Me After You

Dear Dr. Bailey

She was worried. They hadn't heard from Derek in weeks. No sign of life. Dr Bailey knew it would take him much time to cope with this loss. She was very worried about Derek, that he would crash again, like he did a couple of years ago. He would get drunk and yell at everyone. Actually, she should be happy. A few weeks ago, Richard had made her the new chief of surgery. Her dream job. It was what she had been working toward all these years. Still, she was sad, Meredith's death had taken a toll on her, too. There was still a depressed mood all over the hospital. Everyone dealt with grief differently. Alex was absorbed in his work, treating one patient after the next. He just kept the grief away from himself. He basically lived in the hospital. Richard had taken great pains not to reach for alcohol and soak all his grief in it. Meredith was like a daughter for him, they always had a such special bond.
Bailey was thoughtfully putting the mail on her desk when suddenly a letter poked out. It wasn't an advertisement or a bill. It was a letter from Derek. Miranda opened it and started to read.

Dear Dr. Bailey,
I never thought it would come this far, but I'm leaving. I left Seattle and suddenly ended up in Minnesota with Bailey and Zola. I don't know why exactly I ended up here, but I couldn't stay at Grey-Sloan anymore. Just every inch here had reminded me of what I just lost. I need to start over, Miranda, get away from all the grief and pain. Despite everything, I want you to know that you and this hospital made me the person I am today. A better person. I found the love of my life here, my daughter smiled at me for the first time here, my son was born here and I found a family here. I owe so much to you and the hospital beyond belief. The time, here in Seattle, was the best I've ever had and I will never deny it. Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital will always have a very special place in my heart. I signed over my shares of the hospital to Amelia. She now owns a part of this special place as well. She deserves it, she is a brilliant neurosurgeon, even if she overdramatizes sometimes, she is still a wonderful person. Please don't be mad at me that I didn't manage to stay standing and continue my life here. I have to try to move on, but I can't when everywhere I look there are reminders of Meredith and me. You don't have to worry about me, we'll be fine. I don't know if I'll ever come back. Maybe one day when the pain is already less and I don't, according to my daughter, look like a ghost. But anyway, this is my official resignation. I ask you to forward this to everyone.
I wish you another wonderful life,
Dr. Derek Shepherd

She put the letter back down. She had expected everything, but not that Derek would just disappear and leave only this letter. But in the end she could understand him, Meredith had always been the one for him. The love he felt for her was very rare indeed. It hurt her heart that they didn't get their happy ending. Suddenly, she smirked. She reach back to when she had caught Meredith and Derek in a car, the first year of Meredith's residency. Who would have thought then that the two of them would get this far and one day marry and have children.

I'm sorry for giving y'all these 'Alex's leaving' vibes, but I think it fits with Derek doing something like that.