Back To Seattle

Chapter 18

She sat at her desk, pretending to continue to do paperwork. She didn't know where Jordan had gone to, but she was just glad he wasn't around her right now. It had almost been an hour since she'd seen Derek, so she assumed he would crop up again anytime soon.

She ran her fingers through her hair, frustrated, angry with herself. She needed to do better for herself, at least for her unborn child. She couldn't risk the life of her own child just because she couldn't stand up to him. How did she even let him have so much control over her? Why couldn't she just do something about it?

She had the evidence. She had the proof. She could bring him down with one phone call and a visit to the police. But something kept stopping her. She kept hoping he'd change. She hoped he would just let her go and leave her alone. He was dead set on possessing her, owning her, and if he couldn't have her then apparently no one could.

She heaved a sigh as she closed the computer down, leaning her head back and closing her eyes. She was so tired. Even if she had managed to sleep last night with Derek in her bed, it had been the first night in a long time she wasn't constantly waking up.

A knock on her door sounded and she opened her eyes again, rubbing at them as she spoke.

"Come in."

Derek entered, closing the door behind him. Locking the door behind him. He had his street clothes on, his jacket fastened up and his work bag over his shoulder. She frowned. She opened her mouth to speak but he held a hand up, walking towards her.

"I can take you somewhere. I have somewhere you can go, and you can be safe. And he won't find you," he said, putting his bag down.

His face was serious, but his words sounded like a joke. Her head tilted to the side, her mouth parting slightly to speak but closing again as she thought it over.

"My highest priority, right here, right now, is to keep you and our baby safe," he told her, moving around the desk to her and crouching on the floor in front of her chair as she turned to face him.

He took her hands, squeezing them gently as their eyes met. She stayed quiet a moment longer. Was this her answer? Hiding away until he gave up and went back to Boston?

"I just hide?" She said quietly.

"That's all I've got so far," Derek nodded.

"I mean... it's a start," she laughed a little, humourlessly.

"It's a start," he agreed, "and then we go from there."

"How did you find out?" she whispered.

"The way he looked at you, from the gallery," his eyes closed as a shiver ran through him, "The pieces just fell together, everything just made sense, and then you didn't deny it, and you were scared."

He released one hand, reaching to place it flat against her barely raised stomach. The bump that only they knew was there.

"I'm not going to let anything happen to either of you," he said sincerely.

She bit her lip as her eyes welled. She could feel the sob trying to break through at the back of her throat, and she swallowed down the lump. She couldn't break down yet, not here. She needed to take this opportunity. They needed to get out of here.

"Okay," she nodded, blinking a few times, bringing her hand over his, "I need my laptop, and some work files? And we'll need to stop by mine to grab some clothes... where are you taking me?"

"Somewhere safe, not far from here. It'll be easier to show you than explain," he said, squeezing her hand once before standing up straight and moving to pack up her laptop, "We'll grab food from somewhere as well, even if you don't feel like you're up for eating it should help with the nausea."

"Thank you," she said quietly, swapping her lab coat for her actual coat, not bothering to change out of the scrubs – they were too comfy, and she was too bloated.

He grabbed her bag to put the laptop in, and she passed him a few more things that needed to go in before she took it and put it over her shoulder. He grabbed his bag again, giving her hand one more squeeze before letting go.

"We'll go straight to the car," he told her, "Mark has gone to find him to try and keep him out of the way in case he's in our path."

"Okay," she took a deep breath as Derek moved to open the door.

"Ready?" He said, glancing back at her.

She just nodded, not trusting herself to open her mouth again. This was it. She was taking her stand. She just hoped it lasted this time.

****

"Just the main lobby now," Derek muttered to himself, still being vigilant.

Meredith had followed him, and he'd kept a thorough lookout as they walked through the walls of the hospital. She didn't even know what would happen with work, with her surgeries while she hid away. Would Derek stay off too? They couldn't both be away and leave the department without two surgeons.

He stopped suddenly, his arm moving out to stop her gently. She looked up, seeing the scene that he saw, a frown creasing her forehead. Why was she here?

"That's her," Meredith whispered, seeing the interaction between the three people in the lobby.

"Her? Meredith, that's my ex-wife," Derek glanced back at her before watching the discussion ahead himself.

Mark glanced up, catching sight of the two of them, before returning to the conversation, not making it obvious he'd seen them. Suddenly, a raised voice.

"Sloan, where's my wife?"

Meredith's breath hitched. She hid further behind Derek. When had she become so timid, so defenceless? She used to be independent, fearless.

"It's okay," Derek murmured.

They watched as Mark led them away, out of the main lobby, throwing another glance back at them and a small nod. Derek's hand found hers with a quick squeeze before releasing it again.

"Come on, I'll drive," he told her.

She nodded, following him silently out to the car park.

****

They sat in the car, stationary at the ferry terminal. She hadn't spoken the whole way over. She didn't really know what to say. But suddenly, a thought jumped into her head, and she had a case of word vomit.

"My husband cheated on me with your ex-wife," she blurted out, turning to face him.

"What?" He looked at her, eyes slightly wide, "Is that what you meant when you said that's her?"

"Yeah," her voice went quiet, and she turned to look out the window, her lips pressed together.

His hand reached over and took hers, just holding it there in the silence between them. Soon enough, they were boarding the ferry.

"Want to go out on deck?" He asked.

"Yeah," she turned to him with a small smile, "I haven't been on the ferry since I was a kid."

They made their way up to the main deck, stood side by side at the railings. It was windy, but not too cold. It was almost refreshing, having the breeze in her face. She found herself leaning against Derek's side, and he slowly moved an arm around her waist, holding her against him as her head turned into his shoulder. She felt his lips touching the top of her head as she looked out at the expanse of water of the Sound.

Part of her wondered where he was taking her, but part of her didn't mind. It was away from where Jordan was, away to somewhere he couldn't track her down, and that was enough for her.