Derek Shepherd walks out onto the pitch, the screams of the crowd filling his ears as they see him. It feels great. It feels exhilarating. He feels pumped. He feels ready. He runs his fingers through his thick curly hair before waving to the large crowd, causing them to cheer even louder. He loves this. He loves his fans. It is what he lives for. He lives for this game. He lives for his fans. It is who he is. It is who he is and he wouldn't change it for anything.

Derek Shepherd has worked his entire life for this. To be great. To be the best. Derek Shepherd is considered one of the best. He is the one that everyone wants on their side and nobody wants to be up against. He has worked hard to get here. He sacrificed so much, but he loves his life. He loves it. He loves the game. Playing is his drug, winning is his high. He plays to win. He plays to win and he plays for the love of the game.

Derek Shepherd's life may seem perfect to any outsider looking in. He has an amazing job, a different girl on his arm every other week, and the fame and fortune that so many wish for. However, Derek's like is far from perfect. He loves his job. He really does and he does have the fame and fortune, but that isn't important to Derek. He doesn't care about how many people recognize him on the street or how much money he has. He doesn't care because he feels completely alone. He feels completely alone with the exception of his amazingly large family.

He loves his family. He does. He loves them very much, but he lacks the one thing that everyone longs for--a companion, a lover, a friend. Sure, there are girls flocking around him and hanging all over him, but they don't know [ihim[/i. They don't know Derek Shepherd. They only know the Derek Shepherd who plays for the LA Galaxy. They only know the Derek Shepherd who makes thirty million a year. They only see the dollar signs and the fame. They don't see the man. They don't see him.

He isn't actively looking for love and he doesn't really know what is missing. Not really. He feels the void, but he doesn't really know why it is there.

He inhales deeply before he begins to warm up for the upcoming match, the adrenaline already coursing through his veins. He glances up to the suite that he knows holds the owner of the team. The owner who he has a meeting with tomorrow afternoon. He quickly turns away and focuses back on the task at hand, winning.

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Meredith Grey sits up in the suite with her father. She impatiently taps her foot as she waits for the match to start. She loves the game. She really does. She just wishes that she was down watching it with the crowd. She loves sitting in the crowd. She loves getting into the game and yelling obscenities at the refs as they make horrible calls. She hate sitting up here with all of these rich old suits who only look at the match with dollar signs in their eyes. Her father is one of those men. Her father is one of those men but he also has a certain appreciation of the game. Hell, he better have, he does own a MLS team.

She sighs heavily as the cheers fill the air as the team steps onto the field. She wants to be closer. She wants to watch. She wants to yell. She loves this game. She loves it, but right now she has to be professional. Her father is grooming her to take over this aspect of his business. He has many things to do and he doesn't want to be bothered by this anymore.

He told her yesterday that he wanted her to travel to Europe with their star player for the World Cup. She thought about protesting, but she really does want to see the World Cup, so she didn't. She doesn't know how she feels about spending so much time with the Derek Shepherd, notorious womanizer and manwhore, but she would just have to deal.

Meredith herself just got out of a serious relationship that lasted two years. It turned out the guy was just using her to get to her father and her money. She thought she loved him. He is the only one she has ever really been with. She lost her virginity to him and he hurt her badly. So now, Meredith has sworn off men, especially men like Derek Shepherd.

She glances at her father. Screw it. She is going down to the sidelines. They would let her watch from there because she is the owner's daughter.

Meredith: Dad, I'm going to go watch from the sidelines.

Thatcher: But Meredith, you need to be here to get to know the business ends of running the team.

Meredith crosses her arms over her chest.

Meredith: If you want me to take over after this season, then I need to watch the team and get to know them.

Thatcher: As the owner, that isn't your responsibility.

Meredith: Dad, I want them to have respect for me and they won't respect me if I don't respect and appreciate them.

Meredith grabs her purse from her vacated chair and looks at her father. He sighs in defeat and waves his arm for her to go. He has always had a weak spot for his little girl.

Thatcher: Go. I will have Marty escort you to the sidelines, but don't be late for our meeting with Derek Shepherd tomorrow.

Meredith rolls her eyes.

Meredith: Am I ever later?

Thatcher smiles at his daughter.

Thatcher: No, you're not. Now, go enjoy the game.

Meredith smiles at her father before exiting the room and walking down to the sidelines, ready to watch the game and having no idea that one player in particular is going to capture her interest.

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You guys are getting this story as I write it, so the updates will not be as frequent as the other fics that have been posted. This is my newest fic. Hope you like it.

-Marci