In this chapter please imagine a few weeks of time between Sloane's arrival at SGH and Meredith's appendectomy, allowing a few extra weeks to date the guys. If Meredith is going to date two gorgeous doctors then let's have some fun, I say.
Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's Anatomy or anything affiliated with it. This is just for fun.
Acts of Love
Chapter 4: Meredith's a Butterfly
Dr. Mark Sloane needed a cappuccino. He needed one now. He spied his favorite intern to torture, Alex Karev, pushing through a set of doors on the right. Sloane stepped inside, swung around a set of tall lockers and smashed into Alex standing stock still staring, along with about six other interns.
"Damn it, Karev..." Sloane's mouth fell open. He came to instant male readiness.
Cristina rounded the row of intern lockers from the opposite side and uttered a shocked laugh, "Wow! Big game hunting tonight, Mer?"
Meredith was wildly sexy in matching black and bronze plunge push up bra, string thong, ruffled garter belt, sheer black silk stockings and three inch patent Lucite Prada heels. Startled, she turned, inadvertently giving everyone the front view. Tiny champaign diamonds set in a bronzed gold danced in her navel and ears, around her right ankle and over two fingers.
"Now that, gentlemen," drawled Sloane, the plastic surgeon, in wicked appreciation, "would be fun to exercise my skills on, both professionally and personally." He whistled long and low.
The pack of thunderstruck men drew Cristina's eye. "Hey, you're gawking! No gawking in the locker room! Mind your own business! Move along, move along!"
Mark and Alex just grinned as Cristina routed the others. They took up almost identical poses leaning against the lockers on either side of the center bench. Neither man took his eye off Mer for a moment.
Meredith arched her brows at them, giving them her flirtatious half-smile, a little flattered, "...What? ...No big deal. I'm getting ready for a date. The date. You know... Give me some space."
"No." Mark's grin turned devilish, "Karev is my student. We're studying female anatomy, right Karev?"
"Yeah, right." Alex affirmed solemnly, "I wouldn't miss this for surgery, Grey."
"The date? The first big McDreamy date?" Cristina asked. She opened her locker and swiftly started changing into street clothes. She completely ignored both men.
Meredith glanced away and then nodded, "Derek isn't telling me much. I know we're going somewhere special for dinner tonight. I've also packed for an extended four day weekend trip." Excitement and anxiety vibrated in her voice.
Meredith's delicate face was exquisitely made up for evening. Her porcelain complexion was flawless and enhanced by sheer shimmering powder over her cheekbones. Her lips were outlined perfectly in bronze and then filled with an unusual coral bronze lip blush.
But, it was her eyes that made her magnificent. Their long upward tilt was lined in liquid black and then shadowed in a molten metal coppery bronze. Her thick, long lashes were brushed even fuller and longer with a grey-black mascara. Expertly shaped and darkened brows provided a frame. But, all anyone really saw were enormous, brilliantly green eyes, luminous with beauty and fun. A fragile happiness made her glow.
"I don't want to look like a dumb intern or an overworked slave tonight," Meredith paused, "Come to think of it, aren't those the same thing? ... Anyway, just once I want Derek to see me as all woman." Meredith glanced into the mirror a little uncertainly.
"Trust me, no mistake there," said Alex dryly, "Good thing you're a surgeon, genie eyes, so you can help put his tongue back in after he gets a load of you."
Mark and Cristina laughed in agreement.
"Thanks, Alex."
Meredith's hair was scooped away from her face in a dark gold mass of long curls. It had volume it never seemed to have when she was working. She'd securely pinned it on one side with coppery bronze hair clips, allowing it to tumble softly over her shoulders.
Ignoring her peanut gallery, Meredith opened a tiny crystal vial and smoothed custom blended French parfum over her pulse points and between her surprisingly full breasts. As an afterthought she touched the silky inside of both knees. Appreciative groans followed.
"Don't two highly talented surgeons have something better to do than harass me?" said Meredith, exasperated.
Their sexy boy smiles just widened. Sloane's perfect white teeth gleamed behind his closely groomed beard. Karev's face of chiseled perfection tilted just so. Oh yeah, McSteamy and Evil Spawn were in the house.
Meredith opened a Givenchy dress bag and reverently lifted out one of her only haute couture gowns. Like the parfum, she'd bought it in Paris. She carefully adjusted the French concoction over her body avoiding disturbing her hair and makeup.
This is an amazing amount of work, she thought, even my nails are done. But, after months of misery and angst, Meredith needed to go all out. Her battered heart yearned for her McDreamy to sweep her back into their special world. Derek loved her. Finn loved her. (When was the last time anyone had genuinely loved her?) The sexy fun of playing with two gorgeous men who actually loved her already had her self-confidence climbing steadily up from the all time low of miserable, diseased, dirty ex-mistress. Her smile reached from her heart to her eyes and even infected Cristina with happy thoughts.
Annoyed, Cristina snapped, "Mer, it is just a date. Who knows how many other wives he has hidden in closets on both coasts, or when he'll dump you next? And McVet is a vet, he's nothing."
Meredith stopped. With long experience, gained from her mother, she took the unexpected blow with only a slight flinch. All the air went out of the room. Happiness evaporated into nothing. The pain of her usual world bloomed ugly brick-red flowers in her gut. She sat down jerkily on the hard bench.
Shocked, everyone spoke at once.
"I've seen bare-knuckle street fighters with more mercy than you, Yang," Alex put a protective hand on Mer's delicately rounded shoulder.
"Yang, why practice with a ten blade when your tongue is sharper," bit out Sloane.
"Meredith, I'm sorry, I'm just not used to happy you and it scares me. I... I... I don't trust Shepherd, and Burke... his hand... he was shot!" Cristina hastily tried to apologize.
Meredith nodded, but wouldn't look up.
Every thing's going to be okay. Every thing's going to be okay. Every thing's going to be okay. The little mantra she'd used almost every night of her childhood chanted in her head.
I am me, Meredith Grey, and I am happy. No one can take that from me.
"Get used to it, Cristina. I am. Getting used to happiness, I mean." Meredith brushed Alex's hand with her soft cheek in a sweet gesture of gratitude. Alex and Meredith had a lovely, unusual relationship that each valued, but that neither wanted to discuss.
Meredith stood up, smiled as brightly as she could and motioned for the tall plastic surgeon to lean down for a brief, thank you buss on the cheek. They too shared an unusual connection based on their mutual dirty mistress survival club. Mark let his fingertips graze her skin in the hollow just above her collar bone. Meredith shivered and remembered that Derek loved to lick and kiss that same hollow.
"You're stunning, Meredith. If I weren't trying to get back into my sort of brother's good graces and if I weren't here to convince Addison to come home to New York, I'd give Derek a run for his money." His eyes danced suggestively. He was Mark.
"Thank you, I think."
Meredith lightly swirled in front of the mirror. Her French gown screamed expensive chic in every line. Its deceptive simplicity suited her petite frame. The fabric was an unusual combination of semi-sheer and opaque black with encrusted metal threads of bronze. A light cloud of French scent made Meredith feel sophisticated. She picked up her Prada clutch, black with a coppery bronze clasp, and filled it with i.d., cash, credit card, a key, lip blush, tiny cell phone, teeny tiny pocket knife with a half inch blade, two tissues and three condoms. She looked up.
"What?" Her peanut gallery was back to staring amusedly at her. This time her smile was genuine, "I think I'm ready."
"Yeah, I'd say so," Alex licked his well cut lips.
"I'm meeting Derek in the lobby. Wish me luck, Cristina," Meredith could stand alone but would rather stand with her friend.
In a rare burst of physical affection, Cristina brushed Mer's arm and said, "All luck, all joy, all love, Meredith." Tears shone in her almond eyes for a single moment and then were blinked away.
Meredith lightly swayed from the locker room, her clutch in one hand and her bronze wrap in the other. She walked through surgical past several nurses' stations. She smiled glowingly at Olivia and Tyler. Tyler's neck whiplashed in a double take. Whispers followed her.
She thought about Derek, who loved her! He'd loved her for... ever. He was single! She was meeting him in the hospital without shame or sneaking. Her smile intensified, her ethereal beauty intensified. Just as sadness, grief and pain could dim Meredith into homeliness so love, ecstasy and happiness could illuminate her into a faerie queen.
She was oblivious to the stunned nurses, technicians, patients and doctors (including Drs. Webber, O'Malley, Montgomery, Bailey and Yarber) that she left in her sensual wake. Drs. Sloane, Karev and Yang had followed at a slight distance to watch the fun. The three were grinning at Meredith's sensation like proud parents whose baby was winning a baby contest.
Derek leaned against the main nurses' station giving last minute instructions to his two sixth year neurosurgery residents before heading to the lobby. He was dressed in an extraordinarily well-tailored Versace suit. It's color was such a deep, deep blue it looked black when he was still. Blue highlights subtly shimmered when he moved. It was perfectly suited to his tall, lean build and midnight blue eyes. Italian hand-made shoes, silk tie with sapphire studded tie clip, and a blue silk hand-embroidered handkerchief completed the look.
Oh... my ... God. He is scrumptious. He's dreamy. The pit of Meredith's stomach dropped away. Meredith giggled at the silly thought of telling a nurse to find it for her stat.
At the bubbly sound Derek looked up. Meredith did a happy little pirouette, showing off her dress. His eyes literally lit up. He was gorgeous of course. His black curls were cut a little shorter on the sides, similar to his style when Meredith had first met him, and carefully combed smooth. Two adorable, errant curls brushed his forehead. Derek's face softened into outright love. Three young nurses gasped longingly and were scolded by Nurse Debbie.
Derek's glorious, envy of the gods, smile dawned at the sight of his sexy, beautiful Meredith. His whole being responded to her tempting presence, every cell felt alert, and every sense heightened. They stood gazing at each other for an eternity, hiding nothing anymore. Derek's soul connection to this petite faerie girl shown through his intense liquid look. He couldn't even see anyone else.
Meredith surrendered to her heart. She was with her dreamy lover again. He was standing so easily and sexily in front of her. Her chin dropped a little and she coyly looked at him from under her impossibly long lashes. Her smile became a flirtatious invitation to play, to enjoy, to revel. His eyes danced with hers, immersed in sunlit joy.
I love you.
I love you too.
Diagonal to them, Addison Montgomery dropped the charts in her hands and grabbed the nearest support, Miranda Bailey. O'Malley offered an arm on her other side. Sloane, Karev, and Yang were in voice range, all three quieter now that they saw Addison's ripping pain.
"What... Is that Grey?...," Addison was incredulous.
"Yeah, when she's happy," said George wistfully.
"Dr. Montgomery...," started Bailey.
"No, look at them Miranda. Look," Addison gulped, "at my husband."
"Ex," reminded Mark.
Derek opened his arms and Meredith flew into them like a frozen outsider to a blazing fire. Derek laughed and murmured for her ear alone what he felt about her backless, partially transparent dress. Naked emotion shone out of his face.
"Whatever," dismissed Addison, gasping again at the look on Derek's face. Had he ever looked at her that way? "Were they like this before?"
"Yeah, very lovey-dovey, Izzie and I lost a lot of sleep," George started inadvisedly. Addison paled.
"O'Malley!" snapped Bailey.
Derek let his fingertips explore Mer's delicate spine. Meredith's lips parted with a sudden sexual anticipation. He nuzzled his favorite fragrant hollow in her throat and inhaled.
"We have reservations, my beautiful girl. Are you ready to go?" At Meredith's nod Shepherd gathered her under his arm.
"Is this what was there? What I broke when I came here? I didn't know." Addison painfully demanded of the interns gathered around her.
"Yes, Dr. Montgomery, you knew they dated... they were just at a ... kind of ... diving in place, when you showed up," tried Cristina cautiously.
"That ... was a miracle," Addison's voice broke, her heart sore, "... it was love that I just saw on Derek's face. It never went away. It never ... died. If anything, it got stronger, this whole time we've been together."
Meredith pulled free a little so that she could dance on the air beside Derek as they walked. He held her hand and was charmed by her youthful friskiness. He guided her down the stairs and pressed teasing kisses to her face whenever she looked up. They swept out into Seattle's clear night.
"No wonder people here have never really accepted me. I've been so lonely," the interns shifted uncomfortably, even as Addison's face hardened, "I was his wife, the best there is in my surgical specialty, I should have had the advantage over a slutty, little first year intern," Addison said musingly to herself, her momentary vulnerability gone, her lip curled in its commonplace sneer.
The air chilled. Even Bailey's eyes switched from warm sympathy for Addison's very real pain to a nasty glare at her snotty, upper crust, cruelty. Mark's eyebrow arched and his lips quirked. He took two steps back giving plenty of room.
Addison looked around and realized what she had said and to whom. She'd already complained long and loud to Derek's sisters, Kathleen and Nancy, using the same words.
The slutty little intern's friends. That was a mistake.
"If you are lonely, then it is because of stuff like this," Alex stated, "First you're okay and easy and then suddenly you're Satan's whore. Meredith Grey is never Satan's whore. And lady, who wants to learn your crappy specialty anyway."
Before Bailey could splutter anything, Karev was out of there. Cristina slunk away. O'Malley ducked and scrambled down the hall. Bailey marched with aplomb on the center stripe to her next patient. Addison turned to Mark and let his arms wrap around her in comfort.
I didn't mean it like it sounded, she thought. She was just miserable and jealous. She snorted. Like Meredith Grey had been.
Well that changed, maybe I can too, she thought, seeing again the miracle look on Derek's face and the beautiful girl beside him. Mark hugged her closer and murmured gently to her. Addison laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes.