They walked into Joe's and the first thing Derek saw was Meredith grabbing some guy's groin…

Chapter 4

"Let me make this clear one more time," hissed Meredith squeezing the guy's package a little too tight for his comfort. "I'm not interested in you or your sleazy come ons. So either you go away or I start turning the knob, understand?"

The guy nodded hastily.

"Alright then," said Meredith releasing him. "Have a nice night!"

"Are you stupid? Go!" growled Alex. The guy visibly trembled and made his way to the door.

"I am so wearing a cup to work tomorrow," said George. "What the hell was that?"

"Well excuse me if I don't like having my ass grabbed by a complete stranger in a bar," shrugged Meredith. "Can I have another beer please Joe?"

"Here you go," said Joe looking at her warily.

"What happened to bright and shiny?" asked Cristina. "As amusing as that was, it was not bright and shiny."

"Bright and shiny has to have rules," Meredith insisted not noticing that Derek was standing behind her. "Otherwise it's just me wandering around smiling all the time, which is just weird."

"Bright and Shiny has rules?" said Cristina. "You need a shrink."

"I don't need a shrink," said Meredith. "I just need McCreeps to stay away from me."

"Double scotch single malt and white wine please," said Derek almost leaning over Meredith.

"Someone clearly didn't get the memo," muttered Cristina.

"Oh hush Derek isn't a McCreep," said Meredith.

"You're sticking up for McDreamy, seriously!"

"No I was just saying he isn't a total creep and he isn't McDreamy anymore," said Meredith. "It's time to find a new McDreamy!"

"A new McDreamy?"

"Yup a new McDreamy," Meredith confirmed.

"You can't just reuse McNames," said Cristina.

"I can!"

"You know he is right there," said Joe handing Derek his drinks.

"Oh yeah," said Meredith smiling at Derek in acknowledgement. "I doubt he will mind losing the McDreamy name, he hated it."

"Oh please he secretly loved it," said Cristina. "Made it easier to get slutty nurses to drop their panties."

"Cristina!" exclaimed Meredith.

"What? Like you weren't thinking it," Cristina snorted.

"Come on," said Meredith grabbing Cristina's arm and almost dragging her back over to Alex and George.

"Owwwww touching!"

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"So are you going to let me buy you a drink?" asked Greg.

"Why would you want to buy me a drink?" asked Meredith suspiciously.

"To make it up to you for calling you Candy," said Greg. "I apologise."

"Good," said Meredith.

"So drink?"

"Light beer."

"Light beer? What happened to the Tequila slugging angry girl?"

"I'm not angry anymore and I'm not drinking to forget, so what do I need Tequila for?" said Meredith, she knew it was wrong to flirt with her boss but she didn't care. She couldn't go out with him but what harm could a little flirting do?

"Alright light beer it is then," laughed Greg.

"Hey Mer is that the new McDreamy?" Cristina called over.

"Ignore her," said Meredith glaring at Cristina. "She's drunk."

"So I wonder…can you still hussle me?" asked Greg as he handed Meredith her beer.

"That depends have you learned how to hold a cue yet," said Meredith.

"Care to find out? Loser buys the next round," said Greg.

"You're on," said Meredith her competitive streak getting the better of her.

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Derek sat at a little table tucked away in a corner, pretending to listen to Rose moaning about how immature the doctors in Joe's that night were. She may have a point, Mark was almost begging Erica to go out with him by now. Bailey's old interns and Lexie were sitting at the bar, occasionally dancing but mostly just laughing and generally getting drunk and having a good time.

But what Derek was really paying attention to was Dr. Holden buying Meredith a drink. After what he had witnessed when he came in, Derek had assumed Meredith wasn't going to be dating so soon, not that he could blame any guy for hitting on her she looked great. Her hair was short and curled in at her chin, she was wearing gray fitted skinny jeans and a black t-shirt with the rolling stones tongue on it. Now she was playing pool with Dr. Holden, if he strained hard enough he could hear what they were talking about.

"…still trying to pick up underage girls?" Meredith retorted.

"How was I to know you were 17, you were in a bar on a Thursday afternoon, throwing back Tequila like your life depended on it," laughed Greg.

That sounded like Meredith thought Derek, he knew she had a difficult upbringing and had acted out a lot in her teens.

"I was a young vulnerable child that you tried to take advantage of."

"You were anything but vulnerable or a child for that matter," said Greg. "And you make it sound like I was some weird old guy."

Meredith just looked up at him and raised an eye brow.

"I was twenty two, you were seventeen!"

"So…"

"What would you say if I told you I was still very interested in taking advantage of you?"

"I'd say try and pot the ball!"

"Huh?"

"You still haven't put one away," said Meredith pointing to the pool table. "This isn't even a challenge."

"Derek! Derek! Are you listening?" Rose shouted, she had been trying to get his attention for the past few minutes, it couldn't be clearer that he was completely oblivious to what she was saying. It was only when both Greg and Meredith looked over at him that he realised.

"Sorry, what?" said Derek pulling himself out of his thoughts.

"Have you listened to a word I've said?" said Rose.

"Sorry I'm a little distracted tonight," Derek apologised. "Big surgery tomorrow."

"I was just saying, do you want to get out of here? I can barely hear myself think," said Rose.

She knew where he had been looking and who he was watching. She knew he wasn't over Meredith, but he would be and she couldn't throw away the chance they had for a future. She just had to be patient and wait for him to get over her, she just prayed she wasn't the rebound girl.

"Uh…okay if you want," said Derek glancing over at Meredith who was bending over to play. Damn she had a nice ass!

"We could go to my place if you want?" said Rose. After six weeks of dating Derek and Rose hadn't slept together.

"Do you mind if I just go home? It's been a really long day," sighed Derek.

He couldn't have sex with Rose that night, not while he was still thinking about Meredith. He had done that with Addison, closed his eyes and pretended it was Meredith but that was wrong and Rose, she hadn't done anything wrong and deserved more than that.

"Okay," said Rose trying to hide her hurt and disappointment.

With one last glance at Meredith who was still flirting with Dr. Holden, Derek grabbed his coat and practically flew out of the bar.