Meredith was sat in the bar, trying to drink away her verves. The following day was her first day at her new job, the day she would begin her internship at Seattle Grace Hospital. She had spent 4 years in med school, and the day was finally here. Her mind was full of possible outcomes of what could happen, she was just staring at the wall.

'Tequila?' Meredith heard from beside her, a handsome dark-haired man sat beside her

'What?'

'Are you drinking tequila?' He asked her again while smirking at her

Meredith nodded and smiled at the stranger who offered to buy her a drink

'Derek' He said holding his hand out

'Meredith' Meredith replied shaking his hand

'So, what's your story?' Derek asked her, smiling at the beauty of a women that sat in front of him

'I don't have a story, I'm just a girl in a bar. Drinking away the nerves of starting a new job. What about you?'

'I'm just a guy in a bar, drinking away the past. Drinking away the memory of my ex-wife' He said taking a sip of his drink and smirking

Before they knew it, they were back at Meredith's house making out in her bedroom. Meredith had never had a night like this before, she was drunk and with a handsome guy. She had had such a great night that she forgot to set her alarm for the morning. She suddenly woke up to find herself naked but wrapped up in the bed sheets, lay next to the nameless guy. She rolled over and looked at the alarm clock, it read '6:30'

'Oh god!' She shouted waking Derek up

'W..What?' Derek said startled after being woken up

'You have to leave, I'm late for work' Meredith said as she scrambled out of bed and stood looking awkwardly at the man in her bed

'Will I ever see you again?' He asked as he climbed out of the bed and put his clothes back on

'I don't know. What I do know is that you need to hurry up. I'm going for a shower and by the time I get out you will be gone' Meredith said leaving the room for the bathroom

Derek finished getting dressed and made his way out of the house, wondering if he would ever see the amazing woman again. Meredith finished taking a shower and then made her way to her first day at work at the hospital. He made it just in time, changed into her scrubs and found the rest of the interns.

The interns were having the annual tour around the hospital by Dr Richard Webber, the chief of surgery at Seattle Grace Hospital. They were in an operating room being told the chances that they will become a surgeon. They had 4 years as an intern then become residents before possibly becoming an attending. Only the best would be able to become the head of a speciality.

They continued their tour to the main room of the hospital were patient's charts were stored and all the doctors and nurses were stationed. All the interns stood behind Dr Webber, another doctor was sat at the computer working on charts.

'Dr Grey' Dr Webber introduced the working doctor 'These are the new interns'

Meredith looked towards the floor not wanting to make eye contact with the doctor

'That's Ellis Grey. Head of General Surgery' The doctor that was stood beside her whispered to her, Meredith just stared at her 'Cristina Yang' She said

'Meredith' Meredith said shaking her hand

'That doctor is Ellis Grey isn't it? She's the greatest doctor to come from this hospital, she has done some amazing surgeries and written some interesting books. I heard her daughter starts as an intern this year' Cristina said to Meredith

'Err…yeah she does' Meredith said

'Imagine being her daughter'

'Yeah imagine' Meredith said not nearly as enthusiastic as Cristina

'So now you will find your resident and start your first intern year. Doctors Yang, Karev, Stevens, Grey and O'Malley you are with Doctor Bailey' Richard said, so the five of them walked to find Doctor Bailey

'She must be Ellis' daughter' Cristina said to Meredith about the blonde intern 'There's no way someone like her gets into medical school without having a parent who can pull some strings'

'I heard one of the interns is a model' Alex Karev said walking up to the pair 'Can't wait to find that doctor'

'I heard one is a jack ass' Cristina said as they walked up to Doctor Bailey

'I have five rules. Memorize them. Rule number one don't bother sucking up. I already hate you, that's not gonna change. Rule number two you have pagers...The nurses will page you and YOU answer those pagers on a RUN! Rule number three if I'm…' Miranda Bailey started before being interrupted

'Doctor Bailey, I need one of your interns to scrub in with the removal of a large tumour' Ellis Grey said walking over

'Okay' Miranda said 'You' She said pointing at Meredith

'No not her, another one' Ellis said

'You' Miranda said again pointing to George O'Malley. George walked off behind Ellis

'Already in Ellis Grey's bad books' Bailey said to Meredith 'What did you do?'

'I…' Meredith didn't know what to say, she didn't want everyone to know that she was Ellis Grey's daughter

'Well?' Bailey said

'She didn't want me to do my internship here' Meredith said

'Why would…wait' Cristina said 'You're the infamous Ellis Grey's daughter'

'Yeah…'

'Why did she not want to have you in the surgery?' Izzie asked

'Someone been a bad girl for mommy' Alex mocked her

'Shut up' Meredith shut him down 'We just…we don't have the best relationship. I don't want to talk about it, can we just get to assignments please'

'Yang, pit. Karev, scut. Stevens, cardio with Dr Burke. Grey, neuro with Dr Shepherd' Bailey said before walking off to see her patient. Each of the interns went their separate ways to follow Baileys orders.

Meredith made her way to find Dr Shepherd.

'Doctor Shepherd' She said as she came up behind the doctor 'I'm on your service'

'Yes Doctor Grey' He said turning round

'Oh god' Meredith said recognising the man stood in front of her

'Meredith?' Derek questioned 'We need to talk' He said walking into the closest closet

'Why didn't you tell me you worked in this hospital?' Meredith said

'Why didn't you tell me you were starting here?' Derek said

'I never thought I would see you again after our night. It can't happen again, its inappropriate. You're an attending and I'm an intern'

'it could be our little secret, nobody would have to know'

'Derek…'

'Let me say this. I don't know how you felt after last night but I feel something. I haven't felt that way in a long time, I didn't feel that way with my ex-wife. I like you Meredith, I want to have something with you'

'Derek, I can't. If I'm going to have a relationship, it needs to be with someone that my mother can't but in with'

'Your mother?'

'Ellis Grey, she's my mother. If we start something then she will be there all the time, watching us. I'm sorry Derek, I can't' Meredith said, 'Can we just get to the patient'

'Meredith, I will fight for you' Derek said before going to his patient followed by Meredith

'This is 32 year old Paul Daniels, suffers from repetitive seizures after a fall during a basketball game. What's your diagnosis?' Derek asked Meredith

'An aneurysm' Meredith said confidently

'Correct, book him in for a CT and page me when you're done' Derek ordered

'Shepherd' Doctor Webber said, stood at the door

'Doctor Webber, what can I do for you?' Derek said while Meredith was helping the patient

'Can I please take Doctor Grey for the day?' He asked 'We have a VIP patient'

Derek looked over at Meredith who looked up from the patient 'Yes of course'

Meredith followed Webber out of the room to the VIP room. She was happy that she didn't have to work with Derek today after what they had spoken about, but she also felt annoyed because she wanted to concentrate on neuro. The pair of them entered the room where Doctor Bailey was checking the patients chart.

'Doctor Grey this is Lynne Gagliano, diagnosed with oesophageal cancer. In to have the tumour removed' Doctor Bailey filled her in, not knowing that Ellis Grey was stood outside the room.

'Surgery is in 5 hours' Richard told her

'It doesn't usually take 3 surgeons to remove a tumour' Meredith said

'This one will' Miranda said 'It is a very large tumour'

'Oh okay' Doctor Grey said

'Lynne, Doctor Grey will prepare you for surgery while me and Doctor Bailey prepare the OR' Richard said, before leaving the room with Bailey

'Will I die?' Lynne asked Meredith

'Just like any surgery there are risks, but you have two very talented surgeons. Everything will be fine' She replied taking hold of the patient's hand 'Is there anyone you would like me to call for you?'

'No, I don't have anyone'

'Oh I'm sorry about. I'll just go and get you a gown' Meredith said about the leave the room

'Doctor Grey?' Lynne said 'Will you be here when I come out?'

'I will be in the surgery with you, and I will make sure I am around when you wake up' Meredith said

Ellis was stood at the nurses station outside the room, watching the doctor and patient talk. She thought Meredith was getting too close to the patient.

'Doctor Grey can I talk to you' Meredith said to her mother

'I have work to do' Ellis sad before walking off, leaving Meredith upset at the station

As Ellis was walking through the hospital towards the OR board, Doctor Webber shouted her

'Doctor Grey!' Richard shouted

'Yes Richard'

'Are you going to be watching Meredith in surgery today?'

'Pardon?'

'Meredith is helping on a tumour removal'

'She can't do it Richard, she is too attached to the patient. She told the patient that she would be there when she woke up, she is too attached'

'Ellis…'

'She will not be scrubbing in, I will scrub instead' Ellis said before walking off

It was time for Lynne's surgery, and Meredith made her way to the scrub room. She walked into the room to find Webber, Bailey and her mother

'Doctor Grey' Richard said as she walked in

'Mom, what are you doing?' Meredith asked confused

'Scrubbing in'

'I thought I was…'

'You can watch from the gallery' Ellis said walking into the OR

'I'm sorry Meredith' Bailey said as her and Richard went into the OR leaving Meredith stood in the scrub room

She knew doing her internship at this hospital would be a mistake, working with her mother was never going to work. But she never thought she would take surgeries off of her. She left the scrub room, trying to hold her tears in. As she reached the OR board and saw her name next to the surgery, the tears just fell from her eyes. She quickly walked down the corridor and pushed over an equipment trolley and walked into the closet. Derek walked to the OR board and saw everything Meredith did, it hurt him to see her upset. He followed her down to the closet and found her sat on the floor crying.

'Meredith' Derek said, sitting down next to her

'I'm fine Derek' She said wiping her tears

'Okay then' He said, the pair sat in silence for a few minutes

'How could she do this to me?' Meredith said looking at Derek

'How could who do what?'

'My mother, she took a surgery from me'

'She's Ellis Grey, she is always taking surgeries from people. She wants to be better than everyone, and she will do whatever it takes to do so. You can't let her boss you around, she may be your mother but in this hospital, she is just another doctor. Don't let her take your surgeries, don't let her run you down and don't let her tell you who you can or can't date' Derek said wiping the tear that rolled down her face

'But she's an attending, she can just take my surgeries. She's my boss, and she doesn't even act like she is my mother. What can I do to stop her?'

'Stay away from general'

'What?'

'Don't work on general. While you work on general she can boss you around, but if you aren't then she can't. Work on ortho, or cardio or how about neuro?' He said smiling at her

'Do you think chief would take me off her service?'

'You would just have to ask him'

'Yeah' Meredith said 'What service would I join though? I can't do cardio because Christina is and she won't let anyone near a cardio case and Callie doesn't like me so I won't get anywhere on ortho'

'There's always neuro' Derek said and smirked at Meredith

'Or there is peds'

'Or neuro'

'You really want me to work with you don't you?' Meredith asked smiling at him

'Would it be such a bad thing?'

'Derek…' Meredith said standing up 'I can't do this with you. I'm sorry' She left the closet leaving Derek sat on the floor

Meredith walked to the intern locker room to find her fellow interns getting ready to head home. Meredith wasn't in the mood to be alone, but she also didn't want to go home to her mother. Her mother was the last person she wanted to see right now. She made her way to her locker, which was on the other side of the room, so she had to walk passed everyone else.

'You guys fancy heading to the bar across the road?' Izzie asked the other four interns

'Definitely, could do with a drink after the day I've had' Meredith said as she changed her clothes

'Count me in too' George said eagerly after Meredith did

The five of them made their way to Joe's bar, across the road from the hospital. They each ordered a drink and sat around a table at the back of the bar. They spent the rest of the night at the bar, finally leaving and all going home. Meredith got home and set her alarm for 5am so she could be out the house before her mother would be awake, she was doing everything she could to stay away from her.

The next morning Meredith arrived at the hospital before any of the other interns, she walked out of the locker room and bumped into Doctor Webber.

'Grey' He said looking at her 'I'm sorry about what happened yesterday. I tried to talk your mother out of it but you know what she's like'

'Chief, you don't have to explain. I shouldn't have done my internship here, it's my fault'

'Meredith, this isn't your fault. Seattle Grace was the best match for you'

'Thanks Chief. I was wondering if you could take me off my mother's service, I don't want to work on any general cases anymore' Meredith told him

'Oh, only if you're sure, because I have a whipple in half an hour and I need someone to scrub in with me'

'If I do this then will you take me off general?'

'Anything for you Meredith' Richard said and walked off

Half an hour later, Meredith and Richard were in the surgery starting the whipple. Little did they know that Ellis Grey was watching from the gallery, she knew that first year interns weren't supposed to scrub in on this advanced surgery. Her daughter was getting special treatment, and she hated this.

After the surgery, Meredith and Richard were stood looking at the OR board when Ellis walked up

'Richard, I need to speak to you' Ellis said

'What's up?'

'Alone' This was Merediths cue to leave, but she had to fill out the chart of the whipple patient so she went and sat at the station just behind them

'I need you to get rid of Meredith, she is not capable of being a surgeon. She gets too attached to patients and she is getting special treatment'

'Ellis'

'You know she shouldn't have been in that surgery this morning, Richard I don't want her here'

'Ellis, I can't just fire her because you don't want her here. She is going to make a great surgeon in the future and she deserves to be at this hospital' Richard tried to defend Meredith

Meredith sat, trying not to get upset by what her mother was saying. She knew her mother would try something like this, she tried to ignore her mother but every word was hurting her more. Then suddenly the words of Derek Shepherd popped into her head, 'Don't let her take your surgeries, don't let her run you down and don't let her tell you who you can or can't date'. She didn't want to let her mother run her life, nobody should live like that. She wanted to do surgeries, she wanted to be happy, she wanted to be with Derek.

She had finally realised what she wanted, she wanted to be with Derek. Derek would make her happy, she wanted to go for a drink with him and see where the date went. Meredith finished the chart she was working on and stood up to go and find Derek.

As she walked around the station, Derek walked through the double doors having just come from a surgery. She met him in front of the OR board, which was also in front of her mother. She started talking to him.

'See, she has to go. She isn't even working' Ellis said to Richard as she looked at her daughter 'She is chatting to Doctor Sheldon'

'Doctor Shepherd' Richard corrected her, Ellis never got the name of surgeon's wrong. She knew the name of every surgeon, Richard knew that Ellis never forgot them.

'Whatever. Richard get rid of her'

'Yes' Meredith said to Derek

'What?'

'Yes, I want to go on a date with you' Meredith said

'Tonight?' Derek asked

'Sure, I'll meet you in the lobby at 8' Meredith said before walking off after being paged

'Ellis, Meredith is going nowhere. She is doing her internship here, the hospital that she was matched to' Richard said before walking off to catch up to Meredith

'Doctor Grey' Webber shouted

'Chief' Meredith said

'Don't listen to your mother, she is just upset that you did the whipple this morning with me. I'm not going to fire you, you should do your internship here. There are many doctors who want you to do your internship here'

'Thank you Chief, but I have a patient to get to'

'One more thing Grey. How long has your mother been forgetting things?'

'What do you mean?'

'I've noticed recently that she has been forgetting things'

'Chief, I have a patient' Meredith said walking to her patient.

Meredith spent the rest of the day avoiding her mother and the chief, she didn't want to talk to either of them. All she wanted was for it to be 8pm then she could get out of this hospital with someone who actually cared about her. Meredith kept looking at her watch, checking the time, counting down the hours. She finished with her last patient and made her way to the locker room to shower and get changed. She was down in the lobby for 8pm to wait for Derek, she sat in the lobby waiting. She saw Derek walk out of the elevator across the room, so she grabbed her back and stood up.

'Meredith, I have a surgery in an hour so I won't be home' Ellis said walking up to her

'I don't care' Meredith said walking passed her mother to join Derek

Derek drove him and Meredith to a local restaurant and sat down at a table.

'How was your day?' Meredith asked Derek

'I had 3 consults and removed a tumour' Derek replied, 'What about yours?'

'I scrubbed in on a whipple with the chief and then listened to my mom tell the chief that I should be fired and that she doesn't want me at the hospital'

'What?'

'She wanted the chief to fire me. Then the chief asked me how long she has been forgetting things'

'oh Meredith, why didn't you say anything?'

'Because I don't care, why should I care she doesn't care about me. She has never cared about me. Even as a child she didn't, we never went out as a family then my father left then she was never the same. She started seeing some man, and I was on a carousel and I got off and she was crying. Then we left for Boston, she was never a proper mother to me. I'm surprised she even knows who I am'

'I am so sorry after everything you have been through, you don't deserve any of that'

'Thanks Derek' She looked down at the table 'I can't do this now' She said and she stood up and left the restaurant

'Meredith!' Derek shouted behind her and caught up to her 'Meredith'

'I'm sorry Derek'

'Meredith, I understand. It's okay that you can't do this right now. Just know that I am here for you, if you need to talk just come and find me'

'Thank you, Derek' Meredith replied and hugged him. She had feelings for him, she knew she did and she knew that he had feelings for her. She pulled away and looked up at Derek in the eye. They stood looking at each other for a few moments and then she felt Derek's lips on hers. They pair shared a kiss for minutes and then they pulled apart.

'I'm sorry' Derek said

'Don't be, it felt right' Meredith replied, 'Can we go home?'

'I'll drive'

They walked to Derek's car hand in hand. Derek drove them to Meredith's house, Meredith invited Derek to spend the night. They talked, they kissed which led to more.