Chapter 74: Making Her Stay

Meredith silently willed all thoughts of Derek disappear out of her head. His little speech in the car park was reigniting hope in her heart, which she couldn't allow to happen. She couldn't let her newly established philosophy to crumble. She had to leave before she managed to hurt Derek again. Thankfully, she was about to do something that could cement her resolution. She just wouldn't be able to stay in Seattle afterwards.

Soon after she rang the doorbell, she was greeted by a visibly surprised but smiling Susan.

"Meredith! What a surprise!"

Apparently, Lexie didn't mention anything to her parents. That was kind of nice of her, giving her the chance to change her mind without unnecessary fuss. "I hope… I'm not interrupting," Meredith said politely.

"Of course, you're not interrupting," Susan shook her head and stepped aside to let her in. "Come in, come in. You've come just in time, we're making dinner."

"Oh, I won't stay that long. It will take just a couple of minutes."

She followed Susan into the kitchen where her father was stirring the contents of a pot on fire.

"Thatch, give me this," told him Susan taking away the spoon. "We have a guest, you have a guest."

He turned around, wiping his hands over his sweater and his eyes widened in shock at the sight of his oldest daughter.

"Mer… Meredith," he stammered, making a few awkward steps towards her. "I'm so sor-"

"You don't have to talk," she cut him simply. "I came here but not because I want to hear you talk. I came because I want to talk. Last time, last time I said some things. I said what I felt, what I still feel."

Thatcher looked like he was ready to speak but she didn't let him. "However, I am leaving Seattle… in a couple of days. For all I know, I'm not coming back, ever. That's why I don't want to leave unfinished business of any kind behind me. I need closure to certain chapters of my life."

She was met with a moment of stunned silence and then…

"You're leaving?" asked Susan disbelievingly. "What about your job?"

"I'm stepping down," nodded Meredith.

"Why? Has something happened? Is there something wrong with the hospital?"

"No, the hospital has never been better."

"And that doctor… Your… boyfriend?" asked shyly Thatcher.

"I don't have a boyfriend," she answered automatically. "Look, it doesn't matter why I'm moving."

"Meredith, if it's for personal reasons," he cleared his throat. "Don't… don't run away. Don't make the same mistake your mother-"

"That's a bit rich coming from you!" she snapped. "I've never seen you coming for me, I haven't discovered a drawer of unopened cards!"

Thatcher nodded sadly, "I meant to say the mistake your mother and I made."

"Let's not talk about this," stopped him Meredith. "I'm moving on with my life. I don't want our last encounter to be an argument."

"Where are you going to go, Meredith?" asked gently Susan. "Do you have a prospect of a new job?"

"Actually, I do," she answered breaking the awkwardness lingering in the air. "I'll be joining my friends' practice in Los Angeles."

"Oh, great," Susan nodded enthusiastically. "You're replacing downpours and snowstorms with sun and sandy beaches. You know, we've always wanted to break out to California. You won't mind us calling for a visit sometime in the spring?"

Meredith's jaw clenched. "I'm not set on LA all that much yet," she gritted patiently as Susan ushered her to sit down at the table and join them for dinner. "I've been thinking about Africa as well…"

Next morning, Meredith woke up with a persistent feeling that the day which was just beginning would be decisive for the course of her entire life. Suddenly, all the little habits seemed to take up a new meaning, no doubt because the days she would follow them were counted. She got up, took a shower, made herself look impeccable and the only crease she was wearing was that on her forehead. Why was there even one? Because she had a feeling that something was out of place, a feeling somewhat strengthened by surreptitious looks Addison was giving her all throughout their silent breakfast.

"What?" snapped finally Meredith putting her mug of coffee on the table with a thud.

"Nothing!" shrugged the red head innocently.

"Seriously," Meredith cocked her head with a skeptical expression on her face. "I haven't heard a word of lecture from you since yesterday. Come on, spill it. You might get hypertension if you keep that all bottled up."

"Meredith," Addie put her hand over her heart. "I respect your decision. You sound… pretty decided over what you're going to do, and I just want to cherish the time we have left."

Meredith arched her eyebrow, unconvinced. "Sure, I wasn't born yesterday, Addie. Just so you know, whatever it is that you, pretty and prettier, or whoever else is in that conspiracy are plotting, it's not going to work. Nuh uh." She squinted at her best friend and left the room haughtily, completely unaware of Addison's self-assured smirk. We'll see…

By the time Meredith reached the hospital, went through her first procedure and stopped by the nurses' station to drop of a chart, she was certain the conspiracy theory was not her paranoia. The whispering, the looks, the smirks… Meredith wondered if it was all Derek's doing. She had no doubt he had something up his sleeve. The smug look on his face was like a confession statement.

She squinted at him as he caught her staring at him and laughed out loud. However, Meredith didn't have time to ponder on the question what her subordinates, her… Rosemary's babies cooked up this time as she heard her name called.

She turned to face a tall man, going bald at the top of his head.

"Mr. Jennings," she greeted him with a slight surprise. "Weren't we… scheduled for later? Where are other board members?" she frowned slightly looking behind him.

"My colleagues' presence isn't necessary," he answered rather dryly.

"Ah," she raised her eyebrows, slightly offended. They could at least see her off like good manners required; she did make Seattle Grace the second teaching hospital in the country. What a total disrespect, Jennings didn't even wear a suit. "Should we get to my office then?" she offered putting her nerves on hold.

"No need," came Jennings's baffling answer. He glanced around and pointed at a door with his head, "That conference room will suffice. It will just take a minute."

Understanding less and less, Meredith followed him inside the smallest of the conference rooms, the last thing she saw swinging her head being a crowd of her staff watching her like zombies.

"That's going to blow into our faces," muttered Mark shaking his head. "And she'll have all our names."

"Oh, come on," Cristina rolled her eyes. "What is she gonna do with it? Fire all her staff and be a one-man orchestra? Besides, Shepherd will distract her, right?"

"I don't know if Shep still has it in him," Mark patted his shoulder. "He's been… out of commission for a while."

"Whatever," shrugged Cristina. "Annoy her, stalk her, assault her… some women like it rough you know, just don't let her jump at our throats."

"Can you two just shut up?" snipped Derek irritated. He really didn't have to be reminded about his forced celibacy, he felt it all too well on his… skin. Not that he counted or anything, but it was two freaking months, at which point his pent-up sexual energy rivaled that of his teenage years and it was starting to be a tiny bit embarrassing. "I'm trying to see, okay?" he said instead watching the board representative show Meredith a stack of papers, the stack he knew well enough.

"Oh, shit," laughed Cristina. "Look at her face! Priceless!"

Jennings drew a chair for Meredith and sat down opposite her, his face stern.

"I have to tell you, Dr. Grey," he started gravely, "that after your yesterday's call we were all ready to beg you to stay, accept any conditions you might wish. You're undeniably what this hospital needs, the rankings only proved it. However, if your decision had been final, we would have respected it as you gave a reason why your further management of Seattle Grace was impossible, "a general dislike and negative attitudes towards your person debilitating the hospitals functioning."

"That's right," nodded Meredith.

"Well, then, imagine my surprise, Dr. Grey, when I received this late last evening," he pushed a pile of documents towards her.

"What's that?" she eyed it and her vision concentrated on the man before her again.

"Go on, see yourself," he prompted. "It's a petition of the staff that supposedly hate you demanding you staying in office, over two hundred signatures."

"What?" Meredith breathed out violently taking the documents into her hands. "It's… it's impossible!"

"That's not all," went on Jennings. "Look inside the folder. These are resignations of all, I repeat all, department heads plus several attendings. The senior staff of this hospital threatens to quit if we dissolve the contract with you."

Meredith's eyes jumped chaotically from line to line, over dozens of hastily scribbled names.

"So, Dr. Grey," concluded Jennings getting to his feet. "I don't think your departure is possible in these circumstances. And if you insist, we'll meet in court."

She kept staring at the wall listlessly, the entire meticulous plan of her was in ruins. She was bound to stay in Seattle, work here, be at Derek's side… Her throat went dry.

"For all it's worth," remarked Jennings on a much gentler note, "I think it was just a misunderstanding that spun out of proportion. You're needed here, and obviously wanted."

Meredith's eyebrows travelled high on her forehead as she cocked her head pensively, only half-listening. A misunderstanding that spun out of proportion… Derek and Gretchen in the lab… You're needed here, and obviously wanted. I love you, Meredith…

"Dr. Grey?" Jennings studied her suspiciously.

"Oh, I'm sorry?" she brushed off her memories.

"As I was saying, Richard was a great chief but let me tell you, he was too soft on them. These people, they're arrogant, they have God complexes and they're proud of it. You are the right person to keep them in line. They appreciate it."

Her heartbeat faster. You're bossy, you keep us in line…

"I don't expect to be disturbed any longer today, Dr. Grey," admonished Jennings. "I'm spending the afternoon at the tennis club. Friday, I'm going to Hawaii. I'll be receiving no calls."

After he left, Meredith's head sank into the papers. She still couldn't believe that her staff went to such great lengths to keep her… They must have wanted it, she decided as her fingers traced the signatures. No one would force Cristina Yang to put her job at risk, or anyone else for that matter. They wouldn't do that solely for Derek. It looked like somehow… she was wanted at this place… and that thought made her feel warm inside. For a couple of seconds, to be precise. Until, intrigued by the sudden quietness, she raised her head and looked straight through the window out at the lobby and saw everyone staring at her expectantly. That was when the gratitude was replaced by irritation and anger. The bastards, they stepped around her, they disregarded her wishes, they… outsmarted her!

She slammed the folder shut and stood up energetically. They wanted a chief that would keep them in line? They would get just that. She shot out of the conference room and stood before them with her hand on her hips, seething with anger.

"Don't you have a job to do, people?" she bellowed. "You think you're the kings of the world because you're second in the rankings? Keep thinking that and we'll sink like the Titanic. Guess what? We're not taking it easy. We're going to work even harder! Just so you know, if we're not first next year, I will seriously kick your asses for this little stunt!" she waved the papers in the air. "Since when do I have to repeat myself? Move, move, move!"

"Dr. Model is back," commented Mark with a smirk as the lobby swarmed like an ants' nest, acting on the Chief's orders.

"She's back," Derek sighed with glorious relief.

Meredith watched with sadistic satisfaction as the pit around her was doubling and tripling the efforts to work most quickly and efficiently under the scrupulous eye of the Chief. She was literally everywhere today. In the corridors, in the galleries, in patients' rooms, breathing down their necks.

Her head followed the commotion in one of the exam rooms and her lips arched upwards vindictively. Well, well, well, looked like Dr. Shepherd found himself a surgical case. Thank God, she was still the Chief with the ultimate power to give and take.

Without another thought, she hurried into the room yanking CT scans from unsuspecting Derek.

"That looks serious," she muttered carefully surveying the images.

"I've got it covered," he frowned standing in front of her.

"Miller," Meredith addressed the resident on the case, ignoring Derek. "Fill me in."

"That's my case," argued Derek, though it was clear he tried hard to mask his hilarity.

"Not anymore," quipped Meredith leaning down to examine her patient's injury. "Miller, I'm waiting!"

The resident willed the corners of her mouth down. It was so obvious that the Chief and Shepherd wanted each other, badly, but if she let on her thoughts, she would be banned from the OR, possibly forever.

"Giselle Toussant, 42-year-old woman. Unrestrained driver of a car that hit a railing, got ejected."

"She was… We were coming to the ER…," her husband started to explain. Although he didn't bore any visible injuries, he could do well with a gurney himself. "We were both sick. We couldn't shake this flu thing so… She was better so I let her drive."

"Omar?" the woman opened her eyes and called for her husband.

"Giselle? Honey?"

"Where are we?" she breathed out. "Are we… are we dancing?"

Meredith inspected the wound on her head with a frown.

"We had an accident," informed her Omar with a calming voice.

"Dura lacerations, she's leaking spinal fluid," stated Meredith. "Let's get an OR ready, okay?"

"The dancing's so beautiful," said Giselle completely out of context.

"You're beautiful," replied softly her husband leaning to kiss her before the surgery when he was shaken by a coughing fit. He would have fallen forward if Derek hadn't caught him straight.

"He's burning up."

"Somebody get him a bed," ordered Meredith. "Let's get her to the OR right away."

She walked past Derek with a challenging superior look, but he couldn't care less that she just threw him off his own case.

He helped Mr. Toussant get to the ER and left him in the care of one of the resident and having no consult in his schedule, decided to do some stalking.

As Meredith worked on her patient's head trauma, she feverishly wondered what she was supposed to do next. No, not in regard to the procedure she was performing. She only wished other areas of her life were as crystal-clear as that one. Meredith was seeking an answer to the question what she should do Derek-wise.

She knew already he was going to be her shadow. The proof? He was sitting up in the gallery, scorching her with his regard. Because of the flu season and the minor fact that everyone got off her way today, he was the only occupant of the gallery, and it was making her feel very exposed. She couldn't lie to herself any longer, her resolve was crumbling. What was the point of staying away from him if she was forced to remain in Seattle? They were in love… and pretty much in heat, she remarked gruesomely. Then again, could she really take a risk again? Confusion befuddled her brain.

Taking in the gravity of Mrs. Toussant's condition Meredith closed her up herself. Stepping away from the table she handed the instruments to her nurse and took off her protective gown and gloves. With a deep breath, she left the operating room. She had no more excuses to stall and she knew… Yup, she knew Derek would be waiting for her. Leaning against the sink leisurely, he watched her intently with his head cocked to the side.

"Is there something you want, Dr. Shepherd?" she asked indifferently as she soaped her hands vigorously and opened the tap.

He chuckled and leaned towards her ear before she could move away. Only she didn't exactly want to move away. "You know exactly what I want," he whispered hotly. "And I know you want it too."

"You're awfully sure of yourself," she said disapprovingly.

"Don't I have a reason to be," he answered smugly. "I told you we'd resort to actions today and look, you're staying."

She scowled at him tossing the used paper towels into the bin. "Don't remind me." She stepped around him walked the length of the corridor. Predictably, he was at once at her heels. Faced with a choice – stairs or elevator, she chose the former. Both of them closed together in an elevator… a recipe for… no, not a disaster. Rather something she should not indulge herself at the moment when she was completely confused.

"Hey, where's the fire?" quipped Derek as he rushed up the stairs behind her.

"Okay, can we at least pretend that we're taking care of professional stuff here?" she hissed as they left the staircase on their level.

"Why bother?" he smirked. "Everyone knows it's bullshit."

"Look, I'm busy," she argued, her face glaring at everyone she caught lurking at them. "You wanted me to be chief, I'm chief. I don't have time-"

"Oh, no. You're not playing that card on me," he warned her placing a hand on the small of her back.

"What are you-"

She trailed off in shock as gently but unyieldingly maneuvered her inside to the first room on their right, which happened to be interns' locker room, now mercifully empty.

"Derek's already in action," chuckled Izzie, sipping her coffee at the nurses' station.

"He's pretty desperate," nodded Mark, "missing any action too much."

"It's actually stunning how one-tracked brain you have," bit back Izzie with professional wonder in her voice. "I think Derek should have a look at it."

"Trust me, Derek should have a look at something else right now," quipped Mark.

She wanted to get back at him with a witty riposte but was distracted with the appearance of George followed by several men clad in protective uniforms.

"George, George!" she waved at him and he excused himself quickly to join her.

"George, what's going on?" she pointed at the newcomers curiously.

"It's the IDC," informed them George with a serious expression. "We had a couple come in earlier. Dr. Grey's just finished a craniotomy on the wife but the husband, he's got severe flu symptoms. Swollen lymph nodes, buboes… Turns out they had contact with the-"

"The plague?" asked Izzie, her eyes going wide.

George nodded gravely, "Anyone that was in contact with the Toussants has to be quarantined… I need to find Dr. Grey… and Shepherd… Have you seen them?"

Mark and Izzie exchanged glances.

"They're uhm…"

"They're in the… locker room," chuckled Mark.

"Interns' locker room."

"Both of them?" frowned George. "What are they both doing in a locker room?"

Mark and Izzie looked at the ceiling innocently.

"Ugh, forget I asked. I'm so not going there," muttered George walking away.

"Well, that should be interesting," threw lightly Mark.

"What do you think you're doing?" she rounded on him.

"Trying to talk to you," he answered patiently. "Don't you think it's time?" He looked into her eyes expectantly.

"Time… time is…" she stammered, biting on her lip. Dr. Wyatt, she definitely should talk to Dr. Wyatt. "I need time. I need time to think everything over."

Derek studied her face in silence for a while and then asked, "You… want me to give you time? To think over?"

"Exactly," she nodded eagerly, her eyes already skipping to the door.

"Well then, I'm sorry," he stated simply. "More time is just the one thing I'm not going to give you."

"What?" she breathed out in surprise. "A few hours ago, I thought I'd be leaving the town. Now, everything's changed."

"Not really," he shook his head firmly. "You still want me exactly like you used to. I'm not wasting any more time, Meredith."

"Derek-"

"No, Meredith. You're not talking when I'm talking."

She gasped at the line that belonged clearly to her and which he now used against her.

"I am a patient man," he took up. "I really am. Because a man of a lesser patience would have jumped off the Space Needle a long time ago, or strangled you with his bare hands or just had his way with you, even against your will."

She swallowed deeply while her lungs encountered considerable problems to breathe. She felt the lust she had denied herself for so long burning up inside her. She pinched herself on the forearm to sober up; that was really not the time for her clit to take control over her thought process.

"We'll talk later!" the high-pitched squeak escaped her throat and she ran for the exit, almost bumping into someone at the door. "What the-" she frowned at the protective clothing of the person she ran into.

"Dr. Grey?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Dr. Shepherd?" the man looked past her.

"Yes," nodded Derek, his own puzzled expression matching Meredith's.

"I'm with the IDC," explained the intruder. "Is anyone else in this room?"

"No," replied quickly Meredith. "What is going on in my hospital?"

"You performed the surgery on Mrs. Toussant?"

"Yes!" she barked irritably. "What-"

"She and her husband were in close contact with a victim of the plague, she may have been exposed."

"Which means we may have been," concluded calmly Derek.

"Yeah."

"I've got to go, I can't do this," shot feverishly Meredith.

The man barred her way with his arm. "We're waiting on the diagnosis of Mr. Toussant. This room's sealed off until we know the threat has been contained and you're absolutely safe. You cannot leave, you two are quarantined." Having announced that he closed the door into their noses leaving them standing in a silence.

Meredith slowly turned back to face Derek.

She was screwed. She could be contaminated with the deadly virus; she could be on her way to the morgue and she… was locked up with Derek Shepherd for an indefinite period of time…

She gasped slightly as the corner of his mouth curled up in a smirk.