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Meredith’s obligatory voice over.
Out of sight, out of mind, right?
In life, some people touch you too deeply, engrave themselves so permanently in your soul that the idea that you will forget them, simply because their presence is no longer there, becomes ridiculous.
“Out of sight, out of mind.” That’s what they say. But they are wrong. They are not doctors.
Object Constancy originates from the concept of Object Permanence, it’s a cognitive skill we acquire at around two to three years old. It’s the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen, touched, or sensed in some way. This is why babies love peekaboo–when you hide your face, they think it ceases to exist.
In adulthood, Object Constancy allows us to trust that our bond with those who are close to us remains whole even when they are not physically around, picking up the phone, replying to our texts, or even frustrated at us. With Object Constancy, absence does not mean disappearance or abandonment, only temporary distance.
Death doesn’t wipe out this cognitive skill. We don’t suddenly stop remembering or expecting someone to be there just because they’re dead. The brain tells us, over and over, they’re still there, they still exist. They will come back.
That’s what fuels our grief. The idea that the person we love is gone is a struggle to grasp, it goes against everything our brain has learned. It’s why we hold on to the idea of an afterlife, a place where we will see them again. Our brain won’t let go, will cling to and invent things just to maintain that Object Constancy.
As doctors we see it every day. We have to tell people their loved one is gone, that they’re not coming back. They never believe it at first, it takes time to sink in.
But what if the news you got was the opposite? If you were told they are here, they’re not gone, they came back? Would you believe it? Would you want to? And if they did come back, could you ever let them go again?
Elis Grey loathed Alexandra Barnes. She was a nosey old busybody that thought she could trample over everyone else when she believed they were in the wrong. As far as Elis could see Thatcher’s Great Aunt was the most judgemental and difficult woman Elis had ever met. Elis prided herself on being the sort of woman, other woman stepped out of the way of. She was a successful surgeon, she’d beat the odds to get to the top of her field in spite of her gender. But none of that mattered to Alexandra. Oh no, Alexandra looked down from her pedestal and she judged. She judged Elis’ ability as a wife, as a mother. The worst part of it all was that at the back of her mind, Elis Grey knew and hated that Alexandra was right. The other part of her capable of admitting it, reminded her frequently that reason she despised the woman was because she was an Omega, an Omega that would stand toe to toe with Elis, in her own house no less and force her to stand down.
Lexi felt sorry for Elis Grey. The woman had hardened herself to the world so much that she was prepared to push the only people who truly loved her away. Lexi had watched it happen for years. The way she sneered at poor Thatcher and criticised Meredith with the sort of meanness which could only be born of a deep and abiding unhappiness in herself. Elis Grey was never going to be happy, no matter what she did. Granted she worked hard, almost to the exclusion of everything else, but the work still didn’t make her happy, the awards, the accolades, it meant nothing to the woman, other than as a point of pride. Her way of showing everyone that she was so much better than them. Lexi put up with the way Elis treated her for years after she married Thatcher. It wasn’t her place to tell her how to live her life, it wasn’t her place to interfere in thier marriage. Of course there came a time when Lexie could no longer turn a blind eye.
When Meredith was born Lexi was appalled at the way Elis handed her off without a thought and went back to work only a few weeks after the birth.
The first time Lexie held Meredith Grey she was captivated by the tiny girl. She was a beautiful baby, with the widest, most expressive eyes. Eye’s identical in shape to her own Rebecca’s, but the colour, they were the same colour as James’, the same shade of ocean blue. Lexi had promised herself not to get too attached, to stay back. It would hurt too much once she was gone not to see her great great niece again. That, of course, was impossible.
Thatcher was, well, to put it politely, he was always a bit helpless. He tried hard, he did, but he never had the drive and determination she had seen on her own children. He stayed home with Meredith and did his best by her. He clearly loved her and she him but the constant criticism Elis made of Thatcher, often in front of her daughter, shook that fragile bond. When Elis and Thatcher finally parted and broke their bond Lexie refused to be cut out of Meredith’s life.
Oh, she knew exactly how much Elis loathed her, but she also knew exactly how much the woman needed someone to look after Meredith while she worked. For a year, Lexie lived part time with Elis and Meredith, she was Mer’s constant caretaker, her first friend and the mother the little girl needed. Elis on the other hand was on a downward spiral.
Lexi knew the woman was involved with a married man. The news that Elis had let herself get pregnant in an attempt to make him leave his wife made Lexie furious. Elis had already brought one child into the world she clearly did not really want and now another would have to suffer the same fate.
The call from the hospital came late. Lexi rushed from her apartment to the hospital in record time to find Meredith standing outside the curtained cubical containing her mother. When the little girl finally managed to tell Lexie what had happened she had held her and let her cry. It had gone far enough. She took Meredith home with her that night with no intention of letting Elis take her back. Deep down she knew it would never work, but as she sat with Meredith cuddled into her side sleeping she came up with a plan to help Elis, even if it cost her a place in Meredith’s life.
Hospital.
“Where’s Meredith?” Elis demanded the instant Lexi entered the room.
“She’s at my house. Thatcher is watching her for now. I’ve come to talk to you Elis and this time, you are going to listen.”
Elis opened her mouth to argue and Lexie, turned, shut the door, and drew the blinds, ignoring her.
“You are a mother.” Lexi begun. “The first priority, over any other in this world is the child you brought into it. Have you any idea what your actions impact will be on Meredith? Did you care at all that you were pregnant, that you could have killed the child you carry with these actions? Cutting your own wrists in front of your daughter, what the hell were you thinking? Were you thinking? This was low Elis, even for you.”
Elis protest were met with hard eyes and a snort. Lexi threw the pregnancy tests on the table.
“I found these in the bathroom bin last week. There is no point in lying to me. I know about Richard, I know he won’t leave his wife and I know this nasty attempt was a charade, one you hoped would guilt the man back into your life. Well, your gamble lost. You failed. He’s not here, he’s not going to be. Your actions have scared your daughter and put the child you carry in danger. You should be ashamed of yourself. It stops here Elis.” At any other time the tears streaming down Elis’ face would have given her pause, would have had her comforting her, instead she continued with her ultimatum.
“I don’t know how it’s possible, but that child, Meredith, she loves you. She adores you, wants nothing more than your love and approval, your attention. From now on, until you are no longer responsible for her you are going to do exactly that. Pay attention. Give her your time. You are going to move far from here, away from Richard and start over. A friend of mine is on the board of governors at Massachusetts General Hospital. There will be a position waiting for you after you’ve had the baby. I’ll come with you to Boston to get you settled, I’ll help you until you give birth, I’ll even help you find a good couple to adopt your baby. I just want one thing in return. Love her, love Meredith as best you can, try to show her, that you care, that you value her. She needs you, so much Elis. Please just love her.”
Elis fists were balled up in the covers. When she finally met Lexie’s eyes she nodded jerkily in acceptance.
“Fine. But I want something from you.”
Lexie knew what was coming, she had already prepared herself for it.
“When I’m better…. When it’s over, I want you gone too. Away from me and Meredith. She will never really love me while her Nana is hovering in the back ground. At every turn, day in, day out, since my daughter was born, you’ve been there. And I knew… knew that as long as she had you, she didn’t really need me. So you have to go, you have to trust that I’ll do as you ask. No contact, no cards, no presents. Thatcher, he should stay away as well. It’ll be better that it’s a clean break, she doesn’t need the confusion.”
Lexie’s heart was breaking. But she had to think about Meredith and what was best for her.
“I’ll stay away. But I will be watching Elis.” Lexie warned her bitterly.
It was the best outcome Lexie could hope to achieve. It broke her heart in the end, to leave Meredith behind in Elis cold hands, but she did it. From a distance she watched as Meredith grew up into an independent and spirited young woman.
When Lexie died and the opportunity presented itself, she followed Meredith to Medical school and applied for her internship at Seattle Grace. It was time to try being Meredith’s friend, her sister. The next few years were some of the best she had ever lived. She had a job she loved, she was close to her niece and she met Mark again. Everything was perfect. Than the plane crashed.
Lexie found it even harder this time to stay away. Meredith was her family. Her sister in everyway that mattered. Then they were called to the tower and Lexie and Mark realised they needed the best surgeons they knew for this. The thought of calling Derek and Meredith was both terrifying and exciting. Part of Lexie was worried of what would happen next, but a bigger part of her was thrilled, thrilled that she would be reunited with Meredith again.
Present Day
Meredith Grey was exhausted. Between the kids school commitments, baby Elis’ fussy eating and the thought of having to make dinner for her colleagues she was just about done. She was just thankful that Derek had agreed that they both needed time off together this Christmas. The whole of December was going to be a month-long vacation. It was at times like this she missed Lexie the most.
In the short time she’d had with her sister, Lexie had made herself an integral part of Meredith’s life. Even now, years later, the missing Lexie shaped piece of Meredith, still hurt. Lexie was the kind to know what they should be thankful for and with Thanksgiving coming up the loss stung a little more.
Stopping in her food preparation she took the pen from the clipboard in the fridge and gave it a new header.
Things to be Thankful For.
Lexie had always had a way of helping her see the world better when she was lowest. This was exactly the sort of sentimental guff her sister would have loved. She paused for a moment then wrote the most important things down.
Derek
My Children
My work
Meredith looked at it and shook her head. She was thankful for her job, she loved being head of General Surgery. But there were more important things. She wiped off work, it would go on later.
My friends
Again, she stopped. Christina and Alex had stuck by her through thick and thin. She didn’t know what she would do without them. They were always there for her, no matter what. They were never afraid to call her on her bullshit, but they also never judged. She smiled and shook her head again, then hesitantly she brought the pen up again. She was thankful to have had Lexie, always.
Lexie.
The phone ringing made her pause, Lexie’s name boldly staring back at her from the board. Meredith dropped the pen on the counter and started hunting for the phone. It had to be somewhere, finally she followed the sound and discovered the infuriating house phone lodged between two seat cushions.
“Hey!” she greeted the caller, picking up the pile of children’s books and medical journals that had tipped over in her haste to find the phone.
“Meredith.”
Derek’s voice was urgent and serious. God she hated getting calls like this.
“Derek?” she answered uncertainly. “What’s wrong?”
“Meredith, I need you to come meet me at the hospital. Bring overnight bags for us and the kids, Amelia’s picking up Zola and Baily from school. Don’t panic, I’ll explain everything once you’re here.”
“Derek, you can’t just drop this on me and not expect me to panic, what the hell.?”
“Trust me, it’s better if you hear this one in person. I promise, it’s nothing bad, just…. Unexpected and urgent. We’ve been called in on a consult to New York.”
“New York? Derek, seriously, what’s going on?”
“I’m not allowed to talk about it on an unsecured line Meredith.” His voice was sharper now, there was clearly something very wrong, he sounded lost, hurt and underneath it all there was a hint of betrayal.
“I’ll be there in half an hour,” she says finally.
“Meredith?” his tone softens and she can almost feel the suggestion of sorrow through their bond.
“I’m sorry.” She wished she knew what he was apologising for.
“It’s fine, I love you.”
“I Love you too.”
Derek hangs up the phone and scrubs his hands over his face. He pulls his surgical cap from his hair and tugs on the ends. He’s only been here for six hours, did one surgery and then been paged to answer the most unexpected phone call he had ever taken.
The sound of his brother’s voice on the other end of the line had dropped him to his knees in his office. It had only taken a few sentences to convince him of who he was talking to. The brief conversation had placed urgency on a patient that needed treatment. It was Lexie’s voice over the line next, begging him to come that had nearly undone him. Little Grey, almost tearful and crying apologies down the line to him asking him to please come, that she was sorry they never told him or Meredith sooner, but that they needed them now, that they would explain everything once the surgery was over. He’d agreed, pushed the questions and the hurt and anger to the side and concentrated on the logistics at hand. They had agreed to let him bring the kids as well, would make sure accommodation was ready for them. Warned him not to talk about what he knew on any unsecured lines, that had been disturbing, but he’s accepted it. A thousand scenarios and possibilities of what had happened, how any of this could be possible flooded his mind. He just hoped he wasn’t taking his family into danger.
The sleek looking jet that landed on the roof was menacing. The couple who were piloting it equally intimidating. The scents of gunpowder and metal lingered on the younger mans’ hand as Derek greeted him. Meredith, scowling at his side as she held Baily’s hand and balanced Elis on her hip, did nothing to unsettle either of the pair. Meredith’s scowl usually manged to unnerve most people. The bright amused grin Ward gave Meredith startled her usually impassive demeanour. The easy way Skye welcomed Zola aboard and got her buckled in and safe showed a kindness he didn’t think he would have expected in the young woman. They were both clearly well-trained agents of some sort, but who they worked for was a mystery, or at least it was, until he saw the Shield emblem on the duffle bag secured under the bench. Instead of answering any questions, it only brought up more.
When they finally arrived at Stark Tower the short standoff between Meredith and Lexie lasted about forty seconds before Mer had Lexie caught up in a tight hug. Time though wasn’t on their side just yet. Lexie helped get the kids out of the jet and down to the apartments where a stressed Pepper Potts assured them the children would be well taken care of while he and Meredith performed surgery. The two nannies she had hired came highly recommended and with better security clearance than Derek had had while working for the president. The pile of paperwork the woman had them sign before they were taken up to the OR was daunting. When it was finally done, she took them upstairs.
“I appreciate that you both came, I really do, but I feel I have to be honest here. We normally have a much more stringent vetting done before bringing unknowns into the Tower. Dr Cho recommended Lexie and Mark, as Helen is part of our pack we trust her judgement. However, Lexie and Mark as it turns out are family through my daughter’s husband, so we’re placing a great amount of trust in you on their recommendation.”
“Lexie’s family? I don’t understand.” Meredith’s voice questions uncertainly.
“Trust me, none of us could have predicted the turn out of events over the past few days. Being here you are going to find out a great deal about my pack, my family and some of the incredible events surrounding them. Right now, I need you to focus on the patient. My daughter will be brought into that OR with multiple gunshot wounds. I may not be a doctor, but I’m smart enough to have figured out that bringing the worlds most respected Neuro surgeon in means Darcy is in a much more serious a state than either my husband, or hers, want me to know. I need you to focus on that, to do your jobs. If you need incentive, then you should know that Seattle Grace Mercy West just received a donation of thirty million dollars from the Maria Stark foundation. I’m prepared to match that myself personally to fund either of your own research if you save my daughter’s life.”
“Miss Potts.” Meredith grasped the woman’s hands firmly in hers.
“Miss Potts. We don’t need any sort of payment or bribery here. We will do our best for you, and for your daughter. How we came to be called here is irrelevant. My husband and I are the best at what we do, we won’t compromise ourselves on this for any reason, not even my sister being alive. We’re here, we’re focused, and we will do everything in our power as surgeons to help.”
Pepper Potts took a deep breath and squeezed Meredith’s hand in thanks.
Meredith took in the CEO’s carefully composed face and remained a calm as she could. As involved with work as both she and Derek were, it was still impossible not to be more than familiar with Tony Stark and Pepper Potts.
The two were prime gossip material for every tabloid rag that cluttered the grocery store checkout and every hospital waiting room. Was it surprising to find out they had a child? To a degree, it was more surprising though, to realise that the child was probably a grown woman herself.
It was the name that tickled Meredith’s mind though, Darcy. It was an unusual enough name for a girl even in this day and age. It only took a few moments to jog her memory. The exclusive spread in Vogue from about a four months ago. ‘Stark Tower, Power House’ the magazine had proclaimed. Inside was an exclusive cover shoot with the ladies of Stark Tower. The CEO Pepper Potts, Leading Astrophysicist Jane Foster, Head of Security for Stark International Maria Hill and lastly up and coming PR Guru, Darcy Lewis, head of media relations for the Avengers, the young woman who some whispered was being carefully groomed by Potts to one day take over as CEO herself. It was the eyes Meredith thinks carefully, the same shade of china blue gazing out from the page that had captured her interest. The two women could not have looked less alike, but for the eyes. It wasn’t hard to believe that that was who she going to be operating on. If the young woman looked nothing like her mother, the startling resemblance to Tony Stark was unmistakable.
When they finally reached the temporary OR Lexie stood outside the doors with Mark. Didn’t that just blow her away. Seeing them, there, together, alive. On the roof she hadn’t managed to process anything other than her sister’s presence, that she was there and real and solid. Everything Meredith experienced in her life told her not to hang on too tight to anything, it was all too easily taken away.
For the second time, something priceless had been brought back to her. It had been nothing short of a miracle to have Derek safe and well beside her now. The car accident three years ago had nearly taken him from her for good. There had been nearly a year of healing and physiotherapy to make him well again. She’d wondered at the time, if Lexie hadn’t been looking out for her from wherever people went when they died.
When the truck hit Derek’s car, crushing it, there had been an army medic at the scene. He’d recognised Derek’s credentials that he had carried with him issued by the Secret Service and called for immediate air evac for him. He’d been taken by military helicopter to Virginia Mason in record time. The military escort lit a fire under the doctors at intake like nothing else would have, Meredith will be forever grateful for that added pressure to get it right. They had identified his brain bleed immediately and taken him straight to an OR. He’d been in good hands.
Meredith tried hard not to think about what would have happened if the army medic hadn’t been there to give first response and hadn’t been able to call for an air evc. But in all honesty, she knew what would have happened. He would have been taken, after a long wait, by ambulance, to some local Podunk hospital with mediocre doctors and probably died. Now for a second time, she got back someone precious to her. There would be time for recriminations and shouting later though.
They made their way in to scrub up and get a run down on the patient. While Derek and
Mark made their way through, Meredith hung back. Lexie twisted her hands together and looked at Meredith guiltily. There was something in the line of Lexie’s shoulders, more than just guilt at seeing Meredith again that drew her closer.
“Lexie? Are you all right?” she asked her curiously.
“No, not really.” Her sister answered honestly.
“You’re not scrubbing in?”
Lexie gave her a pained look and shrugged a little helplessly. Meredith tapped her inner elbow impatiently.
“Lexie, pretend I’m not your sister, I’m just a stranger, now, tell me why you’re not scrubbing in with us.”
“It’s a conflict of interest. Darcy’s my daughter in law. I love her like she was one of my own. I can’t be in there. In fact, I am going to go down to medical and wait there for any minor injuries that come in after the rescue.”
“I think I understood a fraction of that. You have a daughter in law? Lexie…. “
“I am much older than I look Meredith. I’m sorry I lied to you, but it was necessary. Do you remember your Nana? Thatcher’s great aunt?”
“Of course I do, she died when I was little, not long after we moved to Boston, I think. Why?”
“Because I am her.”
“But she was old… and she died.”
“I got better.” Lexie says apologetically.
Meredith frowned and narrowed her eyes.
“You’re my Nana? My Nana, that used to bake me muffins and let me climb trees?”
Lexie nodded, a half smile on her face.
Meredith glared.
“What did you get me for my fourth birthday?”
“I didn’t get you anything, I made you a tiny set of scrubs so you could operate on Anatomy Jane.” Lexie responded with a fond smile.
Stunned didn’t cover the feeling sweeping through Meredith. Lexie wasn’t her sister, she was her Nana… No, her Great Aunt, really. The one who raised Thatcher.
“Are we actually related at all?” Meredith asked incredulously.
“Thatcher’s Father was my brother, so yes. I may have played different roles in your life Meredith, but I Ioved you in both.”
“You left me with Elis.”
“I know. I didn’t want to, but she was your mother, there wasn’t anything I could do to take custody of you and I was getting older, what would we have done when I died? How would we have explained eighteen-year-old me as your guardian? It’s what happens, when we die, we reset back to our youth. But you were strong Meredith, you are strong. You might not like to remember now, but you adored your mother, how could I ever have taken you away from her?”
Meredith shook the anger and bitterness away. She still had a job to do here.
“So, you have a son.”
“His name is James, I also have three girls. Natalie, Lizzie and Rebecca.”
“When…? No, never mind. The patient. Tell me about her.” Lexie let her shoulders slump in relief.
“Darcy Barnes 33 years old, had one twin birth, second twin had to be turned in utero. She’s an Omega. Her healing factor will be higher than you’d see normally, she was given an experimental serum that speeds up cellular regeneration and increases muscle density. We have a special strength anaesthetic for putting her under, she metabolises most drugs very quickly. From a witness account we know she’s been shot, at least six time, once to the head, although as far as we know she was still talking after briefly being unconscious. From the notes, she took two bullets to the lower right side, one to her upper left shoulder and two centre mass. We have blood on stand by, eight litres. The girls will be able to donate another additional four litres in an hour or so.”
“The girls?”
“My granddaughters.”
Meredith breathed out and scrunched her nose, and brought up two fingers to pinch the bridge.
“You’re old enough to have granddaughters.”
“I’m old enough to have great great granddaughters. My great grandson was the one who flew you and Derek in.”
“He… I knew he looked familiar”
“He did?”
“I.. I know him, he was the one that was on the scene at Derek’s accident, he’s the one that had him airlifted to Virginia Mason.” Meredith tried to grasp the implications.
“I might have had to leave you behind, that didn’t mean I wouldn’t do everything in my power to try and keep you and Derek and your children safe.” Lexie tells her softly, her scent honest and tense.
Rather than say anything else, Meredith nodded and crossed her arms protectively over her chest.
“I have to get in and scrub up. I’ll see you after?” The tiny hint of vulnerability in her tone rushed through Lexie.
Lexie nodded, she could see that Mer needed a little more time.
“Whenever you’re ready.”
“Okay.”
“Okay.”
The two stood regarding each other. It was the helpless shrug Lexie made, that and the silly apologetic scrunch of her face that battered down the last of Meredith walls.
She reaches out and grabs her sister, because no matter what crazy explanation there is for all this, Lexie will always be her sister, and hugs her.
“I missed you Lexie. You do not get to do that to me ever again, okay? Don’t die on me, not again. I can’t go through it again Lexie. You broke me. I didn’t want to have a sister, but you wormed your way into my life, and you made me love you. I love you. You are my family. Family don’t do that to each other, we stick together and we don’t die. Okay?”
Good god, Lexie had missed Mer’s rambling lectures, the ones that would seem part confession part telling off were the best. They were best cause it meant that she cared.
“I promise. I won’t do it again. You will never be rid of me Meredith.”
“That’s not as much of a threat as it used to be little me. I’m only going to say this once and I’ll tell everyone you’re a big fat liar if you repeat it but, I like you, I really, really like you, you’re my favourite sister.”
Lexie winces. She had heard about Maggie from Gabe.
“You’re my favourite sister too.” She grins back.
“I’m your only sister! – wait I am your only sister, right?”
“Yes, you’re my only sister.”
“Good, we don’t need any more popping up. My life has enough drama as it is.”
“Yeah.. “
“Oh, I know, I don’t have to guess to know all of this. “ Meredith throws her hands out to gesture to Stark Tower. “Is extreme drama. But it’s not my drama, this crap is all yours.”
“You have no idea.” Lexie sighs. “Well, you better get in there. Look after her for me?”
“I’ll do everything I can Lexie. I’ll come get you as soon as we’re done.”
“Okay, I’ll be down a floor sorting out the recovery room. Just ask Jarvis when you get to the elevator, he’ll bring you to me.”
“Jarvis?” Meredith asks, confused.
“Good afternoon Dr Grey, I am Jarvis, the towers AI. I am happy to help in any way I can while you are here.” The voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere. Still Meredith caught herself looking at the ceiling. She then looked at Lexie and shrugged.
“Thank you, Jarvis, I’ll probably speak to you after the surgery then”
“It’s my pleasure Dr Grey. May I say Dr Grey, it is an honour to meet you, there is a great deal written about you and by you. I have every confidence that Miss Darcy will be in good hands. Good luck Dr Grey.”
Lexie and Mer exchange a look at the AI’s response then parted with encouraging smiles.
Six hours of surgery later they were finished. It hadn’t been easy, but it also wasn’t as bad as it could have been. Between the new bio-bed, the cradle and the patients healing factor it had been relatively straight forward. The tricky part had been reaching fragments of bullet and bone that had lodged in awkward places, removing them while avoiding damaging any major blood vessels had been hard. The massive concussion the patient suffered and subsequent swelling and bleeding on the brain had been more worrying than the wounds to her torso. As always Derek had managed it with the sort of artistry and finesse that only made his colleagues respect him even more. When they had eased the young woman off the anaesthetic and brought her out of the medically induced coma they had all breathed a sigh of relief to see normal brain pattern readings. No impairment in function and barring anything they couldn’t know till she woke up no eyesight or hearing loss. Derek didn’t think that there would be any cause for memory loss with her healing factor and was more concerned about her sight as the bullet had cause a large clot to gather around the optic nerve, blocking the blood vessels to the eye, again he felt good about a full recovery simply because of the healing factor.
He and Meredith finally made their way to the apartment provided for them and tiredly checked on the kids and then got into bed, both emotionally and physically drained. Explanations could wait till tomorrow.
Mark shows up at the door bright and early, Lexie with him, over excited to see the kids. Derek lets them in, and the two men seem to be in a stand off for a few minutes as neither one knows what to say first. Derek aches to just punch him in the face for the heartbreak his friend put him through, but he’s prepared to listen before resorting to violence.
With the kids settled the four adults finally get a chance to talk.
Derek’s not sure how many times they have to stop, go back over something then continue, but it takes the better part of the day, with breaks for lunch and dinner, before they finally finish. The tale is unbelievable to say the least, except they have the proof sitting in front of them.
Ward turns up just after dinner to drop off a bag for Lexie, he leaves right after with only a hug for his grandmother, it really opens Derek’s eyes, the way the young man defers to Lexie so affectionately, she really is his great grandmother. Meredith is quick to pull Ward into a hug as soon as Lexie lets go, her uncharacteristic tactility explained by the half sob she gives as she thanks him for saving Derek’s life out on that back road the night of the accident. His simply brushes it off with a shrug and a honest line, ‘We’re family, it’s what we do.’
Meredith pours over the album Lexie pulls from the bag. The photos within are in sepia tones. Seeing the proof of a life lived a century ago floors them both. It’s the wedding picture that really makes it all real for him. The Mark in the photo looks happy and Lexie beside him in her bridal outfit glows with an inner light and innocence he’s never seen in her before. It’s unmistakably them but without the weight that both had always seemed to carry. Derek had joked that Mark was born old, a weariness in him even when they were in med school. Lexie is the biggest difference though. She’s always had an odd sort of wisdom he admired, but seeing young Lexie, really young Lexie, it’s easy to see that she has changed immensely in the time, over a century, she’s been alive. The rest of the night is full of stories they share from a life lived long before. Derek, unconsciously relaxes and gets caught up in listening to his friend. By the time the two couples call it a night he thinks he understands better now why they didn’t tell them the truth. He can appreciate carrying that sort of secret and if things were as bad as they thought, then they were only protecting their friends and family from any potential danger being linked to them could cause. When he pulls Mer closer to him in bed, they lie in silence for a while, both feeling the same.
“It’s crazy, right?” Meredith questions.
“It’s something.”
“I’ve missed them.”
“So have I. Seeing Mark again, it’s like I’m whole again. I know it’s the same for you.”
“Yea…Derek...?”
“I know.” He says, exasperated. She doesn’t need to voice the thought, he knows exactly what’s going on in that crazy brain of hers.
“So?”
“I’ll call a realtor in the morning.” He relents.
“Good. I’ll handle finding us positions.”
“Shouldn’t be too hard with our new funding.”
“True.” She agrees, her tone brightening.
“What are we going to tell the hospital?”
“I don’t know… we’ll think about that tomorrow.” She grumbles.
Derek snorts. If Meredith could get away with it, she’d leave a post-it note in the doctors lounge with a couple of sentences to explain.
“And Derek, we’ll need another bed room.”
“… You’re not..”
“Oh.. I am… I am indeed.”