It took an effort to keep his smile in place. Slouching in his seat, Derek slowly sipped his scotch while Rose chatted with Joe as he delivered her beer. All he had wanted tonight was a quiet drink. And a whiff of Meredith. Somehow, it became an unspoken agreement that they avoid each other during working hours. But crossing paths at Joe's was a different story. At least that's what he had told himself, visiting Joe's every evening. Pathetically, he had waited for Meredith to stop in, but she never did. He'd sit and wonder if she knew he'd be here. Maybe Meredith had known, and stayed away. Might have been for the best right now. He still didn't know what to say to her. God. What a mess.

He wished Joe would move so he could sit and take in the wonder that was Meredith. Derek had been relieved when he had seen Meredith exit the women's restroom and join Cristina at the bar. Derek snuck a glance at his watch. He heard Joe admire the engagement ring around Rose's neck. Sighing, Derek looked at his watch again. Where the hell was Mark?

"Do you Derek?"

"Sorry, what did you say?"

"I asked if you had any pets." Rose repeated, as Joe moved onto another booth.

How the hell did the conversation move from the ring to pets? "I had a dog, but he died." Damn, why did Finn have to come to mind? A door opened in the dark recess of Derek's memory, showing a wet Meredith walking down those stairs. His grip on the glass of scotch tightened.

Rose had been sharing a story involving her three cats when Derek noticed him. Tall, dark-haired and wearing a well-cut grey suit. Derek slowly straightened up in his seat. He was talking to Meredith, and she was smiling up at him. Perched on the edge of her bar stool and slightly leaning forward, the v-neck of Meredith's snug black sweater giving the interloper a good glimpse of cleavage. Derek wanted to push the jerk back as he inched closer to Meredith. He remembered how much of a glimpse that sweater gave. Up until now, it had been one of his favorites. Derek glanced at Cristina. She caught him in the middle of mentally kicking the shit out of the guy. He wasn't too surprised at the smirk on her face.

"I hope you don't mind my dropping in like this," Rose asked. "We saw you sitting here, and I wanted to say hello. My friends won't miss me." Rose turned to the table holding her fellow nurses and waved.

Derek reluctantly dragged his attention from Meredith and the goof in the suit. No, he thought, her friends won't miss her because they were too busy watching Rose try to flirt with him. Having an audience during surgery he could handle. It was expected. But not here. "No, I don't mind, but I am expecting someone."

"Are you expecting Dr. Grey?" Rose turned towards the bar. "She looks like she's with someone." Turning back to Derek, Rose sat expectantly. Derek tried to ignore that her friends looked over at the bar at the same time Rose did, and were now whispering about Suit Guy.

Derek looked at Rose. The way her dark hair sat against her shoulders. The hopeful expression in her dark eyes. He had to admit their conversations this past week were enjoyable. Always work related, but with a slight flirtatious edge. Derek found her attention a soothing balm in contrast to Meredith's anger and angst. She had a quiet, calming presence about her.

"Do I have foam on my lip?" Rose brushed a hand over her mouth.

"What?"

"You're staring at me, Dr. Shepard," Rose quirked an eyebrow. "I wondered if I had beer foam on my lip."

Derek found his eyes trained on her lips. "No, nothing there." Her lips were full and pink, and gently smiling. The kiss had been nice.

Meredith's giggle shifted his attention back to the bar. In the few minutes Derek's attention had drifted, Suit Guy had claimed the bar stool next to Meredith. He was sitting too close for Derek's comfort. And it looked like Meredith was on her second glass of tequila. The heated flash of anger overtook Derek before he knew it. It filled every molecule of his being. Suit Guy actually dared to place a hand on Meredith's shoulder as he leaned behind her to grab a bowl of pretzels. Derek threw back the rest of his scotch in one gulp. He stared. And he frowned.

"How's it going Yang?" Alex Karev stood next to Cristina and took in Meredith being chatted up by some guy while Derek glared at them.

"Entertaining. I'm watching Wilbur doing a slow burn." Cristina chortled.

Alex motioned for a beer. "Wilbur? Who the hell is Wilbur?"

"Shepard. He's sitting in the corner with Mr. Ed."

"Dude, don't let the nurses hear you say that." Alex knew all about Derek and the scrub nurse. What little he had heard from Meredith via Izzie, the blanks were filled in by the nurses and hospital scuttlebutt. They were damn happy one of their own had snagged Doctor McDreamy away from Meredith.

"Who cares," Cristina shrugged. "What are you doing here? I thought you were off?"

Alex leaned into Cristina, speaking quietly. "Izzie called me. It's all over the hospital that Derek and Rose are here on a date while Meredith is sitting weepy-eyed at the bar. So I came to help."

"Help? Help with what?" Cristina tilted her head toward Meredith and Suit Guy. "She doesn't need help."

Alex found a vacant bar stool and sat it next to Cristina. "She might. I'm staying."