Derek doesn't have the house built there yet. He has the plans, but he hasn't started the building process.

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Chapter 21

Where the hell is Derek? Why is it that the one day I need him to be here and be all Derek-like I can't find him? Is it really too much for a girl to need to see her friend after she just lost a patient? I just need a hug; someone to tell me everything will be alright, but my damn teddy bear is missing right now.

Did I just refer to Derek as my teddy bear in my head?

Anyway, he's not in his office, he's not in surgery or any of the on-call rooms, and not in the cafeteria. And he's not with Mark since Mark is right there by the nurse's station. Go figure. I should ask Mark.

"Excuse me, Dr. Sloan, Can I speak with you for a minute?"

"Why so formal, Grey?" he asks with a smirk.

I roll my eyes at him, "Have you seen Derek?"

"He took the day off. Picked up mom from the airport and do all those things least favourite sons do with their mothers."

"What?"

"He picked up mom-"

"I heard what you said, Mark," I interrupt, rolling my eyes. "His mom- your mom is here? In Seattle? Now?"

"I thought you heard me the first time."

I shoot him a glare, "I did, but Derek said the fourth. It's..." I glace at my watch, my face falling, "the fourth. Crap. How did I forget? Crap. This is bad. I'm not ready. Crap."

"Calm down, Grey," Mark says, taking my arm and leading me away from the nurse's station.

I give him a frown, "You want me to calm down? Mrs. Shepherd is here. In Seattle. And I forgot, which makes me a really crappy friend. Who forgets their friend's mom is visiting and wants to meet said crappy friend? Me, that's who."

"Mom's great. You'll love her," he tells me as we reach the basement hallway.

"You don't get it Mark, mom's don't like me," I say as we sit on one of the gurneys.

"Mom's different. Trust me."

I raise an eyebrow at him, "Trust you? Seriously?"

He frowns, "You say that like I can never be trusted."

"Addison ring any bells?"

"That was one time!" he groans. I raise an eyebrow at him again. "Fine. It wasn't, but when it comes to mom, trust me."

"Still. This is huge. I don't do moms. Moms hate me. I'm not the kind of girl someone would bring home to mom."

"Am I missing something here?" he asks with a smirk.

"Aside from the fact Mrs. Shepherd is going to hate me?"

"You're acting like you and Shep are together."

"He hasn't told his mom we're not," I point out.

"True. But you know you're 'not' and you're freaking out like you are."

"There's no 'not' about it. We're not together. Definitely not. Friends. We're just friends."

"Right. So why are you freaking out so much?"

"Have you been listening to a word I've said?" I ask with a frown.

"Moms hate you and meeting mom is big blah blah blah. The way I see it, mom already loves you."

"She's never even met me."

"But she's heard plenty about you."

"From Nancy," I say with a frown.

"No, from me and Shep," he says pointedly. "She knows you make him act like a girl, Grey. She knows you make him happier than ever. Nancy's a bitch. Even mom told me it was a mistake sending her."

"She can't love me. I'm the dirty mistress."

"She used to see that way, not anymore," he tells me with a serious look that I've rarely seen on his face, telling me that he means every word. "Look, all mom cares about is that Derek's happy. Even if the fool doesn't talk to her as much as her favourite son, she still wants him to be happy and that's what you make him."

"Until she finds out what happened," I murmur. "I'm surprised you haven't told her."

He shrugs, "That's not my business."

I laugh at him, "Yet it's your business when we're together?"

"That's not the point," he frowns. "The point is you make Shep happy so, in mom's eyes, you're gold. She'll be disappointed at Derek for screwing it up."

"He's not the only one that screwed up though."

"She's only going to hear his side, Grey. Knowing his girly ass, he'll blame it all on himself."

I shake my head, "He can't do that."

"But he will. I ought to kick his ass for being so damn girly about it, but it won't really make a difference."

"You have to tell her it's not all his fault Mark."

"Me? You should be the one to tell her. Gives you something to talk about."

"I'm not going to talk to her about Derek and I," I say rolling my eyes.

"You say that now, but mom, she's got a way of making you talk. You'll see."

"Great. Do I really have to meet her?" I groan.

"She's been asking to since Derek invited her over."

"You know what, I'll help you kick his ass."

"Deal. You can hold him, while I do the beating," he says with a smirk.

"Then we'll switch," I laugh. "So I shouldn't be worried?"

"No reason to be. She's just mom. She loves Derek, that's gotta tell you so much right there."

"I think it's more telling that she loves you," I say with a laugh.

"I resent that!" he says indignantly as his pager goes off. "Duty calls. Or should I say booty calls," he says with a mischievous smile, wiggling his eyebrows.

I roll my eyes at him, laughing, before giving him a serious, sincere look, "Thanks, Mark."

"Don't sweat it, Grey. You'll love mom. I promise," he says, giving me a small squeeze before walking away.

I can do this. I can meet Mrs. Shepherd. I am capable of having a perfectly decent conversation with the mother of my ex-boyfriend turned friend. I need for it to go well. Now if I can just convince myself that I can do this, everything will be perfect.