You Save Me

15

For the first time in her life, Meredith Grey had someone to cheer her on.

As she sat on stage in the Columbia University field house, feeling slightly ridiculous in graduation robes for the third time in her life, she couldn't help but feel slightly elated at the fact that there was someone in the audience just for her.

When she was little, she'd never done sports or taken dance classes like most of the other kids in her school. Her mother had never thought to enroll her, and by high school she hadn't built up any of the talents or stamina to play at the high school level. Her mother had skipped her high school graduation, telling her that getting a high school diploma wasn't a big deal, and that sitting through the principal speak about the future of the class wasn't worth giving up her OR time. She'd actually planned on come to her graduation from Dartmouth, until she'd found out that Meredith was going to Europe with Sadie instead of doing something productive with her life.

But now, there was someone who cared enough about her to spend an afternoon listening to a series of boring speeches and watching hundreds of students walk across a stage just so he could watch her receive her diploma. And it wasn't just anyone.

Derek Shepherd cared enough about her to watch her graduate.

As she listened to the dean speak about the differences she and her classmates would make in the medical community and the challenges they would face in their internship, she searched the crowd for him. When she finally spotted him, seated beside Lexie and dressed handsomely in a blue button down shirt with an open collar. He was smiling proudly, and she couldn't help but feel an extra burst of self pride at the realization of how proud he was of her.

Later, after she'd received her diploma and smiled widely at Derek from the stage, she pushed her way through the proud parents and family members of her classmates to make her way towards him. She ran straight into his open arms, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck as he lifted her off the ground slightly. "I did it!" she giggled happily.

"You did it," he repeated. "I'm so proud of you, Mer."

"Thank you," she smiled, pulling back to press her lips against his. "I...thank you."

"And you didn't trip," he laughed as she pulled away.

"Shut up," she rolled her eyes. She'd gone on a ramble for a good ten minutes the night before about how embarrassing it would be if she tripped on stage.

"Mer, you did it!" Lexie cried from behind her, and a moment later she felt herself being pulled into a hug with her sister.

"I did it," Meredith giggled.

"I brought my camera," Lexie announced, pulling it out of her bag. "We have to take pictures."

"Lexie," Meredith rolled her eyes, but Derek quickly pulled her into his arms.

"She's right, Mer. We need pictures of this," he said.

"Okay," she said, finding herself unable to say no as she cuddled into his arms and smiled as Lexie took several shots of them.

When her sister had finally finished being camera happy, the auditorium had emptied out, and there was only a scattering of people left throughout the seats. "We should go," Derek said, his arm still wrapped tightly around Meredith's waist. "I'm taking you out to dinner to celebrate."

"You don't have to," she started, but was cut off by the feeling of his lips on hers.

"I know I don't have to," he said. "But I want to. This is a big deal, Mer. You deserve to celebrate."

"Okay," she said softly.

"Good," Derek said. "Lexie, would you like to join us?"

"Oh," Lexie said, looking up from her camera. "I...no. It's okay. I don't want to interrupt your date or anything, so it's fine. Go have fun."