Meredith was trying her best to make it on time to work for her first day back but the kids weren't cooperating. She barely made it to Scarlett's school on time to drop her off and she had to rush into the hospital daycare, CJ was asleep in the car she she had to carry her thirty pound toddler into the daycare. She was out of breath by the time she made it to her office. She slummed against the desk and just sat there. Maybe it was too soon for her to be back at work but her mentality needed it. She heard a knock on her office door so she sat up and composed herself.
"Come in!" She said as she looked as if she was doing some paperwork.
"Welcome back Grey," Miranda Bailey said as she was walking into the office. Her new position of Chief of Staff looked good on her.
"Hi Bailey, was just finishing some stuff up before I check up on some patients," Meredith said as she was standing up.
"Well that's good. I'm glad to have you back but you know if you need me for anything, you can just tell me," Bailey said.
"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind," Meredith said with a nod. She knew Bailey was hinting around that she shouldn't be back so soon but Meredith just brushed it off. Bailey left and Meredith slummed back into her chair. She covered her face with her hands and breathed deeply.
"I've got things to do," she spoke to herself, standing up and checking herself in the wall mirror. She left her office and went to the nurse's station.
"Welcome back Mer," someone said behind her.
"Hi April, thanks. How's little Evelyn?" Meredith replied as she grabbed her tablet which held all her charts.
"She's great, she's learning how to walk now, I'll bring her to see you one day," April smiled as she grabbed her tablet also.
"Yes, I'd love that," Meredith smiled slightly, leaving the nurses station and going to one of her old patients room.
"Good Morning Dr. Grey," the elderly lady smiled from the bed, she sat her knitting aside as Meredith entered.
"Hi Mrs. Miller, how are you feeling?" Meredith asked.
"I'm doing good, I think I am almost ready to go home," the lady smiled brightly.
"Maybe, let me check your incisions and make sure everything has heeled properly," Meredith smiled at her before checking the scar just below her rib cage. The woman had a liver transplant just before Meredith went on leave but developed some jaundice so she had to stay longer than intended.
"Ok Mrs. Miller, I am going to run some test to make sure your jaundice levels are good and if they are, you can be discharged," Meredith nodded as she wrote a few notes down in the chart.
"Oh that's wonderful, I will call Bill and let him know I might be coming home today," the lady replied as she grabbed her cell phone. Meredith left and walked down the halls, she was continuing to fill out the chart as she was walking, not paying any attention. Her body collided with another and her tablet fell to the floor.
"I'm so sorry," she said as she leaned down to pick it up.
"No, I'm sorry. I'm a little lost and I should have been paying attention," the other person replied. Meredith stood up and chills fell over her body when she saw the man in front of her. He had dark brown curls that were perfectly tousled and very ocean blue eyes. She would know that face anywhere, but what she didn't know was why he was in Seattle.
"You're Derek Shepherd, right?" She asked just to make sure.
"That's me," he smiled, his smile was so dreamy.
"What are you doing in Seattle?" She questioned.
"I just moved here, I am the new Head of Neruro, and you are?" He asked. Meredith's heart dropped to her stomach. There was no way, no way he would have been replaced this fast. It wasn't right, it couldn't be right.
"You're kidding, right?" She scoffed, a look of confusion written on her face.
"I only joke when I'm trying to impress women," he winked and she felt the corners of her lips drop. She shook her head, backing away a little before going around him.
"I'll see you around?" He said as she was walking away from him. She didn't reply, just hurried into her office. She closed the door behind her, sinking to the floor. She wasn't going to cry. She couldn't, it was bound to happen. They had to replace him someday, just not merely two weeks after he died. Her eyes began to water, she missed him so much. Anger took over her as she wiped the tears. She swung the door open to her office, she was on a mission. She first searched the OR board for the name she was looking for. She didn't find it so she went into the elevator and went to the top floor. She made her way through the crowd of people who were walking across the catwalk as she stormed into the office just on the other side.
"When was he hired?" She hissed as she got into the office and closed the door.
"What are you talking about Grey?" Bailey asked, her brow rose questionably.
"I mean Shepherd, when did you hire him?" She spat angrily.
"Just a few days ago. Look Meredith, I know it's hard because Charles was such an important part of this hospital but we needed someone to fill his position and Dr. Shepherd is amazing at what he does, and he's a nice person. I think you will get along. Now if you'd like the rest of the day off, I understand. We can try again tomorrow," Bailey replied calmly.
"It's not okay Miranda. He hasn't even been dead for long and he's already been replaced," she said, her voice quivering. She wasn't going to break.
"Meredith, please understand that I wasn't trying to hurt you. This is a hospital, a business. It needs good employees to run. You know how much we all loved Charlie but he's gone and life goes on," Miranda replied. Meredith looked away, blinking the tears away. She composed herself before turning back to Miranda.
"I don't want to see him, I'm not ready," Meredith replied in a low voice.
"Ok, I'll try my best on that. Now go have your lunch and maybe go to the daycare and love on your baby, then when you're ready you can start back," Bailey said and Meredith nodded. She left and went into the cafeteria. She grabbed her a sandwich from the line and went to sit with Lexie and Alex.
"Hey Mer," Lexie smiled.
"They replaced Charlie," Meredith said in a low voice.
"With who?" Alex asked.
"Derek Shepherd," Meredith cringed at the thought. The words just flew out of her mouth with a tinge of anger.
"Oh wow. I didn't even know he was considering moving, Mark didn't tell me," Lexie frowned.
"I wouldn't be as mad if I was warned but seeing as I had to run into him, literally, in the hall. I am a little upset," Meredith grumbled.
"Oh wow, Mer I am sorry," Lexie reached her hand over to Meredith's and covered it.
"I can't see him, It's like I'm constantly reminded that he's gone."
"Maybe you came back too soon Meredith," Alex shrugged.
"No. I need this, I need to be normal again. I'm tired of sitting around my house all day. I can't do it, I have to be working," Meredith said. Lexie and Alex opposed to it, they sat and talked about their current lives. Lexie was then paged to the ER and Meredith left. She went a picked up the test results for Mrs. Miller. She goes to tell her the good news and gives her the discharge papers. Meredith couldn't get that man off her mind, she couldn't wrap her head around the fact that he was now in the position her late husband was.
She took the long way to her office, making sure not to pass by the office that now belonged to Dr. Shepherd. She got into her office and finished her paperwork. She noticed what time it was and she quickly gathered her things and rushed down the the daycare. She got CJ out of daycare and took him to the car. She quickly got in and drove over to the school where they just started releasing the students.
"Mama, juice!" CJ said from his car seat.
"Sweetie, we will get you some juice when we get home," Meredith said, looking back at the face her son was making. His lip poked out and he looked exactly like his father, which caused her heart to ache.
"Now mama," he said.
"No CJ," she shook her head at him. Scarlett opened the back door just before CJ started to throw a tantrum.
"Hi Bubba," Scarlett smiled as she kissed her brother's cheek.
"Sissy!" He squeaked.
"How was school?" Meredith asked as she was pulling out of the school.
"Good, we have a new student in my class. Her name is Zoe and she moved from New York," she informed her mother.
"That's cool, you know mommy is from Boston?" Meredith asked her daughter.
"Where's that?" Scarlett asked.
"It's close to New York," Meredith said as she was now on the road that lead to their house.
"Then why don't you talk funny like she does?" Scarlett questioned.
"Because I was actually born in Seattle but me and your grandma moved to Boston when I was your age," she said.
"Oh," Scarlett nodded.
"Pizza for dinner?" Meredith asked and both kids happily said yes. She wasn't much of a cook, Charlie did all the cooking for the family. She really missed Charlie.