This was gonna be a bad day. She knew it the second she woke up. Nothing big to believe it would be, just a feeling. But thinking back to the last time she had a feeling…

Well at least she didn't feel like she was going to die today. It would just be a bad one.

Just when life had seemed to be getting a little better. Her friendship with George was going well. Izzie had even left the house for the first time in days. It was only for a couple of minutes and she stayed on the porch, but still. And she was slowly coming around to the idea of saying yes to Derek when he would once again make one of his imaginative propositions. He had gotten quite creative over the last couple of days.

She managed to drag herself out of bed and into the bathroom.

….

"I'm sorry Meredith. We have to let her go. There's too much damage." Derek says sadly laying down his surgical equipment.

"But.. but she was just laughing at me. I tickled her and she laughed."

"I know, but there's nothing we can do."

"But she's only three years old." She feels the tears burning in her eyes, but she refuses to let them fall. She had really gotten attached to the little girl over the past two days.

….

"Hey Mer, I just saw your dad." George says a little hesitantly not sure if she wants to hear this.

"What? Where?"

"He's upstairs. Your sister just had her baby. I wasn't sure if you wanted to know."

"No, no, thanks. I did."

After a lot of hesitation Meredith decides to go upstairs. She checks the room number at the nurses station and slowly walks towards it, building up the courage. The door is open and she sees her fathers back. She doesn't enter immediately but listens at the door first.

Thatcher is standing in the middle of the room with the baby in his arms. "You know I'm the luckiest man in the world. I've got these two beautiful daughters. One is at Harvard becoming a doctor, and the other has just given me an even more beautiful grandchild than anyone could possible wish for. It's just perfect. Everything is perfect."

Meredith quickly walks away, once again fighting back the tears.

….

"I know, I just thought…"

"YOU ARE AN INTERN! YOU DO NOT NEED TO THINK! YOU JUST NEED TO FOLLOW MY ORDERS! IT IS NOT YOUR PLACE TO QUESTION MY DECISIONS! I AM AN ATTENDING! WHEN I SAY JUMP YOU ASK HOW HIGH! WHEN I SAY GO, YOU RUN YOUR PRETTY LITTLE LEGS OUT FROM UNDER YOUR BODY UNTIL I TELL YOU TO STOP! ARE WE CLEAR?"

Meredith doesn't know where to look. They're in the middle of the hallway by the nurses station. Everyone has stopped what they were doing and are watching the scene. Not that they needed to be that close to hear it, Meredith is pretty sure there isn't a person in the hospital that missed Dr Harrison's booming voice.

"I SAID ARE WE CLEAR?"

"Yes sir." She whispers.

"Good. Now get lost! I've had enough of you today." Turning around "Doctor Bailey I need a new intern!"

She glances around briefly meeting Cristina. She turns around and walks quickly to the locker room. The other interns on her heels. She pushes open the door, great, it's filled with people. She stops in the middle of the locker room.

"Meredith are you okay?" George asks. "Harrison's an ass." He tries to comfort her.

Meredith can't keep it in anymore. The tears just keep coming and coming. George pulls her into his arms and she lets him. Her hands held tightly across her chest sobbing into his shoulder. She doesn't care she's in the middle of the locker room. She doesn't care all the other interns are looking at her. She doesn't have the energy to care, she just needs to cry. Alex and Cristina quietly usher everyone out. When only the four of them are left, the door opens again. Derek walks in. George signs him over and loosens his hold on Meredith, not letting go of her completely before Derek has taken over his place, pressing her tightly against his chest. Meredith relaxes in his arms a little, pushing her face into the nape of his neck. While one arm still grips her tightly, the other moves up to caress her hair. Slowly rocking her back and forth a bit, gently kissing her forehead.

"Take me home Derek."