Disclaimer: OK people, I clearly don't own Grey's Anatomy. : ( It also goes without saying that I don't own Subway either (it's mentioned in this chapter).
A/N: Hello! I am generally new to the Grey's fan fiction area. A few years ago, I was very active writing in the 7th Heaven section. I formally worked under the pen name CamdenGirl4Ever, but have switched names because (a) my old name was completely lame and (b) 7th Heaven is off the air, and I no longer write stories for it. I hope you enjoy – I'd really appreciate feedback in reviews!
This takes place after the season 4 finale. It's essentially what would happen in season 5 if I got any say.
Background Info: In this story, Addison didn't move to LA. She still lives in Seattle and works at Seattle Grace. After Meredith and Derek got back together, she and Dr. Sloan started seeing one another again.
Couples in this story so far are Meredith & Derek. Mark & Addison. Izzie & Alex. Callie & Erica.
Living Arrangements: In Meredith's house are Meredith, Izzie, Alex, and soon Derek.
Christina & Callie live in Burke's old apartment.
George & Lexie live in the apartment they share on the show.
Mark & Addison live in an apartment about 10 minutes from the hospital.
Erica lives alone in an apartment in the same building as Mark & Addison.
Meredith Grey wiped her damp forehead and looked around triumphantly. She had successfully packed up over half of her boyfriend Derek's belongings, and to her, this was quite an accomplishment. She turned around and saw him taping up his last box. When he finished, he walked over and silently slid his arms around her, kissing her earlobe and neck playfully. She squirmed, feeling ticklish.
"Derek!" She pulled away. "Look! We did it! I hope you feel honored that I helped, because I'm not the packing type, and I'm definitely not the moving-in-with-her-boyfriend type. But I'm trying. Bright and shiny. Bright and shiny Meredith. That's me!" She flashed a cheesy smile and Derek rolled his eyes.
"Well thank you for your help." He kissed her again. "And I do appreciate the fact that you're trying to move forward. But I told you that you don't have to be bright and shiny. You just have to be Meredith." Upon hearing this, the cheesy smile dropped from her face.
"Thank God. I don't know how people do it." She feined extreme happiness by smiling, laughing and waving. "Seriously. It makes my cheeks hurt." Derek laughed.
"Well, we can't have that." He looked around the trailer that he'd lived in since he had moved to Seattle. It looked so empty now, with stacks of boxes all over the floor and on the bed. "I guess we better start to carry these out." Meredith groaned but complied and helped Derek carry the boxes one by one out to her car. They filled the trunk completely, then loaded the back seat up until there wasn't an inch left of open space. There was one box left over still, which they decided would have to sit at Meredith's feet on the passenger side while they drove.
When the packing process was finally finished, Derek stepped back inside the trailer one more time. He wasn't generally a sappy person, but it amazed him that leaving this crappy little home was making him feel so melancholy. So many things had happened in this little space. He had fought with his best friend Mark on the front step, taken care of Meredith's dog Doc, he had tried to make his marriage with Addison work although that hadn't worked out in the end. He had spent countless nights here with Meredith, and had made memories that he knew wouldn't fade any time soon. He also knew, however, that by leaving this place, by moving in with Meredith, he would be starting a new chapter of memories with her, and to him, it made leaving the trailer behind more than worth it. Besides, they would be back here soon enough. He had the blue prints for a home all drawn up, and it would only be a few years(hopefully) before they could move in, move back to this piece of land. He took one last took, then stepped out, shutting the door behind him. He found Meredith sitting in the car with the window rolled down. She had her head back and her eyes shut. As she heard the gravel crunching under his feet as he approached, she opened her eyes.
"Ready to go?" She asked. He nodded and got into the driver's side. "What are you going to do with the trailer, anyway?" She asked as they pulled away. Derek thought for a minute.
"I guess I'm going to sell it." He said thoughtfully. "Once the house is built, I won't have any use for it, and getting rid of it will give us more room." She nodded silently. He changed the subject. "Are you hungry? We could grab something to eat on the way back to your house."
"Our house." She corrected him, "and yes. I'm starving. Do you want to stop at Subway?"
"Sounds good." He told her, flipping on the car's turn signal and moving into the left lane, ready to turn into the Subway parking lot just a few yards away. After he parked, they got out and walked inside hand-in-hand.
"George?" Lexie Grey looked around her apartment in confusion. In her hand she had a sandwich, which she had made for her roommate who had now gone missing. She sat it down on the table and took another step. "George? Hello?"
"Hi. Yes. Sorry." George walked out of his bedroom holding his cell phone. He looked dazed as he sat down at the table and took a big bite of his lunch. Lexie looked at him expectantly.
"What?" He asked. She raised one eye brow and wiped the mustard off of his cheek.
"Your welcome…" He still looked confused. "For the sandwich, George! For lunch! What's up with you?"
"Oh. Thanks." He looked back down at her plate as he took another bite. Lexie frowned and dropped down into the chair across from George.
"Ok. Really. What's wrong?" George looked up at her briefly before returning his gaze to his plate. He looked like he was going to be sick. She ran through her memory quickly, trying to notice anything she had missed. Suddenly, she remembered that he had been clutching his cell phone when he came out of his room. "Did someone say something to you? Text you?" He didn't answer. "George O'Malley, talk to me, or the sandwich is in the trash." George's head snapped up and Lexie had to stifle a laugh; she hadn't intended to sound so very much like her mother.
"You know how sometimes, someone tells you something and you don't see it coming? Like, you just can't believe it, and it feels like if it's true, that your entire reality has just changed?" His face suddenly looked intense. Lexie struggled to find words.
"Um…" George didn't let her continue.
"This is one of those things." His eyes widened and he spoke under his breath. "This is so one of those things." Lexie grabbed his sandwich and held it over her head. "Hey!" George reached for his lunch, to no avail.
"You can't expect me to read your mind. What's going on?" Lexie was frustrated now. She hated feeling out of the loop.
"Sit down." George demanded. Lexie complied. "Put down the sandwich." She looked unconvinced. "Carefully. Put the sandwich down carefully. Now!" She did as she was told. George took a deep breath and looked at Lexie, his eyes wild. "Callie was kissing someone. Outside the hospital."
"And…" Lexie was confused. George looked annoyed and she stopped talking.
"And it was Erica Hahn." It took a moment for the implications behind his statement to set in. As it did, George began to laugh hysterically. "It's like…are you kidding me?! She gave me hell! She was so pissed when I slept with Izzie…."
"You slept with Izzie?"
"….and she made my life miserable. And she's gay? She's gay?! Then why did she care if I was sleeping with Izzie? Why?"
"Geroge!" Lexie yelled over him. "Get a hold of yourself." He looked up at her, silent. "Now. How do you know this?"
"Some intern saw it. And then went to Joe's and told someone else, and apparently everyone at the bar is talking about it. Oh my god!"
"Wow. I didn't see that one coming."
"You? You didn't see this coming? She was my wife!" Lexie put her hands on George's shoulders, trying to calm him before he went into hysterics again.
"Ok. But she's not any more. And…" She decided distraction might be the key in this situation. "Look! Look at this sandwich. It looks good. I put extra mustard on it, the way that you like…" George looked down at his plate.
"There's extra mustard?" He asked, sounding excited. He took a bite and looked up with her wide eyes. "Thus essutra mustah!" He yelled with a full mouth. Lexie smiled and sat back in her seat. The ease with which Geroge was distracted typically annoyed her, but tonight it worked in her favor. She knew that this hysteria on his part wasn't over yet, but at least she had until the end of his sandwich.
Lexie looked at George while he ate. God, he was beautiful. She had fallen in love with him the moment she saw him. She noticed everything: the ways his eyes crinkled up when he smiled, the way his voice went up several levels in pitch when he was excited. She sighed audibly, but George didn't notice. With a pained smile, she stood up and walked into the kitchen to clean up the mess from making his sandwich. She had always heard that the way to a man's heart was through his stomach. At least this was a start. She peered out at him, still enjoying his sandwich, and licking mustard off his fingers. Yes, the way to his heart was definitely through his stomach, and she wasn't going to stop until he loved her too. Well, love might have been a little over the top, but he would see her. And for now, that would be enough.
A/N: Thanks for reading the first chapter! I would really appreciate it if you would take a moment to review and let me know what you think so far! If you like it, I'll start working on another chapter tomorrow. : )