Chapter Three

It was an obsession. Meredith was obsessed with signs. It was odd that nobody had noticed before now. The first inkling had been when she spotted the Hurricane Evacuation sign. She had seemed transfixed with it, asking what its purpose was. Izzie had stared at her, wondering if Meredith was being serious or pulling one over on them. She had thought about asking, but then Alex had "accidently" slid his hand down her inner thigh.

The second inkling of the obsession came after they had made it to the beach house. There had been words on who would sleep were. The house had only three bedrooms. It wouldn't have been that big of a deal if there had been a couch in the place. Instead, there were chairs. Lot's of chairs. Nobody had been willing to suck it up and make a pallet. Cristina and Meredith had been adamant about being roommates. Alex had said there was no way in hell he was shacking up with George. George had agreed. It had been laid at her feet. In the end, Alex had been the lesser of the two evils. After the roommate storm died down, they had all made their way to the beach. And that was where they got the second inkling to the sign obsession.

"It's kind of cute," Meredith mused, staring at the 'Swimmer's Beware' sign that featured an open mouthed shark. There was nothing remotely cute about the fierce creature bearing its teeth.

"I guess. If you like razor sharp teeth and being ripped to shreds," Cristina chuckles, lathering her body with sunscreen. Most of her pale skin was exposed to the sun by her ice blue string bikini. It was a bit odd, seeing Cristina looking so much like a normal woman, rather than the icy robot they all interned with.

"The sign. Not sharks." Meredith replies back. She tightens the knot of her white and pink floral sarong. It matched the pink one piece suit she had on. Her hair was still in the loose ponytail, more falling out than actually held back. She chews her cheek, still staring at the sign. "Do you think there really are sharks out there?" She nods out at the azure blue Gulf that seemed to stretch into infinity.

Izzie laughs, rolling onto her stomach. She undoes the top of her bikini. No point in tan lines. "I don't think the sign is there for no reason, Mere."

"Oh." Meredith sighed, moving to sit on the towel next to Izzie. She flops back, sighing again. "Too bad."

Alex jogs toward them from the house. They had sent him for drinks. George had disappeared. Most likely in his child size room sulking. "You like signs, don't you Meredith?" He tosses Cristina, then Meredith, a bottle of water.

"Don't I get one?" Izzie raises up a bit, using her forearms to block her breasts from view. It didn't stop Alex from looking. She feels her nipples start to harden, then curses her body for letting him get to her. She had given up sex. Sex led to all sorts of problems. Problems like losing her best friend. Problems like causing her best friend's marriage to fall apart, even though said marriage was a mistake. Sex led to problems. She didn't want anymore problems.

"Here, take this one," Alex tosses her the bottle he was drinking from. Izzie looks at it in disgust. "Oh come on. We've kissed. Hell, we've fucked. A little sharing of some water isn't going to kill you."

"You have such a way with words Karev. Really makes a girl interested," Cristina snickers. She looks over at Meredith, who still seems to be transfixed by the sign. "If that sign was a man I would think you were going to go down on it."

"Now who has a way with words," Alex smirks, letting sand sift through his fingers. He squints out at the word. "Think its warm enough to go in?"

"The water? Who knows. I'm staying right here." Cristina wiggles around, making herself more comfortable. She picks up the book laying next to her.

Alex tilts his head to the side, reading the title of the red paperback. "Hot and Bothered. Real educational there Yang." He reaches over, yanking it from her hands.

"Give it back, Karev. Now!" Cristina raises to her knees, reaching for the book. Alex holds it away, flipping it open. He scans the contents, chuckling.

"She moans her pleasure when his rock hard shaft enters her melting core. In that moment, Clarrissa knew they would ride the waves of passion together." He burst out laughing. "Dude, that's some funny shit. Ride the waves of passion."

Izzie hides her grin, ducking her head down. Who knew Cristina read porn. Then again, who had known Meredith had a thing for signs. God did Meredith have a thing for signs. She was over there again, caressing the thing. "Hey, Meredith, do you want us to leave you and the sign alone?"

"Haha. Very funny. It's just cute is all." Meredith flashes them an annoyed look before turning back to look at her sign. That was what it had become. Her sign.

A/N Thank you to everyone for reading and reviewing. Those reviews are what make me want to update. So, keep them coming! Also, if you like this story, you should check out my other fanfics: Choices, How To Lose Your Lover, What The Heart Knows, Truth, and more…