Ever The Same

18

This wasn't Thanksgiving. Or it was. But it wasn't the Thanksgiving that Derek knew as he picked up Meredith from their house after spending the majority of the week in a hotel room by himself. Now they had to go over to his mom's and see his family and pretend that they were happy and they weren't living in separate places, trying to have a baby having torn them apart. They barely spoke on the short ride from their house to his Mom's, and were reluctant to get out of the car when they got there. Now there were walking up the path to the front door, as slowly as possible, both just wanted to get this day overwith.

"It's about time you two showed up!" A petite brunette shouted from the front doorway of his mother's home. "Come on lovebirds!"

"We'll be right there." Derek called back, quickly taking Meredith's hand.

"Come on!" Tara Smith shouted, a small tone of laughter escaping her mouth. "The kids are coloring and I don't know how much time we have before they're crying over food."

"Der?" Meredith whispered.

"Yeah?" He breathed, gesturing to his sister that they'd be right there.

"Uncle Derek!" A bottle blonde ran up, putting her arm around her Aunt. "The Chess Team at my school moves faster then you two!"

"Can we just have a minute?" Derek sighed.

"Come on Lisa." Tara frowned, walking into the house.

"We can leave." Derek said.

"No I just...maybe...we should...tonight we should talk or tomorrow...but we....talking." Meredith whispered, looking down at her hands as he let go. "Let's just go inside."

"Are you sure?" Derek whispered.

"Yeah...." Meredith breathed, quickly turning to walk ahead of him.

"Meredith!" Derek's seventeen year old niece Lisa ran up.

"Hey." Meredith breathed, lightly hugging her niece.

"Hey Lisa." Derek smiled, following Meredith into the house.

"Derek...Aunt Mer...Mom grounded me from going on a day long trip to Coney Island with my boyfriend...you have to talk some sense into her." Lisa complained.

"I'm ten time cooler then them." Mark walked in, a beer in one hand. "Where's Kathleen...I'm cool Uncle Mark and I can fix this...Kath!"

"Would you stop yelling?" Kathleen said, standing in the doorway with an apron on.

"Mom...you're so annoying..." Lisa groaned. "See...she just snaps for no reason."

"I can make it two weeks Lisa." Kathleen warned.

"Whatever." Lisa rolled her eyes, walking into another room with the younger children.

"Hi Kath." Derek chuckled, hugging his oldest sister.

"Hey Derek...Happy Thanksgiving."

"You too..." He sighed, stepping aside of Meredith to hug her.

"Hey Kath." Meredith whispered, ignoring Derek's glance as she held on to the hug his sister gave her.

"I think we should have gotten you your own turkey." Kathleen laughed. "You're too skinny...Derek, aren't you feeding her?"

"I'm...yeah...I have been."

"Actually...Meredith are you feeling okay?" Tara frowned.

"Yeah...." Meredith swallowed, pushing her hair behind her ears.