A/N: Hello. =)
I'm really sorry for always keeping you waiting so long for another update. I truly appreciate the bumps and story-alerts though. In the last few days I thought about the story a lot and now I finally know exactly where it will go. Which is quite amazing, since I know what I want to write now. lol
But you know as much as I that this only works if you tell me what you think and if this is still appreciated. I need your reviews to go on.
Since it's Easter-holiday here and I have half of the next update written by now, chances are good that there'll be something up by tomorrow or Sunday.
As long as .. you'll know. =D
I'll stop rambling now. Enjoy!
„What the hell does that mean, Meredith? I had a great day today!An amazing day, even. I woke up at four, went to the hospital and my stupid assistant finally did my assignments right. I saved two lives and even the interns seemed to grow some brains. And just when I wanted to eat and skim through today's newspaper, I find MY VERY DAUGHTER on the front page entitled as a WHORE while madly kissing someone on a lousy PHOTOGRAPHY!!THIS is not what I raised you, Meredith Grey!!So would you please be as kind as to tell me WHAT THE HELL THAT MEANS, MEREDITH!?!!"
Her hand went to her ear as her mother kept shouting into the phone.
She knew that this had to come. She knew exactly that her mother would find out and call. But she never thought she would find out that quickly. Or call during work. Her mother never called her during work. Except that she had today.
„Give her to me, Mer. I'll tell her." Cristina whispered as she watched her with a determined expression on her face.
„No, Cris, I have to tell her myself." Meredith muttered silently as she finally pressed the phone to her ear again.
„Mother?"
Cristina saw Meredith turning whiter and whiter the longer she talked to Ellis.
She didn't know what she was saying but judging by the look on Meredith's face she could exactly think of the words Ellis was using.
Meredith's voice was getting more and more quiet and scared as she only mumbled „yes mother" and „no mother" and „of course mother".
This couldn't mean anything good.
Cristina was getting angrier and angrier the longer she had to listen to Ellis putting Meredith down and shouting at her until she couldn't take it any longer.
With one stride she was on Meredith's side and snatched the phone out of her right hand.
„Shut the fuck up, Ellis."
Meredith looked at her in shock trying to grab the phone but Cristina was softly pushing her away while mouthing „I've got this".
Cristina's face suddenly got angry again when Ellis ranted on through the phone.
„No, you will listen to me now." Cristina said in her determined voice.
„I will not allow you to talk to your daughter that way. She has done nothing wrong.. NO, you listen to me now, I'm not done!..yes I do have the right to talk to you Ellis, I'm her best friend, and I can't watch the way you bring her down any longer. Mer hasn't done anything wrong! Some jealous asshole tries to make her quit with the most unfair ways possible....You know exactly that your daughter would never do something like that!!
... No, you've got no say in this! You have no idea how hard this is. One woman in a conservative parliament with only men, most of them not even half as intelligent as her! You aren't the one helping her through this, you have NO FUCKING IDEA of what is going on here!............. Of course I know you are her mother, but you know what, you don't act like her mother! So you don't get to tell me to shut up. Because I won't watch this any longer. If you decide to finally pull your head out of your ass and act like a loving and understanding mother towards her then call her and apologize to her!! But I can tell, you've got a WHOLE LOT to make up to Mer!!! Now leave her along until you got some sense into that brain of yours. Have a good day!!"
When Cristina ended the call, Meredith stared at her with her mouth hanging open in shock.
She couldn't believe what had just happened.
Nobody talked to Ellis Grey in that way, nobody ever.
She would have never dared to tell her these things, even if Cristina was totally right, but not in a million years she would have dared to actually say them loudly.
Meredith still couldn't move, standing there in awe staring at her friend.
Cristina threw the phone on the couch and took a deep breath.
Her fists were clenched with her fingers turned completely white as she quickly closed her eyes and a smile wandered over her face.
She finally opened her eyes again.
„I'm really sorry Mer, but I've wanted to do that for so long."
Meredith, finally not frozen any more, grinned and slightly hugged her amazing friend.
„Thank you very much. I really don't know what I would do without you."
„That I don't know too." Cristina answered grinning.
Cristina felt her smiling into her shoulder quickly when Meredith suddenly sighed slowly.
„It's gonna be okay, Mer. She'll get over it." Cris said soothingly and added „ It's actually me she's going to kill and not you. So you have nothing to worry about."
„Very funny, Cristina." Meredith sighed.
„No, seriously, Mer, she's gonna get it. I'm sure she will apologize to you. I don't know how that is coming over my tongue but she really is no beast. She's tough but in her weird way, she loves you."
„You think so?" Meredith sniffled.
„I do. Seriously".
„Ok." Meredith sighed again and finally let go of her friend.
„But don't think I did all of this because it was so much fun, I want details now." Cristina smirked as she went to the couch picking up Meredith's phone.
„Why did I know something like that was coming?" Meredith giggled going to the kitchen and pouring her some orange juice.
„Did you really thing I'll let her kill me for nothing?"
„No, but..."
„I'm kidding Mer. But I do want details." Cristina smirked.
„Ugh, you're hopeless."
„Thanks, always have been."
Meredith rolled her eyes and sipped her orange juice when suddenly her phone rang again.
Cristina looked at her with a worried expression on her face and Meredith coughed on her juice.
„Mom?" she asked barely audible.
Cristina picked the buzzing phone up and smiled relieved.
„No, it says „Izzie" ."
Meredith's face lit up as she rushed to Cristina and pressed the answer button.
„Izzie?"
„Hey Mer. Where are you? Are you at home?"
„Hi. Erm... no, actually I'm a Cristina's."
„Cristina's?"
„Oh sorry, she's my best friend."
„I see. Are you guys hungry?"
„Hungry? Erm, wait.." – „Cristina, are we hungry?"she asked loudly.
„Of course we are hungry, Mer. Never diss food, wherever it comes, remember?"
Meredith laughed and pressed the phone to her ear again.
„Izzie? We are hungry."
„Perfect." Izzie beamed. „ I have freshly baked cake and my cousin is watching Emanuele right now. I thought I'd come over and we talk, you know. I think you could need friends right now."
Meredith smiled at Izzie's suggestion. What an amazing woman.
She was so glad that she had met her.
No that Cristina wasn't great, she was amazing and kind and always there for her, but Izzie's happy, perky nature was so refreshing, unlike Cristina's sharp sarcasm and snarky comments.
„Sounds perfect, Izzie. But you really don't have to do this, you know?"
„Oh, Mer, I'd love to help. I hope Cristina doesn't mind though?"
„Ok... Cristina will be perfectly alright with this, you know, you get her food after all."
Izzie and Meredith both giggled as Cristina rolled her eyes.
„Ok then, where does Cristina live?" Izzie asked.
„Wait a sec, please.." Meredith said and handed the phone to Cristina.
„Tell Izzie where she has to go, I have no idea of the street's names or stuff like this, besides I have to pee like NOW." Meredith said before she rushed to the toilet.
Cristina chuckled and took the phone.
„Meredith, hey Mer, are you still there?" she heard Izzie's voice impatiently saying through the phone.
„Izzie? This is Cristina."
„Oh, hey Cristina. Where's Mer?"
„She had to go to the toilet, typically." Cristina laughed as Izzie giggled too.
„Well, now where do you live?"
„Um, Vico Vaglia 10, do you know where that is?"
„ Oh, yes I do, there's the new library right?"
„Exactly."
„Great, okay, I don't live far from there, do you know Via Imperiale?"
„Via Imperiale? Wow, that's an amazing area to live."
„Yeah it is. It's number 18. Will you find it?"
„Sure. Ok then, I'll just have to bring Emanuele to my cousin and then I'll come, okay?"
„Perfect. See you then."
„Bye!"
Cristina smiled at the perky voice of the girl. She really seemed nice. A bit too nice for her liking probably, but she was bringing cake, after all.
„And then he let himself fall into the pool only to get her soaking wet. It was so hilarious, you can't even imagine how funny that was!" Izzie giggled while telling anecdotes from her life with her bright little son.
Meredith laughed too as she listened to Izzie. She was such a nice woman and her way of telling stories was amazing. Her eyes always lit up when she mentioned her son and you could see that glow of happiness and mother's love in her eyes.
Even Cristina listened to her with a grin on her face.
They got along perfectly, which was great, since Meredith thought Izzie might be a little bit too much for Cristina.
Izzie's cake had been perfect.
So perfect, that Meredith even forgot the whole disaster from this morning while shovelling big pieces of self made chocolate-tart into her mouth.
She could have kept on eating and giggling with them the whole day long, but she also knew she couldn't avoid the incident with the newspaper forever.
After all she had to go to the parliament tomorrow.
Actually, she had to be lucky that it was a Sunday today and she didn't have to work.
Lost in her thoughts Meredith hadn't noticed that Cristina and Izzie had stopped giggling, when Cristina's voice finally pulled her out from her reverie.
„Mer, you know you can't avoid it forever."
Meredith slowly nodded and sighed.
„I know, Cris. It's just.. I don't know.. complicated."
„It's not that complicated, Mer. You don't have to make it complicated. Do you know how you want to react yet?"
Meredith sighed again and looked at her with questioning gaze on her face.
„No. They will ask questions, right?"
„The media will want to know, Mer." Izzie chimed in softly. „But you don't have to say anything to them. You know, we once had a case similar to this in Italy. The person concerned didn't comment the incident and didn't let it affect her work. You just have to go on, don't listen to what they say."
„But how could people, how could Italy's women want a minister who is entitled as a whore, Izzie? How could they want a minister like that speaking for them?"
„Stop thinking of yourself as what Massa calls you, Meredith. You and I know that this is complete bullshit. And do you seriously think all the readers believe this shit? Massa is known well in Italy, but known as a greedy, back-stabbing man, Mer. Not even the half of the readers will believe one word of the whole article!"
„Izzie is right, Mer. It's not important for Italy's women what their minister does in her private time, for them the only thing which matters is how you do your job. And you're great at doing your job, you know that."
„Thanks, Cris. But the kiss happened hardly in private time, I was at work."
„Gosh, in what country do we live that you can't even kiss someone for a minute while you work your ass off the whole day long?! Seriously Mer, that Massa-guy is ridiculous!!" Izzie suddenly burst out.
„That's what I'm saying." Cristina added grinning.
Meredith looked at them as slowly a sad little smile appeared on her face.
„You really think so?"
„Of course we do. Don't let them bring yourself down!Massa is a jealous ass, nothing more. He tries to make you fail, but he will never be able to do that, okay? You're way to clever for him, Mer."
„And what about Derek?" Meredith whispered barely audible.
Cristina looked at Izzie with a helpless expression on her face as she went to Meredith and took her into her arms.
Izzie nodded at Cristina and began to talk softly.
„He'll get over it , Mer. I'm sure he'll understand." She said with her soothing voice.
„But I accused him, Izzie. I sent him away and it broke my heart." Meredith sniffled into Cristina's shoulder.
„Meredith, you were upset! You're new at the whole minister-thing and you didn't mean it. I'm sure he knows that you didn't mean it. He'll get over it.. didn't you say that.. oh-" Izzie suddenly said when she felt her phone buzzing.
„One second, it's Paula. My cousin."
She picked up and went to the kitchen, silently talking to the person on the phone.
When she came back she looked quite worried.
„So sorry, Meredith, but Paula's husband has been in an accident, she has to go to the hospital immediately. I have to go pick up Emanuele."
Cristina's head shot up questioningly.
„Is he hurt badly? Maybe I could help."
„Thank you, Cris, that's so kind of you, but it's just a broken arm and a concussion or something like that. You guys are going to be okay?"
„We'll be fine thanks. I'll take good care of her."
„Cris, I'm not dying here.I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself." Meredith said glaring at Cristina.
„I know, Mer." She answered with a big grin on her face.
Her feisty Meredith was back, finally.
„Good night then, girls. I'll call you as soon as I can. Oh and Cristina, I'll need your number."
„Of course, Mer will give it to you."
Izzie was leaning down to kiss Meredith on the cheek.
„Goodbye then. You'll kick their asses Mer, and good luck with Derek."
„Thanks, Iz." Meredith giggled. „Hope you're cousins husband is doing better soon. And give Emanuele a kiss."
„Will do. Bye then." Izzie said walking to the door with Cristina.
„So great to have met you, Cristina."
„You too, Izzie.I can't wait to meet your son."
„I'm looking forward to it. But now I really have to go."
„Ok. See you soon then."
„Sure. Bye!" Izzie said, quickly hugging her before she was rushing out of the door.
Cristina went back to the living room smiling.
Izzie really was a nice person. She had a feeling that the three of them could be great together.
„Wait, did you just let her hug you?" Meredith asked Cristina incredulously. „Are you in love or something?"
„Seriously, Mer?" Cristina said rolling her eyes.
„I'm just saying. You never hug people, except me and back when you were young you're favourite nanny."
„Well, first of all, she hugged me, and I like her. She's nice."
„She really is." Meredith said smiling slightly.
„You really think he'll get over it, Cris?" she suddenly said with a very silent voice.
„Of course, Mer. Everything will be okay. I'm sure. You could call him though. I think he's the type who would appreciate a call."
„I would, but I don't have his number." She mumbled.
„Well, then don't call him. But talk to him tomorrow."
„If I'll meet him alone.."
„Meredith, you will talk to him!"
„Okay, okay. I will talk to him."
„Good girl. And don't worry so much about the article. You won't have to talk to anybody, just tell your driver to stop directly in front of the parliament and don't walk there where people or media-guys could see you. Then you won't have to answer stupid questions. And your colleagues won't ask anything, they are much too busy. And if you meet Massa, play it cool. All of this will work out, you'll see."
„Okay." Meredith sighed. „Thanks Cris." She smiled weakly.
„No problem. But now I really need to sleep- patients and all."
„Ok. Good night. I love you, Cris."
„Love you too, Mer."
With that, Cristina fell asleep within the next few minutes.
Meredith listened to her steady breathing sounds as she sighed.
Her brain was wandering back to the night before. She had been lying in Derek's arms, feeling strong and warm and safe.
Everything had been perfect.
When he had kissed her tonight, it had been the best feeling in the world. She had known he felt something for her too, she had seen it in his eyes.
And with that thought and a smile on her face, she finally let herself fall into a deep, dreamless slumber, knowing everything would be okay somehow.
There will be another one soon. If you leave me reviews. =)