Chapter 4: Who is Our Doctor Model?

Ring

The pitiless sound of the telephone woke Derek up from his slumber.

"Did you have any intention of calling your poor mother soon?" Derek heard his mother's scolding and worried voice in the receiver.

He dragged himself from the bed and went outside the trailer he inhabited, hoping the crisp morning air would disperse the remnants of sleep. He needed to be wakeful and cheerful for the conversation with his mother. He had suspicions she already knew he had been passed over for the promotion.

"Firstly, you're not poor," he replied jokingly. "Secondly, I'm sure you're very well-informed on what's going on with me. This is why you're calling, isn't it? Mark can never resist blabbing out to you."

"Mark's a good boy; at least, he's called!"

"I'm sorry," said Derek silently. "I've been… busy, lately."

He heard his mother sigh, "Son, can you tell me what you're doing with your life? What do you intend to do with your life?"

"I… I don't know." He genuinely didn't have a clue.

"Derek, I've come to terms with your moving to Seattle. I absolutely hated watching my child uproot his life and settle at the opposite end of the continent. But I was supportive. It was important to you, for your career. You've worked hard for this man for four years and he…" she trailed off. "I'm sorry, honey. I didn't mean to sound harsh. I do know how that position was important for you. My point is… what's keeping you in Seattle now?"

What was keeping him?

"I… have friends here," he said half-heartedly.

"You have family in New York," reminded Carolyn Shepherd.

"Mom, I need some time to think it all over… I haven't expected any of that. I need to think everything over before making any decision."

"Ok," she agreed. "Derek, whatever you decide, I'm here for you, your sisters as well."

"Thanks mom."

Since he learned he wasn't going to be the Chief of Surgery, the thought of leaving Seattle had crossed Derek's mind on multiple occasions. He had lost a sense of direction in his life; work, as humiliating for him as it became, was not enough to hold on to. Should he go back to the Big Apple? Any hospital would welcome him with open arms. Starting a private practice wouldn't be a problem either. Only… did he want to go back?

Sure, he missed his family, his mother his sisters, swarms of nieces and nephews. But he really enjoyed life in Seattle. In spite of the fact that it was a big city, the time flew at a different pace. The closeness with nature was magnificent, his land was magnificent. Yeah, he definitely liked it here.

Everything had been going according to the plan… until she came into the picture. Why couldn't she stay in New York if she fit there that well? She was out of place here. Derek decided he had the right to wait for Meredith Grey to trip (which wouldn't be that difficult given the shoes she chose to wear) and fall…

"The next time you call mom, you're going to tell her I'm bright and shiny," Derek instructed Mark, pouring himself a cup of coffee in the staff room.

"Impossible," Sloan shook his head. "She's thousands of miles from here and she'll still be able to tell I'm lying. She's just worried, dude."

"I know; she wants me to go back to New York."

Mark nodded; he knew as much. "Do you?"

"Do I want to go back to New York? I don't know."

"I know everything!" They heard Cristina Yang's triumphant yell. She'd just entered the staff room, carrying a pile of papers.

"Come over here, people. I've got all the answers to our little puzzle."

"Hard night, Yang?" asked Alex Karev.

"My night? Was wonderful. I've made a research on our Dr. Model."

The surgeons present in the room gathered around Cristina.

"It wasn't that difficult," she stated. "All the answers were in the web. We should have linked the obvious facts much sooner, though."

"Just spit it out already, Yang," ordered Erica Hahn.

"She's Meredith Grey," said Cristina, not stalling any longer. "Does it ring any bells? She's the Ellis Grey's daughter!"

Cristina certainly achieved the dramatic effect she intended. The doctors around her started talking and whispering.

"That's not all, people," she raised her voice to attract their attention. "Some of you might know, others don't, that Ellis Grey did her residency here, at Seattle Grace, along with… Dr. Richard Webber. He's an old pal of hers!"

"She certainly had an easy life, sneaking through med school and residency under mommy's name." she waved the papers in her hand. "You know her age? She's 28, people, 28! She's two years younger than me; some of our residents are of this age!"

"I just knew something like this would come up," Derek muttered to Mark.

Miranda Bailey stood in the doorway, looking with a frown at her fellow surgeons. Meredith Grey had better have a good explanation for her skyrocketing career. Bailey was just as nonplussed with the news as everyone but forced herself not to judge Dr. Grey by appearances again. She could give her the benefit of the doubt.

So, everyone knows everything about Dr Grey. What do you think will happen?