A Fight to Remember

I'm Meredith Grey

A/N: Hey guys, I'm posting this early because I am travelling tomorrow.  So, if you remember chapter 1 with Bailey, the time stamp was January 2038. I am building up to that chapter. It will be a couple chapters till a MerDer reunion. Hang on!

November 21 2037 North Cove, Derek.

My truck was parked in front of the bar. I'd been here in North Cove for months now looking for answers, but finding nothing substantial. I'd given up in Vancouver, nobody would tell me anything. So I took my houseboat and traveled here, to this God forsaken town.

It was late and I was tired. I dug through the junk in my truck for my phone, and when I popped open the glove compartment, something fell out.

A picture.

A picture of my sailboat, I remembered Benny took this. Two women looked over my boat, their backs to me. My fingers trembled as I recognized the figures there. It was Meredith and Cristina. The women looking at my sailboat... It was them. I flipped the picture over. On the back, Benny had written all the details of the day, down to the temperature. But I didn't care about that, it was the date.

June 16th 2034

June 16th, the day of the tsunami nine years ago. June 16th, the day I met Meredith on the road. I stumbled out of the truck. Was I really that close? Did I really just miss her? I scrubbed my bearded face. I needed to think... I needed a drink.

I think you need to consider the possiblity... that someone has lost you too.

Every town, no matter how small, has three things. A church, a store, and a bar. I made my way to the bar. "Double scotch," I said. "The good stuff." the bartender nodded and a glass appeared before me, full of Amber liquid. I stared at it, lost in thought...

I had to find her, Meredith. But she completely baffled me.

"Where have you been? I've been waiting and waiting for you, and you never showed up!" In one moment, it was like she recognized me, but in the other...

"You remind me of my husband... But you're not him, it's impossible."

"Are you real?" she'd asked. And then... "This feels like a very weird dream."

"No don't go- I just got you back," she said...

The way her hand gripped my forearm, the way she demanded me to kiss her. That kiss...

But then, she pushed me away- she didn't know who I was-

"Stay away from me! I can't- I can't breathe! I want my husband! Where is he?"

When she looked up at me that last time, she regarded me as a stranger, as a threat. She'd recoiled, "Who the hell are you? Don't touch me! Let go of me! Leave me alone!"

What the hell happened?

"Another please," I said to the bartender. He nodded, and my glass filled again. Doubt creeped up in me. Did she really know me, or was she just really messed up? But if so... why was she discharged so early?

And then my doubt turned to anger. I gripped the glass so hard I thought it would crack. My hand shook. Why did I leave? I pulled the picture out and stared at it again. What was the connection? What was our connection?

I just missed her... again! I had her and I lost her!

The bar blurred and buzzed around me as I slammed back another drink. And another. I was my own worst enemy wasn't I? "Ugh," I mumbled as I pushed myself from the counter.

"Hey," the bartender called. "Your keys... you'll have to leave 'em here."

"Whatever." I dug around in my pockets and dropped my truck keys and a wad of bills on top of the picture in front of him.