Chapter 54: Colleagues Finding Out
"God, there are so many things I could be doing right now," groaned Cristina fighting with a strap of her dress with annoyance.
"Like what?" chuckled Owen helping her to straighten out the twisted material.
"You're so cute together, you know?" laughed Izzie, beaming at them and leaning against Alex's shoulder.
"Shut up, Barbie," snapped Cristina. "I could be… updating charts."
Her friends laughed at her lame excuse.
"This is a part of our job too," said gently Owen. "It's… not so bad. You thought everyone would be pointing us with their fingers and no one's even looking."
Cristina frowned, it was not in Seattle Grace style to abstain from a juicy piece of gossip. Her newfound relationship with Owen certainly belonged to that category.
"I think…" Izzie squinted and eyes and craned her neck just a little, "that's because everyone's looking at them."
They followed the regards of many of their colleagues around.
"Whoa!" exclaimed Cristina with a smirk watching Derek snake his arm around Meredith while she relaxed into his touch. "I knew I didn't come here for nothing."
"I thought… that they hated each other," said Owen.
"Seems that now they love each other," beamed Izzie.
"More like screw each other," snickered Cristina. "But who am I to blame anyone for enjoying an occasional screaming orgasm? Just when I think they're boring, they rise. You can say they are the cute ones, Iz."
"They are," beamed Izzie studying Meredith's face as she turned her head to glance around the room. "They're a match. I knew she had someone important," she said pensively remembering her conversation with her chief. "But I would have never guessed it was Derek… Wait!" she searched the crowd with alarm. "Where's George?"
"Probably crying somewhere in the corner," drawled Alex earning a kick in the ribs.
Meredith weighed in her mind for a long time if she should invite Richard to the mixer or not. She still wasn't sure how she should behave towards him with the knowledge she recently gained. But Richard had a right to be there, regardless of their personal affairs. Damn, when did she go so soft? Probably sometime between Derek's kisses.
"Richard," Derek took his hand with a nod.
Meredith didn't say anything but decided it wouldn't be appropriate not to greet the former chief of her hospital, the man that was so respected by her subordinates and to whom she owned her current position and well… meeting the love of her life.
"You're… together…" the older man remarked with apparent surprise.
"I told you she's my priority," said firmly Derek.
"You did… just words aren't always enough," he sighed and looked at Meredith. "When I saw you all grown up all these years later, I thought you were a spitting image of your mother but…" he trailed off.
"I'm what?" she took up sharply. "Less focused? Please, go on. Everything you say will sound as a compliment to me."
"I was going to say wiser," he chuckled. "I know it's… awkward… I'll be grateful for an opportunity… to talk…"
"Not now and not here," she said categorically turning to Derek. "Can I get you something to drink?"
"Yeah, please," he sighed at her. "Double-"
"Scotch single malt," she smiled. "I got it."
"She doesn't like to be pushed," remarked Derek noncommittally after a minute of pregnant silence that fell with Meredith's excuse.
Richard chuckled, "She doesn't like to be pushed or cornered. She likes to be always in control. She's hot and cold but the truth is she would never want to let you go."
Derek's head whipped to Richard quizzically.
"I went through the same with Ellis," sighed Richard with a smile at the reminiscence. "That was… the happiest time in my life…"
"It was… something serious," remarked Derek with surprise. "Why did you stay with Adele?"
"Because I made mistakes, luckily for you, you don't seem to be repeating."
"Me and Meredith is nothing like you and her mother; Meredith's different," denied decidedly Derek.
"I know she is," agreed Richard. "But you don't realize how similar they are."
"It is not my intention to search for similarities between them," answered curtly Derek. "If there are any, they're superficial."
"Have you met Ellis?" asked Richard curiously.
"I had that doubtful pleasure when she came for a consult, yes," he said dryly.
"Ellis is a wonderful woman-"
"I'm sure she is," snorted Derek. "A coldhearted woman that couldn't find enough love to raise her own daughter."
"Derek…" Richard started to argue but seeing the stubbornness on younger man's face relented. One thing was clear, at least, Derek would never leave Meredith like he had disappointed Ellis.
Meredith took two glasses, one for herself, the other one for Derek, and was about to made her way back to him hoping that Richard disappeared in the meantime, when a young woman blocked her way. A woman that she never talked to in person but whose features she memorized of a photograph so as to be able to recognize her without being surprised by her.
"Dr. Grey," the girl smiled at her radiantly but not without a trace of shyness.
"Yes," said indifferently Meredith.
"I… you don't know who I am," her half-sister breathed out.
"I do," nodded Meredith and the brunette's smile widened. "It is my job to know who is who at my hospital, you're one of the interns."
The woman's face fell, "I… I am but I'm also your… I'm Lexie… Lexie Grey…"
"And?" Meredith raised her perfectly plucked eyebrows expectantly while Lexie frowned them.
"And…" she swallowed audibly. "I'm aware your relations with Dad aren't the best but… I think it's not an obstacle for us getting to know each other… I… it was one of the reasons I chose Seattle Grace to do my internship."
"One of your reasons," repeated Meredith coldly. "I hope hard work was another of your reasons. I don't know what you're expecting. We don't practice favoritism in this institution."
"No!" Lexie shook her head frantically. "I didn't mean that! I wouldn't…"
"We'll see what you meant when I see you in action," she bit back and walked past her. She knew Lexie didn't imply she counted on special treatment but it felt good to be harsh to her anyway. She could ignore that stupid little voice in her head telling her that it was unfair. She could… because Gretchen Miles was approaching Derek like a fat ugly lizard ready to stick out its tongue and swallow an unsuspecting fly.
"Derek!"
He turned to come face to face with his problematic coworker, letting out a troubled sigh.
"You're alone?" she asked suggestively battling her eyelashes.
"No, he's not," Meredith appeared out of nowhere rubbing gently against his side. She was prepared to face more aggressive gossip, everything to make Gretchen back off. "I brought you the drink you asked for, honey."
"Uhm, thanks." He took the offered glass and bit his tongue not to burst out laughing at the sight of Meredith acting like an obedient wife. Meredith and wife… those two words sounded good together…
Gretchen cast her eyes down, nonplussed at the cloudy look Derek Shepherd was worshipping Meredith Grey with.
This time it was Meredith who encircled his trim waist, leaning slightly into his chest as much as the formal context allowed.
"I hope you're enjoying the party, Gretchen," said sweetly Meredith looking down at the woman in front of her staking her claim.
"It's… great," nodded Dr. Miles. "So, you're…?"
"We're together, yes," answered eagerly Meredith, scrunching her nose sweetly. "Sorry for not telling you earlier, but we were… basking in our private heaven." She pinched Derek's side warningly, feeling laughter bubbling up inside him.
"Oh, that's alright," Gretchen waved her hand dismissively, trying to act cool. "I'm sorry too."
"For what?" asked Meredith quickly while Derek cringed inside praying Gretchen wouldn't say a word about their previous encounter.
"Some of the comments I made… might have sounded inappropriate…" Gretchen said cautiously. The fact that Meredith Grey was Derek's secret girlfriend seriously blew. They were professionally interdependent. True, her trial could bring Seattle Grace more publicity and renown but if Meredith Grey wanted so, she could destroy her reputation.
"Oh, it's nothing really," Meredith rolled her eyes. "We trust each other completely. We're so in love… right, sweetie?" She looked up at him dreamily.
"Right," uttered Derek uncomfortably.
Gretchen excused herself quickly form their company with a wry smile. She wasn't giving up, oh, no. She wanted Derek Shepherd, even more so as he was so hard to get. It wouldn't matter in the long run; she just had to work harder and think cleverer to reach her aim, and be more cautious around Meredith Grey. For now, she'd crouch and wait, ready to strike when the time was right.
"Thank God," sighed Meredith relaxing her face and pulling away from Derek. "I thought I'd die from sugar shock."
"So now you're with me just for the show?" quipped Derek.
"I must have made sure that the message gets through her thick skull," she shrugged. "She must have been shocked."
"I don't think so, she knew I was going to bring someone."
"How so?" she asked suspiciously.
"Yesterday, she asked me to go with her," said weakly Derek.
"She's got nerve," hissed Meredith and rounded on him. "What did you do?"
"What do you think," he sighed. He felt slightly better at revealing to Meredith a part of yesterday's events. A part, since he omitted how forward Gretchen really was. "I told her I was seriously deeply in love with the woman of my life."
She cocked her head and looked at him. "I wished you could show me how much in love you are right now..."
"Dr. Grey, wonderful to see you again!" They were interrupted once more.
"Later," mouthed to her Derek.
"I'm taking your word for it…"