Driving Sideways

12.

By six o'clock that evening, the festivities had come to an end. Everyone was stuffed full of cake and snacks and the number of guests began to dwindle. Derek's family slowly left, and Ellis had gone home to get her things, prepared to pick up Derek and Richie at eight to get to the airport. Marion had offered to stay with Meredith and Greyson for the night, the first night that Meredith and Derek had spent this far apart, ever. Normally if they were apart, one of them was at the hospital, and the other was at the house. This was an entirely different experience, and Marion understood that Meredith would never ask for help with it, but she knew it was going to be hard for the first couple of nights.

Derek was in his bedroom, checking over his bags one more time as the time came nearer for Ellis to be arriving. Marion was downstairs with the boys, helping them clean the kitchen and dining room from all of the festivities. He could feel her enter the room as he tucked something into the suitcase.

"What was that?" Meredith whispered as she walked into the room.

His eyes turned and he gave her a sheepish smile. "Nothing..." He whispered as he shook his head, zipping the suitcase.

She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, resting her chin on his arm as she looked around him. Her eyes moved to the bed, where she noted that her pillow was lying in the middle. "You took my pillowcase?" She whispered with an incredulous giggle.

"Shh..." He said as he turned around, touching his fingertips to her chin. "You're making me seem creepy..." He said as he shook his head.

"It's not creepy..." She whimpered as tears came to her eyes. "You're going to miss me..."

"I'm going to miss you... like crazy..." He whispered as he leaned down and left a lingering kiss on her lips. "Now no crying..." He whispered. "I don't do crying..." He said with a sly smile as she closed her eyes tightly, letting the tears roll down her cheeks.

"Or dishes..." She giggled as he laughed, rubbing his nose against hers as she let a tear or two fall.

"Meredith...I promise you... I'll take good care of her." He said, looking into her eyes as she opened them.

"I know you will..." Meredith whispered.

"I'll take good care of Richie... and myself too... I promise... we'll all come back in one piece... and I promise that I'm going to figure out what's running through your crazy mother's head..." Derek said as he watched her smile sadly.

"She won't tell you, Derek."

"I know that... but I'm pretty perceptive, I think... I think I'll be able to figure it out..." He nodded.

"I hope so..." She whispered as she kissed his lips softly, closing her eyes as she wrapped her arms around the back of his neck, letting him lift her from the floor as he squeezed her tightly.

When eight o'clock finally arrived, Ellis walked to the front door, knocking lightly, the door opened and Richie stood there with a big happy grin. "You're ready to go, GG?" He asked.

"I'm all ready, sweetheart..." Ellis said as she smiled softly at her grandson's excitement.

"We're going on a plane!" He said excitedly as he grabbed his backpack and swung it onto his back.

Derek walked into the room from the kitchen, smiling softly as Meredith followed behind him. "After all the excitement today, he's still got energy burning up in that little body of his..." Ellis said with a shake of her head.

"He'll sleep like a baby on that plane." Derek said, feeling Meredith squeeze his hand, his eyes flashed to hers as she gave him a sad look. Marion stepped in from the kitchen to say goodbye and Derek looked around for a moment. "Where is Grey?" Just then, the French doors from the living room behind them opened and a tiny form could be seen pulling something across the floor. "Greyson, what are you doing?" Derek asked as he released Meredith's hand and approached his son.