(So much for my 1-shot. This is turning into at least a 3- or 4-shot. Plus, it's no fun working on this update while watching the GA 4.11 promos. I'm not holding my breath for the episode. But I'm hoping the developing friendship between Derek and Miranda will have her going Bailey on his ass about his mess with Meredith next season. And a big THANK YOU to greydayz!)
"It's been a week, and you still don't know?"
Cristina and Meredith seated themselves at the bar, waving hello to Joe. After an awkward and stressful several days and nights of avoiding Derek, who also seemed to be in avoidance mode, Meredith was content to be away from the hospital, and not sharing the same building with him. She didn't want to think about him at all tonight. She wanted to think about something else for once. Something painless.
The crowd was light tonight, and Meredith hoped it stayed that way. She wasn't in the mood to deal with a crush of bodies. "It's been a week and I still don't know." But her brain was slowly wrapping around a decision. Derek kissed another woman. The disappointment was still strong. Still painful and raw. Derek had said he loved her, wanted to marry her, to grow old with her, want a life with her, but he clearly wanted another woman. Brought back unwanted memories of the surprise wife, of divorce papers and their scrub room moment. Derek's 'She's my wife' anchored itself in the back of brain. Meredith waited for Joe to serve them, really wanting the bite of tequila to make everything go away.
"And McDreamy doesn't have a clue? The nurses seem to." Cristina didn't miss the buoyant mood of the female nursing staff all week.
"How could he know if I don't? Meredith shook her head. "And screw the nurses."
"Ok, screw the nurses. But we are talking about an arrogant neurosurgeon, aren't we? Doesn't he know all? He seemed to when he laid one on her in the scrub room."
"I see your point. Anyway, change of topic. God, I am so tired. And happy this place isn't a zoo tonight. I'm so not in the mood for a crowd." Resting an elbow on the bar, Meredith propped up her weary head.
Cristina grabbed the bowl of pretzels Joe slid in front of them. "Were you hoping to land a frisky but drunk zoo animal tonight?"
"What are you talking about?" Meredith grabbed the bowl from under Cristina's grasping hand.
"Though it's not possible for you to be hotter than me, you do look hot tonight. I detect a little extra effort." Keeping her balance, Cristina made a show of leaning back on her bar stool to give Meredith a once over. Her exaggerated movement drew the attention of a few male patrons.
"Oh please. I put on some lipstick before we left the hospital and pulled out my scrunchie. That's not effort." Meredith protested, pushing the bangs off her forehead.
"With our jobs, lipstick, brushed hair and clean clothes, especially tops showing a bit of boob, constitute an effort."
"Shut up Cristina." Meredith's hand went to the v-neck of her black sweater. Not daring to admit she had wondered if Derek would be here tonight, Meredith knew she was in trouble. Even though Derek was now a permanent fixture at the top of her shit list, she missed him. She didn't want to see him, but she needed a glimpse. Like a drug addict, a quick fix. So sad. So pathetic. And she's pissed at Derek for making her feel this way. "Where's Joe?" Meredith mumbled. Where's the tequila?
"All I'm saying is that I'm hotter than you." Cristina turned to view the half empty bar. "Looks like you'll be going home alone. It's a quiet night."
"I want a quiet night. No boy penises." Meredith crunched on a pretzel. "They're too much trouble."
"Stick around, it will pick up later," Joe sat cocktail napkins down on the bar. "If either of you had been in at all this week, I'm sure you would have noticed the late crowd surge."
"Sorry Joe, too many double shifts this week." Meredith smiled apologetically. Joe didn't need to know the bar was part of her plan to avoid Derek.
"I guess McDreamy didn't work any double shifts this week. He must be special." Joe commented.
"Oh, don't you know it Joe." Cristina smirked. "McDreamy is very special."
"Cristina," Meredith rubbed her tired eyes.
Cristina shrugged. Joe was always a good source of info. He always had his eyes open. "So McDreamy was in here this week?"
"Every night," Joe nodded.
"Was he alone?"
"Cristina!" Meredith elbowed Cristina. "Don't!" She really didn't want to hear who met Derek for drinks. She didn't want to hear it was a female. She didn't want to hear that it was Rose. She didn't want more proof that he chose someone else.
Confused, Joe looked at Meredith before addressing Cristina. "Sometimes."
"Give us the usual, will ya Joe?" Meredith ignored the look on Joe's face and took a deep, bracing breath, pushing the nasty image of Derek, in his good looking red shirt, and some scrub nurse snuggling in a back booth to the very back of her brain. Three or four shots of tequila should push it totally out.
Cristina watched Meredith's face go from pain to anger to...nothing.
"I'll be back."
Joe sat their drinks down, and with Cristina, watched Meredith walk into the women's bathroom.
"You've heard?"
Joe stared at the women's bathroom door for a beat before turning back to Cristina. "Who hasn't? The nurses were in good spirits this week."
Cristina leaned forward. "Tell me Joe, who was Shepard with?"
The door chime prevented Joe from answering as he glanced over to see the latest arrival. His stillness caused Cristina to turn around in time to see Derek enter, briefcase in hand, and take a direct path to a back corner booth. With great effort, Cristina turned back to the bar.
"Here," Cristina slid the drinks toward Joe. "Keep an eye on these."
"Why?"
"So I don't throw them at McDreamy."
The door chime announced the arrival of more bodies. Cristina hated to see a small group of noisy nurses come in, including a dark-haired nurse who joined Derek in the booth. He had smiled at the woman in greeting. "Forget what I said Joe," she motioned for the drinks. Joe slid them back over. "And let me have two more."
"Here," Joe set the second set of drinks down. "I'll keep him away." He set off with a glass of scotch in hand.
"What the hell did I do to deserve this?" Meredith cursed as she climbed on her bar stool. "I can't even pee in peace. A couple of damn nurses came in saying 'McDreamy this' and 'McDreamy that' so I got the hell out of there." Grabbing the shot of tequila, Meredith quickly downed it. "Have I mentioned that I really hate that damn scrub room?"
Cristina leaned towards Meredith. "Don't turnaround, don't move, but Derek is in the back corner with what's-her-name."
" 'What's-her-name?' That's the best you can come up with?" Meredith stifled a smirk.
"She's not worth the effort." Cristina waved her empty glass in the air. "And neither is he."
"What does she look like?" Meredith turned toward Cristina. Keeping her attention locked on Cristina stopped her head from turning toward the booth in the back.
"Eh," Cristina shrugged. "Like a scrub nurse. Average, nondescript, dark-haired. But she does remind me of someone." Cristina studied her glass, as if the answer will be found floating in the tequila. "I know! The incredible Mr. Ed." Cristina raised her glass high and whinnied.
Meredith couldn't help herself. She giggled. Cristina's comment wasn't that funny, but she couldn't stop giggling. Her eyes watered. It was a strange feeling. Like steam escaping through a valve, and her pressure gauge read zero. An easiness she hadn't felt since confronting Derek about the kiss. A brief escape from the shadow of the damn kiss.
"You do have a great laugh."
Wiping moisture from her cheek, Meredith turned in the direction of the totally male voice. Cristina turned also, but her attention was subtly trained on the back corner booth.