Anti-Romantics

Missfortune

It was around nine in the morning when Derek heard a knock on his door. To his surprise it was Meredith standing outside his door with two suitcases. To her right was Mark standing next to her. In a state of confusion he asked "Hello?"

"I'm moving in, remember?"

"What, I don't understand? I thought you hated me."

"I do, a lot. Then I was thinking of 'shit where am I gonna live' and then it hit me I knew the one thing that would bug you was my presence. So i'm here with Mark moving into your house."

"You know Mark?"

"Met him at Joes last night, got to talking and realized that he was living with you. He's actually very compassionate Derek, you could take a lesson from him." She knew she was getting under his skin and she loved it.

Jealousy consumed him whole. "What the hell are you doing?" He seethed.

"What am I doing? What are you doing, playing hooky between your girlfriend and Addison? She was going to find out sooner or later." Mark defended himself.

Meredith side eyed Derek before walking up the stairs and into her room. Mark and here were becoming friendly which pissed Derek off. He only ever used women to fill the void. He knew that he was only using her for her body.

He wish he could've taken last night back. He understood his words place a dozen daggers in her back. Especially after her getting cheated on with Finn. The truth was he was going to talk to Addison about getting a divorce that Friday. They hadn't spoken months before that. He loved her but he wasn't in love with her at least not in the way that he felt about Meredith. She made him feel free and light. There was a certain sparkle in her eye when she talked to him. She was a puzzle but one that was worth solving, now all of the pieces weren't fitting.

He had to wait out Mark, find a time when it was just the two of them alone. It couldn't be therapy, she wouldn't listen. It'd have to be a time when it was just them. He'd make her listen. They'd be okay.

She unpacked her things into her new room. She set up her books, a few candles, and a lamp on her nightstand. After she pulled out her record player and spun a Red Hot Chili Peppers album. It was loud and filled out the noise of Mark and Derek brawling it out.

She locked her door and really let what Derek had said soak in. She had finally opened herself up to someone just to find out she was the side piece. She hated that she loved him. She didn't plan for any of this. She didn't want to fall in love but then she let yourself and here she was. Tears fell down her face.  Despite what one may think she wasn't sad she was enraged. Enraged that she had told him about Finn and that at the moment he didn't tell him about Addison. That he let her think he was single. She was mad about a lot of things, she wanted to chop him into tiny pieces and flush it down a toilet.

He heard a knock on her door and quickly wiped her tears. "Who is it?"

"It's Derek."

"Go away."

"Meredith at least let me explain."

She turned her record up to cover his voice. He jiggled the door knob. Mark approached him. "You gotta leave her alone man."

"Shut the fuck up! You shut the fuck up Mark! I know I fucked up bad but you don't just get to stand here all high and mighty like you didn't fuck my wife!"

"You're still with her, Derek. That's the fucking problem."

"What? You want her all to yourself? It's not going to last! You two will never last! Both of you are fucking cheaters to your core."

"Then what are you? You're still with your wife, still trying to pursue Meredith. You act like you're so above this all, but Derek you are just like me."

"Get out of my house before I call the police."

"This shit again? Golly, let me save you the trouble." He walked down the stairs and put his coat on. "But Derek, she's mine."

He watched as Mark walked out the door and passed her room deciding if he wanted to talk to her. He tried again. Her record turned off and the door opened. She looked defeated. "What?" Her voice monotone.

"Please let me explain myself to you, you deserve that much."

"Fine."

"Addison is... she's Addison. She's not going to be my wife, Friday I was going to serve her the papers. It wasn't a date, she perceived it as one. I haven't talked to her since January. Since I walked in on her and Mark having sex. Since then both of them are having an affair and think I don't know. Meredith, I never meant to put you in this situation. I didn't know.. I didn't know I was going to feel this way." He gave her a sincere look.

"So what am I to you? Revenge? You want to hurt her as much as you hurt? Is that what this was?" Her anger level only rising.

"It was like I was coming up for fresh air, it was like I was drowning and you saved me." He admitted.

"It's not enough." She shut the door in his face.

He heard the doorbell ring. "Mark I told you to fucking leave!"

"I'll get it." Meredith opened to the door knowing it would piss him off even more. She swung open the door but to her surprise it wasn't Mark. It was a tall, leggy redhead with an insane body. Meredith stuck her hand out. "Meredith, you are?"

The redhead grabbed her hand. "Hi, I'm Addison Shepherd."