Disclaimer: So yesterday I had a conversation with my daughter about fanfics. The essence of the conversation was what if the actors and actresses are reading our fanfics about them? It's a scary thought isn't it? My daughter thinks it's funny…or she did until she remembered that some people write about the actors, sports players, what have you instead of the characters and then they insert themselves into the story and have…er, relations? With said actors etc. I'm telling you if I was reading a fic that someone else wrote about me and they had sex with me I'd be a bit squicked. Anyway, apologies but I will never write a self-insertion fic with a real person. Ever. Nope. Not happening. So you all are safe. Though if Alan Rickman or Eric Dane are reading this…PM me and I'll give you my phone number…maybe. JSo the character aren't mine, I'm just playing in their sandbox.
Gossip
Harry sat on the hood of his Viper in the hospital employee parking lot and hummed a nameless tune under his breath. He hated being up this early. Brought back far too many memories but Mer had asked and he'd never been able to turn down a pretty girl.
"I told you to become a banker. They get to sleep late, not work crazy hours and they play in money all day."
"Shut up, Dray," Harry muttered.
The sunrise was pretty though. The clouds littering the sky sent the rays off into a full spectrum of incredible colors. He rarely took the time to appreciate the beauty in a sunrise anymore. Sunrise simply meant another day of being alone. Another day without her. The grief wasn't as biting as it had been but it still hurt like an open wound and probably always would.
"Harry?" Meredith's soft voice interrupted his maudlin musings. "You awake?"
Harry turned his head away from the sunrise to take in her concerned face. "Nope," he buried the grief beneath a veneer of cheeriness. "Five thirty is bloody early, duckie and as I live on the other side of town four is even bloody earlier."
Meredith let out a laugh and leaned against the car next to him. "Isn't it always?" She asked curiously.
Harry hopped off the hood and stretched his arms over his head. "I wouldn't know. I haven't been up this early in…years." He shuddered at the thought and tossed an arm over her shoulders in a half hug. "I got that nasty coffee you like," he informed her and guided her to the passenger door. "I'll drive you out there and then we can come back for your car or I can drop you at home and pick you up for your next shift, whichever you prefer."
Meredith laughed again and shook her head at him. "Just because you prefer tea doesn't mean coffee is nasty. And bring me back here. I need to make a grocery run later…after I nap."
"Whatever my lady wishes," Harry gently closed the door after her and strode around the car.
GA/HP GA/HP GA/HP
Harry glanced around the brightly lit visiting room. Meredith had chosen an excellent place to house her mother. Ellis had freedom of movement without being alone at any time. There were nurses and orderlies stationed in each room.
The entire place had more of a feeling of someone's house than a nursing home. Harry rather liked it. He stayed back in the shadows as Meredith talked to her mother for a bit and then she motioned him forward.
"Mom, do you remember Dr. Potter?" Meredith asked gently. "We met him in Boston about five years ago."
Ellis turned confused eyes on him and then they narrowed dangerously. Harry was a bit shocked to realize how much Meredith looked like her mother when they were angry. "Of course I remember that thieving bastard," Ellis hissed. "Tried to steal my laprosopic method before I got it published. But I showed him. Let you out of jail early did they?"
Harry took a seat beside Meredith and shook his head. "I think you have me confused with someone else, Dr. Grey," he told her politely. "I was just a child when you invented the Grey method."
Ellis' eyes went confused again and she shook her head before focusing on Meredith. "I'm tired," she announced. "I have an early surgery in the morning and you know I don't like it when you bring your boyfriends to the house, Meredith. You are the most insensitive, uncaring, ungrateful daughter a mother has ever been saddled with. Send him home. I'm going to bed and you have homework."
Meredith nodded and gave her mother a soft smile. "Okay Mom. I'll see you tomorrow then. Sleep well." She stood up and Harry rose to his feet next to her.
"It was good to see you again, Dr. Grey," Harry said politely. "I hope we can discuss your work in more depth later."
Ellis slanted him an angry look. "I do not discuss my job with my daughters numerous loser boyfriends. Get out of my house."
Harry took Meredith's elbow in his hand and pulled her from the room. He could tell from the tenseness of her shoulders that she had not enjoyed this visit with her mother. He wondered if she ever enjoyed the visits and decided that with Ellis' temperament there was no way her daughter liked spending time with her. And yet she did it anyway and quite often if the familiarity the staff treated her with was any indication.
He was amazed at Meredith's strength. Just how much crap could life throw at a person before it overwhelmed them? He knew from personal experience that it wasn't easy when the universe took a dislike to you.
Meredith looked over at him as they walked to the Viper. "I'd apologize for her but I think you were expecting that reaction more than I was."
Harry forced himself to give her a cheery smile. "No worries, ducks. Alzheimer's is harder on the family than it is the patient." He shrugged. "Or at least that's what I think."
GA/HP GA/HP GA/HP
"She's not doing as well as I'd hoped she would be," Harry commented as he once again held the door open for Meredith.
Meredith sighed. "I know. Me either." Her shoulders straightened though and she gracefully sat in the seat. "She has some good days though."
Harry mulled that over for a few minutes. They were already back on the road to the hospital when he finally spoke. "I'll look into alternative treatments if you want," he offered. "There's some new studies that I've been reading up on from Europe that might mitigate some of her dementia…no promises though."
Meredith grinned over at him. "I know that and it's fine. I trust you, Harry. You know her case as well as anyone."
Harry's lips quirked a bit. "Really?" He asked. "Miss Never Trust Anyone trusts me with her mother? Are you sick?"
Meredith reached over and shoved his shoulder lightly as he pulled onto the off ramp to the hospital. "I've always trusted you, Harry, and you know it. It's the rest of humanity that I don't trust."
Harry shook his head lightly. "I'm the last person to argue with you, duckie. I'm very trustworthy. But…the rest of the human race has its good points, you know." He didn't know why he was pressing this point with her. He wanted her to distrust Derek and yet he was supporting his case, in a roundabout way but it was still support.
Meredith shrugged. "Not in my experience," she argued without any real heat. "We've discussed this before. I think I'm doing well just to trust you, you know?"
Harry only sighed and shook his head again. "Mer…never mind. Wanna tell me what's up with you and Shepherd then?" He caught her sharp look from the corner of his eye. He ignored the cool breeze ruffling his hair as a matter of course. Draco's high pitched warnings were a bit harder to ignore but Harry had become practiced at it. "Rumors run this hospital and I've heard a few doozies about you already."
Meredith expelled a loud breath and crossed her arms over her chest. "Gossip is a nasty hobby, Dr. Potter," she muttered.
"She's right, Potter."
"I never said I sought it out or that I tell anyone what I accidentally hear," he protested. "I only said I heard some."
Meredith glared over at him. "Right. Seriously, Har, it's the same damn thing if your asking me about it. And there is nothing going on between me and Shepherd. Seriously. Nothing."
Harry nodded amiably and parked his Viper next to her Jeep. "Okay," he agreed. "So you didn't get drunk and sleep with a random guy that turned out to be your boss and now you're avoiding him because he doesn't want to just let it go. Whatever you say, duckie."
Meredith huffed and opened her door. "Fine. Yes, that's what happened. The all-knowing thing? Just as annoying as it was five years ago. Seriously." She stepped out of the car and leaned down to look at him. "And there is nothing happening between Shepherd and I any longer. I will not get involved with my boss. That's career suicide."
"Okay, okay," Harry placated her. "I believe you." He stepped out on his own side and leaned against the roof of his car. "Seriously, I believe you…just be careful, Mer. He's…well, he won't give up easy."
Meredith rolled her eyes but nodded all the same. "I will be. Promise. I really don't think starting a relationship with him would benefit me at all. Besides, he'd probably just break my heart anyway."
Harry shrugged and decided not to comment. "Go," he flapped a hand at her. "Shop, eat, sleep. I'll see you tomorrow. Some of us actually have to work today."
Meredith let out one of her light laughs and grinned at him. "Jealous Potter?"
Harry gave a put upon sigh. "Yes. You got me up at four freakin' o'clock in the morning to drive out to see your mum and now I have to work all day while you get to go home and sleep. I think I hate you."
Meredith merely grinned wider and turned to unlock her car. "Now you know how I felt when you got to go home the past two nights." She opened the car door and sat in the seat. "Be good, Potter." The car door slammed shut and Meredith waved as she started the car and backed out of the parking space.
"She doesn't know you nearly as well as she thinks she does," Draco commented from behind him.
Harry rolled his eyes and locked up his car. "Shut up, Dray," he muttered and headed into the hospital.
