Twenty Six

"What were you talking to McDreamy about?" Izzie apparently had never gotten the memo about Derek's demoted status.

Cristina came up, two cups of coffee in hand. "Hey, why don't I get coffee," Izzie whined.

"You're already too perky and happy. I don't want to vomit my coffee." She turned to look at Meredith. "You were talking to Shepherd?"

"Uh…yeah." That was smooth, so very freakin' smooth. God, Cristina was bound to suspect something.

"What about?"

"Er…oh nothing. It wasn't a big deal. We were just talking with words and whatever." Again with her eloquence.

Cristina's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Right. So Meredith, what words did you use?"

"Oh, he just asked me to scrub in on a surgery because we need to talk or something. He just wants a chance to do that staring dreamily thing he used to do."

Cristina seemed to accept the explanation. Meredith almost sighed in relief, but realized that would give away her game, which would be, well, bad. Instead she tried to smile serenely, which made Cristina stare at her. She hurriedly dropped the smile and busied herself with the charts. Her death would be long and painful if Cristina found out what she was doing. Contrary to popular belief, Meredith was quite attached to her life. She had absolutely no interest in bath tubs or swims in the Puget Sound or taking a scalpel to the wrist. God, people were so presumptuous.

" Meredith? Meredith. Meredith!" Cristina whacked her on the shoulder with a chart.

"What, yeah?"

"Oh, no. You have a thing for him again, don't you?"

Now, Meredith knew she could let Cristina think this. It would be the perfect escape plan, but at the same time, it was just so…so…distasteful. Sure she would work with Derek, but that was for Cristina. Becoming his girlfriend again was completely out of the question.

"No, of course not. Cristina, god, I'm not that much of an idiot."

"Fine. If you want to deny your newly grown feelings, then go ahead."

"I. Do. Not. Love. Derek." This had to be clear.

"Good because if I have to hear you start on the McDreamy thing again, I'd strangle you and breaking in a new person is tiring." Good, she was off the topic.

"So any good surgeries today?" That should keep Cristina busy for a while she gloated about some fantastic surgery.

Every time she saw Derek during the day, he would give her these deep, meaningful looks followed by a wink. Seriously, yes, they were in on the same plan, but it would not stay a secret if he kept on staring at her like that. Besides she was getting to the point where she wanted to back out if only to not have to see him do that. Yet every time she considered that particular option, she would spot Burke or Cristina with their mutual brokenness, his heartbreaking hurt, and Cristina's cold exterior. Then she would abandon any idea of leaving, but questions stayed in her mind.

Would their plan work? Would love be enough? Could she and Cristina really get that second chance at their Princes of Surgery and their happily ever afters?

Meredith did not want the answers because she was afraid of them. She was afraid of the possibility of no, but to be honest she was even more afraid of getting a yes.