This will develop into DerMer eventually, i'm a sucker for them. Plus this is my first fic, so please comment! Thanks.

Disclaimer: As much as I wish I did, I don't own Grey's Anatomy and it's characters.

- Begins where 2.22 'Name Of The Game' left off –

One – 'Pancakes'

The shrill sound of the alarm buzzing from the floor seeped into Meredith's dreams, taking hold of her thoughts and rousing her from the deep slumber she was in. She opened her eyes, thoughts of the night before racing through her head at top speed. "Damn alarm, where are you?" she said to herself whilst trying hopelessly to locate the beeping machine. Eventually she found and silenced it, but not before dislodging the pair of knitting needles, resting precariously on her bedside table. Lot of use they were. Four twenty AM. The start of another long shift at the hospital. Meredith turned over and the smell of something delicious hit her. Pancakes, she thought, getting out from under the covers to follow the aroma. Reaching the door to the kitchen she found Izzie singing to herself while tossing pancakes in the frying pan. "Replacing sex with pancakes now?" asked Meredith, taking a seat at the table. "Let me know how that one works out."

"Okay, technically I do not need to be the celibate one in the room, I am doing this out of support for you Meredith, and also for the sake of my own sanity. I was not the one who broke George remember?" Izzie tossed the pan one more time. "But yes, as I have run out of wool, pancakes are now my preferred source of satisfaction," she replied now smothering her pancake with Nutella. "And besides, they taste good. You want some?"

"Yes. They do smell good, and since the knitting takes so freakin' long I could use a little satisfaction right now." Meredith sprinkled sugar over the fresh pancake and began to eat. "So Izzie, just for the record, how long are we supposed to keep up this whole 'lets be celibate' plan?"

"As long as it takes for you to realise that sex isn't always the answer. Friends, roommates… McDreamy." Izzie answered, knowing she'd gone a little too far from the look etched on her friend's face. But still, she needed to learn. "Why?"

"Oh, y'know, no reason, just curious." Meredith quickly replied, trying to hide the guilty feelings she felt were creeping over her face. Expressions were a killer for her. What did she have to feel guilty about anyway? It wasn't like she'd done anything. Not yet anyway… "C'mon Izzie, finish your satisfaction. Were gonna be late for pre-rounds."

Everyday was a busy one for the interns at hospital, but this one was especially so. The number of patients, along with the number of surgeries has somewhat increased and Meredith was run off her feet. Plus she needed to make time to go and visit Doc who was still at the vet's office. Not that that's really a chore, she thought to herself, while walking along one of the many corridors at Seattle Grace. The last time she had visited it wasn't only Doc who was feeling better, she was too. As she turned the corner, Cristina was walking towards her at some speed. "You've got the aneurysm surgery with Shepherd this morning right?" Cristina asked, walking alongside Meredith. "I would seriously kill for that!"

"Yeah," replied Meredith with a little sigh.

"Oh so enthusiastic Mer."

"Yeah, it'll be a good surgery…"

"So why aren't you psyched?" Cristina asked. "Still find it weird being cooped up in there for hours with Shepherd? Give you the heebies?"

"No," Meredith protested, "I mean, we're still friends, nothing's changed. I suppose I just haven't spoken to him lately." Meredith frowned to herself. This was in fact true, she hadn't seen much of Derek and when she did, he was usually with Addison, leaving no option for them to catch up properly. Doc was still at the vets so their morning walks had ceased too. Their paths didn't even seem to cross in the elevator anymore. Things were definitely changing… Meredith thought sadly, even though she knew it was for the best. Besides, there was something about Doc's vet that gave her the butterflies. It was nowhere near what Derek could do to her, she mused, but it was a start right?

"Well, whatever you say Mer." Cristina said before she left Meredith in the company of her textbook and her own thoughts.