Disclaimer: Not mine.

A/N: Thank you all for your lovely and kind reviews! I truly appreciate all of them. I may update this chapter with a second author's note later, so feel free to leave any questions or comments and I will try and answer them! (now updated at the end of the chapter)


Truth Doesn't Make a Noise

Meredith (voiceover): Secrets. Lies. The bitter truth. It's what Lifetime original movies are made of.

Alex's room. He is in bed. He stirs and wakes. He rolls over and sees that he is alone. He turns back to his side of the bed and opens the door of his bedside table. He pulls out the check from his mother and studies it.

Meredith (VO): But here's a simple difference between life and fiction. When it comes to truth, there's not always some shocking confession involved. Most of the truth, as we know it, comes from our own intuition.

Callie's room at Seattle Grace. Callie is sitting on the bed in regular clothes. On her wrist is her hospital band. She is staring into space and fiddling with her wedding ring. She snaps out of it and looks towards the door.

Twelve hours ago

Meredith's kitchen. Addison is sitting at the counter in an oversized University of Iowa sweatshirt, reading to newspaper and nursing a cup of coffee. Izzie enters in her pajamas.

Izzie: Where's Alex?

Addison: (looks up) Asleep.

Izzie walks over to the coffee pot and pours herself a cup. She takes a sip and swallows.

Izzie: Okay, so is this supposed to be weird? I mean, I'm living in a house with my ex boyfriend and having breakfast with his new girlfriend. That's weird, right?

Addison: I'm just kind of going with it.

Izzie nods and looks around.

Addison: If you don't mind me asking, uh, what's Alex's relationship with his family? He doesn't talk about them much.

Izzie frowns and opens her mouth to speak. Alex enters in pajama pants and a black tank top. He walks up behind Addison and puts his hands on her shoulders. Addison wriggles out of her chair.

Addison: Um, I should go get dressed.

Addison exits. Alex gives Izzie a weird look. He walks around her and gets a cup of coffee and then stands next to her.

Alex: This is weird.

Izzie: Just go with it.

Coffee cart at Seattle Grace. Meredith and Cristina have gotten their coffee and are putting lids on their cups. They start to walk.

Meredith: (looks at Cristina) So…

Cristina: Meredith, I'm fine. I'm cool, calm, I have closure. I'm thrusting forward (pumps fist).

Meredith: (raises her eyebrows) Uh...good. That's good.

George enters, carrying a tray of coffee and a brown paper bag.

George: Hey guys.

Meredith: Hi George.

Cristina: What's up?

George: Nothing. Just bringing Callie some breakfast.

Cristina: They serve breakfast at the hospital.

George: I know. But the scrambled eggs and stale toast can get old after a while.

Cristina: Whatever. I'm gonna go find Shepherd. Hopefully someone cracked their skull open this morning.

Cristina exits.

George: Burke left, for real? (Meredith nods) She seems to be her normal self. That's good, right?

Meredith: Well, she's um…thrusting. (George looks at her oddly) Okay, I'm this way (points with her coffee).

George: I'm up two floors. See you.

George and Meredith exit in opposite directions.

Locker room. Meredith and Izzie are changing.

Izzie: Have you noticed that Alex is the only one who's getting some regular sex around here? I find that oddly disturbing.

Meredith: Not if you think about it. I mean, George's wife has cancer, Cristina was left at the alter, and I am making a conscious effort towards self-discovery. You, I don't know. Why aren't you having sex?

Izzie: It's not that I don't want to, and it's not that I haven't had the opportunity, it's just…

Meredith: Now you're starting to sound like me. Sex doesn't have to equate to a relationship, Iz. If you want it, just go get some.

Meredith exits. Izzie sits down on the bench, looking pensive.

Flashback (night of Chief's party)

Joe's bar. Izzie and Mark are seated in a booth. Izzie is laughing. They each have a bottle of beer and there is a bowl of peanuts between them.

Izzie: I can't believe that's how you and Derek met. (pauses to giggle) And you were totally naked?

Mark: Yep. (grins and takes a swig of beer)

Izzie smiles and pops a peanut into her mouth. Mark leans across the table.

Mark: (in a low voice) As fun as it is exchanging stories from medical school, how about we take this back to my hotel room.

Izzie looks at him wide-eyed. Then she bursts out laughing. Mark looks confused. Izzie covers her mouth with her hand.

Izzie: (between laughs) Oh! Oh god no. I'm sorry. It's not gonna happen.

Mark: (stunned) Well, I didn't anticipate this reaction.

Izzie grabs her purse and coat. She is still smiling.

Izzie: I'm sorry. I should really get going. See you at work, Doctor Sloan.

Mark turns and watches her go. He turns back and grabs a passing waitress by the strap of her tank top.

Mark: (gruffly) Another beer.

End Flashback

Callie's room. Callie is in bed. Addison is pacing around the room.

Callie: So the point –

Addison: (stops and looks at Callie) The point is that he has said nothing about it! I am sleeping with him on a regular basis –

Callie: - which some might consider a relationship –

Addison: - and he can't even tell me he's received a check for one hundred-thousand dollars from an estranged family member. (She resumes pacing)

Callie: Maybe he has a bad relationship with his family and doesn't want to talk about it.

Addison: Who doesn't have a bad relationship with their family? (sits down in a chair) I can't believe I'm doing this again! I don't have time to do this, the immature relationship stuff. (puts her head in her hands)

Callie: You're doing it right now.

Addison: (lifts her head up) Huh?

Callie: You're talking to me when you should be talking to Karev.

Addison: (brushes off her skirt and stands) You're right. You're totally right. Okay, well, I'm gonna go. I've gotta get over to the hospital I'm actually supposed to be working at. But you're getting discharged today, okay? I signed the papers, and the nurses should take care of the rest by this evening. Just make sure you let them know what you plan to do about follow-up treatment.

Addison takes Callie's hand and squeezes it. The two women smile at each other. Addison exits. George appears in the doorway. He smiles and holds up the paper bag and tray of coffee. He enters and kisses Callie on top of the head. She smiles. He begins to open the paper bag.

Surgical board. Cristina is standing in front of the board, studying it. She frowns. Derek enters and stands beside her.

Derek: There don't seem to be any neurosurgical cases, do there?

Cristina: No sir. What do we do?

Derek: Well, I'm leaving. It's very rare I get a day off. You're welcome to do the same, just don't let Bailey know I let you go.

Derek smiles and exits. Cristina continues to frown.

Hallway. Meredith exits a patient's room, reading over a chart. Cristina is waiting for her outside, looking frantic.

Meredith: What's up?

Cristina: Let me in on one of your cases.

Meredith: What?

Cristina: There are no neuro cases scheduled. None. I need a case.

Meredith: Does this have to do with the thrusting?

Cristina: Yes. What do you got?

Meredith: Well, I have a hernia repair scheduled in an hour. You want it?

Cristina: The board said there was a Whipple at noon.

Meredith: (grins) Yeah. The Whipple's mine. Sorry, I'm not giving it up, no matter how hard you thrust.

Meredith exits. Cristina scowls.

Nurse's station. Derek enters and walks across the room. He is in his regular clothes, and appears to be leaving the hospital. He looks across the room. Camera turns to show Meredith and Peter talking. Meredith is smiling and laughing. Camera cuts back to Derek, who smiles sadly and exits.

Outside elevators. Addison is waiting, holding her briefcase in one hand. Alex enters and is about to pass by when he notices her standing there.

Alex: Hey.

Addison: (turns, eyes wide) Oh, hey.

Alex: Callie's getting discharged today?

Addison: Yeah.

Alex: (cocks his head to the side) You okay? You're acting weird.

Addison: (smiles) No, I'm fine. All good. Um, I have to go, but I'll see you later, okay?

Addison enters the elevator. She turns and waves at Alex. The doors close. Alex frowns.

Patient room. Izzie and Peter are standing beside the bed of a young male patient. He appears to have very long limbs.

Peter: Doctor Stevens, go ahead.

Izzie: Arthur Crane, twenty-six years old. Admitted this morning for unusual heart palpitations. Arthur was diagnosed with Marfan syndrome six years ago. This is his fourth visit to the hospital in last six months.

Arthur: (to Izzie) Well, you are very thorough.

Izzie smiles.

Peter: Arthur, Doctor Stevens is going to run some tests. We'll try to find whatever is causing these irregular heart beats and fix it.

Arthur: Thank you. (turns to Izzie) Guess you're stuck with me all day, huh? (waggles his eye brows)

Izzie laughs.

Arthur: What's so funny?

Izzie: (shakes her head) You remind me of someone.

Hallway. Peter exits a patient's room. He looks up and sees Cristina coming his way.

Peter: Hello. Lovely day, isn't it?

Cristina looks at him with disgust and continues walking. Peter shrugs.

Outside elevators. Izzie, dressed in scrubs, is waiting. An elevator door opens to reveal Mark dressed in his leather jacket. Izzie looks around to see if anyone is watching. Mark smirks and exits the elevator as Izzie gets on. Mark grabs her arm as they pass. He pulls her close and brings his mouth up to her ear.

Mark: I'm promising you, right now, that one day you won't be laughing when I ask you up to my hotel room.

Izzie bites her lip. Mark lets go of her arm and she gets on the elevator. As the doors begin to close, she smiles to herself.

Camera pans to George, mouth hanging open, having witnessed the entire exchange.

Callie's room. Callie is in bed and looking frustrated. George is pacing around the room. Meredith is sitting in the corner of the room eating a sandwich and watching George.

George: He…accosted her in an elevator. And she liked it!

Meredith: George, I know she's your friend and you worry about her, but Mark's really not such a bad guy. Besides, the last person she had sex with was Alex. Can you blame her for wanting to have a little fun?

George turns to Meredith and stares at her for a moment, mouth open slightly.

George: I can't believe you're supporting this!

Meredith: I can't believe you're reacting this way. If Izzie wants some sex, it's really none of our business.

George: She's making poor decisions, and –

Callie: Okay, honey? How about a new subject? Let's talk about what we're gonna do when I get out of here.

George: I just…I think one of us should talk to her.

George sighs and looks out the window. Meredith looks at him with confusion, and then looks over at Callie. Callie's expression is sad.

CT scanning room. Izzie watches Arthur being submerged in the machine through a window. A nurse is seated at a computer next to Izzie. Meredith enters.

Meredith: Iz?

Izzie: (turns to face Meredith) Yeah?

Meredith: Are you, um, having sex? With Mark?

Izzie: What? No. Absolutely not.

Meredith: I don't mean it like that. It wouldn't be a bad thing if you were, it's just, well, George said he saw the two of you together…

Izzie: George did?

Meredith: It's none of my business. I just wanted to warn you. He's a little spastic.

Izzie: (half-smiles) Oh, okay. Thanks.

Meredith smiles at Izzie, turns and exits. Izzie frowns and turns back to watch Arthur.

Hallway. Izzie is pushing Arthur's bed.

Arthur: So what did you find?

Izzie: Well, Doctor Cohen will have to look at the labs before we make any proper diagnosis.

They continue down the hallway for a moment.

Arthur: I was having sex when the heart palpitations started. Actually I was…finishing. (Izzie looks around, uncomfortable) The truth is, I'm kind of a nymphomaniac. I've been having irregular heart beats every time I've had sex for the past month. The last time, though, it started to hurt real bad. I didn't want to come in because I was afraid you guys would tell me I couldn't have sex anymore.

Izzie nods to herself. Arthur looks embarrassed.

Cardio surgery office. Peter is seated at a computer. Meredith is seated in a chair next to him.

Peter: Is everyone here always so…abrasive?

Meredith: Yeah. You get used to it. (a beeping is heard) Oh, that's my pager. See you.

Meredith exits. After a moment, Izzie enters.

Izzie: I have Arthur Crane's test results, Doctor Cohen.

Izzie hands the papers to Peter. Peter studies them.

Izzie: He's worried that his condition is going to affect his sex life.

Peter: (looks up at Izzie) You and I both know, from these results, he'd got a lot more to worry about than that.

Pike Place Market in Seattle. Derek and Nora are walking down the sidewalk, eating soft serve ice cream.

Nora: Well, thanks for picking me up from school today. It was good for my students to see that I have some sort of a life.

Derek: (laughs) It was my pleasure.

Nora: So you've lived in Seattle for over a year, and you've never been to Pike Place?

Derek: (holds both hands up) Guilty.

Nora: (joking) Well, I must say that you're lucky you have me to open your eyes.

Derek: (serious) Yeah, I guess I am.

OR. Meredith and Richard are operating on a patient.

Richard: Alright, we've removed the distal segment of the stomach. How do we proceed, Doctor Grey?

Meredith: We now remove the gallbladder and the head of the pancreas, cutting away the tumor.

Richard: Very good.

Meredith smiles at Richard.

Arthur's OR. Peter and Izzie are operating on Arthur. A few other doctors are with them as well.

Peter: Alright. His aorta is severely dilated. We're going to insert a patch tube in the dilated area.

Izzie and Peter continue to work. Suddenly, a jet of blood hits Peter in the chest.

Izzie: His aorta's ruptured!

Peter: Apply pressure, Doctor Stevens.

Nurse: He's flat lining!

Peter: Keep applying pressure.

Izzie: He's bleeding out!

The beeping of the machine stops. A steady noise is heard, but there is no other sound in the room. Camera shows the screen, indicating that Arthur has no heartbeat. Peter puts down his tools. He pulls down his surgical mask.

Peter: Time of death -

Callie's room at Seattle Grace. Callie is sitting on the bed in regular clothes. On her wrist is her hospital band. She is staring into space and fiddling with her wedding ring. She snaps out of it and looks towards the door. George appears.

George: Ready to go?

Callie: Yeah.

George moves to grab her bag, which is sitting on the floor. Callie doesn't move.

Callie: George.

George: (looks up) What? (studies her face) What is it? (sits down on the bed next to Callie)

Callie: I want a divorce.

George: What? Where is this coming from?

Callie: I know. (after a long pause, George opens his mouth to speak) I don't want your apologies, George. I'm going back to the hotel tonight, by myself, and tomorrow I'd like it if you'd come and pick up your things.

George: Aren't we going to talk about this?

Callie: (swallows) There's nothing to talk about. Goodbye George.

Callie picks up her bags and exits. George watches her go. He looks down at the bed where Callie was seated and sees her wedding ring resting on the blanket. He looks back up towards the door. His expression is both sad and slightly relieved.

Meredith (voiceover): Intuition acts as some self-preservation force, alerting us when something isn't quite right.

Nurse's station. Izzie is seated at the counter, looking at Arthur's file. She looks up.

Meredith (VO): Warning us -

Hotel hallway. Izzie enters, moving purposefully down the hallway. She is dressed in her regular clothes, jeans and a cardigan. She stops at a door. She hesitates, then knocks. The door opens to reveal Mark, a white towel wrapped around his waist. He looks confused. Izzie drops her purse, wraps her arms around him and kisses him. They move backwards into Mark's room. The door shuts.

Meredith (VO): - so that when something good comes into our lives, we hold onto it for dear life.

Outside a front door (presumably Nora's). Nighttime. Derek is walking Nora to the door. She rummages in her purse for her key as Derek watches her face. She retrieves the key and moves to give Derek a hug. As they are pulling apart, Derek continues to hold her close. Nora looks up at his face. Derek smiles slightly, and leans down to kiss Nora softly on the lips.

Meredith (VO): And letting us know when we need to get out before we get hurt.

A deserted parking lot. Nighttime. Addison and Alex are lying side by side on the hood of Alex's old Pontiac. Their arms are crossed behind their heads and they are looking up at the sky. Addison turns her head to study Alex's face for a few moments, and then looks up again.

Meredith (VO): Intuition lets us know the truth about the truth; that it doesn't need to be spoken to tell us what was really there all along.

Meredith's house. Nighttime. Meredith appears from the inside. She looks through the door, frowns, and begins to undo the locks and latches. She opens the door. The camera turns to reveal George standing there with a duffle bag. Meredith looks down at the bag, and steps aside to let George enter.

Grey's Anatomy


Music from this episode:

Mosquitoes "Boombox"

Bloc Party "Blue Light" (Derek and Nora's date and the surgeries)

Regina Spektor "Samson" (ending scenes, beginning with Callie leaving George at the hospital)


A/N 2: Thanks again for the lovely reviews!

Just to clarify, Peter and Meredith are not a couple. As gorgeous as Peter is, he is lacking some social skills, and I thought it was important to pair him up with someone that could kind of "show him the ropes" of Seattle Grace. Plus, I think Meredith could use some fresh perspective...

I do try to keep the dialogue as real to the characters as possible. That's the main difficulty with writing scripts; I have to let you guys know how the characters are feeling through their dialogue and actions. So I'm very very glad that you think I'm staying with these characters!

Lastly, there's George and Callie. I picked the song "Samson" for the ending because it always reminds me of their relationship. If you know the song, you know what I mean. For instance, the scene where Callie cuts George's hair. And I do believe that those two love each other very much, but I think that Callie has turned herself into "that girl", the one who pines and lets go of her pride to be with the man she loves. But she knows that Izzie and George were together without having been told, and I think that's about all her pride can take. So she maintained her dignity the best that she could and walked away.