When I am sad and broken down...

The One where they sit on the Porch Swing

Meredith is running in the rain towards her house. She can't see anything and she can't even tell if that's because of the rain or the tears clouding her vision. She doesn't even know why she's going back home, but after having searched everywhere in the hospital for Nick like a needy little girl she felt that place had seen enough of her humiliation for one day. The kids won't be back from school for a few hours so maybe that'll give her time to think of what to do.

Not that there's much left to do except roll up her sleeves and try to clean up the mess she's been left in. 

"You broke it, you bought it."

Just by reliving Bailey's words again, Meredith's insides feel like they are being pulled out of her one by one, a feeling that she hoped she'd never have to experience again.

She thought the worst part of it was behind her, but it looks like letting go of her trauma is something she'll never be allowed to do. She has too many responsibilities.Towards her legacy. Towards Richard. Towards Bailey. Towards the Fox Foundation. 

Towards her mother.

Turns out she was right: the carousel really never stops turning.

And in the end you are riding it all alone.

Everyone else left, there's no one with her.

Lexie.

Cristina.

Derek.

Alex.

Richard.

Bailey.

Jackson.

Nick.

Everyone bailed on her, one way or the other and she's all alone.

"You should really go back to Minnesota."

And he did. He really did, without looking back...

Or not.

As Meredith gets closer to home she starts recognizing a certain someone sitting on the porch swing.

By the time she's standing in front of Nick, he has stood up too. The couple stares into each other's eyes until Meredith lets out a sob so deep that her legs fail her. But she doesn't fall because he's there to catch her, no matter how wet and broken she is right now. It takes a long time for the heartbreaking sobs to be over and when they do it has stopped raining. Meredith wriggles out of Nick's arms."

You didn't leave."

He shakes his head.

"I didn't leave."

"But I told you to."

"This may come as a shock to you, Meredith, but I don't like being told what to do either" he admits, chuckling bitterly.

"I'm angry at you."

"So am I. Very angry."

"But you haven't left."

"But I haven't left."

A thunder rumbling from a distance announces that the storm is not over. And it really isn't, they are both aware of it, but for now they can enjoy the quiet sitting on the porch swing, hand in hand, with Meredith resting her head on Nick's shoulder.

"You need to stop trying to scare me off, Meredith" he says, standing up.

She dries a few residual tears from under her eyes and walks up to him.

"I don't try to scare..." She stops, seeing the look on his face. "Okay, I do, I do that. I wish I didn't, but..."

"No. No more buts. You need to stop doing this because if you don't there's no way we'll work. If you want this to work in the long run you have to find a way to love me, even when you hate me."