Where You Belong

87

Meredith silently followed Nathan up the driveway – away from Derek – to the house.

Nathan had obviously spent time with the Shepherd family, as he didn't even bother to knock when he reached the front door. He pulled it open and motioned for Meredith to enter first.

"Thanks," she said quietly, sending one last glance back over her shoulder before stepping into the house. This was very different from the last time she had entered the house; the night before, when she had been completely exhausted and anxious and hopped up on adrenaline all at the same time. And Derek had been in the house. She had been taken to Derek. Now she was being taken away from Derek.

"This has been coming for a while," he commented as he stepped into the front hall behind her. "But I'm sure it will be okay once they get everything out of their systems."

Meredith nodded, though she wasn't sure why. Derek had told her his sister was single. Obviously he had been caught by surprise at Nathan's presence. But that shouldn't be enough to create the sort of reaction that was going on now. Sure, Derek had an overprotective streak, but three of his sisters were married and they all had kids.

"I'm going to run the suitcase upstairs," Nathan continued, slipping off his shoes and heading down the hall for the stairs.

And she was alone.

And a little terrified.

With a deep breath, she leaned down and slowly – very slowly – untied the laces on her sneakers, pretending like she didn't normally just slip them on and off still tied. When that was done she pulled them off and stood, barefoot, silent, still.

What now?

A thump, thump, thud of tiny footsteps echoed from somewhere in the house, followed by a series of giggles. The basement, Meredith assumed. The kids were in the basement; or at least some of them. Fourteen kids were a lot. They probably didn't all fit in the same place.

There didn't seem to be any life on the main floor. The family was probably out back, where they had been earlier that afternoon when she and Derek had left.

She could make a run for it. The thought entered her mind before she could help it.

The stairs were so close. So temptingly close. All she had to do was make it to the second floor and the safety of Derek's bedroom. No one would even know she was home until Derek and Lauren came in when they were done arguing about...whatever it was they were arguing about. If they were even arguing.

She would be safe if she went upstairs.

She would also be a coward.

Safe.

Coward.

Safe.

Coward.

Hmm.

It was a tough call.

"Come on, Grey," she muttered to herself, trying to force herself to make a choice. The stairs were beckoning to her, pulling her to them. All she had to do was lift one foot after the other. Reach the landing. Tiptoe down to Derek's room. Shut the door. And she'd be safe. And a coward.

She'd be a coward, but she'd be safe.

And yet...

"Come on," she repeated, a little louder. "You made it this far."

She had travelled thousands of miles to spend the week with Derek and his family. She could walk the fifty feet or so through the house to the backyard. They were getting married. Married. Her and Derek. That meant these people, who she wanted to avoid, would be here in-laws. Her family.