This is not bad after all, Meredith thought as she looked at the other people they're sharing the table with. Derek is at her right side while Bailey is at her left. Beside Derek are Mr. Hamilton and his wife, Francesca. He is also one of the awardees. He has been teaching in a public school for 25 years already and was noted for his ability to inspire his students to aspire greatness. To Mrs. Hamilton's left is Mrs. Elizabeth Ford, a breast cancer survivor who was known for putting up Breast Cancer Awareness Foundation that go to different communities inside and outside Seattle to educate the people about the disease, and beside is her husband, Mr. Edward Ford. Beside Bailey though were two empty seats. Meredith wonders who were the people that will occupy those seats. She couldn't believe how much she is enjoying listening about the stories of these great people in front of her. And she can't wait to listen to more amazing stories. A movement to her left jars her from her thoughts and saw Bailey standing up to greet… She was shocked, her jaw opened wide as if it will touch the floor. She can't believe she's here, walking towards her.
"Isobel Stevens! I knew you would come! I would seriously hunt you down in L.A if you didn't show up!", Bailey exclaimed excitedly. She saw Izzie smile brightly. She looks healthy, her hair now is long, and her skin has color and looks like she gained a few pounds. She doesn't look like the cancer girl anymore with pale skin and was too thin. She definitely doesn't look like the girl who would get tired walking to the mail box. Crap. She missed her friend. But she can't deny that Izzie cut her deep when she chose to leave. She felt vulnerable that time seeing Izzie walk away, seeing the only family she knew break apart.
Izzie smiled at her timidly and she gave her a forced small smile and a nod- if you can even call it a smile. Meredith felt her lips didn't quite move to form a smile. She instantly felt guilty; she knows Izzie didn't deserve that kind of treatment. Somehow she understood Izzie for leaving, that it was Alex who told Izzie to leave and never come back. But sometimes she couldn't help but feel that it was Izzie who threw away their friendship first.
She saw Izzie's smile falter and felt her husband stood up to greet Izzie. "Izzie, I didn't know you will be here. You look great.", Derek said with a smile.
"It was a last minute decision actually. Dr. Bailey here threatened to hunt me down to make sure I'll be here tonight.", Izzie smiled again. Derek then looked at the man beside Izzie. Izzie followed Derek's gaze and let out a nervous laugh before speaking, "Oh I'm sorry. This is Dr. Brad Keaton. Brad, this is Derek, Meredith and Dr. Bailey."
"Hi. Nice to meet you", the handsome man said with a smile and then preceded to shake their hands.
That was the moment the other people in the table decided to join the conversation and greeted the newly arrived doctors. Meredith then learned that Izzie was also one of the recipients and she is now currently working in the hospital at LA. Meredith just kept quiet as she observed Izzie and the man beside her, Brad.
The event run smoothly except from the awkwardness between Izzie and Meredith. The other people in the table seem to pick it up also and not once would Izzie catch Mr. Hamilton's gaze shift from Meredith to her. And she would just give the man a small smile. Thankfully, the awkwardness would come to an end as the event came to an end and Mr. and Mrs. Ford and Hamilton both headed out of the restaurant.
But all Izzie could feel at that moment was sadness as the night was about to end but she wasn't even able to talk to Meredith. She wonders if this is really the end of her friendship with Meredith.
"The chief said everything's ready at Joe's. We can go there now and celebrate." , Derek said to Meredith and then his gaze turned to her. "Izzie you're coming." It was not a request, but sounded more like an order.
"Uhm.. I…"
"Drop it Stevens. You're going. The chief is expecting you there.", Bailey insisted.
"He is? But how did he know...", she asked, confused.
"Yeah. He is. He wants to tell you something. How did he know you're here? Because he's the Chief! He knows this kind of things. Now don't waste your time making excuses because they won't work. And I won't believe them.". Bailey said with a firm tone. "Lets go. I'll just make a call to check on Tuck and we're good to go. I'll wait for you outside.", Bailey added, her eyes on her and Brad in particular, before walking away.
Izzie looked at Meredith, waiting for her to say something. The two men felt that the two women needed some time alone but it was Derek who spoke first, "Brad why don't we get the car and wait for them outside?"
"Yeah. Seems like a great idea." Brad told Derek before whispering to her, "You're doing great. The two of you just need to talk. I bet she missed you, too." He gave her a reassuring smile before kissing her cheek. "See you outside.", he said before standing up to follow Derek.
She looked at Meredith again, her fingers intertwined and started twisting together.
"Im sorry, Mer for hurting you.", she started. "I just have to leave. After Alex told me to leave, I felt that its the right thing to do. I just felt.. so alone."
"That's not true, Iz. You know that. I begged you to stay because I am your friend.", Meredith said, pain evident in her eyes. "I may not be George but I am your friend and you cut me off. And that sucks, Izzie. That just.. sucks."
"I'm sorry, Mer. I really am. You don't know how I badly want to bring back the times when we're all happy, when the only problem we had is getting up in the morning to go to work because we had too much tequila the night before. I know we can't get back to those times though.. All I want now is your forgiveness and for us to be friends again."
She saw Meredith's face relax before speaking, "That's what I want, too. For us to be friends again. You were always a friend to me though." Suddenly, she saw Meredith smile and laugh. She looked at her friend, confused.
"Oh! I'm sorry, Izzie. I'm not going crazy. Its just,its funny. Don't you think we're being overly dramatic? It doesn't suit us, really. Cristina would probably choke to death if she heard our conversation!"
"Yeah. I bet that, or she would kill us first for being overly sappy."
They both laughed and silence fell between the two friends before Izzie spoke again.
"Mer, I also want to apologize for not coming here during the shooting at the hospital. It really got me worried though. The hospital won't let me take a leave of absence because I was relatively new at the hospital when that happened. I planned to visit you all though.. but I bumped to Nurse Gloria at a supermarket in L.A. And she told me about Alex, Derek and Owen getting shot. The woman must've got carried away telling the story though cause she…she even mentioned that Lexie was the one who brought Alex to the hospital.. and that, they are together."
"Iz.."
"It hurts Mer. You know, that's what I am afraid of. That the woman Alex slept with isn't just a one night stand. That after he told me to leave, they'll have a relationship."
"Iz, Alex really doesn't feel that way about Lexie.. I think Alex was trying to get over you for leaving. And Lexie was miserable too after breaking up with Mark. They must've felt broken at that time though and thought it was a great idea to form a relationship out of nothing. But they both know that now and they're not together anymore." Meredith sighed. "How about you? Is Brad you're boyfriend or something?"
"No. We broke up a couple of days ago. He asked me to marry him and I said yes. I really wanted to move on, Mer. And Brad is a great guy.. He loves me.."
"Alex loves you, too."
"Yeah. He loves me so much he almost hated me." ,Izzie said with a chuckle.
"Oh, Iz. You two have to talk. And when I mean talk, talking and not fighting." , Meredith said with a soft smile.
"Meredith, do you seriously believe that's possible between me and Alex? Given our history and all, I guess you would know by now that we are both too stubborn not to fight", she said laughing while shaking her head.
"Yeah.. But knowing your history and all..", Meredith paused to smile. "I also do know that the both of you loved each other and I believe you both still do. You still love him, right?", Meredith asked, her voice uncertain.
She nodded. "So much."
"Good. Then make it work. Talk to him. Iz, you can do it."
Izzie grinned widely and this time, it was Meredith's turn to look at her as if she had gone mental.
"What?", Meredith said, slightly annoyed.
"Seriously! What happened to the dark and twisty Meredith Grey I know? You can pass as a shrink, Mer. It kinda suits you though, it made me proud.", she said laughing.
"Shut up!" ,Meredith said giggling, pushing her shoulder lightly. "I have my moments. And you ruined it."
They continued to laugh like old times, until Derek interrupted them. "I'm sorry beautiful ladies, I am really glad for your reconciliation but I have to interrupt your bonding session for a while. Bailey is outside already moping. I think she already scared Brad."
They all laughed and the two women both stood up to head out of the restaurant.
I'm sorry for the lack of Alex and Izzie interaction. I just thought that Izzie should settle first her issues with her friends and that she needs some reassurance that there is still a chance between her and Alex before talking to him.