Chapter 23: It Was A Game

Derek's Point-of-View

It was a game.

The thought kept running through my head over and over again. I couldn't believe that she'd played me like that, it certainly didn't feel like a game. Maybe that was her point. It had been a few days and part of me wanted to talk to her, to reason with her, to ask her…why. She was nowhere to be found, and maybe that was a good thing. I hesitantly sent the divorce papers to my lawyers and left Brooke out of it. Speaking of Brooke, she came and caught me in a vulnerable state, so yes, the wedding was back on. Maybe that was a good thing too…maybe I needed to stop hanging onto the past and move forward.

Meredith meant a lot to me, but it never made sense. Maybe it was in losing my father, I was weak, and it was a devastating part of my life. When I was with her, I somehow felt close to him again. I missed him so maybe that made me miss her too. I would forever be grateful for what she did for me that night in Las Vegas. I would never regret our marriage, but it was time to move on. Maybe getting married right away wasn't the best plan, but I would eventually, so why not now?

It was almost the middle of the night and I'd just gotten out of surgery, I glanced at the surgical board and noticed subconsciously that her name was nowhere. It sparked worry in my chest, and I frowned as I wondered the last time her name was on the board. I turned just as I saw a short resident walking my way.

"Dr. Bailey." I stopped her, she looked up narrowly from her chart "Where is Dr. Grey?"

"Why are you concerning yourself with Dr. Grey."

"I'm not I just..." I stuttered "I haven't seen her in a few days, I was wondering where she was."

"Well I guess if you don't know then she probably wants it that way." She snorted "So much for being married, huh."

"We're getting divorced." I said, unable to hide the pain in my voice.

"Oh." Her amusement died down "I'm sorry."

"Please." I begged "Just tell me where she is."

"She's taken the week off to go see her mother."

"Very funny." I snorted "Her mother is dead."

"Her mother is very much alive!" Bailey took offense, but I'd basically just called her a liar "Ellis Grey is very alive and also not doing well at the moment, so Meredith went to go see her."

"Oh." I'd forgotten about her biological mother, the only one I'd ever heard her talk about is Jackson's, the one who raised her, "Is everything ok?"

She raised her brow as if questioning why the conversation was continuing. I sighed and nodded my thanks before turning and heading towards the lobby, then my car, then…. home just didn't sound good right now. I headed across the street to Joe's in hope of some peace and a few drinks. Peace however, was not going to come, I knew that the moment I sat down.

"Where's your wife?" I heard from the other end of the counter. I looked up and sighed.

"She's not my wife anymore."

She scorned at me as she poured me scotch "How did you royally fuck that one up?"

"What!" I scoffed "Why do you assume it was my fault! She's the one that left me."

Cristina just looked at me with a blank expectation to her expression. I sighed and rigidly ran my hand through my hair.

"Brooke had divorce papers drawn up and Meredith found them." I mumbled "She told me that she was just playing around, trying to hurt me before I hurt her."

"Well you were hurting her." Cristina said "You were having your cake and eating it too. I would have done the same thing, except I'd probably would have skewered your balls and ate them for breakfast."

"Ouch." I frowned "Thanks."

"So, let me guess, you're back with the blonde bitch?"

"Be nice." I muttered "She's going to be my wife."

"You need help."

"She left!" I grimaced "She's the one playing games."

"You were playing two women!" she bit back "Heaven forbid she'd ever give you a taste of your own medicine Derek!" Ok she had a point, so I shut up and let her talk "If you would stop and think for a stupid second maybe you would see that perhaps…just perhaps, she was letting you go to make it easy for you. Maybe she didn't want you feeling guilty. Maybe she was tired of being the other woman or having another woman to fight for you over. Maybe SHE is the bigger person here."

"I never thought of that." I confessed.

"I know." She snorted "So, when is the wedding?"

"Two weeks."

"I take it back." She sighed "You're beyond help."

How do you feel about Cristina and Derek's little talk? What do you think Derek will do?