Echoes of Resilience

6

Two weeks have passed since Addison found Meredith in the shed on Derek's land and the redhead has only left the blonde's side when it was absolutely necessary. News of Meredith's rescue and Derek's arrest made national news with reporters flooding the hospital, desperate for an interview with both women. Addison's phone hasn't stopped ringing between her family, Derek's family, friends, reporters, police, and lawyers. She's taken a leave of absence from work in order to focus on the blonde but also to give herself a much needed break, unable to even think of facing patients when her face has been all over the news. Meredith started therapy and continued to use age regression as a coping mechanism, which has only been encouraged by both her therapist as well as Addison.

"Alright sweet girl, finish up your breakfast while I pack up your things for when you get discharged. Do you remember our plan?" Addison asked as she moved around the room, collecting the few things Meredith had acquired throughout her hospital stay.

"Yup, Dr. Bailey is going to discharge me and then we're gonna go to Addie's house!" Mer exclaimed excitedly while picking at her pancakes. "No one will hurt me at Addie's house." She muttered to herself, but loud enough that the older woman could still hear her.

"That's right honey, we're gonna go to my house and no one will hurt you there. You'll be safe sweetheart, do you remember my friend Arizona?" Very few people have been to Meredith's room, with Addison even insisting she not be part of intern rounds, but Arizona is one of Addison's best friends and also one of the few people she trusts not to upset the blonde.

"Yes Dr.Arizona Robbins is a peds surgeon who likes to roller skate around the hospital and is way too happy all the time, but I like her." The sunshiny doctor was a little much for Meredith but she never looked at her in pity and she knows she's also been helping Addie as much as she can, for some reason those two things are enough to make Meredith like the other blonde.

"We certainly don't call her Dr. Sunshine for nothing that's for sure." Addison laughed, sitting at the end of the hospital bed. "Well, Arizona set up a room for you in my house, if there's anything else or need or want we can get it, all you have to do is ask." She smiled as she felt Meredith reach out for her hand, immediately holding the younger woman's hand in hers as she watched her play with her food. "What's wrong sweetheart? You know you have to eat." She asked gently, not wanting to scare Meredith but concerned with her lack of eating.

"You won't get mad?" Meredith waits until Addison shakes her head, her eyes filled with both confusion and concern. "I don't think they cooked them all the way, they're mushy in the middle." She scrunched up her nose in disgust as Addison chuckled and squeezed her hand.

"It's okay sweet girl, we can pick up something on the way home which by the looks of Dr. Bailey loitering in the doorway will be sooner rather than later, so let's just put these mushy pancakes to the side." She smiled and pushed the plate away as Miranda quietly walked inside.

"Good morning Meredith, I take it you are more than ready to get out of here? I know after two weeks stuck here I would be." Miranda doesn't realize what she's said until Meredith's breathing starts to speed up, her eyes frantically looking around the room.

The room quickly becomes smaller around Meredith and suddenly she's back in the shed. She smells the damp and musty air and hears the creeks in the wood. The door is locked and all she can do is wait for Derek to show up and hope that he's in a good mood.

She's stuck in her memories as Addison carefully gets behind her on the bed and gently moves Meredith into her lap. She brushes the blonde's hair away from her face and begins to sing, sighing in relief as she feels Meredith relax into her. The blonde adjusts her body so she's laying in Addison's lap, her head resting on the redhead's thigh while she enjoys the feeling of the hand softly carding through her hair and focuses on the song being sung to her. She slowly brings her thumb to her mouth and closes her eyes, humming along with Addie's singing.