You're Like Coming Home

41.

Meredith smiled softly as the light in the kitchen caught on her engagement ring. She couldn't believe that she was wearing an engagement ring, that she, Meredith Grey, was wearing Emma Shepherd's engagement ring. She'd never felt more complete in her entire life.

Derek had left early that morning, kissed her good bye while she was still half asleep and said something about an interview with Dartmouth later that morning. So she was home, dressed in Derek's sweatshirt and a pair of his boxers as she made herself some toast.

"Hey Mer," Addison's voice said from behind her, and she turned to look at her best friend.

"Hi," she said, smiling widely before she remembered the fight she and Derek had heard. "I mean, um...are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Addison sighed, sitting down on a bar stool. "I feel a little stupid but Mark... he says we'll get married one day. So that's enough for now."

"Good," Meredith smiled as she reached for a knife to spread the butter with.

"And you," Addison smiled, grabbing Meredith's hand and causing her to drop the knife. "God, this ring is beautiful. I knew I should have gone after Derek instead of Mark that first day."

"No way," Meredith giggled. "It's Emma's ring. Michael wanted Derek to give it to me."

"Oh," Addison sighed, holding a hand to her heart. "Mer, that's the most beautiful thing I've ever heard."

Meredith smiled softly as she looked down at her engagement ring. "I love it," she whispered, more to herself than Addison.

"So...not to burst the happiness bubble," Addison said. "But what are you going to do about med school?"

Meredith sighed as she reached for a glass of orange juice. "Nothing's been decided yet," she said. "Derek's little vanishing act brought him to Seattle and Stanford. He's at Dartmouth now. So we'll just coordinate our schools and see which ones we get accepted to. Maybe the choice will be decided for us."

Addison nodded. "Mark and I are going through the same thing," she said softly. "It's hard. Thinking we might be separated."

Before Meredith could respond, the buzzer rang and she moved to the front door to press the intercom. "Hello?"

"Meredith, dear, it's Emma," Derek's mother said.

"Hi Emma," Meredith said with a smile, pressing the button to let her into the building. "Come on up."

"Thank you," Emma said before releasing the intercom.

"Okay, you have to distract her," Meredith said to Addison as she moved to her room.

"Distract her?" Addison asked. "From what?"

"While I change out of her son's clothes," Meredith yelled from her room. "Just...tell her about something stupid Mark did."

Addison laughed as she moved to answer the knock at the door. "That could take up a lot of time," she said. "Hi Mrs. Shepherd," she said as she opened the door."

"Hello Addison," Emma said as she enveloped her in a hug. "How are you, dear?"

"I'm good," Addison said as she closed the door. "Um...Mer just went to change out of her pajamas and Derek's not home, but could I get you something to drink?"

"I'm quite aware of the fact that my son has disappeared," Emma sighed as she followed Addison into the kitchen. "And a glass of water would be lovely."

Addison smiled as she set a glass down in front of Emma on the counter. "Apparently he made an appearance last night," she said with a soft smile.

"Addison?" Emma asked curiously. "What do you know that I don't?"