AN. Hey guys! A big thank you to everyone who is reading this fic! Getting notifications that you're alerting it is really a boost for me to continue to write it and post it. I would really love to read some of your reviews too. It only takes a couple of seconds to leave one, and they are really motivational. I really appreciate critiques too so I can improve my writing! So here's the next chapter! Enjoy!

Meredith loves what she does. Being a surgeon – it means everything to her. But the constant fear of running into Derek or Addison at work is wearing her out – and she's only been actively avoiding the two of them for a few days now. Part of her wonders how long she will be able to work here without having some sort of breakdown. The others are right; sleeping with her boss was not the best idea Meredith Grey had ever had – and she's had a few ideas before. There's a reason it's frowned upon, a reason it's against the rules. Sleeping with your boss, or even colleague, is all fun and games until someone's heart gets broken when McWife turns up. Not only did Meredith have to face the loss of what she thought to be her 'one', she had to face him and his wife day in day out. Even if Meredith knew they wouldn't be working similar shifts, everyone is talking about it. The nurses, the other interns, even the patients. Everybody is talking about McDreamy dumping the intern for his wife. Meredith couldn't walk down a corridor or into a room without hearing her name whispered. This drama is not something she needed right now – between trying to stay on top of things at work, and looking after her semi-lucid mother, lover-drama was not welcomed now more than ever.

"Hey Grey." Alex said as Meredith walked down the deserted hospital corridor.

This is the one spot in the hospital where she could manage to avoid the staring and whispers – not many people purposely hung out in the cold corridor by the morgue. "Hi Alex." Meredith sighed as she flopped down onto an empty chair beside him. "What are you up to?" She asked as she spotted the books surrounding him.

"Studying." Alex replied in mild frustration. "My repeat is next week."

Ah, his Medical Board exam, Meredith thought. As far as she knew, only her, Alex, and the Chief were currently aware of Alex's potential impending doom should he fail this repeat. "Need any help? Give me an illness."

"No, it's fine." Alex smiled weakly at her. As Meredith rightly pointed out early on in their internship, he is not the 'talking about emotions' kind. It didn't mean he didn't care when something was going on with one of his friends – and if he was being honest, Meredith is his friend. He noticed the dark circles under her eyes, and the sadness within them. She's like him though, never one to really share. "Want to bitch about Shepherd?" He asked her playfully.

"He's the last person I want to talk about." Meredith huffed as she crossed her arms across her chest. "Him with his stupid perfect hair, and his stupid 'I can't stay mad at you' face."

"I thought you weren't going to talk about him?" Alex asked dryly. "You're not mad at him anymore?"

"No." Meredith replied quietly as she began to fidget with her fingers – a nervous habit she had inherited from her mother. "I can't be mad at him. I love him." She admitted. "I'm hurt, or whatever."

"If he wasn't my boss's boss, I'd beat him up for you." Alex replied, causing Meredith to chuckle.

"You've enough reasons to be kicked out of the program already!" Meredith joked. "Thanks though."

"Thanks for reminding me." Alex rolled his eyes as he shut the book on his lap and moved onto the next one. "So uh… Is Izzie still pissed?" He asked her as casually as possible. He knew that he'd really upset her the night they had gone on a date, and he honestly felt bad for it. His head wasn't in the game though; he was too focused on these repeats to be able to focus on her. And then when he couldn't perform for her… That really hurt him. He is a man's man, and never before had he trouble getting it up. Sleeping with Olivia probably wasn't a good cure for that hurt, though. Even had Izzie not caught them together, he still would be feeling bad about it.

"Yeah, she is." Meredith replied with a small smile. "What did you do to her anyway? I don't think I've seen Izzie this hell bent on holding a grudge before."

"I had sex with Olivia." Alex replied after a moment's pause. "Again."

"Seriously?" Meredith exclaimed in shock. "Seriously?" She asked again and watched him nod in reply. "For God's sake, Alex! What is wrong with you? What is wrong with men? Just because you have something to whip out, doesn't mean you should. Seriously." She said shaking her head.

"I know." Alex sighed. "You don't need to try and make me feel bad. I feel bad enough as it is. Do you know how shitty it is getting filthies from Izzie? It's like getting them from freakin' Santa Clause."

"Just… Keep it in your pants from now on." Meredith said shaking her head again. Really, why can't men just be faithful? If you have a wife, sleep with your wife. If you're dating Izzie, sleep with Izzie. Pigs.

/

Work turned out to be slow. Meredith only had to treat a few flu patients. No emergencies came in; that meant no severed limbs, no tumours, no decent surgeries. Surgeons are like butchers, they get enjoyment out of slicing meat open. Meredith is no different. The disappointing level of surgical cases left Meredith feeling restless, so after work she decided to go to Joe's for a nightcap. Big mistake, as always. It had been a good night at first. Your typical 'drowning sorrows in tequila shots like there's no tomorrow and bitching about men to Cristina' kind of good night. Meredith likes nights like this more than any other. However, Derek and Addison decided to go for an after work drink too. Typically. Addison, trying to be her painfully friendly self, even came over to them and said hi. Offered to buy a round for them too. As much as Meredith tried to hate her, it was exceptionally difficult. Addison is so friendly, so intelligent, and not to mention so good looking. No wonder Derek decided to give his marriage another shot, adultery be damned. Stupid Derek, with his stupid perfect hair.

"Well that was awkward." Cristina snorted when Addison finally took the hint that they wanted her to leave.

"I know right?" Meredith frowned as she watched Addison walk away, over to the man who should be hers. "It's not enough that she stole Derek from me, or whatever, she has to come to my bar – my place – and flaunt it in my freakin' face. Even offering to buy me tequila. I mean, come on!"

"Technically, you kind of stole Derek from her." Cristina pointed out dryly. "She just… Took him back."

"Who's side are you on?" Meredith asked, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Obviously your side." Cristina replied, rolling her eyes. "But come on, she offered free alcohol. I have to give her some points."

"Great, just great!" Meredith replied with a low chuckle. "Our friendship is worth less than free tequila. She steals my man, and now my best friend. I think it's her perfect hair."

"Hey, don't give out to me." Cristina exclaimed, holding her hands up. "Izzie's being her bitch for surgeries. What's with their perfect hair?"

"I don't know." Meredith shook her head. "It must be in their water or something."

"So, you still owe me details of last night." Cristina smirked at Meredith. "Sex with McSteamy…" She trailed off with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

"There's not much to tell." Meredith shrugged. "It was really good. But it was nothing more than 'Get over McDreamy' sex."

"Was it better than McDreamy sex?"

"It was different." Meredith replied after considering the question for a moment. "Rough. Hot. Steamy. I got no sleep and woke up with bruises. Good bruises."

"McDreamy never gave you sex bruises?" Cristina asked frowning. "Should have known he didn't have it in him."

"Shut up!" Meredith chuckled as she nudged Cristina gently.

"What?" Cristina all but cackled. "You said it yourself, McDreamy never gave you bruises. McSteamy is the better ride."

"Yeah, Yeah." Meredith rolled her eyes.

"You going to see him again?

"No." Meredith replied, squashing the idea. "He was just a guy from a bar. Who, thankfully, didn't turn up at the hospital the next day! Want another round?"

/

The next morning, Meredith woke up with an exceptionally bad hang-over. She made a mental note between vomiting sessions to lay off the alcohol. This much drinking definitely isn't good for her body or her internship. To make matters just a little bit worse, she looked just as bad as she felt. Even George, lovely, always friendly George, recoiled when he saw her. She wasn't in the mood for work, although lately, after everything going on with Derek, it was no surprise. Not even the most amazing surgeries seemed to be able to pull her from the funk she's been in. At this moment in time, she couldn't decide if she wanted to cry hysterically or punch someone in the face. Maybe both.

Rounds dragged on that morning, too. Her mind just wasn't in the game, and for some unknown reason – probably the pleasure Bailey felt from her work of evil – Meredith was put on Derek's service. Great, just great.

"Morning, Meredith." Derek smiled happily as he stepped up beside her, grabbing the charts they'd need today.

Meredith all but melted at his smile, his perfect McDreamy smile. "Morning, Dr. Shepherd." She replied in a cold tone. Hey, she could be completely and utterly in love with him, but she wouldn't show him that. She needed to be the picture of strength around him.

"We've got a really interesting case today." Derek replied, ignoring Meredith's tone. "We've a patient coming in later today with a tumour he's been told can't be operated on. It's in two lobes, deep in the brain. Hard to reach, but possibly not impossible."

"You're going to operate?" Meredith asked in shock as she looked at the chart. "Seriously?"

"Seriously." Derek replied, grinning at her enthusiasm. "I've surgery scheduled for later on this evening, all going well. I want you to scrub in with me. It's a great opportunity. I'll need you to study the case carefully though, and do research into previous surgeries like this."

"Of course, I will." Meredith beamed, finally feeling excited about her job again. She turned to walk away, but Derek called her back.

"Meredith, I saw you at Joe's last night." He said softly, cocking his head to the side. "You looked beautiful."

"Dr. Shepherd." Meredith replied, her cold attitude returning. "I saw you and your wife there too. She looked beautiful, too." She said, turning on her heal and marching away. How the hell could he do that? If he wanted to be with his wife, why couldn't he just stop flirting with Meredith? If he wanted to be with her, why couldn't he just leave his wife? Men. She walked to the surgical board and wrote Derek's surgery up on it before heading to the front desks to do some research. This really is an interesting surgery, and a really great opportunity for her to learn. As much as she despised Derek right now, he's an amazing teacher who was giving her a once in a lifetime opportunity. She really wanted this surgery. So she'd play nice, do her work, and hope that being in close proximity to him would go okay. Although she doubted the last part. Being in close proximity to Derek never went well. Half the time her blood would be boiling with anger, the other half of the time she would be swooning over him. She really needed to make up her mind if she wanted him or hated him!

"Meredith?" A deep, rumbling voice pulled her from her inner thoughts on McDreamy. She looked up from the computer in front of her to see who had called her name. Meredith's heart instantly stopped. Like, it actually freakin' stopped when she saw the owner of the voice. Seriously? Seriously? Why is it that every man she brings home from Joe's turns up at the hospital?