I Will Follow You Into the Dark

CHAPTER 98

The next day when they picked Jen up at the hotel, Derek and Meredith were joined at the hip. Jen had to laugh at Derek's efforts to juggle her luggage and still keep at least one body part touching Meredith. She watched Derek wrench himself away so that he could put her luggage into the trunk. His eyes ever on Meredith, he walked around to get into the driver's seat. But Jen stopped him before he reached the door. She yanked the keys from him and pushed him toward the back door of the car.

"Just climb in and kiss her already. I can drive to the airport," she said, pretending to be frustrated with him. "Thanks, Jen," he said with a grateful smile on his face. Derek and Meredith climbed into the back seat, and their lips were locked before Jen could crank the rental car. She smiled at the image of the lovers engrossed in a kiss. It was cute for the first 10 minutes. It was starting to get scary after 10 more. They simply could not get enough of each other. Jen tried to focus on her driving instead of on the heated exchange in back of the car. She could tell that it took all of their strength not to rip each other's clothes off even with someone so nearby.

Pulling over to fill the tank with gas, Jen pumped the gas and then knocked on the car window. She giggled that it was fogged up from all of the heat in the backseat. On the third knock, Derek opened the door and looked at her questioningly. She grinned at him, "You didn't put me on the rental car agreement. You'd better be the person who returns the car."

"Oh. Yeah," he said, blushing a bit at how completely distracted he'd been.

"You sit up front. I'll sit back here and chat with Meredith so that you can focus enough to drive down the street," Jen quipped. "Love what you two have done to your hair," she mumbled to him as she climbed into the car.

Meredith and Jen quickly struck up a conversation, and Meredith told Jen again how grateful she was for everything she had done for them. During their conversation, Jen couldn't help noticing that Meredith looked as changed as Derek by the weekend and their time together afterward. She was wistful about their impending departure, but there was a new happiness shining in her eyes when she spoke about Derek or glanced his way.

At the rental car return, Derek went inside to handle the paperwork while Jen and Meredith waited for the bus to take them to the terminal. Jen was surprised when Meredith opened up to her, "I've loved him forever. It's been killing me to be away from him. I know it broke his heart when he found out that I married Steve. Just because I stayed with Steve......it doesn't mean I haven't loved Derek all this time."

"Meredith," Jen began, "You don't owe me any explanation."

"But I do. You saved him for me. You've been the one there to help him when my actions tore him apart. I owe you everything."

"I'm just glad you're happy now," Jen said, trying to reassure her.

"I want you to know that I'm not pressuring him to move here. He keeps saying he will, but I'm not pushing him. You are such a good friend—to both of us. I don't want to take him away from you.......or his life in Seattle."

"I want him to be happy, Meredith. And that means he needs to be with you. Thanks for thinking of me, but I'll be fine knowing that you two are finally together....where you belong."

"So what are my two favorite women talking about?" Derek said, putting his arms around them and leaning in to kiss Meredith's cheek.

"The weather," Jen said quickly.

"Politics," Meredith replied.

"All I know is that you'd better not be comparing lists of what's wrong with me. That would be scary," he said grinning.

By the time they got to the terminal, Jen turned to say goodbye to Meredith. The two exchanged a hug and a few kind words. Then Jen looked pointedly at Derek and spoke to him as if he were a child. "Do not miss our flight. I'm happy for you, but I can't stomach the sappiness and the kissing and the lingering goodbyes. Even good friends have their limits. So I'm going to the gate. I will leave your ass here if you're not on that plane, understood?"

"Yes, ma'am," Derek said sassily.

"Smart aleck," Jen said over her shoulder. She tapped her watch with her index finger as a reminder that he shouldn't miss his flight and disappeared into the crowded security entrance.