You're Like Coming Home

30.

"It will be an interesting class at least," Meredith giggled as she and Derek entered the apartment the next evening after the first day of classes. "I mean, at least the professor's cute, even if he doesn't know very much."

"Well, that is not the way to convince your boyfriend to like a class," Derek frowned.

"Aw," Meredith dropped her bag on the floor and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Don't be jealous. You know you're the only one I love."

Derek smiled as he wrapped his arms tightly around her waist and pulled her close. "I think I might need a reminder," he said huskily.

"Hmmm," Meredith sighed as she pressed her lips to his. "I think that can be arranged." She took his hand and pulled him towards their bedroom, groaning when the phone in the kitchen rang.

"Ignore it," Derek mumbled against her neck.

"I have to get it," she mumbled. "It might be the nursing home calling about my mom's surgery."

"Mer..." Derek sighed, watching as she walked towards the kitchen. He leaned against the doorway as she answered the phone, praying that it wasn't anything important so that they could get back to what they had been doing.

"Hi Kath...what's wrong?" Meredith frowned, then her eyes went wide as she reached for the wall next to the phone, sinking to the floor. "Oh my God. What...when...we'll be there. We'll leave right now, and be there as soon as possible...He's right here."

Derek felt his heart stop beating as he watched Meredith fall apart as she talked to his sister. Something was wrong, something was really wrong and he wasn't sure he wanted to know what it was.

"How's your mom?" Meredith murmured into the phone. "Of course...We'll be there as soon as we can. I'm sorry Kath. I know that doesn't mean anything, but...okay, I will. Bye, Kath."

She hung up the phone and turned to look at Derek with tears filling her eyes. "Der," she whispered, reaching her hand out to him. "I..."

"Meredith, what is it?" he asked, moving slowly towards her, not sure he wanted to know.

"It's...your dad," she whispered choking on a sob. "Derek, there was an accident..."

"No," Derek shook his head, backing away from her. "Don't say it, Mer. Don't."

"Derek," she breathed, scrambling to her feet, and walking quickly to his side, wrapping her arms around him. "There was nothing they could have done."

"I don't believe you," Derek shook his head, pushing her away. "They're wrong. It's someone else. Not my dad."

"Derek," Meredith said softly, moving closer to him again. "It wasn't a mistake. We have to go home."

"I'm not going home," Derek said. "Because everything is fine at home. They made a mistake, and everything is fine."

"You can't ignore this," Meredith said softly, tears streaming down her face. "Your family needs you, Der."

He stared at her for a moment, and before either one of them could say anything else, the door swung open and Mark and Addison stumbled in, laughing happily. As soon as they saw the distraught couple standing in the kitchen, however, their faces sobered and they both knew something was very wrong.

"What is it?" Addison asked softly.

"It's nothing," Derek said quickly. "They made a mistake."

"Derek?" Mark asked softly, looking at his best friend. "Who made a mistake?"

Derek shook his head as he turned and braced himself against the kitchen counter, trying to control the sobs that were threatening to take over his body. "No," he gasped as Meredith hurried to his side and wrapped her arms around him.