Alright a new story, except this one is more like a series of one shots though these first few updates are not but anyway as the story progress the madness that I'm talking about will make sense. So heres the first part, hope you enjoy.

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The Wedding-Part 1

Heads up damage control

Good luck you know you better go and get it
Cause love is never in the same place that you left it
He said good luck you know you better go and get her
Cause love is never in the same place if you left her

I hate weddings. Any weddings. Weddings in general. But this particular wedding well it was in a league of its own. It could have turned out to be the wedding that changed my whole opinion on weddings. But there was just one factor that made me want to bury my head under a pillow. It's not that I'm against the act of getting married, it's a wonderful idea…but weddings I have never enjoyed, especially big ones. So I thought I would have a fellow comrade in my crusade against the avoidance of weddings. Cristina didn't seem like the 'till death do us part' type but here she was…planning the biggest bash I've ever seen. Well it's really her mum planning it all but it's not like Cristina is protesting to anything. She's double crossed me…and in more ways than one. That's a lot of ramblings about weddings but it has does have a point. The reason that I'm dreading this wedding more than any other is because…Derek Shepherd is standing up as Burke's best man.

Derek Shepherd! The man who I haven't seen in five years…was going to be standing across from me at Burke and Cristina's bloody wedding. How could Cristina do that! How could she let Burke pick Derek out of all people. She is either messed up in the head or has no consideration for my feelings….and I'm going with the latter. The weird things is…Derek and Burke are great friends, terrific friends! Which is scary since Derek has lived across the country for most of that friendship. What do they say…absence makes the heart grow fonder…SERIOUSLY! Derek even comes back to Seattle to visit Burke….and I make it my own business to be out of town at that particular time, well mostly I just pretend not to be home and blackmail Burke into saying I'm tied up with work or away. Works seamlessly. Very lucky he never comes to do consults other wise I'd be in real trouble.

I tried to explain to Cristina that there must me something suss about Burke and Derek's friendship…I was bordering on calling it a relationship…but Cristina just raised an eyebrow at me and shook her head. She had seen through my ploy, of course I knew there was nothing fishy between the two men, I was just clutching at straws, even straws that weren't there, in a hope that the inevitable meeting would somehow be called off.

But alas, here I now stood, in my sleek, expensive red dress watching on as Izzie put the last pin into Cristina's hair. I don't think Cristina could care less but her mother wanted the wedding to look like you were seeing it in Vogue magazine. Just as the bride was about to run her hand through the carefully placed work of art out of habit, Izzie's hand swatted it out of the way, causing Cristina to roll her eyes and glower. I think I was more nervous than Cristina was. I had managed to avoid Derek the whole time the wedding plans had been going on. He hadn't been able to make it to the engagement party (so sad, to bad) and the rehearsal dinner…I…erm…had a very convenient surgery. I had actually stolen in off Bailey but sssshhh nobody was to know.

"Alright I'm sick of this, lets just go" Cristina declared as she stood abruptly and straightened her dress, her hands nervously running over the material. AHA! So Cristina wasn't all steel, she actually cared about what she looked like on her wedding day, well what'd do ya know. Izzie smiled at her brightly, she seemed to be the only one happy with the whole affair. Any excuse to play dress ups was good enough for her.

"Not yet!" I squeaked in a voice I hardly recognised as mine. Cristina and Izzie exchanged a look before moving towards me and taking me by both elbows.

"It will be fine Mer, just take deep, reassuring breaths and smile" Cristina said to me calmly though I could hear a trace of laughter running through the sentence. They were all so understanding of my dilemma.

"Shouldn't I be saying that to you?" I asked her, trying to distract myself as we came neared to the hotel room door. We had to go and report to Cristina's mother a few doors down for the final inspection before heading out to the garden for the ceremony.

"Yes, but this is my best try at supportive bride so don't wreak it"

Oh snap.

I fiddled with the cuffs of my jacket, doing the button up then popping it out again. It was something to keep me occupied. Anyone passing would have thought I was the flustered groom instead of the best man. Burke was standing beside me and at least he looked calm, even if it was the complete opposite on the inside. Shifting my weight from foot to foot I glanced at George who was watching me with amusement. Damn him. They both knew exactly why I was jumpy and neither was going to help me. I could tell. They would just watch on and enjoy the show.

"It's going to fall off any minute now Derek" Burke said, raising an eyebrow in the direction of my sleeve. Scowling slightly I did up the button a final time, unamused by the looks the other two men were conveying to each other as I tried to find something else to occupy my hands with.

I took a step and snatched a leaf off a small tree nearby, proceeding to twirl it between my fingers. Five years! Five years since I'd seen Meredith. Five years since I left for New York with my pregnant wife. Oh how complicated that had turned out and how I wished I could take it all back. Who knows how Meredith felt about me now. She probably despises me, even though I remember clearly her ordering me to leave Seattle.

If only I had ignored her.

New York was hell. Going back only heightened my hate for it. But I'd left it behind now. What would Mer say when I told her I was moving back to Seattle, would she even give me chance to speak with her. The leaf was starting to crumble from my ceaseless movement until finally George plucked it from my hand.

"Calm down Dr Shepherd, anyone would think you were still in love with her" George said grinning smugly at the small laugh Preston tried to hide behind a cough. I was not enjoying the all knowing looks going on between the two

During this time guest had filed in and I gazed uneasily at all the people sitting before us. There was quite a few from the hospital, most who I hadn't seen since I had left Seattle behind me. Richard gave me a small nod and smile while Bailey sitting next to him was staring hard, scrutinizing me, and it left me feeling very small and defenceless. The woman still unnerved me. I let my eyes travel away from them to a young girl of about three racing down the middle isle only to have the easy gait of a tall man catch up with her in seconds. He scooped up her giggling form and swung her slightly as they retreated back to their seats.

Suddenly Burkes father was standing beside us and I had to concentrate on him instead of the stranger, thinking I'd have to ask Burke who he was later.

"Everyone is ready, we can start now if your good to go" He said, his eyes flitting around to make sure nothing was missing. Burke started to nod his head but I suddenly heard a squeak of a voice that I didn't recognize as my own speak up "Not yet!"

The three other men turned to look at my scared expression with raised eyebrows before they all broke out into grins. Burke's hand came out to clap me on the shoulder.

"Buck up Derek, just smile and you'll be fine"

I nodded mutely as my hands self consciously reached up to fix my tie while we all took our places. Why did this all seem strangely backwards.