Brown sugar and Lavender

Chapter twenty two: Rationally heartbroken?

"I love you" I breathe.

"I love you more" she smiles, as Izzie talks again.

"Derek's here"

Meredith and I snap our heads to the side, to see Derek standing with Izzie in the doorway.

I'm suddenly all too aware that Meredith is on top of me, I'm only wearing an oversized shirt and Mere is only wearing sweat pants and a tank top, not to mention that we were having a moment whilst confessing our undying love.

"Derek" Meredith stands up and sits down next to me, casually throwing a blanket over my exposed legs. I guess she noticed how exposed I was too.

"What brings you here?" I ask, wondering what the hell he's doing.

"Meredith, your Mother was brought to the hospital last night" Derek's tone is serious "I wanted to be here to tell you"

"Addie, come here" Meredith says quietly. I scoot over so I'm closer to her, and she grabs my hand.

"Is she okay?" I ask, worried for my girlfriends absent mother.

"You know then?" Meredith asks Derek.

He nods "we all do, we just wanted to have you there to make all of her medical decisions"

"Why?" I ask "is she not awake and alert?"

"Addie, baby" Mere slowly turns to face me "my Mother isn't okay. She hasn't been for five years"

"What's wrong then?" I ask, exasperated.

"She has Alzheimer's. She swore me to secrecy five years ago, I didn't tell a soul. She wanted me to be the only one who knew, but I guess the cats out of the bag" Meredith said softly.

I wrap an arm around her and pull her close to me.

"Oh baby, I'm so sorry" I whisper into her hair.

"You're not mad I didn't tell you?" She looks up at me, her grey eyes big and wide.

"Not at all" I answer "I'm only sorry you've had to deal with this all alone! I would never be mad at something like this!"

She buries her head in my neck, holding me closer than I thought possible.

"I love you" she mutters.

"I love you too"

~

"Meredith, I am trying to work. Please go home" Ellis Grey is sitting in a hospital bed, completely and utterly out of it. She's yelling at Meredith, she's yelling at the staff, hell, I think she even chucked a bedpan at one point.

"Mom, for the last time. I'm a doctor, I'm here to see your charts and make sure you're okay" Meredith says exasperated.

"Meredith, you're five years old. Stop being preposterous" her Mother scoffs.

With a defeated sigh, Meredith slams down the charts and joins me at the door.

"Well, I guess I'm done here for the day" she rubs her temples "the woman wasn't exactly a joy when she was lucid, let alone now"

I grab her hand and lead her away from her mothers room and to the cafeteria.

"Meredith, I'm sure she'll be okay" I reassure her.

"Oh I sure as hell know she's gonna be okay. The woman is made of steel. It's me I'm worried about"

I laugh "you're tough, you'll be okay"

She sighs and sends me a small smile "I'm stuck on Derek's service for the next few days too"

I groan "well, remember that there's no Netflix in prison" I kiss her cheek as I grab us both some water.