Chapter 26: We Heard the News

"My charts from last week." Meredith ordered out as she approached the nurses station, fresh out of surgery. The nurse behind the desk snapped her head up with worry.

"Dr. Grey!" she gasped "You're back."

"No shit." She sighed "Charts please."

"I um..." she stuttered then nodded and turned to grab a sloppy stack of charts from the shelf "Here."

Meredith nodded with a scrunched brow, was she really all that mean to the nurses. She had her moments where she went off on them, but she had them with everyone. She flipped through the first chart and quickly realized why the nurse seemed so reluctant to hand them over.

"Who did these?" she said through her teeth, in the most polite voice she could muster.

"Um, Dr. Robbins and Dr. Yant I believe."

"And who was supervising them?"

"Um… uh." She stuttered.

"Who." Meredith growled "Was supervising them."

"No one was really." She mumbled.

Meredith pursed her lips and inhaled a deep breath through her nostrils. She saw two interns turn the corner laughing and chalanting about something menial. She put her hand on her hip and gave them a tight, full tooth smile as they looked up. Both their feet skidded to a stop and eyes flooded with terror as they stared at her. She stuck out her finger and waved them over with it.

"D…d…Dr. Grey." Robbins stuttered "I didn't know you were back."

"Oh?" she raised a brow "And did you decide to take a damn vacation as well? Did you have fun? Did you enjoy your time off?"

"We didn't have any time off." Yant shook her head

"Hmm." Meredith frowned "Then explain please." She muttered and dropped the large stack of charts at their feet, they jumped "As to what exactly you would call THESE."

"Charts." Robbins mumbled.

"Wrong!" she growled "Those are coloring books! Those are art files of a preschool teacher! Those are definitely NOT charts!"

"Damn." Yant whispered "Someone hasn't gotten laid in a while."

Meredith pressed her lips together and let out a very fake and flat laugh "Really, is my sex life any concern of yours. And does it have anything to do with this SHIT work you're doing for me? MAYBE you wouldn't like to get paid for a while Dr. Yant! Maybe you'd like to be down in the nursery helping them finger-paint pictures for all the sick kids! Because you OBVIOUSLY aren't all with it are you, and I'm sick and tired of your…" she came to a mumble as something down the hall caught her eye. It was an elderly gentleman in a wool vest and gray curls, she frowned as he waved at her "Dad?"

The interns turned their heads as he swiftly walked up the hallway "Meredith!" he smiled "I thought I heard yelling this way, sounded just like your mother. I wasn't sure if I was to run and hide or run on over."

"Um, Dad." She blushed "What are you doing here?"

"Well I heard the big news." He smiled.

"You did?" she looked shocked.

"Well yes, it was in the paper."

"Paper." She frowned "I never put anything in the paper."

"Well someone did, and it's such big news I'm so happy for you darling." He glowed and threw his arms around her, pulling her into a suffocating embrace. She gasped for breath and saw the interns snicker as they whispered something to each other, she glared.

"You two!" she muttered "Fix those charts stat! And don't think for a second this is over!"

"Yes Dr. Grey." They nodded. Scooped up the charts and turned down the hallway.

"So where is this husband of yours?" he asked, "I'd like to meet this son of mine."

"Son in-law." She corrected "And please don't put him on a pedestal Dad, he's got a floating ego as it is."

"But I still seem to walk just fine." She heard behind her and turned to shoot a narrow look.

"How long have you…" she mumbled then rolled her eyes "You know what, I don't care."

"Derek!" Thatcher chuckled as he stuck out his hand "Welcome to the family! And I have to say that I'm quite impressed you were able to soften my daughters heart enough to get her to marry. I was beginning to worry."

"Dad." Meredith rolled her eyes.

"We must catch up." Thatcher smiled "Lunch anyone?"

"Absolutely." Derek smiled.

"Actually I…" Meredith started to say.

"Would be glad to join us too." Derek said through his teeth, giving her a 'please don't leave me alone' look.

"Sure." She nodded "I just need to check on a patient. I'll be right back."

"Alright." They nodded.

Meredith turned down the hallway and tried to clear her head. She walked towards the elevators, where her patients room was. She heard the ding of the doors opening and heard another familiar voice that caused the hair on the back of her neck to rise on end. She looked wide eyed to confirm it and spun around to Derek, waving her arms in front of her.

"Hide, hide!" she hissed "Hide him now!"

He frowned at first but then saw over Meredith's shoulder what was causing her to act so panic stricken. His eyes widened and he knew he needed to get Thatcher out of sight.

"You know Thatcher." He said placing his hand on the man's shoulder and leading him around the corner "I think Meredith knows her way to the cafeteria, we should go ahead and start."

Meredith breathed a sigh of relief, but not a long enough one. "Well." She heard in a soft but harsh voice behind her "I know you're busy, but you could have at LEAST called your mother to tell her that you got married."

"Mom." She said through a bearing smile as she turned around "How was your flight?"

"Unnecessary."

"Then why make the trouble?"

"I read in the paper that you got married." She frowned "I had to come see for myself." She lifted Meredith's left hand "Very lovely, he did a good job."

"Thank you."

"I meant on the ring." She snubbed.

"Mother you didn't have to come all the way out, you could have called."

"Why?" she scoffed "So you can ignore my voice mails for a month?"

"You know I'm busy, I'm a surgeon just as you were."

"Well you will make time to catch up with me, and I want to see your husband." She ordered "I'll be in your office; I expect you not to make me wait long."

"Fine." Meredith said through her teeth.

She sighed as she watched her mother prance off down the hall. She closed her eyes and rested her hand on top of her head where she grabbed a handful of hair and tugged. This day was already starting off shitty, and now she was going to have to play referee between her parents. Oh joy.

What do you guys think of the arrival of Ellis and Thatcher?