Say when

26

Meredith heard the alarm clock go off and squinted as she slowly opened her eyes and reached over turning it off.. she rolled over to put her arms around Derek when they came up empty...

She furrowed her brow and looked around the dim apartment seeing him hunched over the table writing something down on a note pad... she got up and walked over to the coffee pot...

She poured two cups of the hot liquid and shuffled her bare feet towards the table... she set one cup in front of him and them leaned over wrapping an arm around his shoulders and chest lightly kissing his cheek...

"Hey." She said in a groggy voice...

"Hey." He replied tiredly..

"How long have you been awake?" she asked noticing a pile of papers scattered across the table..

"Since 4:30." He replied with a hint of fatigue in his voice "Just had too many thoughts to sleep."

"Oh." She replied furrowing her brow as she sat in the chair next to him sipping on her coffee... he looked up at her studying her for a moment, she glanced over noticing his stare and frowned "What?"

"Did you want to become a doctor because its what your mom wanted or what you wanted?" he asked... she raised her brow a little surprised at his question and sucked in a deep breath..

"Wow, there's some randomnidity." She replied...

He let out a soft chuckle but looked at her for an answer.. she let out a sigh and shrugged..

"At first it was my mother's wish, and when she left me... a doctor was the farthest thing I wanted to be... but that day, when I jumped off the stage to help that man... I just... I got such a rush, I felt like... like I was meant to do it." She looked over at him to see a bright smile crossing his lips as he looked at her.. "Why?"

"Well." He smiled "I have a trust fund."

"You have a trust fund?"

"Yes, my father left me a trust fund before he passed away, it was open for me to touch when I turned 25, but I wanted it to be for the right reason... I've been up for the last 3 hours figuring out costs of things and living expenses and I think we can do it."

"Do what?" she asked feeling lost...

"You, me, us.. we both finished college and were on the brink of entering med school or had entered, but somewhere along the way we lost that dream... but I think we can go back... we can go to med school, live our dreams.. get the hell out of this city and as far away as we possibly can and start fresh and new."

"Wha... what are you talking about?" she gasped feeling a little overwhelmed... he reached over taking her tiny soft hand in his two large ones and smiled as he tilted his head...

"I want us to move away from here, all the bad memories, all the bad encounters, and just start new and follow our dreams... I have enough in my trust fund to cover the costs of med school and 4 and a half years of living... it wont be luxurious living, it may even be down to the bone... but I think we can do it... what do you think?"

She looked at him, then looked down at the hours of scribbling he'd done... a part of her was a little hesitant but again, Derek was her rock in the storm she called her life..

The six months she'd been with him were the most stable six months of her life... she raised her eyes to meet his and a soft curl formed in the corner of her mouth and she replied softly..

"Luxury is overrated."