NEVER LEAVING YOUR HEART ALONE

RELIEF

Derek was in shock. He was right. They were hiding something. Not just him. Not just her. They. Drew and Meredith. His blood pressure started to spike. He quickly began breathing deeply. He needed to calm down. He loved her. He loved his cousin. He trusted them both, and he had to hear them out.

"Tell me what?" Derek asked as he looked at her. She didn't look up. He wasn't going to let on that he had known that something was, in fact, going on. "Mer..." He said. She raised her head, and he saw the tears that were pooled in her eyes.

Drew looked over at Meredith. He had spilled it. He had just pulled the band-aid off. He had to do this. He had to tell Derek. Derek was family. Meredith was family. He had to do what he thought was best. She wasn't strong enough at the moment. She couldn't handle the stress. She couldn't speak. Drew knew that it would be rough at first, but no matter what, it was going to be better. There would be no more secrets.

"Marty." Drew said simply. Derek's head shot over and looked at Drew.

"Marty?" Derek asked in confusion. Marty. What about Marty?

"Meredith?" Drew said as he looked over at her.

"He makes me nervous." Meredith said as he voice cracked softly. "That's it..." She lied through her teeth. Derek looked at them both with confusion.

"No. We're not doing this!" Drew spat loudly. "Marty's a fucking snake!" He told Derek. Derek's eyes got wide. "He's been after Meredith. And the night of the party, he grabbed her ass. That's why I punched the stupid fuck!" He told him. They both looked at Meredith as sobs wracked her body.

"Meredith?" Derek said as he looked at her. "Oh my God! Why didn't you tell me?" He asked as he rushed to her side.

I- I-" She stammered as she struggled to breathe. "Fran...practice...career...over..." She cried out. He wrapped his arms around her as she sobbed. "I'm so sorry..."

"Meredith..." He whispered as he kissed her head. "You tell me. No matter what, you tell me." He said as she laid her head on his chest. They all remained silent as she cried in his arms. Derek and Drew exchanged looks of regret, and forgiveness.

"I'm going to-" Drew said as he nodded to the upstairs. Derek shook his head.

"Meredith, why wouldn't you tell me?" He asked as she calmed down.

"I was afraid. The night at the restaurant, he hit on me. I told him no. I told him I loved you. He just gave me a bad feeling..." Meredith quickly said, before sobbing again.

"Did he hurt you?" Derek asked with anger in his voice. If his did. He was leaving the house. He was going to kill him.

"No. No! He grabbed me, but he never hurt me. And he isn't following me. It's just when I see him. I know it's stupid, Derek. It's stupid. I am overreacting. But he just...he scares me." Meredith admitted as her red-rimmed eyes looked into his blue ones.

"It's not stupid. If you have a feeling- You have a feeling for a reason. I just- I can't believe you didn't tell me. I am your husband. I am your protector. I am here for you." Derek said as he held her.

"The practice was just starting. And I didn't want to screw it up for you. You don't deserve that. You're so happy. This is what you want. And I just- I didn't want you to lose it." Meredith explained as the tears began to pool again.

"Fuck the practice! I love the practice. I enjoy it... But none of that matters. I love you. And if you aren't here... If Anna isn't here... That practice doesn't matter. Nothing matters. You could have been raped. Or killed..." His voiced cracked. "I couldn't go on. Without you... I can't go on." He said as the tears fell. "I'd rather be dead."