a word. It's not my fault Webster's or Oxford or whatever hasn't seen fit to add it to the dictionary."

"Fine," Derek rolled his eyes. "And he didn't kill you?"

"He didn't kill me."

"Are you...what did you even say to each other?"

"I...kind of don't remember," Meredith sighed. "I thought he was going to kill me and there was yelling and he said things and I said things and then...he asked me if Alex was sleeping with Addison and then...blackmail and...it's all a little fuzzy."

"He asked you if I was sleeping with Alex?" Addison frowned.

"Yeah," Meredith nodded slightly. "I told him you weren't and that he should talk to you and...you are both a little bit crazy and should probably talk to each other."

"Exactly what I've been saying," Derek nodded.

"Thank you, Derek," Addison sighed.

"Just talk to each other," Derek shrugged. "Talking helps."

"Talking does help," Meredith smiled slightly, grabbing Derek's fork and taking a bite of his salad.

"Why do you keep eating my food?" Derek frowned.

"Didn't eat lunch," Meredith said around her mouthful of salad.

"So you're eating mine."

"I'm starving."

"And what about me?"

"You're off in five hours."

"Five hours, Mer."

"Nine, Der."

"And you can't buy your own food?"

"I actually am supposed to be working."

"Well that's good to know."

"So being in my boss's office makes it look like I'm working instead of eating because I was supposed to eat on my lunch hour."

"And here I thought you wanted to see me."

"I did," she smiled. "You just happened to come with food."

"Of course I do."

"And you should take pity and let me eat your food."

"Because you'd listen to me saying no."

"No, because I am currently kitchenless and may not get to eat again until tomorrow," she sighed.

"Oh was that a hint?"

"About?"

"Me feeding you tonight."

"You can't feed me tonight."

"Why not?"

"You and Mark are going out for drinks."

"Mark's not talking to me, Mer."

"Yes he is."

"Meredith, he's not."

"Derek, he is," Meredith rolled her eyes, taking another forkful of salad.

"Mer, he's not."

"Your cell phone should be ringing soonish," she shrugged."

"Mer...what exactly did you and Mark talk about?"

"Stuff."

"Should I be afraid?"

"Why would you be afraid?"

"I'm not sure."

"Derek...I'm alive. And Mark's going to talk to you."

"Okay, Derek frowned slightly.

"Okay...frowning...not what I was expecting."

"Mer, I'm just a little confused," he laughed softly, running a hand along her arm. "I'm sure whatever you did was brilliant."

"If you'd rather I didn't..." she bit her lip.

"No, it's okay," he smiled.

"Okay," she sighed.

"Mer, if you fixed this you will be my favourite person so stop worrying so much."

"I don't know if I fixed it," Meredith shrugged. "I just...I talked to him. That's it."

"Thanks," Derek grinned.

"You're welcome," she said softly.

"I'll cook you supper tomorrow to thank you."

"Good," she giggled, leaning over to brush a curl off his forehead.

"Can't let you go hungry," he sighed.

"I'm glad you understand that."

"It's not like you let me forget."

"I'm getting the kitchen fixed," she giggled.

"To burn it again?"

"I'm not going to burn it again."

"Sure."

"I'm not."

"Of course."

"You're an ass," Meredith rolled her eyes.

"I just know you," he grinned.

"Of course you do," she shook her head, sitting on the arm of his chair as she reached for another forkful of salad.

"I can help you learn how to not burn kitchen," he offered, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Izzie's been trying to teach me for a decade," she sighed, leaning into him.

"Well she's Izzie, I can do it better," he smiled.

"She may actually kill you if she heard you say that," Meredith giggled.

"She wants to kill me anyway."

"True," she sighed and then groaned as her pager went off. "Crap."

"You are technically working," he laughed.

"Thanks, Der," she rolled her eyes, grabbing a tomato before kissing him quickly on the cheek. "Thanks for your salad."

"You're welcome," he sighed, reaching up to return the kiss. "I'll see you later."

"Bye," she smiled. "Bye, Addie."

"Bye Meredith," Addison grinned.

"See you," Meredith said one more time before closing the door quickly behind her as Addison turned to stare at Derek.

"What?"

"Derek..."

"What?"

"Nothing," Addison shook her head. "Just...talk to her."

"We are talking," Derek smiled.

"About the very obvious feelings?"

"Yes, we've talked about that. Or at least kind of talked about that."

"You should talk a little bit more," Addison shrugged.

"We will," Derek nodded. "We're figuring this out."

"Good," Addison smiled. "And you definitely still look at her that way."

"She's Meredith."

"She's Meredith," Addison nodded, still smiling.

"You don't need to look so smug about it."

"I'm not smug."

"You look it."

"I just think it's nice to see you so happy again, Derek."

"I've been happy."

"Not like this."

"I...I haven't?"

"Derek, you've dated since Meredith," Addison sighed. "But I've never seen you look at a woman like you look at Meredith."

"I don't know," Derek sighed. "She's just always felt...right."

"And she still does?"

"She still does."

"That's good, Derek," Addison smiled softly as she stood, gathering up her trash. "I should probably get back to work. Try to come up with a way to deal with Mark."

"Just talk to him, Addie. If Mer and I can figure this out, anyone can."

"You and Meredith haven't actually figured it out yet."

"True but we will."

"I hope so," Addison grinned. "I'll see you later, Derek."

"See you, Addie," Derek nodded.

"And if Mark calls him, tell him I'm with Alex," Addison sighed, shaking her head as she closed the door behind her.

Derek wasn't quite sure how this had happened. Addison and Mark had managed to keep things simple and straight forward for nearly twenty years and now they were turning into a complete and utter mess. Neither of them even knew what he wanted. And suddenly his life felt like it was making sense. Meredith was back. And it was scary and confusing but it was starting to feel...something entirely different.

Suddenly, things were making a little more sense. He wasn't sure how. He wasn't even sure what any of it meant. He just knew exactly what he had told Addie: Meredith Grey felt right. When she walked into a room, when she stole his food, when she teased him or called him an ass, she felt right. And the more right she felt, the more his life seemed to be falling into place.