You're Like Coming Home

13.

Meredith clung tightly to Derek as they stood outside the door, Addison's parents waiting while Addison and Mark stood in a similar pose on the other side of the car. After a long moment, Derek pulled back and brushed some hair behind Meredith's ears. "It's okay, Mer," he whispered. "It's only a couple days, and then we'll be back here."

Meredith nodded slightly, looking down at the ground to hide her tears. "You've ruined me, Derek Shepherd," she whispered. "Look at me, I'm crying because I'm going to be away from you for three days."

Derek laughed as he pulled her close and pressed a firm kiss to her forehead. "I'll talk to you later tonight, okay?" he said. "And we'll be back here before you know it, and then you'll be rolling your eyes and calling me an idiot."

"Okay," Meredith whispered. "I love you."

Derek squeezed her hand and gently guided her to the backseat of the car. "I love you too," he said. "I'll see you in a couple days."

Meredith slid into the backseat of the car and smiled softly at him as he closed the door behind her. Addison slid in a few moments later and smiled slightly at Meredith. They sat quietly in the backseat for a few moments before Addison asked, "How's your mom, Mer?"

Meredith shrugged. "I guess she's okay," she said. "I doubt she'll know that I'm coming home. It will be an interesting break, but I just want to get through it and see Derek again."

Addison reached over and squeezed her hand. "If things get to rough at your house, you know you can still come over to my house," she said. "I know this will be hard for you."

"Thanks, Addie," Meredith said softly. "I know it will be hard, but I'm just hoping maybe we'll be able to get to know each other a little better before things get too bad."

"I hope so too," Addison said softly.

Meredith sighed as she turned to lean against the window, watching the trees as they sped by on the road. She wasn't looking forward to being away from Derek, and was even less excited about going home. She was nervous about seeing her mother for the first time since leaving for college and knowing that pretty soon her only family in the world wouldn't even know who she was, but she was also scared that Ellis would be her same old self, judging her and telling her she wasn't good enough.

When they finally pulled into Meredith's driveway, she hugged Addison and thanked her parents before sliding out of the car and cautiously walking towards the front door. With a deep breath, she slid the key into the lock and opened the door.

"Mom?" she called, hearing Ellis rummaging around in her study.

"Meredith?" Ellis asked, appearing in the door of her study, a frown on her face. "What are you doing home?"

Meredith sighed. "It's my October break, Mom," she said gently. "I have Monday off of school, so I figured I would come home and spend some time with you. I talked to you last night, remember?"

Ellis frowned for a moment. "Well, you shouldn't have bothered," she said. "I've got a million things to do, I don't have time to baby you right now."

Meredith looked at her for a moment before she nodded. "Okay," she said softly. "I'm just going to go up to my room and settle in. If you need anything, tell me, okay? And I'll make dinner, so you don't have to worry about that."

Before she had even finished talking, Ellis was back in her study, muttering to herself as she sorted through piles of papers.

Meredith sighed as she made her way up the stairs, wondering if she should have just stayed at school. Obviously hoping that her mother had changed since contracting Alzheimer's had been a mistake.