8th World Wonder

13.

"Derek! Derek...over here!" Addison called from a small table in the corner of the coffee shop.

"Addie...there you are." Derek said, walking over and giving her a kiss on the cheek before sitting down.

"I'm glad you managed to escape on your lunch hour." The red head exclaimed, sliding him his coffee.

"I left Mark in charge." He laughed, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Oh God." Addison giggled, sitting back in her seat. "I fear for the world now."

"I don't know what you see in him." Derek joked.

"Me either." Addison laughed.

"Has he been behaving since you guys got back?"

"Since when does Mark Sloan behave?"

"Dumb question."

"So...how are things in the world of Derek Shepherd?" Addison replied as she responded to a text on her phone.

"They're good I guess. Work...is work. And Mark is Mark." Derek sighed.

"I understand." Addison replied, "So, I heard you came by the office last week."

"Yeah, but you were busy."

"But you ran to the hospital with Meredith to drop off the process forms."

"I just gave her a ride. It seemed like a nice thing to do."

"You really do like her." Addison grinned.

"It's a good thing Mark's not here...but yes, I really like her." Derek said.

"I told Mark I was setting you two up whether you liked it or no." Addison laughed.

"It's not Mark who has a problem with it. It's Meredith."

"I figured."

"Do you know how many times I've asked her to go out with me? I feel like I'm a high school band geek again." Derek groaned .

"And she hasn't even almost said yes?" Addison frowned.

"She always says she doesn't date."

"She doesn't." Addison groaned. "In the past couple of years...that girl hasn't even gone to the movies alone with another guy."

"Do you know why?" Derek asked, hoping to finally get an answer.

"I refuse to say much." Addison replied, taking a sip of her mocha. "It's Meredith's life...but I can tell you a small version I guess."

"I'd appreciate that. It might make things make a litle more sense."

"Meredith's mom was Ellis Grey...yes the Ellis Grey." Addison replied before Derek could respond. "Her Dad left when she was five, her mom's other solid relationship left when she was seven. Put a bunch of crap in the middle then add that she found out her dad had remarried, given her two sisters, then her mom died, her step mom died three months later and some other crappy stuff that leave Meredith here."

"So pretty much she doesn't trust anyone."

"There are so many things to tell Derek." Addison sighed, running a hand over her face. "But it's Meredith's story and I can't tell all of it. But finding out you're a mistake and that your mother never wanted you...that hurts someone."

"I don't even know what to say." Derek sighed.

"I can't tell you anything else." Addison shrugged.