Echoes of Resilience

8

Three days later Meredith continues to settle in at Addison's, becoming more comfortable in the big space slowly but surely. The redhead continued to sleep in Meredith's room with her after the first night, the blonde slept more soundly with Addison holding her because she knows that the older woman won't let anyone rip Meredith away from her protective grasp. She can't let go of the fear that she's going to end up back in the shed somehow, but when Addison holds her she knows in her bones that she is safe. She hasn't truly trusted anyone since she was a child, but there is something about Addie that helps balance her when she feels in danger of falling off the tightrope she's been forced to walk. Maybe it's the way Addie never fails to praise her, encourage her, reassure her, and comfort her no matter how dark her thoughts become. In the past two weeks Addison has stuck by Meredith's side through countless nightmares, panic attacks, crying spells, flashbacks, and episodes of dissociation. She never gives up and never lets the blonde blame herself for anything. She always gives the blonde a choice, never making decisions for her, always supporting her and giving her space when she needs it but not letting her isolate and get lost in her head. She takes better care of Meredith than anyone ever has, including Meredith herself.

Derek has continued to be extremely open with the police about the torture he inflicted on the young woman, bragging to anyone who will listen about the ungrateful slut he rescued. Reporters are still anxious to talk to Meredith with threats being made of turning to the man that did this to her for a jailhouse interview if she won't talk. Her abduction being treated more as entertainment than as a crime by the media making Meredith feel like a circus freak. She's had to talk to the police multiple times, with them needing to know just how much of what Derek is saying is the truth, the officers hoping at least some of it is an exaggeration. So far, everything has been true. Derek may have mixed a few things up, but nothing he has said has been a lie. It all happened and while she knows memories cannot physically hurt her, she can still feel his hands on her every time she has to talk about it.

Addison bought Meredith a phone on her cellular plan to give the blonde a little bit of freedom, but also to make it easier for the police and district attorneys office to contact her instead of having to go through the redhead. Other than her therapist, the police, and prosecutors office the only ones with her phone number are Addison and Arizona. Or at least they were the only ones to have it. Until now.

Meredith is in the kitchen coloring at the bar while Addie makes lunch for the two of them when she hears her cell phone ringing from down the hall where she left it to charge, she debates going to answer it when it stops ringing. The blonde decides to just check who called later on, but when she hears the tone indicating whoever called left a voicemail her curiosity gets the best of her. After telling Addie where she's going she makes her way to her room and grabs her phone. Sitting on the bed, she checks the missed calls and sees it's a number she doesn't recognize and clicks over to the voicemail, pressing play before putting the phone to her ear. Before the person even starts talking she knows who called just based on his breathing. She can quickly feel herself begin to panic and when she finally hears his voice she screams and drops the phone.

Addison was putting together Meredith's plate when she heard a blood curdling scream coming from the blonde's room. Quickly running down the hall she can feel her heart clench in her chest at the sight of the younger woman, who right now is in the headspace of a young girl making the scene in front of her even more heartbreaking. Meredith is at the top of her bed with her face hidden in her knees, ripping the hair out of her head. Clumps of blonde scattered around her on the bed as she screams and sobs, kicking her feet uncontrollably and everything that was on the bed other than the pillows behind the blonde's back was now on the floor. Addison quickly makes her way over to Mer, warning her before she touches her and then scooping the blonde into her lap. She gently gets the girl's hands out of her hair and begins rocking her while singing. The moment the blonde realizes she's in Addie's arms she burrows her face in the redhead's chest, sobbing with an intensity Addison has never seen before. The sobs racking Meredith's small body as Addison holds her tight to her chest.