The space between us

A Grey's Anatomy alternate-universe fanfiction inspired by characters created by Shonda Rhimes. This story is not affiliated with or endorsed by ABC or Shondaland.

Everyone thinks they know Meredith Grey.

Brilliant. Sarcastic. Stubborn. The daughter of the late, legendary surgeon Ellis Grey. The girl with an answer for everything and a future already mapped out in surgical textbooks and impossible expectations.

But there are things Meredith doesn't let anyone see.

Not Cristina, despite being her person.
Not Lexie, the little sister she'd do anything to protect.
And certainly not Derek Shepherd-the boy next door who has known her nearly her entire life.

Derek knows Meredith better than anyone. He knows how she takes her coffee, where she goes when she needs to think, and exactly how to make her laugh when she's determined not to. What he doesn't know is why she's been pulling away...or why watching her with somebody else has suddenly started to bother him so damn much.

Meredith has Damon.

Derek has Jules.

They've always been best friends.

And that's all they're supposed to be.

But as senior year approaches and cracks begin appearing in the life Meredith has worked so hard to keep together, secrets become harder to hide. Friendships change. First loves aren't always forever. Families aren't always what they seem. And sometimes the person you've spent your entire life searching for has been sitting beside you all along.

Before the white coats.
Before Seattle Grace.
Before Meredith Grey and Derek Shepherd became MerDer...

They were just Meredith and Derek.

And this is where their story really began.