It's Enough
Category: Angst
Pairing: Omelia, Meredith/Owen friendship
Summary: Meredith confronts Owen about his relationship with Amelia.
Warnings: Spoilers for S11.
Disclaimer: Own Nada!
Authors Notes: It's late and just a drabble :)
"She's flighty... and impulsive, and kind of annoying..."
Owen turns to the door surprised to find Meredith stood with her arms crossed, leaning against the frame. He doesn't quite know what to make of the comment and his mouth opens and shuts awkwardly, his brow instinctive frowning as words fail to compensate the movement.
"She's happy... or at least she tires to be-" Meredith pushes off the wood support, entering the dimly lit on-call room.
She's not known for her tact and in recent months it's gotten worse but she doesn't care. It's not an excuse but she's grieving and she doesn't know if she'll ever find a way to be okay with that but she's pushing on, she's trying. "I'm talking about Amelia," she says, as if it explains everything, "she's not Cristina."
"No," Owen agrees, swallowing roughly, "she's not."
"But you think it could work?" It's not really a question though her voice rises slightly as she stops to stand in front of him.
She's lost a lot of people, too many... but Yang has been her constant in her life and she's fiercely protective. She loves Amelia and she feels a sense of family debt to Derek. The only person she doesn't feel strongly towards is the person stuck square in the middle. She doesn't dislike him but there are rules and she's never been entirely sure where they stand in the grand scheme of things.
"I don't know," he replies honestly. He wasn't lying when he said he and Amelia were a train wreck... but that's the funny thing about tragedy, sometimes it destroys people but sometimes it brings them closer together. "Look, I know-"
"It's none of my business."
Which it's not.
She's knows for a fact, maybe more so after Derek's death, that it's not her place to begrudge people their happiness but she owes it to he best friend and her sister in-law to weigh the odds. Maybe she's looking for a purpose, something to fill her time but there's no denying that at some point the crossroads are going to meet and she doesn't want to be standing at the head of the collision when it all comes to blows. "I'm not saying it's wrong but if it's... something, I'm going to need to tell her."
His heart lurches at the thought of his ex-wife but it's a dulled, distant pain. It's taken him a long time to even think about moving on but their lives are so far a part, so distant and he can't stop himself from gravitating towards Amelia. Cristina was the love of his life, their chemistry born from the second they laid eyes on each other but with Amelia that passion and enthusiasm stems from something else.
He knows they could be best friends as well.
They understand each other on a level that doesn't need explaining and the fact that notion terrifies him makes it worth fighting for. He just doesn't know how to let go and follow what his heart has been telling him for months now. "We're not there yet."
Meredith nods in silent understanding. Whatever is happening between them it's not ready to withstand the pressure of outside influences and she can accept that.
For now.
"She's my person." There's no question as to which women she's referring to and there is a slight warning to her tone, though it passes through without judgement, "but I care about them both."
"I know."
Because he does too.
Their both important, both integral aspects of his life. The only difference is one of them is part of his past and the other is becoming a part of his future. "It's not there yet... but if it goes that far, and I'm hoping it will... I'm glad they both have you."
It's the sincerest compliment she's every received from him, possibly the only one and she takes it on-board. Derek like him, trusted him and she takes great solace in the fact. "Good." It's all she needs to say, it's enough.
They might never be close or even anything other than coworkers but they've reached an understanding and it seems to have surpassed the necessary pleasantries. Given time who knows they might even become friends.
But for now, the things keeping them tied together, are inevitable.
And for the moment, they're enough.
