Let It Go

46.

Derek caught sight of Meredith peering around a corner, obviously hiding from this group of people. Derek gave her a questioning look, glancing back towards the man and women staring at him, waiting for an answer. He glanced back at her before addressing them.

"Dr. Grey is..." He caught sight of Meredith waving her hands and mouthing the word 'no' out of the corner of his eye. "I heard a pager go off. It must have been hers. A 911 page I presume as she disappeared so quickly." He stepped forward and extended his hand to them. "I'm Dr. Derek Shepherd, Head of Neurosurgery. Is there something I can do to help you?" he asked. The man shook Derek's hand.

"It's nice to meet you Dr. Shepherd. I'm Thatcher Grey, Dr. Grey's father. She didn't know we were coming - doesn't seem to remember how to answer a phone call or reply to an e-mail. Do you know how long she will be?" Thatcher asked. "It's nice to meet you as well Mr. Grey and no, I don't know how long she will be," Derek said smoothly. "I can give her a message for you if you'd like." Thatcher shook his head.

"We'll wait," he said. "I know hospitals. I was married to Meredith's mother after all. We'll go down to the cafeteria and have a bite to eat. If you see her, please tell her to join us there. Otherwise, we'll check back later." Derek nodded. "I will," he said. Thatcher took the elbow of a woman Derek assumed was his wife and led her towards the elevator, followed by a woman with the same hair color as Meredith holding a little girl. Another woman, with short black hair and big brown eyes, stayed behind.

"You're Derek," she stated. Derek nodded. "I am," he agreed. "You are?" "I'm Lexie, Meredith's sister. She probably hasn't mentioned me but I've heard all about you," Lexie said, eyeing Derek. She could see where the McDreamy name came from. "She's mentioned sisters a time or two... Not by name, but I knew she had sisters. And a niece," Derek said. "She actually mentioned us? Shocking. She likes to pretend we don't exist which gets rather old and immature. She does that with a lot of things actually." "Oh well um... She talks about me?" Derek asked, his lips threatening a smile. "Yeah - you yelled at her, said stuff to piss her off about saving your nepew's life," Lexie said, dismissing the question with a wave of her hand. "We're past that - or getting there," Derek said, feeling the need to defend himself. "Great!" Lexie said with fake enthusiasm. "I wouldn't know that seeing as I never talk to her." "Hmm," Derek replied. He got the distinct impression he was caught in the middle of Meredith and her family.

"Where is she?" Lexie asked. "Where is...?" "Meredith. Where's Meredith?" "Oh, she's um... Paged. She got paged. You know, hosptials, doctors, saving lives...," Derek tried to come up with a good explanation. "Yeah, I know hospitals and doctors and saving lives. I'm a general surgery fellow in Seattle. I also know my sister. She wasn't paged. She saw us and fled the scene," Lexie said. Derek sighed.

"Lexie, she was here, now she's not. I don't know where she went, but I'm assuming she was paged. If I see her, I'll let her know you all are here, waiting on her," Derek said. Lexie nodded. "Tell her she can avoid all she wants, but we've got her address and we know where she works. She's going to have to face us eventually." Derek nodded in agreement. "I'll tell her," he said. "Thanks," Lexie said. She brushed past Derek. Derek waited until she'd disappeared into an elevator to find Meredith. He went to where he'd seen her hiding. She was still there.

"They're gone," he told her. "Not far, but they're gone." Meredith sighed and slumped against the wall. "Thanks," she said. "I couldn't... I wasn't expecting them..." "Obviously," Derek said. He studied her. She was pale and looked like she was barely standing under her own power.

"You need to sit down," Derek determined. He took her hand and led her down the hall to their lounge. Thankful it was empty, he locked the door and closed the blinds. Meredith fell onto the sofa, her head in her hands. Derek frowned as he approahced her. Seeing her family had done something to her. What, he didn't know, but images of her bare walls in her home and lack of personal effects in her office flashed in his mind. It was obvious to anyone that cared to notice that she wasn't close to her family. Why, he didn't know.