Chapter 2

"Seriously?!" Izzie looked both excited and shocked.

Meredith gave her a hard glare,"Just don't tell. The nurses aren't even finished gossiping about David or Scott yet! I don't need them in on this too!"

Izzie rolled her eyes,"Like I'll have a problem with that," Meredith continued to give her the same look,"Fine."

"Just, I-I don't know if I can handle this. I mean, they were the one stable thing I had and now..." she gave bitter laugh,"And now they have glass sticking out everywhere on their body!"

"Oh Mer," Izzie gave large step forward and extended her arms for a hug.

Meredith stepped back a little,"No, Iz. I just want to be alone."

"You sure?" she asked Meredith.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine," Meredith looked a little shrinkin but Izzie left anyways.

The moment that Izzie left the closet Meredith fell to the floor and cried. Why did things turn out like this? Especially for her? What did she ever do to deserve this? After about an hour Meredith gathered herself together and went to find Derek. Stepping out of the closet who she should run

into? Of course Derek.

"Sorry," she muttered and started walking in the opposite direction.

Derek grabbed Meredith's arm,"Mer. Meredith, what's wrong?"

"N-nothing, nothing. I'm fine," she gave him the best smile she could muster. Derek immediately saw through her facade.

"Mer," Derek looked at her worriedly,"Meredith."

"Derek. Seriously, its nothing," she sighed.

Der let her go. Sometimes he didn't know what to do with Meredith. She was doing so great, talking to him about stuff. And now she's back to her regular closed off self. He hated that she didn't let anyone in, in this state.

"Okay then, can you run me a CT?" he asked.

"Well, I've-I um... I guess," she didn't want to tell Derek, at least not now. It was too soon, sooner for her even.

Derek studied her face for a second. That's all he needed to know that something was wrong. The worse thing was she wouldn't tell him,"Okay."

"Okay," Meredith attempted to smile again.

She walked off trying to find her patient which just happened to be her cousin.

"I've gotta get off of this case," she whispered to herself.

"What case?" Cristina asked walking next to her person.

"Nothing," Mer mumbled still looking for Jake's room.

"You in a fight with McDreamy?" Cris asked again.

"No!" Meredith was getting frustrated with Cristina's frequent questions.

"Then what?" Cristina was confused at her person's behavior.

"Nothing! Its nothing. I've gotta go," Meredith said when she found Jake's room.

"That's all you got?" Cristina snickered.

"Yes! OKAY?!" Meredith was getting irritated beyond belief. She was getting tired of Cristina's

nagging.

"No wonder you're angry," Cristina chuckled.

"Just go," Meredith was in no mood to deal with Cristina's attitude.

"Sheesh," Cristina walked out slightly annoyed at Meredith's tone.

"Jake?" Meredith held his hand,"Jakey? Come on," she looked at his chest slowly rising up and down,"I'm sorry I haven't kept in touch. Its hard being a surgeon, you know? Well, no you don't know. But you heard me complain about my mom when she was a surgeon and its kinda like that. Long hours and little time to catch up with the family. Or what's left of it. I hope you can hear me because if you can't then I feel like a huge idiot talking to myself," Meredith sighed,"Well Jakey, its time for your CT," she got some nurses to help Meredith transport the unconscious man on to the bed contacting to the CT.

Derek stood behind the glass window that separated the two rooms. He then looked down at the computer in front of him showing Jake's CT scans that just came up.

"Well, this guys has just a fraction of the glass in his brain. We need to get it out immediately so it won't get infected. Mer, phone the family. We need to get someone's consent so we can have the surgery," Derek continued to study the CT intensely.

"Um... Well, okay," Meredith stood up and began to look for Carrie. She needed to tell her cousin that he's having the surgery. She will be his guardian, even though he's twenty-eight. Yes, she knew the risks well, but if the glass stays in too long in there it'll get infected and he wouldn't be able to speak or think again! He'd be brain dead and eventually dead dead.

"Alex?" she rushed up to Alex's side,"Alex!"

"What!?" Alex briskly turned around.

"Where's your patient Carrie Smitts?"

"Why do you want to know where my patient is?" he snickered.

Meredith looked down,"I have news about her brother."

"Suuure, the first room to your left," he pointed behind him.

"Thanks," Meredith ran to that direction.

"Care?" Mer knocked on the door, but came in anyway,"Carrie!"

Carrie looked up from her magazine,"Oh hey Mer! I was trying to get the nurses to find you!"

Mer hugged the petite brunette on the bed. Her stomach was bulging out of her maternity clothes.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Meredith sat down besides Carrie.

"I've been trying to for months Mer, months! You never answer your cellphone, or the house phone,

you emails, or all the IM's I sent you!" Carrie looked annoyed at her busy cousin.

"I'm so sorry Care, I've been so busy. I'll-"

"You sound just like your mom," Carrie snapped.

Meredith bit her lip to stop it from quavering. Meredith stood up from the bed and began to walk out the door,"You should know that Jakey is having surgery because he has a huge piece of glass in his head," she slammed the door on her way out.

"What's with you?" Alex asked.

"Nothing," grumbled Meredith trying to get away from Alex.

"Oh really?" he smirked,"Then why's you slam the door?"

She stopped and looked at him. She opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out. She immediately closed it and frowned. Alex just laughed at her while she stomped off.

Outside, in font of the hospital Meredith took out her cellphone and began to call her uncle's phone number. When he wouldn't pick up she tried his work number, but got his Secretary.

"Mr.Smitts' office, please-"

"I'm not going to hold. I am Dr.Meredith Grey, niece of Charles Smitts who has news about his son

and daughter who has been in an accident. You will patch me through now!" she demanded into the phone. People passing by stared at the strange woman yelling into her phone.

"I'm sorry, but Mr.Smitts is in his office in a very important business meeting. Please call later or wait on hold," she continued as if she didn't hear Meredith,"I'm very sorry Ms.Grey."

"Its Doctor Grey. As in I went to college to get my doctor's degree instead sitting on my ass all day answering the phone for a living," Meredith snapped,"And you will put me through!"

The woman laughed on the other end,"Was that a threat?"

Meredith could almost see her self assured smirk,"Yes, yes it was. And you better take it seriously or else you'll lose your job. Its not like my uncle can't hire someone else that can answer the phone."

"Fine," her tone was now dull and she sounded defeated.

A click was heard,"Hello?"

"Uncle Charlie? Its me, Mer" Meredith smiled into the phone.

"Mer Bear? I haven't heard from you for a while! How you doin'?" asked her cheerful uncle. Sure, he was very business and stiff but he's still her soft hearted uncle who bought her ice cream whether it was hot or cold.

"I'm fine," she paused,"Actually this is about Jake and Carrie," she told him everything she knew about the accident,"So I think he should have the surgery. If he doesn't it'll get worse and it might," she bit her lip,"It might cause his brain to bleed. The surgery has similar risks but Der-I mean

Dr.Shepard is the best."

"Mer, I thought you said he was your patient."

"He was, but I want the best for Jakey," she said using Jake's baby name.

"Okay, are you sure about the surgery?"

"Positive."

"Did you call Yvonne?"

"Not yet. I called you first. I could call her now."

"No," he cut her off,"We'll get on the next plane and go to Seattle."

"So you want him to do the surgery?" she asked hesitantly.

"If that's what you think is best, you are the doctor."

"I do."

"Okay then. He will," he hung up the phone.

Meredith bit her lip and started pacing. She had this incredible urge to have a bottle of tequila but she was still on duty. That was out of the question. All though it would be a good excuse to miss the surgery. Then again her whole career would be at risk.

She walked back inside to find Derek. She couldn't so she headed towards Jake's room. He was still unconscious. It was hard looking at her younger cousin so venerable. It made her crumble inside to see him hurt so deeply.

"Mer?" she turned around to see Derek standing behind her,"Do you need a consult for the surgery?"

"I-um called his parents and they want their niece to make the decision," she replied nervously.

"Did you call her?" he asked her after filling in the rest of Jake's chart.

"Well I- uh sorta talked to her and she said yes," Meredith started to fidget with her hands.

"Okay," he looked up and smiled at her,"I'm going to watch your surgery Mer. You're going to do a great job."

"Actually," she looked down,"I'm giving him to you. I can't... I can't be in there, I don't want to be in there."

Der cocked his head confused at Mer's behavior,"Sure, I guess."

"Thanks," she gave Derek a quick smile and walked out as fast as she could.

"Meredith wait," she turned around to see Derek directly in front of her,"Are you okay? Ever since

the Smitts came..."

"I'm fine Der," she kissed him quickly and walked out.

Does he know? He knows, or he's suspicious. Oh damnit that means the pitty part will begin...

Meredith paused to look up at the OR board. She used her right index finger to erase the name Grey and replaced it with Shepard in red erasable marker. She saw that Jakey's surgery would take five hours. Five long hours.