-1Author's Note: Being trapped in a car for two days with nothing but time to think gives a person, well, time to think. If that person is fic-crazy like I am they plot out stories! So here is the thing, many of you might be wondering why I have three new stories started. That is simple. A few of my stories are coming to an end soon-ish and I want something to do! This story is going to shock some of you who know me because, well, you know the deep, passionate, love I have for Meredith and Mark. There will be no Meredith and Mark in this story. It is going to be Meredith and Derek! Yes. Shocking. I know. So, watch for this story! It is coming very, very soon!
Premise: Heartbroken Meredith Grey meets equally heartbroken Izzie Stevens online. Both women need a break from the messes they have made of their lives, so they swap homes. Meredith goes to Arizona were she meets Izzie's dashing business partner; and Izzie goes to Florida where she meets Meredith's sexy best friend. Two women that have sworn off love find themselves suddenly believing in happily ever after.
The tiny muscle in Meredith Grey's left cheek started twitching the moment she heard the theme song from Gone With The Wind starting. At any moment the bride, her best friend, would start walking down the aisle. Ever the southern belle, at least in her own mind, Cristina had opted for a true Gone With The Wind Theme and wore a replica of Scarlett's barbeque dress, complete with straw hat and streaming green ribbons, in place of a more traditional wedding gown. In keeping with her old south theme, Cristina had forced all ten of her bridesmaids, including Meredith, to wear traditional antebellum gowns of emerald organdy. If the dresses hadn't been bad enough, their hair had to be tortured into cork screw curls, which were them gathered into bunches on either side of their head with giant magnolia's pinned above them.
Meredith tried to take a deep breath when she heard the gathering of wedding guests murmuring about what a lovely bride Cristina was. She wanted to agree with them, partially did on some level, but she couldn't bring herself to watch as her best friend glided down the white satin runner towards the gazebo where she would promise to love, honor, and obey the only man she loved. The problem was, he was also the only man Meredith had ever loved.
Preston Burke had crashed into their world five years ago. A handsome man with a southern drawl that had them both sighing. Most times it was the three of them, the three amigos they had called themselves, except for one rainy day when Cristina had begged off with a cold. It hadn't started out rainy, quite the opposite, and neither of them were prepared for the drenching they received. Stranded on the beach, they had taken refuge under one of the board walks. Drowned rats laughing over their sorry state, that had been them. The laughter had led to an impromtu wrestling match, which had led to Meredith's induction into the art of making love. It had perfect. She couldn't have chosen a better moment, a better man, in which to lose her virginity. Afterwards Preston had begged her to not say anything to Cristina. At first she had been excited about the prospect of a secret love affair, which is what it had turned into. Until three years ago when Cristina crashed her pretty bubble by showing her the two karat canary yellow diamond ring Preston had given her. Meredith had feigned happiness for her, all the while plotting some way to get Preston alone, to demand answers. She hadn't even known he was seeing Cristina as well, let alone that the two had become close enough to get engaged. When she asked Cristina, her friend had blushed, saying Preston and her hadn't wanted Meredith to feel like a third wheel. Later that night Preston said much the same thing, only he added in his confused feelings and how he didn't know who he loved or who he wanted to be with, that Cristina had pressured him for the ring. Idiot that she was, she had fallen for it, had even allowed him to con her into keeping the affair going a bit longer.
It would have still been going on if Preston hadn't grown a conscience and ended it. There had been no ending her feelings though. She had tried, had even gone so far as to answer a few personal ads. There had been Joe, who was fighting the fact that he was gay; Richard, who was mourning the death of his wife; and then there had been Finn, the kind vet. He had made it past date one, and become the second guy on her short list of lovers. Granted, sleeping with Finn hadn't been her greatest idea but she had thought it would help her get over Preston. Wrong. It had only made her realize she wasn't the sort of woman to take sex lightly and that the guy had to mean something to her. So, she had allowed Preston to woo her back into a relationship of sorts.
"Mere, you have to take my bouquet," Cristina's whisper startled her from her thoughts. She forced what she hoped was an apologetic smile and graciously took Cristina's bouquet of magnolias, azaleas, and bridal wreath. The smile slipped when she caught Preston staring at her. He looked so handsome, if not a bit uncomfortable, in his Rhett Butler style suit. She lifted her chin a bit, determined to get through the ceremony with out breaking down.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to unite Preston William Burke and Cristina Elaine Yang in holy matrimony…"
Tears burned her eyes. Anyone watching her would think she was merely experiencing an emotional moment the way many did at weddings. Meredith wasn't one of those people though. Her tears were for herself, as well as the jealousy coursing through her veins. It should have been Meredith Elizabeth Grey, not Cristina Elaine Yang, she thought bitterly.
"Do you, Preston William Burke, take this woman, Cristina Elaine Yang, to be your wife, according to God's holy decree; do you promise to be to her a loving and loyal husband, to cherish and keep her in sickness and health; forsaking all others, to be faithful only to her alone, so long as you both shall live?"
Say no, Meredith urged silently. It was small of her, petty even, but as much as she loved Cristina, she loved Preston more. She was just selfish enough to want him to say no though.
" I do," Preston answered. There was no hesitation in his voice, just strong certainty. It was like a knife in her heart. How could he stand there promising to be faithful to Cristina when just last night he had made love Meredith?
"Do you, Cristina Elaine Yang, take this man, Preston William Burke, to be your husband, according to God's holy decree; do you promise to be to him a loving and loyal wife, to cherish and keep him in sickness and health; forsaking all others, to be faithful only to him alone, so long as you both shall live?"
Cristina hesitated, glancing behind her. Meredith didn't need to look to know where her gaze had been drawn: George O'Malley. A childhood friend, he had always followed both of them around with adoration in his eyes. There had been a moment in high school when Meredith had thought they might be more, especially after Cristina confessed to losing her virginity to the curly haired, round faced fellow. At last, it wasn't meant to be because a short time later Preston had came into their lives, ending any and all chances George had had with Cristina.
"Cristina, are you going to answer the man or not?" The question was barked out by Preston's mother. Cristina visibly flinched and quietly said I do. Nobody crossed Jane Burke, and not saying I do would have been crossing her. Meredith almost felt sorry for her friend, except she, herself, would have done anything to be standing where Cristina was standing.
Meredith graciously stood to the side as the newly pronounced man and wife made their way down the aisle in a shower of bubbles and rose petals. She accepted the pristine white handkerchief that George presented to her. Quite loudly she blew her nose, then proceeded to sob. People were staring, she didn't care, let them stare, she was tired of hiding her emotions, tired of not living her life, she was just plain tired.