Chapter Six:

This is going to be pretty short, but hopefully it's a good conclusion. Anyway, I'm going to try to start writing something else soon, cuz I've really loved writing this one. REVIEW THIS PLEASE, even though, as it's the last chapter I can't threaten you with no updates. How bout I say that, if you don't review, I won't write another one? Just kidding (or am I?) . Just review and let me know what you thought of the whole thing.

Meredith lay awake that night, unable to think, her mind whirling around memories of her and Derek.

The earliest ones, like when he showed her his trailer for the first time, or when he came to her house during that huge part, or driving out to the docks and staying all night, just on a whim. . . those made her want to get back with him, to forget all the crap that came after and go back to those times.

But the later ones. . .those were the real problem. She could still remember every detail of Addison walking up that first time. The way Derek was looking into Meredith's eyes as he helped her with her coat, giving no warning that everything was about to change. The panicky feeling she'd had when he told her he was sorry. The way she felt like someone had punched her when Addison said that about screwing her husband. . .

The way he'd lied about the divorce papers. The way she'd gone the whole night of the train accident waiting for an answer. The simplicity of his reply, "Yeah, she's my wife." As though it was obvious.

The tears, the drunken nights. He'd caused it all.

Yet, Meredith knew deep down, that the only way to stop herself from feeling all that pain was to be with him. But why should it be any different this time?

She closed her eyes, trying to shut off her mind. Sleep on it she told herself, though she didn't buy it. She'd always thought that expression was total bullshit. What, a person was supposed to sleep, and wake up with the solution perfectly clear?

She stayed awake.

XXXXXXXX

Meredith wasn't the only one not sleeping. Derek wouldn't go home because he thought Addison was there. He drove around for a several hours, driving nowhere in particular and then back in the direction he came.

He finally pulled in to the parking lot of the hospital and went inside.

It so happened that Bailey was on call that night, along with George. She noticed Derek leaning wandering aimlessly in the halls, and said, "O'Malley, take 4B for a CT scan. I'll be with you in a minute."

George nodded and left.

Bailey approached Derek. "You in surgery tonight?"

"No."

"Heard Addison's pregnant."

Derek made a face. "She's not. She lied."

Bailey's eyebrows shot up. "Really? Addison?"

"You're surprised?"

"Yeah, a little." Bailey studied him. "So what's the story there?"

"We're getting a divorce."

Bailey waited for more, then said, "And what about you and Grey?"

"I. . .I don't know." He ran his hands absently through his hair. "I've got a lot of damage control to do there, I think."

Bailey smiled slightly. "You're probably right. You aren't giving up are ya?"

He shook his head. "No, I just . . .I don't know what to do."

XXXXXXX

Addison Shepard wasn't at the trailer. She was at a hotel. She'd thought Derek would be coming back.

As was common that night for Seattle Grace surgeons, she couldn't sleep.

She was feeling angry at herself, and guilty, and stupid. She hadn't planned on lying to Derek about the doctor's test. She'd just seen the expression on his face. . .seen how much he wanted her to tell him she wasn't pregnant. And the lie had just slipped out from the anger.

It was quite idiotic, really.

But she'd wanted, on some level, to hurt him. Even though the fake pregnancy wouldn't have kept him with her for long, it may have prevented him from getting with Meredith.

Now, Addison was feeling guilty.

She reached for her cell phone and dialed. It rung three times before a voice said, "Hello?"

"Mark?"

"Addison."

"Listen, I. . ." She paused. "I'm coming home."

XXXXXXXXX

The next day, Addison went to see Chief Webber. She resigned. She gave him a week's notice.

Then, she approached Derek in the corridor. He glared at her momentarily then started to push past. "Derek, wait-" He kept going. She caught up to him and held the divorce papers in front of his face. "Here."

He stared at them, remembering the hesitation last time. This time, he pulled a pen from the pocket of his lab coat and signed, then handed the pen to her.

She stared at him for a moment, then slowly signed her name.

XXXXXXXX

Meredith was quiet for the next few days. Everyone seemed to realize it, because her friends didn't try to pull her into conversation.

She was thinking about Derek constantly. She was disgusted with herself at how hard she was making this decision.

She avoided him, just because she didn't know what she could say.

XXXXXXXXX

Derek was sitting in the on-call room late one night, about three days after he'd gone to see Meredith. He was thinking about what Alex had said, about Meredith not wanting him to give up. If she didn't, why was she avoiding him?

Then he realized something. She'd fought for him, even when she was so angry about him lying about signing the divorce papers. She'd fought for him That's what she wanted. She wanted to see that he was serious.

He sat thinking for a moment, then went to find Bailey.

XXXXXXXX

"Izzie, your in the pit, Alex, I need post-op notes on all post-op patients, Izzie you and George go with Burke, Christina, you're hanging with me, and Meredith, Shepard needs someone in surgery."

Her friends glanced at her before going off on there assignments. Meredith stood for a moment. Bailey raised her eyebrows. "That a problem, Grey?"

"No." She answered, quickly.

XXXXXXX

The surgery, removing a tumor from a 46 year old woman, was a success. They stood in the scrub room afterwards, and Derek waited while the other doctors filed out. Meredith started to leave and he stepped in front of her. "Wait."

She gave him a pleading look. "Derek, please-"

He put his hands on her arms and smiled slightly. "Shut up. Let me say this, okay?"

She didn't say anything, but she turned her gaze to the wall. He gently turned her face back to look at him.

He spoke slowly, in a soft, gentle voice. "Here it is. Your choice? It's simple. You can keep us apart, and stay miserable or you can take a risk, and give it another chance with me. And I know you're really scared. But, Meredith. . ." He smiled. "I love you. In a really, really big…pretend to like your taste in music-" She almost smiled, then looked down. He put on hand on her face, gently pushing a strand of hair out of her eyes and holding her gaze. "-let you eat the last piece of cheesecake, hold a radio over my head out side your window. . ." His voice trailed off.

Meredith spoke in a tight voice, "Unfortunate way that makes me hate you. . ."

"I think that was kind of specific to you."

She almost smiled. She looked up at him again, getting lost in his eyes.

"…love you." He finished.

She was quiet for awhile, resting her hand on his chest. "You remembered that."

"Of course I did. I remember every little detail. The way you looked that first night in the bar. That shocked look on your face when I first saw you at the hospital." He grinned slightly, then it faded. "How much it hurt me to tell you I picked Addison. How terrified I was when Christina told me you were the girl with the bomb. . ."

Meredith's eyes had filled with tears.

"It was always you, Mer. So. . .pick me."

She was quiet for a moment, "So what am I supposed to say now? Something about. . .about how I was drowning and you saved me?"

"No, you don't have to say that." He smiled sadly now. "If you're drowning it's because I pushed you in." She nearly laughed, though it was kind of true. Derek and his metaphors. . . "But. . ."He kept one hand stroking her cheek, but he took one of her hands in his. "I can still save you. You just. . .have to let me."

She was quiet for so long that he began to talk nervously, "Addison's resigned. . .she's going back to New York.. She won't get in the way anymore. I get if you need more time, but I think that if you just-"

She put a finger to his lips. "Shut up." Then she put her hands on his face and kissed him.

When they finally pulled apart, he smiled down at her. "Is that a yes?"

She nodded, smiling through the tears lingering in her eyes. "Maybe I'm crazy for doing this again. . .maybe I'll regret it. . . but. . .it beats the hell out of not trying. I don't think I can go without you."

"I love you, Meredith."

"I love you, too."

Like I said, really short but. . .not much to say except for that. REVIEW