Leave Right Now

8.

Derek wasn't at all sure what had happened the night before. He could remember all of nights events but he couldn't quite comprehend what had gone on. He wanted to talk about it but he didn't know what to say and as her rolled over in bed, he realized that Meredith was no longer next to him. He didn't know what had happened and he wanted to talk about it but he didn't know what to say.

He got out of bed and pulled on a pair of sweatpants, trying to clear his head. He assumed she was just watching television or having coffee. So instead of going to the living room he headed to the small bathroom in his apartment. But when he opened the door Meredith was standing in his bathroom, her towel falling off of her body as she dried her hair.

"Hey." She looked back, smiling before turning back to the mirror.

"Oh..."

"How did you sleep?"

"Good...great...fine."

"Good." She breathed, drying her hair as her bare back faced him.

"You um...did you...sleep okay?" He tried to keep his eyes off of her.

"I always sleep well in your bed."

"Yeah..."

"Usually you give me a hug in the morning." She giggled as she turned around, trying to fix the towel.

"I..." Derek reached for his bathrobe on the back of the bathroom door, pushing it at her. "Here."

"What's wrong?" She frowned, taking the red bathrobe.

"I'm fine. Nothing wrong." He shook his head, looking away from her until she got the robe on all the way.

"You're being weird." She tied the robe closed before stepping closer to him.

"I'm just...I um..."

"Don't worry...we can get back in bed." Meredith giggled.

"I can't." Derek stepped back quickly. "I have to go."

"Where are you going?" She frowned.

"Out." He answered. "I have to go out and you're okay here so I'm going to go...out."

"Well I can come with you..."

"No!"

"Did I say something last night to upset you or something?"

"No." Derek breathed. "You're...it's not you."

"I...okay..." She stepped back as he sounded rushed.

"I'll see you later." He hurried out of the bathroom. He got dressed as fast as he could and left the apartment, leaving her there. He didn't know what was wrong with him but he felt like if he stayed there with her he would do something, something that wasn't something best friends do and he had to leave. He drove towards Mark's apartment, turning around as he got close and heading back in the other direction.

He almost went back to his apartment, tempted to tell Meredith how he was feeling before he turned the car around again and headed towards his mom's house. He needed to geta way for a little while and think and try to convince himself that he couldn't do anything about what he was feeling. He needed to forget about it and push it away and just pretend like he hadn't felt anything at all for her besides friendship. He needed coffee or maybe something stronger and he just needed to forget and once he cleared his mind he could go back to Meredith and pretend like this had never happened.

"Mom?" Derek called, letting himself into the house, and hoping his mother didn't notice that anything weird was going on.

"The family room Derek!" He heard his mother yell, immediately wondering what she was doing in there.