Officer Shepherd✔️

ask him

DEREK

three weeks later

three weeks ago we got back from Italy. after I drove to Meredith's apartment, I went up to her front door. I grabbed the key from my pocket and unlocked the door. I walked in and closed the door behind me and put the key back.

I walked into Meredith's room and saw that she was still asleep. I walked over to her closet and grabbed her suitcase from the floor. I placed It on the chest at the end of her bed and opened it. I got some of her clothes from her closet and folded them into her suitcase.

I went into the bathroom and grabbed the bag that was still packed from last time.

after I finished packing her things, I walked over to her bed and sat down on the edge. "Meredith, Meredith, wake up," I whisper in her ear before kissing her temple. "Mmm," she moans in her sleep bit not waking up.

"Meredith, we have to leave soon," I say. "No, I'm not going," she says. "you can sleep on the way there, all you have to do is walk to the car," I say. "you walk to the car, I'll stay here," she says. "Okay, we're leaving," I say. I stand up and lift her into my arms.

I carry her out to the car as she stays asleep. I lay her down on the seat and lay the seat back. after I get the rest of her things, I put everything in the back seat and get into the driver's seat. "did you lock my front door?" she asks as she stirs a bit in her sleep.

"yes, of course," I say squeezing her thigh. I start the car and start driving.

"Meredith, we're here now," I say. "I know, I never fell back asleep," she says as she opens her eyes and glares at me.

once we're on the plane, Meredith falls asleep a few minutes later, on me. I check the time and we've only got about three more hours to go. "what time is it?" Meredith asks as she sits up. "seven in the morning," I say, I ate breakfast before I picked up Meredith and I bought her something to eat and she ate in the car.

"my boss is going to kill you when we get back," she says before closing the window and leaning back into her seat.

"that is if my mother doesn't kill me first," I say.

"what did you do?" she asks.

"Nothing, she already called me and told me to let you sleep so you wouldn't be tired when we arrive," I say.

"well, I slept for I don't know how many hours, so I should be fine," she says.

"she's going to kill me if she sees you yawn," I say, she yawns as I say that.

"Meredith!" I say.

"I just woke up, I have three more hours to wake up," she says.

"We'll see," I say.

"Derek, don't do that thing where you get mad for no reason... I'm going back to sleep," she says. she lays her head on my shoulder and places both her hands on my body before she falls asleep again. I kiss her on the head.

****

we landed in Manhattan. we got off the plane and called rented a car. "we're staying at a hotel, right?" she says. I look at her before looking back at the road again. "Derek?" she says as she sits up. "my mother asked us to stay with her,"

"you want me to sleep in your mother's guest room?" she says. "No, we're sleeping in my old room," I say. "is that where you had sex with all your other girlfriends before me?" she says. "yes, we have the same bedsheets and everything," I say. she groans falling back into her seat.

"I had only one girlfriend before you and I never had sex with her in the house," I say. "so you say," she says. "Meredith," I say. "never mind," she sighs. "I never had sex in the house, I lived with four sisters, my door never had a lock, and my little sister always walk in my room unannounced... I never had sex in the house," I say.

"Stop talking about having sex with another woman with your hand on my thigh," she says pushing my hand off. "Meredith," I say. "I don't want to hear about you going down on another girl or... anything else," she says.

"I can give you details," I tease, smiling. "No, I'm going to throw up if you keep talking," she says. "I know... you have a sensitive gag reflex, you eat a little more than you're hungry for and you're going to throw up," I say.

"it's not my fault," she hits me on the arm gently. "we're almost there," I say. "don't say that," she says. "my sisters won't be there when we get there, they'll be there in a few days, don't worry about them yet," I say.

"Are your parents divorced?" she asks. "what?" I say. "are your parents divorced, when your mother visited your father wasn't there," she says. "he was on a business trip then," I say. "you didn't answer the question... and your tense," she says.

"no, they're not divorced," I say. "so they lived together?" she says. "of course, why? do you not want to meet him?" I ask. "No, It just seems like you don't like your father very much," she says. "I don't," I say.

"ever tried asking him why he was never there?" she says. "... why would I do that?" I ask. "maybe he'll give you a good reason that will make you understand and want a better relationship with him," she says. "and what if he doesn't give me a reason... what if he says he just didn't want to be around his kids because they were too annoying," I say, looking at her. she pauses as she looks into my eye for a bit before I look away.

"then at least you tried, then you don't have to live with 'what if' forever, and then you know that he was just an asshole and that there was never a chance for you two... at least you tried instead of feeling sorry for yourself for the rest of your life... because he won't be alive forever, Derek. and if you don't talk to him he's going to die and you won't ever know the reason why he wasn't home," she says.

I feel tears build up in my eyes before I try blinking them away. "I know it's hard when you think your father doesn't love you," she says as she starts rubbing my back. "just ask and if it doesn't go well then you don't have to try with him ever again," she says.

"fine..." I say. "we're here,"