"We could discuss the details concerning your job, your responsibilities… let's say… while having lunch?" Derek flashed his notorious smile, cocking his head to one side.

"I-" Meredith looked into his eyes and felt unable to deny him anything in that second. It would be a good first step. Why not…? That's why… Her gaze travelled over Derek's shoulder to two nurses that were standing behind the counter. As soon as Meredith's eyes settled on them, they turned their heads pretending to be looking for something.

So, that's how it was going to be? All over again? No, she wasn't going to allow it. She was a responsible person, a responsible mother! Bess won't ever have to blush because of me, I will not be remembered as a slutty intern!

"I'm sorry, but… we… we shouldn't be seen together in public-"

Derek raised his eyebrows.

"I mean; we will be seen together in public… obviously…. Because we're going to work together-"

Damn it! She was rambling again…

"Meredith," started Derek, the corners of his lips twitching slightly.

"Derek," she interrupted bossily. "I know I'm the topic number one of the hospital gossip right now. And… I don't want to fuel it additionally by showing off with you in the cafeteria, basically, in front of everyone!"

"We can eat outside-"

"You reckon leaving hospital together would look any better?"

"It's just talking Meredith," sighed Derek.

"For you, maybe," Meredith was unyielding. "But not for me; it's not just talking. I've built a reputation over the last years; I'm not going to ruin it and get back to the point of being a slutty… whatever-"

Derek looked hurt; maybe she was too harsh…

"Maybe," her voice was placatory. "Maybe, we could have something to eat at your office?"

**********************************************************************************

"Stop looking so surly, you'll get wrinkles," said Alex throwing himself on a gurney in the basement. "Still mad at Meredith?"

"Not at Meredith," replied Izzie from the wheelchair she was occupying. "At George; he's just asked if Meredith's going to be our attending."

"Hmmm, you're right. I already see myself scrubbing in on some kick-ass surgery."

"She has to treat us just like other residents," reminded George.

Alex shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't think she'll have any problem with treating us just like other people. She has been doing just that for years," said Izzie tetchily.

"Why are you getting so hot under the collar?" inquired Cristina climbing on the gurney next to George's.

"She's just jealous, Yang," smirked Alex. "She's green with envy. Grey's been having a meteoric rise in her career and we've been rotting here."

"It's not jealousy!" shrieked Izzie. "I'm surprised how you guys are so eager to receive her with arms wide open." She shot up from the wheelchair kicking it against the wall. "She's back here in all the glory as if nothing had happened, as- George, as if your- as if he hadn't-" Izzie brought a hand to her forehead pushing the fringe away. She tried to ease her breathing.

"Izzie?" started George tentatively. He was really worried about Izzie. She wasn't herself those last few days.

"Not a word," whispered Izzie and hurried out of the basement. "Not a word!"

"She's lost it," commented Alex , unaffected.

However, Cristina was sure she finally understood why Meredith's return so clearly bothered Izzie.

**********************************************************************************

Meredith took a chair in front of the Derek's desk. She was starting to regret trading the cafeteria for his office. She hadn't taken into consideration that they would be very much alone…

Derek came into the office and placed a tray in front of Meredith

"Chicken and fries for you, salad for me." He sat behind the desk, face to face with Meredith, smiling at her.

"Thanks," she gave him a small smile of her own and pointed at his bowl. "Still a health nut, huh?"

"Some things don't change," he grinned, only to look at her rather nostalgically, "other do."

"So, I'm curious myself," Derek broke the silence, playfulness returning to his features. "Why did you go into neuro; since we both know that your previous answer's not exactly accurate?"

Meredith huffed and with greeted teeth, "It is accurate; ok, partly accurate. Have never punctured a brain with my nail, have I? But if you're so curious, it was a natural choice. Remember my very first patient here? Katie Bryce, teenage girl with aneurysm?"

Derek nodded.

"I felt such a high then…" she relieved the feeling in her memory.

"I remember," said Derek softly.

"And no other specialty could give me that excitement."

"Meredith, why did you le-"

"Enough of the sentimental stuff," Meredith sensed that their conversation was sailing into dangerous waters. "Back to my job, the Chief really explained all the major things but I'd like to talk about my clinical trial. Since you're the head of my department, I am supposed to show you the project." She took out a neat pile of documents out of her bag and handed it to Derek.

"Yes, I heard from the Chief; he was very enthusiastic about it." Contrary to Derek, who had hoped to linger more on personal issues rather than professional. He sighed and began studying the papers. "What's your objective?"

"Treating inoperable tumors," said Meredith passionately. The trial was her baby, a fruit of diligent research and many hours in the laboratory. "In advance stadium or inconveniently localized."

"Through what procedure?" asked Derek, his professional curiosity rising.

"It has never been tested on humans. Basically, it involves injecting viral particles into the tumor. The virus's supposed to attack the malignant cells but not the normal tissue."

"Risky… But it certainly looks interesting…"

"Yeah, when d'you think I will be able to set it to work ?"

"I need to go through the rest of the documents and get the approval of the board-"

"The Chief said he'd take care of this," said hastily Meredith twirling her fingers out of a habit.

Derek chuckled, "You're impatient. Well, then, I don't think it will take too take long. As soon as the board give their nod, I'll make it public, so the patients can volunteer."

Derek gave her a long tender look shaking his head ever so lightly.

"What?" Meredith felt her body heat growing under his careful scrutiny.

"You amaze me," he spoke softly. "What have you been doing since you left?"

"I… It's a long story," she leapt of her chair. "It's a long story and I don't have much time. I need to see off Stacy and James, you know, the Warrens. They have their flight this afternoon. And I… I've gotta go, thanks for the lunch!" She picked up her bag hurriedly and turned towards the door.

"We could have dinner together, to catch up on things."

"I'm sorry, I really can't." Dinner? It was much too early for dinners… At this stage, they should have friendly non-committal conversations, not dinners! " I'm moving house tonight; lots of cleaning and unpacking."

"Do you need any help?" Derek was unrelenting.

"No, thank you. Cristina's already helping me."

Those were three not so subtle "no's" and Derek looked disappointed.

Meredith didn't know why she was so adamant. Maybe it was because her wounds were half-closed and she was scared of ripping them open. Maybe it was her lack of trust in him, or the fear of being vulnerable and broken-hearted again, maybe it was all about Bessie's happiness, or maybe it was a bit of everything.

"Meredith," his voice stopped her before she could press the door handle. "Why did you decide to stay?"

Her heart was beating so fast as though she had been running. Would she be able to tell him an outward lie?

"I was positive you'd choose Boston. I-" he hesitated. "What I said in the elevator, the other night, I really meant it-" At those words, Meredith's blood boiled. What an arrogant ass! She wasn't a rag to sweep the floor with, dumped away and picked up when he wished.

She rounded on him angrily, "Just who do you think you are? You think that when you say jump I ask how high? Surprise, surprise; nothing you said to me had any influence whatsoever on my decision! I chose to stay for my own personal reasons that are so not your business!"

She wasted no time to leave and almost crashed into Mark Sloan who was heading towards Derek's office.

"Dr. Grey," he said enthusiastically with exaggerated importance. "I haven't got the occasion to express my congratulations."

Meredith didn't even stop; she wasn't mad at Mark but she wanted to get out to fresh air as soon as possible.

"Hey, no welcome hug?" he shouted after her. "A regular 'hello' would be nice!"

"She's been here barely for an hour and you've already had a lovers' quarrel?" he said stepping into Derek' office and closing the door behind him. "You're lucky it's lunchtime, you'd make a scene."

"We weren't quarrelling, she was." Derek started pacing up and down.

"What did you do to set her off? Whoa, you're quick!" exclaimed Mark noticing the leftovers of their lunch. "You dragged her to your den to share intimate moments over a meal?"

"It wasn't my idea," snapped Derek. "She didn't want to be seen with me in the cafeteria-"

"So that she could have you all for herself? How could you blow it, man?" Mark scolded his friend who only rolled his eyes.

"Negotiating with a terrorist would be easier than five minutes' worth of conversation with her! One time, she's acting like a queen of flirt; the next, all I know is that she would stab me to death with a blunt scalpel!"

"Meaning she's in two minds about you, she's hesitating."

"I think it goes deeper than that," disagreed Derek with resignation. "She doesn't trust me; therefore, she doesn't want the things between us go beyond professional."

"Well, one thing, we know for sure," assured Mark with a confidence of an expert.

"What is that?"

"Trust me, you wouldn't like her to be all docile and polite. She yells at you – I say it's good. She wants to stub you with a blunt scalpel – also good. This way, you know she cares."

**********************************************************************************

At that precise moment, all Meredith cared to do was to get out of the hospital before she killed somebody on her way.

Big-headed egocentric arrogant asshole!She only regretted she didn't shove these epithets up his face.

She spotted Cristina talking to a tall guy in attending scrubs and directed herself towards them.

"Cristina, I'm going back to your apartment now. I'll pick up all my things and we'll meet at my place at about five, ok?" she blurted out.

"Ok… Meredith, is everything fine?" Cristina noticed her friend's flushed cheeks and abrupt manner.

"Yeah… Yes," assured Meredith. "Why shouldn't it be? I'm just in a hurry; have to be at the airport in two hours." She gave a reassuring smile to Cristina and the unknown man, acknowledging his presence for the first time. He had red hair and a pale rugged face.

Cristina was still eyeing Mer disbelievingly but felt obliged to make the presentation.

"Mer, it's Major Owen Hunt. Our, huh, recently appointed head of trauma. Dr. Hunt, Dr. Grey-"

"Cristina's best friend," finished for her Owen. "It's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you, too," answered back Meredith, looking quickly between him and Cristina as a certain suspicions crossed her mind.

She definitely seems a bit less Cristina-like… something's going on here…

"So, I'll see you later, Cristina. Dr. Hunt," with that she left Owen and Cristina to themselves.

"So, that was you person, Dr. Mc-"

"Out of the way!" sounded a voice and a harassed looking group of doctors and nurses pushing a gurney streamed passed them, stifling Owen's words.

"What did you just say?" Cristina was horrorstruck.

"Dr-"

"I heard! Ok, I heard! Just don't you ever repeat that! Where did you get that from?"

"The nickname? One of the interns, I guess," chuckled Owen

"Meredith will be furious. I can't believe she got nicknamed! It was our thing!"

"Which dumbass intern said that?" Cristina turned sharply to Hunt.

"Don't remember," he replied innocently.

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A.N. Hi! I have three occasions to celebrate:

We've just hit the round tenth chapter of the story! Forgive me for Meredith's current emotional unbalance, there are a lot of conflicting feelings in her at the moment and we all know she's not a exactly a decisive person. Next chapters will be devoted to healing.

The number of reviews went well over 100! Thanks a lot for your support, you guys rock!

And the last piece of news is that I have posted an all new story, which may not be the best idea as this one is not even close to the last full stop. Anyway, the new story is called "A force to be reckoned with" and it's a AU MERDER fic, only completely AU, not like "At the Edge…" which is only partly alternative.

As usual, read, enjoy and review, and I invite all that are interested and those who are not as well to read my new fic, cheers!