Thanks again guys for all the comments!

Maddie

Disclaimer: I can only wish I owned it.

--

Dont stand so close to me by the Police

Temptation, frustration
So bad it makes him cry
Wet bus stop, shes waiting
His car is warm and dry

Dont stand, dont stand so
Dont stand so close to me

--

Sometimes, things just don't go the way we wished they did. For Mr. Robinson, this was true.

"Mer?" he asked again, as they continued rinsing their hands after the surgery. He had been asking her over and over again and she had just starred down at her hands, watching the water cascade back into the sink.

He had to do something. He couldn't let her stay in here, as nurse after nurse past through, giving them both strange looks. So he grabbed the paper towel to his left and lifted her hands out of the sink, beginning to dry them for her. She didn't fight him.

He threw away the paper towel, still holding her hands as he brushed past a few interns waiting outside, and dragged her into an on call room.

"Mer?"

She starred up at him as tears threatened to fall from her gorgeous green eyes. "Yeah." she whispered, starring back down at the ground.

"Hey, hey. Look at me." he instructed her, as he cupped her chin in his hands, and stared into her eyes once again.

"I got my hopes up." she sighed.

"Hmm." he nodded, now saddened by her expression.

"I just.. I really want.. I believe this can work."

"It will." he said warmly.

She shook her head, "You don't know that."

"But I believe it too Mer. I think this can work." he said as he ran his palm across her cheek, picking up a stray tear that had fallen out of her eye. "We're not giving up."

"Okay." she breathed. "Oh.. Okay." She said, as her breathing settled back down to normal. "I'm okay." she sighed, as she lifted her head while Derek continued to massage her cheek and green clashed with blue.

She couldn't tear her eyes away as they continued to stare at one another. For a moment, she saw the same boy from years ago. He rubbed her cheek as he palmed the underside of her chin and tilted his gaze downward.. to her lips. She let out a sharp breath as she unconciously licked her lips. She felt his hand brush hers and slowly, they got closer.

Too close. Meredith thought as she pulled away. "So we should.. ah.."

"Right." he nodded. "Inform the family. I can do it."

"Derek, seriously, I'm okay." she sighed.

"I don't mind Mer." he smiled. "Oh but I did want to ask you something." he said enthusiastically, returning to his normal, flirty side. "I ah- I got a dog."

"You did?" she smiled slightly, rubbing the remains of tears off her cheek.

"Mm hmm. And I was wondering- well your off in the morning tomorrow right?"

"Yeah I um.. yeah I'm off till11."

"Me too!" he gleamed. "Would you want to walk him with me?"

"'Him'?" she laughed.

He grinned as they began walking out of the on call room. "Yeah I sort of havn't named him yet.. Maybe you can help me choose one."

She smiled as they walked down the hall. "Okay, what time?"

"Well I was thinking early, but if you would rather sleep in-"

"No early's good."

"Okay, 7ish? I'll give you directions tonight.. it's not the closest." he laughed.

"Okay." she grinned as her pager went off and she ran down the opposite hallway.

"And she's off!" he laughed and then picked up his patients chart from the nurses station, already excited for tomorrow. Maybe this friendship could work after all.

GAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGA

"Where have you been?" Cristina asked, pacing down the hallway to catch up with her.

"Hey to you to." Meredith sighed.

"Sorry. Hi, how are you? Now seriously, why havn't I seen you in the past few days?"

"I've um.. been busy."

"A huh."

"Yeah.. Big clinical trial patient today. Didn't go so well.. but we learned more so.. so that's good."

"Oh yeah?" Cristina nodded. "What happened?"

"Oh! Well-"

"Meredith you're avoiding me!" Cristina groaned.

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"No I- you asked about our clinical trial thing and I was just going to fill you in."

"Because you're avoiding! Ever since we talked last week you've been acting funny." Cristina sighed.

"Cristina, seriously I'm fine!" Meredith groaned and turned left, heading down the other hallway.

"Dr. Grey." Addison smiled.

Oh great, of course I'd run into her. "Dr. Montgomery." she nodded.

"Dr. Yang." she acknowledged. "I was actually looking for you Dr. Grey.. Meredith?"

"Um.. yeah Meredith is okay." Meredith nodded, completely confused by this woman's forwardness.

"Oh okay, well then it's Addison." she smiled brightly.

"Oh.. okay."

"What time do you come in tomorrow?"

"I um.. I'm sorry?" Meredith asked now completely confused as Cristina simply stood there, not knowing where to go.

Addison laughed lightly, "When do you come in here for work?"

"Oh!" she nodded, now feeling completely stupid. "I um.. 11. I don't have a surgery till later but I have a meeting with a trial patient at 11:30 so 11."

"Okay. Would you want to have lunch tomorrow?"

"Lunch?"

"Yes."

"With.. with you?"

"Yes. Well, Dr. Yang you're welcome to come too."

Cristina smirked, "Actually I have a surgery so no can do."

"Um.. Cris- Dr. Yang, are you sure? I believe I heard that was cancelled." she pretended to smile at Addison as she nudged her friend lightly.

"Hmm.. nope. It's still on. I'm sure the wife would go bonkers if we didn't get him into surgery for his new valve."

"So, is that a yes Dr. Grey?" Addison asked.

"I ah.. yeah. Yeah that should be fine."

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow. I should be here by noon. I'm staying pretty close. At the Archfield.. I think that's what it's called."

This got Meredith's attention. Didn't Derek have a dog? How could he be staying there with a dog? "You're staying at the Archfield? Is that where Derek's living now?"

She rolled her eyes, "No he's with his land. All of his acres and acres of land. I couldn't stand it anymore." she said as her pager went off. "Okay, so I'll see you tomorrow Meredith."

"Yeah tomorrow." she whispered as Addison walked away.

"Oh shut up. And you definitely don't have a surgery tomorrow." said Meredith at Cristina who was laughing slightly.

"Oh come on Mer, I couldn't resist. Have fun with that by the way." Cristina said as she began walking down the other hallway.

"I am going to kill you now, you know that right?" Meredith yelled.

"Well, that's what you get for avoiding!" she yelled back.

Meredith watched as her friend turned the corner and was out of sight and she began to think. So Derek was inviting her over tomorrow morning and Addison didn't live there? Did Addison even know she was going over to see Derek? She supposed not, otherwise she probably would have said something. Not that there was anything to say, she was just going over to walk his dog.

But it was just going to be her and Derek. Just the two of them on his land. Did he have a house? A boat? She didn't really know, but now she was a little fightened. Why couldn't Addison stand living there anymore? All that privacy.. all that land... it sounded amazing.

So a whole morning with Derek tomorrow. That would be nice.. or rather interesting. She just hoped.. well no, he wouldn't. He wouldn't bring it up, would he? Because the last thing she wanted to do was talk about that day. Talk about what she said. There was nothing he could say to make it better. He hadn't said anything. He had let her walk away 17 years ago.

--