what i'm here for

Chapter 1: Found

AN: My first Greys fic. May be a stand alone, but I'll prolly add chapters.

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Greys Anatomy. I own nothing. I am simply borrowing the characters and will return them unharmed...

Derek hesitated before stepping out into the rainy Seattle evening, the memory of recent events weighing heavily on his mind. After Meredith had pulled from his grasp in the lobby and disappeared down the hallway he had been momentarily captivated by the lone man sobbing in the hard plastic hospital chair. His heart went out to the man, who was obviously in agony, but the vivid memory of watching Thatcher slap his daughter across the face without any visible regret showing through his expression prevented Derek from approaching him. He shook his head as he pulled his focus away from the man and turned to head down the hall after Meredith.

Derek had been unable to find his girlfriend as he had quickly searched the halls and on call rooms. He had even ventured down to the basement to check by the extra gurneys; a place he knew the interns often frequented. She had been no where to be found. And she wasn't answering her cell. Convinced she had fled the hospital and headed for home, Derek made to follow after her.

He cursed the rainy weather as he strode quickly across the parking lot to his car, only sacrificing some speed to weave around the larger puddles. In the year he had lived in Seattle, he had long since given up trying to keep his shoes dry. He was approaching his car.

Derek paused suddenly when he realized Meredith's car was still parked only a few spaces up from his own. He hesitated behind it, unsure of what to do now. If the jeep was still here, it must mean its owner was still here as well. And if Meredith was un-findable and not responding to his pages or calls, she obviously wanted to be alone. But, with the events of the day in his mind and the sight of her being slapped burned in his memory for the rest of his life, there was no way he could leave her alone until he knew she was alright. And even then it would be a fight to get him away from her side.

He quickly circled her car, glancing in the windows to make sure she was not inside. It occurred to him that one of her friends may have driven her home. After a moment of indecision, he stepped away from her car, and headed past the three bumpers separating him from his car. Meredith's house was not far away. He would drive there now, and if she wasn't there, he would come back. He sighed at the thought of having to explain the happenings of the past few hours to her roommates if they were home and she was not. Pulling his keys from his pocket, he rounded the back corner of his car, and paused at the sight awaiting him.

The figure huddled on the ground against the drivers side door was masked by the darkness and by the jacket wrapped tightly around her, but he immediately knew it was Meredith. Quickly stuffing his keys back in his pocket, he stepped forward and crouched down beside the soggy form leaning against his car.

"Meredith?" He asked gently as he reached out a hand to her face. He carefully lifted the weight of her head up from its awkward resting place on her shoulder and wiped the wet hair from her face. Her eyes were closed, and her face was pale, save for the bluish bruise forming on her left cheek. "Mer." He tried again, louder this time. Leaning in closer, he used his other hand to gently shake her shoulder. He was getting worried as he was forced to move his hand from her shoulder to her neck to check her pulse. "Meredith!"

Suddenly, she jolted awake, clutching tightly onto his arm as she gazed around with wide, bloodshot eyes, trying to focus on something familiar.

"Hey," Derek said soothingly. "Its okay, Mer. It's just me."

She focused on him and her breathing rate came back down as her body visibly relaxed in front of him. Her red eyes quickly took in her surroundings as she caught her breath.