"Christina!" Meredith could hear the panic in her own voice. "Please come help me. He's coming in forty minutes, and I don't have anything to wear!"

"What have you been doing for the past hour?"

"Trying to find something to wear! Please come."

"Fine. But you better a least have some options by the time I get there."

"I don't have anything."

"Pull out every dress you own. I'll be there in ten minutes."

"Thanks." Meredith hung up on Christina's grumbling response, and snapped her phone shut, tossing it on the bed.

Going to her closet again, she pushed through her clothes, and, following Christina's advice, pulled out every dress she owned. "Dammit," she muttered when she reached the end of her supply. None of them seemed right for "dinner with a friend."

Why did I say yes? She knew why. She had been on a surgical high. He had let her perform a rather advanced procedure on her own, and her misery had temporarily disappeared. Now she was too panicked to be angry, but she knew that she should be. He had taken advantage of her, and was making it awfully hard for her to be mad at him. Especially since you love him, said the nasty little voice in the back of her head. Alex's words have been turning over in her head all day. He was right, Derek made her happy.

"Meredith?!"

"Oh, thank God," she said aloud. "I'm up here!"

"Tell me again why we're doing this." Christina started as soon as she walked in the room. "I thought you were done with him."

"We're friends. Friends go to dinner."

"Right. I'm your person, you don't have to lie to me."

"Whatever. I need a dress though." Panic set in again. She had half an hour to get ready.

"Okay, okay." She started sorting through the pile on Meredith's bed. "Too slutty, too hideous, skany, maybe, no, too formal, hum, slutty. Wow, you would be set if you wanted to look like a whore."

"Yeah. Well, I don't tonight. I told you I don't have anything."

"I think this is your best option." She held up a simple red dress. It was off the shoulders, with a scoop neck, and fell to the knees.

"You think?" Meredith was doubtful. "It just doesn't seem quite right."

"Well, do you what to wear this one?" Christina asked sarcastically, holding up a blue dress cut so low Meredith didn't think she could go through an evening without spilling out of it, and with a slit up the side that went to the top of the thigh. "You were a slut in college, weren't you?"

"Shut up." Meredith grabbed the red dress out of Christina's hand, and went into the bathroom.

She came out a moment later. "What do think?"

"That's hot. Wear it."

"Yeah, I guess so. It's better on." She held out the skirt and looked down at the dress.

"Ok, great. Now you have fifteen minutes to do your hair and makeup."

"Oh God! I hadn't even thought of that. How should I do my hair?" Panic set in again, and she began to pull her fingers through her hair.

"With that dress? Definitely down and straighten." Christina's voice was calm and confident, and Meredith was reminded why she had called her person to help with this emergency.

Christina took over from that point, and Meredith willingly let her. Christina pulled out the straightener, though Meredith could fathom how she could have known where is was. As soon as it was hot she made Meredith kneel, and straightened her hair for her.

When she was done, Meredith stood up, and looked in the mirror on the back of the door. She actually did look nice, though a little too hot for dinner with a friend. Her dress hugged her body in just the right way, accenting her curves, rather than hiding them. Christina had done a great job with her hair, and it framed her face, and golden highlights in it shinning.

"Thank you so much, Christina." If it was anyone else Meredith would have hugged them. After all, Christina had gotten her from a panicked mess, to looking great.

"Whatever it takes to get you back with McDreamy."

"Hey, I told you . . ."

Christina cut her off. "I know, you're just friends. Get your makeup touched up. He'll be here any second."

Meredith was following Christina's instructions when the doorbell rang. She jumped, smearing mascara below her eye.

"Dammit. Can you get that? Tell him I'll be right down."

As Meredith fixed her makeup, she could hear Christina and Derek talking though couldn't distinguish the words. The thought of Christina alone with him, presumably talking about her, was concerning, so she rushed to finish getting ready.

She left the bathroom, and was about to head down the stair when she glimpsed her bare feet. Crap. I need shoes.

"Christina! Can you come here for a second?" For Derek's sake she kept the panic out of her voice.

She heard Christina mutter something to Derek before coming up the stairs.

"I don't have any shoes."

"You are hopeless. Haven't you ever gone out before?"

"Not on an hour's notice," she said defensively.

Christina shook her head mockingly. "Do you have any bronze sandals?"

"Umm. Maybe." Meredith dug through her closet for a moment before coming up with a pair. They were cute and dainty, actually perfect for the dress, though Meredith never would have thought of them without Christina.

"Good. Put them on, and get your ass downstairs sometime today."

Finally ready, Meredith walked down the stairs. Derek was standing there, looking incredibly hot in his good-looking red shirt, and black dress pants. She felt her breath catch, and took a moment to stare, taking advantage of the fact that he hadn't noticed her yet. We could be happy.

"I'm ready," she announced once she found her voice.

"Meredith. You look beautiful." He smiled at her, and handed her a bouquet of bright summer flowers.

"Oh, thanks." She buried her nose in them, appreciating the smell and the gesture.

When she looked up, she caught him staring at her with wanton desire. Their eyes met, and she melted. In that moment, she promised herself a big reward if she could make it through the night without having sex with him. She wasn't sure what the reward would be, but quickly realized it didn't really matter. There was no way she'd be to do it.

AN: So this chapter's a little boring, but the next one is their date, so that should be good. I don't have much to say about this one. Meredith knows Derek manipulated her, but still wants to go out with him, and now thinks they'll have sex before the end of the evening. She still doesn't trust him though, so we'll have to see where the evening goes. The more reviews I get, the more inspired I will be.