"Dr
"Dr. Torres, thank you for inviting me to work on your team. I appreciate the opportunity," Palmer says to Callie.
"The pleasure is mine, Dr. Talbot. I hear the chief speaks very highly of you," Callie says with a welcoming smile. "I have many opportunities for you,"
"Thank you. I better go pull some charts and get started," Palmer says.
(Break)
"You did great, Iz. It's over. Let's go celebrate with some drinks at Joe's!"
"You know, I think I may actually feel like doing that," Izzy says.
"Do you mind if I call Christina? I know she gets off early tonight," Meredith says.
"That's fine," Izzy says.
(Break)
"Callie, Alex asked if we wanted to go to Joe's tonight. I told him I was game if you were," George says.
"Sounds good to me," Callie says, distractedly.
"Okay. See you later. Palmer's picking us up at 8," George says.
(Break)
Meredith and Izzy walk into Joe's, talking and laughing until their eyes fix on the table in front of them. The see Palmer telling an animated story, and Alex and George laughing, while Callie rests her arm on his shoulder.
"Let's go," Izzy whispers to Meredith.
"No. We have as much a right to be here as they do," Meredith says.
Just then, Christina walks in. She surveys the two tables and says, "Wow…this is awkward," then she sits next to Meredith. "Oh…just to warn you, McDreamy and McSteamy are heading down here too, with my wedding obsessed husband. When he gets here, can you just pretend I have been looking at invitations and asking your opinion?"
Before they can answer, Derek, Mark and Preston walk in.
They look from table to table until Mark says, "Wow…this is like being in high school, walking into the cafeteria and seeing your two girlfriends. Which one do you sit with?"
"Not that you'd know anything about that…" Derek quips.
Preston quietly leads them to the table where his fiancé sits.
They make small talk, as Izzy has trouble focusing. Her eyes keep wandering to Callie's arm on Palmer. She sees George's brow start to furrow.
"What is wrong with her? First she took my boyfriend and best friend, and now she even wants my rapist?" Izzy says out loud, to no one in particular.
"Cut her a break. She's a married woman. As if you didn't know that…" Christina says, her eyes on Callie.
"You know what…I don't think I want to stay here. He can have Joe's too." Izzy says, as she stands up to leave.
Meredith puts her hand on Izzy's shoulder. "Sit down. I'll be right back," she says.
Meredith walks over to Callie's table.
"Wow! When did Meredith grow a set?" Christina says to Derek.
"I have no idea…" he replies, smiling admiringly at Meredith.
"Callie, Meredith says, "Can I have a word with you?"
"Sure," Callie says, "If you'll excuse me for a moment, Palmer. I'll be back in a second!" she says with a flirtatious smile.
George scowls, and Alex says, "Woah man. What's up with wifey?"
"I have no idea." George says.
"Gotta get them better trained than that, Bambi!" Alex says, condescendingly.
"Callie, what the hell are you doing? I know you and Izzy have never been…" Meredith starts, once they are away from everyone.
"Stop. I know what you must be thinking. I believe her, Meredith. I think he did it," Callie begins as Meredith cuts her off.
"Of course he did it! That's what I've been trying to tell everyone. Why is it that…wait. Did you just say you think he did it? Then why are you…?" Meredith wonders as Callie cuts her off.
"Just trust me. I don't like Izzy, I don't want to be her friend. I wish she would go away and never come back, but I also have a sense of right and wrong. I think he's guilty, and I wouldn't like myself very much if I ignored that feeling I have." Callie's voice softens as she says her next sentence, "Besides, she's important to George."
"I don't understand. On one hand you hate Izzy, on the other hand you think he's guilty and on the third hand, which I know all of us surgeons think we should have, you are a married woman flirting with a rapist in a bar?" Meredith questions.
"I want to leave you out of this," Callie says. "Just trust that I am doing the right thing. And trust that your 'person' knows and approves of my methods."
Meredith looks over a Christina who keeps pretending not to be repeatedly glancing at Callie and Meredith.
"Ten bucks on Torres," Mark says.
"Twenty on Grey. You've never seen her angry," Derek replies.
"Anyone else want in on the action?" Mark says. "Come on Stevens…"
"I don't really think this is funny, Mark," Izzy says, pointedly.
"Christina and I aren't betting. We have a wedding to pay for," Preston says.
"Yes. I can't wait to order the flower bouquets," Christina says, rolling her eyes at Izzy, who forces a smile.
Mark is silent for a moment before he says. "I'm sorry, Stevens. Poor taste, on my part."
"Poor taste seems to follow you," Izzy says.
"Ouch!" Derek says, laughing.
Callie and Meredith go back to their respective tables. George excuses himself to go to the bar. Taking advantage of the moment, Callie leads Palmer away from their table.
"So, how are you enjoying Seattle Grace?" she asks.
"I'm enjoying the medical aspects and the few people I've gotten to know, however, I feel I've gotten off to a poor start due to Dr. Stevens' accusations. I should have taken more time to get to know her, before getting involved with her. I do feel sorry for the poor thing though. She seems to be a bit delusional," Palmer says.
Callie shifts, uncomfortably. Normally, she would like nothing more than to join him in bashing Izzy, but at the moment, she feels quite defensive of Izzy.
She shakes off her thoughts and attends to the task at hand.
"Do you date much?" Callie asks, flirtatiously.
"Not usually. I am a bit of a workaholic. I dated a supervisor of mine back at Mount Sinai and it didn't work out. I vowed after that to never date a professional superior again," he says, as if knowing what Callie was thinking.
Damn! All our hard work out the window.
"But," Palmer says, taking a large sip of his third scotch, "I must admit, that Dr. Grey is quite easy on the eyes," he says.
Would she do it? Does Meredith have the guts?
"Really? She and I are in a wedding together. Dr. Yang and Dr. Burke are getting married. She's the maid of honor and I am a bridesmaid.
"Oh, well, I know she and Dr. Stevens are quite close. I'm sure after all the rumors…" Palmer says to Callie.
"Don't be silly…we all know Dr. Stevens for who she is. A little melodramatic…that's all. No one really takes her seriously," Callie says, feeling guilty as she says it, despite the circumstances.
"But her and Dr. Grey seem to be…" Palmer says.
"Meredith's just that type of person. She likes to help people. But I'm sure she doesn't believe that crazy story. I mean, come on, a guy like you doesn't have to force women to be with you…right?" Callie says, almost choking on the words.
"Of course not," Palmer says, almost angrily.
"I think you and Dr. Grey would be a beautiful couple!" Callie says, with a smile.
I hope Meredith Grey is a little tougher than I think she is, Callie thinks.