Merder: Different Circumstances

Chapter Eight

"Hi Amy, nice to hear from you too." Derek replied after his sister off-loaded her rant onto him.

"I've heard Ashley's version of it, now tell me yours. What's she really like?"

"Amy she's amazing. She's a surgeon at Seattle Grace, a general attending. I told her about Ash on our first proper date and she was really understanding about it all and then over breakfast the other day she agreed that it would be a good time to introduce them. I know Addison is your best friend, but Meredith makes me feel a way she never did. Before you even ask, no we are not sleeping together all the time we have only done it once. I've known her literally a month but Amy I love her. You know that Ash will always be the most important thing in my life, but I want Meredith in my life too."

A knock on his trailer pulled Derek from his detailed explanation to his sister and he quickly apologised to her before hanging up, knowing exactly who would be on the other side. As soon as the door was opened, Ashley threw her arms around her dad and hid her face into his chest.

"I'm sorry Dad, I just don't want you to ever replace me." She said, not hiding the couple of tears that slid down her face.

Ever since her parents divorce, and watching her mother replace her father, Ashley had always been afraid of her father replacing her with a new family. She would never admit it to anyone, but on her earlier call to Amelia she let her secret slip for the first time.

Derek shut the door and walked the two of them over the couch, Ashley still having her arms wrapped tightly around him. They sat down next to each other and as soon as they were sat Ashley rested her head onto her fathers shoulder.

"Ash, you know I would never replace you, right. You'll never admit to it but you will always be my baby girl, no one ever can nor ever will be able to change that."

"I heard what you said to Aunt Amelia, it's Meredith, right? You really like her, don't you?" Ashley sniffled, her tears coming to a stop.

"Yeah it is, you would have seen her around on the days you've come to the hospital to wait for me. I think you'd get along with her really well, that is if you wanted to meet her?"

"I think I would, like to meet her, get to know her. You made her sound really great Dad, tell me a bit about her."

That's how they spent the hour, Ashley asking questions and her father answering as well as he could, wanting her to not feel threatened by his new girlfriend and the growing importance she had on his life. It reminded him very much to how Meredith found out more details about Ashley from him and he was reminded of how alike they could be.

"So, when do I get to meet her?"

"I don't want to make us sound too ambitious, but we were thinking this weekend? The both of us have a day off and obviously you won't be in school, so we were thinking about going out for lunch the three of us. Then, if it goes well, we could come back here or Meredith's house for dinner?

"I like the idea of that." Ashley agreed, making her father smile. "Just can you promise me something, please don't send me to the Webber's whenever you two want a date, I'll find a friends house to stay at. Also from what I heard you say to Aunt Amelia, if you two ever want to... you know, at the trailer then please let me know because these trailer walls aren't very thick and I would much appreciate advanced warning."

Derek's jaw dropped at his daughter's comment, in disbelief of how his sweet, innocent five year old daughter had turned to a fifteen year old providing him with constant grief and cheek.

"Ashley Carolyn Shepherd. I am going to, for your sake, pretend as though you didn't just make that last comment, but if you ever make such a statement, or for that matter one similar, again then you will be grounded."

"Goodnight Dad, I love you." Ashley replied, a smirk on her face as she placed a kiss on her dad's cheek.

"I love you too Ash."

With that, Derek went to sleep, relieved that his daughter had calmed down and now appeared more than willing to accept his girlfriend. He just couldn't wait until the next morning so that he could phone Meredith and reassure her of the doubts he knew she would be having after their previous phone call.

Meanwhile, at Seattle Grace hospital, Meredith was pacing the floor of one of the on call rooms, not getting the sleep she earlier believed was necessary. Cristina and Lexie sat crossed legged on one of the beds, as the other had the imprint of Meredith's body on it from when she was trying to sleep.

"I've not even met her and by the sounds of it his daughter already hates me." Meredith stressed.

"Mer, just shut up and go to sleep. This is like your only break on this shift and you're really spending it thinking about Mcdreamy. I just want to know when this first started because thanks for telling us. Oh my gosh, that's why you cancelled dinner with your dad, he was your hot date." Cristina said, earning glare off both Meredith and Lexie at some point.

"Meredith, I'm sure he'll keep his promise and phone you in the morning but you know what teenage girls can be like. Just get some sleep and then the morning will come faster." Lexie advised.

"You know that's not scientifically correct." Cristina bluntly stated.

Meredith blocked out the irrelevant bickering between her person and her sister as she continued to pace the room. She had opened up to this man so much and now wish she had waited until at least his daughter approved of her. Although the two people in the room where those who she trusted most, she knew that if she told them both that she believed she was in love with Derek, their advice would completely contradict each other.

With that, she ushered both of them out of her room before checking her phone one more time, her heart sinking a little as no missed call popped up, but she did her best to reassure herself that he would keep his promise and phone in the morning.