Here's a chapter for you. It's a bit short, because I have an exam tomorrow morning but really wanted to post this. And to correct a mistake I made in the last chapter; it said "October" when it should have said "January". Kamila was born on September 18th, just to let you all know. And now, please enjoy the update.
Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's. I only own Kamila, Melia, and the adorable Cinderella (who by the way, looks exactly like my own labradoodle puppy! They really are the best dogs, FauxPoesFoes!)
Meredith woke to Kamila's cry. She looked at the clock. 6:11. Nineteen minutes before she actually had to get out of bed. She sighed and went to get her daughter. By the time she opened the door, Kamila had stopped crying. Cinderella had her front paws on the crib, her nose shoved through the bars. Kamila was laughing. Meredith leaned against the doorframe, taking in the picture she was presented with. It was so cute!
Derek came up behind her and put his arms around her waist, "Morning," he kissed her neck.
"Hi," she whispered back.
"Aren't they adorable?"
"Yeah. Why did you put the puppy in with Kammi?"
She felt Derek shrug, "I thought it would be a good idea. After all, I sort of got the puppy for her."
"Aw, and here I was, thinking she was for me," Meredith teased, turning around to face him.
"Well, we still have a little while… want to take a shower? Kamila seems just fine."
Meredith felt a sly grin spread across her face, "That sounds fantastic."
---
"So are you going to scrub in on my surgery this morning?" Derek asked Meredith as he checked the OR bored.
"A MST?" Meredith read the board, "I've never seen one of those! Of course I'm going to be there!"
"Great," Derek grinned, "I'll see you there this afternoon," he walked away down the hall.
"You know it."
"Morning, Dr. Grey," the usually effervescent intern had no sparkle, and her eyes were red rimmed.
"Did you sleep at the hospital last night?" Meredith asked, looking into Melia's face. She shook her head, looking at the floor. "What happened in your surgery yesterday?" Meredith asked seriously.
Melia shrugged, "Nothing."
"What did Addison – Dr. Montgomery – say to you?"
Melia started to cry again. Meredith dragged her into the office behind the nurses' station and shut the blinds. "What's up?" she asked softly.
Melia sank into the chair. She sighed, wiping her eyes, "I had a tickle in my nose, and fought back a sneeze while I was holding the clamp –"
"She let you hold the clamp? That's awesome!" Meredith interrupted. Seeing Melia's lip quiver, she apologized, "Continue."
"She got really angry, rightfully so, and after the surgery, she told me I would never make it as a surgeon, unless I learned to shut up and pay more attention to what people were trying to teach me. She told me that the hospital was a serious place, not one for people to have fun in, and that I didn't belong here. I don't know why this is such a big deal. It shouldn't be, it's only one person's opinion, but…" she trailed off.
"But she's Dr. Addison Montgomery, an attending physician, and will stop at nothing to terrorize my intern as a way of getting to me. I told you before, Melia, to just ignore everything she says. Trust me, your personality fits this place perfectly; we all need to lighten up a little. All of the patients love you; you have a terrific bedside manner."
Melia smiled at the praise, "What does she have against you, Dr. Grey?" Melia asked for a second time.
Meredith sighed. It looked like she'd have to explain, "First, in private, please call me Meredith. I don't mind. Dr. Grey sounds like my mother. And now, I suppose I'll tell you about Addison."
As Meredith told Melia the complicated story that involved Addison, Derek, and herself, a phrase floated into Meredith's memory from their first meeting. The very first thing she'd said to her.
Dressed in a long black coat and black heels, a tall, gorgeous woman with curly red hair and a determined expression of fury on her face strode towards Derek and Meredith. She addressed Derek first, and then turned to Meredith.
"I'm Addison Shepherd. And you," she pointed her finger at Meredith and cocked her head, "must be the woman who's screwing my husband."
Just as she'd begun to trust Derek, Addison had shown up, ruining everything. And for the second time, Addison was wreaking havoc within the walls of Seattle Grace.
"So she's Derek's ex-wife, and hates me," Meredith finished.
Melia had stopped crying, "That sucks," was all she managed to say.
"Yeah," Meredith sighed, "That's why I ask you to ignore the woman."
"Makes sense."
"Now, let's get out on the floor. There's a patient waiting to be attended to in room 2004. I'll see you later. Have a good day, Dr. Williams."
"I will, Dr. Grey," she smiled.
---
"This is so cool," Meredith murmered as she watched Derek slice though horizontal fibres in the outside of the man's brain with a laser tool.
"It is, isn't it?" Derek asked, never taking his eyes off the patient's brain.
"And this'll stop him from having seizures?" Meredith asked, knowing the answer, but still slightly incredulous.
Derek nodded, "It spares the vital functions in the deep layers of brain tissue." He was performing a multiple subpial transection, an way of curing epileptic seizures.
"Way cool," Melia piped up from the back. Meredith had allowed her into the surgery, hoping to improve her day a little bit. Meredith shot her a look that meant, 'quiet please'. She nodded abashedly.
"Alright, let's let him wake up," Derek said, "He shouldn't have anymore seizures. Why, Dr. Williams?" he asked Melia.
She blushed, "Because the seizure impulses in the brain move horizontally, and they can't anymore because you've cut those nerve fibres."
"Excellent," Derek praised her. She'd studied.
He looked at Meredith, who shrugged, "She's bright, I had nothing to do with it."
"Well done people!" Derek congratulated his team. As an aside to Meredith, "Let's go home."
---
Secrets kept can damage people that they don't even involve. It's far better to inform those at risk and chance embarrassment than to subject them to harms way. In the end, it'll be better for everyone.
Maybelline