A Fight to Remember

It's Complicated Pt. 1

Picks up where we left off...

Meredith (Dreaming)

We pulled away, lips swollen and cheeks flushed, hearts pounding, eyes dark with rapt desire, intoxicated.

Candles flickered all around us. A cool breeze brushed faintly over my lips. I stared at him, panting. Did this mean...Was he-? Were we-? It felt like every neuron and synapse in my brain was on fire. This was it. I gave him my heart. Everything. I got all whole and healed right? And I was ready to try. Try and trust him.

Derek regarded me."I have to go," he said.

"What?" I asked breathlessly, confused.

He stared at me, and stepped back...

The fog crept in around him.

What? He had to go? Where? Why?

"Stay here," I heard him say, though now I could barely make out his outline. "Don't move," he said as I reached into the nothingness,"wait for me."

Fog covered even his shadow now. I turned, spun in a tight circle. He was gone.

"I can't..." I whispered. Bereft, I hugged myself and sat down alone on the ground. The fog swirled, and I was lost all over again.

Derek.

She was splayed on her stomach in bed, one arm stretched over the empty pillow on my side, the other drooping over the edge. Barely covered by the blanket, my 'fiance's' naked back revealed her still slim lines. Frozen in sleep, her only movement was the slight rise and fall of her body as she breathed peacefully. Meredith was beautiful, perfect this way. Especially with her single pink-socked foot poking out from under the covers.

Derek Shepherd, will you marry me? she asked. Coming off the high of my climax, still in her, surrounded by her... I'd blinked in surprise, staring at her for two long seconds, I'd forgotten what it felt like...To be wanted, to be loved. And it was an amazing feeling.

So I kissed her forehead. Yes. Yes Meredith, of course.

Even senile and smelly me?

Especially, I replied. And then we laughed, and hugged and kissed, and then... as she curled into me, she cried. Now I watched her sleep.

It was going to be a long night tonight. But it was worth it

"Derek?" A muffled knock came from bedroom door.

"Just a minute," I called back. I was only wearing boxers. Slipping on some sweats and a T-shirt, I opened the door a crack and poked my head out.

"Derek, we need to talk." Amy said urgently.

Rubbing my chin, I followed her to the den. "What is it?" I asked as we entered. Something was up. The kids were there, Cristina was there. Though some of the papers had been tidied, it was clear everyone had been discussing something while Meredith and I were... out.

"Guys... what is it?" I asked again, placing my hands on my hips.

My sister regarded me intensely from behind the desk. "I've been on the phone and email for the last few hours. Derek, we..." she swallowed,

"We have a chance," Bailey finished.

A chance? At what?

"Dr. Berk from Australia is in L.A at a conference. He's one of the lead practitioners for ultrasound waves on the brain." Amy continued quickly.