Seven Thousand Hours

Chapter 12| Everyone has a story

"Everyone has a story"

Derek and Meredith shared a long glance before she grabbed his hand. "Not every story is like that. That can't even imagine how hard that must have been."

Derek sighed and stood up, "I'll show you around the land" He pulled her up and he whistled for Doc to walk along with them. "Do you not like talking about it?" Meredith asked as they walked through the forest. Derek shook his head. "I don't mind talking about it. The only one that knows it all is Amy , so it's nice that I can talk to someone else. I just feel really awkward with it" Derek said before he shoved his hands in his pockets to warm the September chill.

"Whys that?" Meredith said as she looked to him. Derek threw a stick for Doc and turned to her. "I knew Addison for 12 years, I knew my son for 2 days, and I feel more of a loss from my son than I do my wife. People don't get that" Derek said before he bent down to stroke Doc. Meredith joined him. "I get that. Just because you've known someone so long, doesn't mean you're crying on the floor heartbroken when you're gone. Your kid was family, and that's something" Meredith said before they kept on walking. Derek nodded.

"Is she still your wife?" Meredith asked curiously. Derek sighed. "Yeah. I've tried sending divorce papers but I never get any reply. If I could, I would." He said before they made it to a clearing, overlooking a river.

Derek let out a relieved sigh and made his way to a rock before sitting down with Meredith. She watched him, curious to how he was feeling, but his expression told no feelings. Instead she laid her head on his shoulder. "You'll be okay. I'll help you through it" she said quietly. He nodded. "Thank you, Mer"

Meredith sat up and smiled. "Mer?" Derek looked at her, a grin growing on his face. "Do you not like it?" He chuckled nervously. She laughed and shook her her head. "I don't mind it" she shrugged. She certainly didn't mind it if Derek was saying it. Derek wasn't quite convinced however. "How about Meri? Do people call you that?" He asked, she shook her head. "I mostly get Mer. Meri is a new one but I kind of like it, so I'll do you a deal: you can call me Meri if I get to call you Der" she laughed as she stuck her hand out. He smiled at her, "Deal"

They watched Doc jump in the river and hunt for sticks before walking back to the trailer and sitting back down on the chairs outside. "What made you want a trailer?" Meredith asked as she took a sip from her water bottle.

Derek looked around at his land, a warm feeling spreading across his chest. "I used to live in upstate New York and spent a lot of time outdoors. Then I met Addison, and well- she hated it. So I gave it up for her, moved to Manhattan, and hated it but it made her happy. She loved the luxury but I never saw the fascination, so the second I left for Seattle, I wanted to be away from the city life. I like the quiet, Doc loves the outdoors and I like to fish so this land seemed perfect. There's only me, no need for a big house, and I'm barely here anyway now" Derek shrugged.

"Yeah, on-call rooms don't quite match this though, Der" Meredith laughed as she looked at his set up. "Why don't you bring the trailer to the hospital. That way you're close by but can still relax. And you'd get more time with Doc" Meredith suggested. Derek just shook his head. "I'd feel too bad, Meri. Knowing you're in an on-call room and I'm sleeping like a king, it wouldn't be fair. We're in this together" he explained. Meredith just shrugged.

"It's okay. I've found that on-callroom 4A has working heating and the newest mattress. It's my personal favourite" Meredith laughed, making Derek smile and shake his head. "Ill tell you what: how about I bring the trailer to the hospital and we share it. You can use it to shower or cook a decent meal or have a proper nap and we just share it and figure it out?" Derek asked her.

"How would the sleeping arrangement work though?" Meredith asked. "The sofa in my office folds open to a bed, you take the trailer and I take the office, or we switch, if you want of course" Derek said quickly. Meredith shook her head. "I can't steal your trailer off you, Der." Meredith said. Derek shook his head. "It wouldn't be right. If you don't get to go home every night, neither do i. We share the trailer. You sleep in the bed, I'll sleep on the sofa in the trailer, that way we both get the trailer, deal?" Derek rambled.

"Deal"