AN: This story is definitely AU. I will be using cases from the show due to the fact that I'm not a doctor and have no idea what half the words mean. I do not own Grey's Anatomy or the script that was written for it. This is a Meredith/Derek story.
Meredith is new to town, deciding to move after her sister's death. Meredith is well known in the medical world, and not just because of her last name. Chief Bailey has brought her on board with the staff as the new Head of General. Her best friend, Christina Yang, from her old home, Manhattan, New York, will always be a phone call away. While here, she'll meet the infamous neurosurgeon, Dr. Derek Shepherd. Meet new friends, such as, Alex, Izzie and George. (Yes! Izzie and George are in this story.)
Fresh starts. Thanks to the calendar, thy happen every year. Just set your watch to January. Our reward for surviving the holiday season, is a new year. Bringing in the great tradition of New Year resolutions. Put your past behind you, and start over. It's hard to resist the chance at a new beginning. A chance to put the problems of last year to bed.
Who gets to determine when the old ends, and the new begins? It's not a day on a calendar, not a birthday, not a new year. It's an event. Big or small. Something that changes is. Ideally, it gives us hope.
A new way of living and looking at the world. Letting go of old habits, old memories. What's important is that we never stop believing we can have a new beginning.
But it's also important to remember that amid all the crap are a few things really worth holding on to.
The small toddler ran as fast as he could into his mother's room. Tears streaked his face, and as lightning filled the room with light, his mom could see the puffiness around his red eyes. He crawled into her open arms, calming down as soon as he was in her tight embrace. His mother kissed his head softly, glancing at the clock and sighing softly. Within a few minutes, soft even breaths came from the young boy and the mother smiled. She snuck out of the bed slowly and made her way to her bathroom. Grabbing a towel before hopping into the shower.
Meredith Grey was a little nervous to be back in Seattle. She had started her internship here but had moved with her best friend to the big apple when they both received amazing offers. Somewhere in there she had met a man. Being young and foolish, it became a casual fling. The man got a job offer and ended up moving to Seattle. Meredith a month later found out she was pregnant and after telling the man, he stayed. Shortly after having a beautiful baby boy, the new father went between Seattle and New York.
Lucas Sloan was small for his age. At four years old he was quite smart and could easily pronounce some of the easier medical terms he had learned from his parents. He looked like his father, Mark Sloan, but had inherited his mother's petite size. He felt safe in his mother's bed. Her room was dark and sound proof, cancelling out any thunder or lightning. Lucas woke up at the sound of the shower turning off. He sat up, rubbing his eyes, sighing loudly as he did. Meredith walked in and smiled at him, walking to her dresser and grabbing out a long sleeved shirt and a pair of jeans. She walked over to the bed and picked up Lucas.
"Mommy has to go into her new job today to sign papers. Would you like to come with?" Meredith had asked this while walking downstairs, making her way into the kitchen. She smiled when he nodded his answer and poured him a bowl of cereal.
Meredith watched him eat, silently losing control in her mind. She would be going to the hospital where she hadn't been since a year ago when Mark had been hospitalized. The emotional turmoil of losing her half sister, Lexie, that mark had met while working and introduced to Meredith, still stayed with her most days. Lucas' half sister, Sofia, and Meredith's good friend, Callie, were here so that was at least a plus. A part of her was excited to meet the friends Mark had made in his short time here.
Lucas dropped his spoon into the now empty cereal bowl, pulling her out from her thoughts, making her look at him. He smiled innocently and she couldn't help smiling back. Meredith grabbed his bowl and put it in the sink, telling Lucas to go put clothes on and then his shoes. He obliged to his mother's request and ran off to go pick an outfit. Meredith put a strand of her somewhat short hair behind her ear and made sure she was wearing her necklace. She went to the front entrance's closet and grabbed her shoes. As she found her purse, the stairs creaked warning her Lucas was approaching. She met him at the door and grabbed his hand, smiling at him as they walked to the car.
The hospital was everything she remembered. She sighed quietly and got Luke out of the car. She placed him on her hip and walked into the building, heading straight to Miranda Bailey's office. She talked with Lucas about random things in the elevator, smiling at some of her son's remarks.
"Is this where daddy worked?" Meredith nodded her answer, swallowing softly and looking to the digital screen to see what floor they were on. The doors dinged open and Meredith smiled at the doctors that were waiting as she exited. She made her was to the Chief's office, avoiding the confused looks she was getting as she walked in her street clothes through groups of doctors in scrubs with a child on her hip. She made it Miranda's office, knocking on the door before getting invited in. She smiled as she saw Dr. Bailey.
"Meredith Grey, what a pleasure it is to officially meet you."
"As to you." Meredith shook her hand before sitting in the seat that Miranda had gestured her to sit in.
"Now, this must be Lucas?" Meredith nodded as he son ate up the attention, smiling at Miranda.
"Hello," he spoke softly but clearly. Dr. Bailey smiled and sat in her seat, grabbing a folder off her extremely organized desk. She slid the file towards Meredith and opened it up, smiling before she started to explain things.
Out on the bridge, a group of doctors watched through the windows of the Chief's office at the new doctor. Alex, stood behind Bambi -also known as George- who stood behind Izzie.
"Who is she?"
"What's her specialty?"
"She's kinda hot." The two doctors turned to look at Alex. "What? It's true. Hey, look! She's coming out of the office." They watched Meredith stand and shake Miranda's hand once more, and watched her shift the young boy onto her hip. "She has a kid. Must be married." Alex got hit this time by the doctors. New voices travelled down the hall as Dr. Bailey and Meredith exited, talking. Meredith was laughing at something the Chief had said, while Lucas played with a piece of Meredith's hair. The trip made their way to the group of attendings and stopped.
"Dr. Grey, these are some of your fellow surgeons." Meredith smiled as Miranda spoke before turning to address the three doctors herself, listening carefully as they introduced themselves and shook their hands.
"Dr. Isobel Stevens, cardiothoracic attending."
"Dr. George O'Malley, orthopedic attending."
"Dr. Alex Karev, pediatric attending."
"It's very nice to meet you all. I'm Dr. Meredith Grey, new Head of General." She smiled as she noticed Izzie's falter.
"Grey? As in Ellis Grey's daughter? Who resides in New York and successfully completed a resection of leiomyosarcoma with celiac, splenic, and left gastric arterial involvement by removing all her abdominal organs, removing the tumour, and then transporting her organs back." Meredith nodded.
"I didn't do it all but myself. Christina Yang was there as the Cardio surgeon." Izzie's eyes widened once more. "Well, I should go find Dr. Torres, let her know I'm here." Dr. Bailey and Dr. Grey said goodbye and walked off talking quietly to each other as they did.
"Lucas, go surprise Auntie Callie," Meredith and Miranda watched the four year old boy run up to Dr. Torres. He tapped her on her leg and Callie turned around, surprised at who she saw. She bent down to his level for a hug. When she looked up, she locked eyes with Meredith and ran over to her, hugging her tightly. When they pulled back, she looked between the Chief and Mer, before asking why she was here.
"I decided change was good. So I emailed Bailey, inquiring about a job among some of the best surgeons and here I am." Meredith could see the hesitation in Callie's eyes but just smiled, assuring her silently she was okay.
"Well, call me later and we can meet up." Meredith nodded and said goodbye, telling Lucas to do the same thing before following Miranda Bailey to finish the tour. It was going good until they came to the OR board. Dr. Bailey got pages, leaving Meredith to wander around with Lucas who was fascinated by everything. Meredith was explaining equipment as they passed them. Currently explaining how and why scrub rooms were used. Lucas was slightly ahead of her as they walked, therefore turning the corner and running into someone before Meredith could stop him.
"I'm sorry, Mister." Lucas' soft voice carried out.
"It's okay little man." A new voice spoke, making Meredith move faster to make sure her son hadn't injured anyone. She apologized to the man, moving to continue their wander. "Meredith Grey?"
"Um. Yes?" Meredith stayed where she was. Lucas continuing to wander.
"Dr. Derek Shepherd." Derek held a hand out and Meredith politely shook it. "He looks exactly like Mark." Meredith frowned, not knowing what to do or say.
"Pardon?"
"Your son. I was Mark's roommate and best friend in New York. He was like a brother to me. You were the reason he stopped his man whore ways and finally settled down." Meredith nodded, recalling what Mark had said about his friend.
"Ah. Yes, I remember. I think I remember Mark saying you were like his brother. But also saying you were a 'brain surgeon who has a godly complex and needed to seriously eat himself laid.'" She quoted her son's father's words and smiled softly. "Have a good day, doctor." She turned and caught up with Lucas, picking up where she left off, telling him the use and names of everything they passed. Derek Shepherd stayed in his spot. Shocked still from what the woman had said.