Author's Note: I always said after my last story, that will be the last one but I was going through some old stories, found two chapters I had written of this little gem and an idea was born. This is very mature in the way that is written, does contain graphic content. It's different from my usual writings, this is centered around Derek's intern year in Seattle. This is definitely AU and had some sensitive content in it so read at your own risk. As you guys know, I absolutely suck at summaries so this will have to do.
Circa 1994
Derek Shepherd knew that tomorrow he would probably regret it, it was his first day as a surgical intern at one of the top programs in the nation and he was getting wasted the night before. The feeling of the burning whiskey slid down his throat, leaving the slow burn. He would much prefer a single malt scotch but didn't want to drive to a liquor store. His phone began to ring, he didn't even bother looking at it as he slid it on the coffee table, downing the last drop of whiskey in the glass. He hated the taste but loved the slow burn of the dark liquid sliding down his esophagus and the feeling of forgetting everything he had left behind.
"How could you? You never thought of me while you were screwing him, did you?"
He shook his head, the scene played over and over in his head. He couldn't quite imagine how the hell this all even happened. His problems couldn't possibly follow him all the way across the country, he could enjoy the silence of his new house he bought down the street from the hospital. The only noise the could be heard was the rain falling outside the window, turns out he hated the silence. His old life was so hectic, loneliness was going to take over him. This loneness that filled the home he was suppose to share with his ex-fiancée. He poured another glass of whiskey, tipping it into his mouth before he slipped on his rain coat. He couldn't stand the silence anymore, he had to find a bar to wallow in his sorrows.
Ironically, he began walking toward the hospital, seeing the lit up neon sign that said 'Emerald Bar' on it across from the hospital. Maybe he was going to like Seattle, it did have ferry boats and his job was right across from a bar so he didn't have to sleep with nurses, he could widen his horizon. Just a few months ago, he never saw his life coming to this. He couldn't say he didn't miss her, or his life back home. He missed every part of New York, even the loud traffic and noisy neighbors that filled the streets. He missed his mother and his many sister's, his slew of nieces and nephew's that just seemed to keep growing. He couldn't believe it, that his life crumbled with just one night. A night that just seemed to replay in his brain. He was almost relieved when he walked into the bar. It was crowded with people, mostly people around his age or a little younger. He made his way to the bar, finding a seat as he slumped down. He looked at his surroundings, taking in every single face as he just wanted to drown his sorrows and to get what he came for. Sex. He hated what he was becoming, it reminded him too much of his best friend Mark. He loved Mark dearly, but the man loved to sleep around and have his way with women.
"Welcome, haven't seen you around here before," the bartender smiled, wiping peanut shells from the space next to him. He seemed friendly, tall and a little husky. He could probably take down a whole football team by the way he was built.
"New in town, is this a good place to hang out?" Derek questioned, taking a peanut from the wooden bowl on the bar and cracking it into his mouth, letting the two small peanuts fall into his mouth.
"Seems to be, can't really say much because then you would call me a hypocrite since I own the place, the names Joe," he said, throwing the rag over his shoulder.
"Derek, can I get a single-malt double scotch on the rocks," Derek asked, putting another peanut into his mouth. The salty taste was the perfect pair with his scotch soon to pass through his dry lips.
"Sure, do you want me to start a tab?" He asked, grabbing the chilled glass and placing ice into it before pouring the dark liquor into the glass and placing it in front of him. Derek took his wallet out, pulling out a twenty and placing it down.
"Give me as many as this will pay for," he said, sipping the liquor as it had a slight burn to it, not as rough as whiskey.
"No problem," Joe smiled before going to help another customer.
Derek scanned the room, looking for someone to take his mind off of things for a bit. He never really enjoyed picking up girls and having one-night stands but he needed one pretty badly and lately he couldn't bring himself to even think of ever dating again. He saw a blonde sitting by herself at a table, sipping on what seemed to be a martini. He gulped down the rest of his scotch, sitting the empty glass on the bar before sliding his hand through his hair, turning on his charm as he approached the girl.
"Hi, couldn't help but notice you were alone," Derek smiled his dreamy smile, he caught her eye under the light of the bar, they were a light hazel as she smiled up at him, clearly interested. Her face was slender, she looked to be mid twenties and definitely spent her free nights in a bar.
"I am, would you like to join me?" She smiled, Derek accepting. She was beautiful, definitely not his type in any way but the growing in his pants said otherwise.
"My name is Dr. Derek Shepherd," he lied slightly, though he was considered a doctor, he had never worked as a doctor except when he was learning in med school, but she didn't have to know that. He noticed as she moved closer to him, her smile got wider when he said he was a doctor.
"A doctor eh?" She said, her accent now slightly coming through. It was obvious she was from Canada.
"Surgeon actually, would you like a refill on that..." he paused, waiting for her to say her name.
"Tiffany, and that would be great, extra dry martini," she smiled, Derek now knew he was in. He went and grabbed him another scotch and her martini before going back over to her. They talked about her being from Canada, him from New York. They talked a little about common interest, her moving closer and closer to him as the night went on. He finally made his move, sealing the deal. He placed his hand on her neck, pulling her lips to meet his. The kiss had no spark, nothing but a simple kiss. Much like he was kissing a pillow in fact. The scotch made him grow more aroused as he thought about it.
They pulled away from each other, each breathless. Derek didn't feel a thing for her, the kiss brought nothing but he was still willing to have a one-night stand with her. He pushed a little hair behind her ear, exposing it, as he leaned over to her ear.
"How about you and me get out of here and go back to my place," he whispered in a low voice, one that caused her to smile widely as she nodded. Derek tipped Joe before she hooked her arm in his.
"It's just a small walk, hope you are up for a little walking," he smiled, knowing it wouldn't take long to get to his house.
"I don't mind at all," she smiled as she followed beside him, holding on to his arm. He noticed her try and snuggle to his arm as they walked down the street, he had this eerie inside him. He wasn't sure what was next for him, but he did know that soon he would try and forget all his troubles. He would spend the next seven years doing the thing he loved in a town he could grow to love.
Meredith Grey sat in her bed after the long day she had. Her hair was removed from the bun as she let the now waves fall to her shoulders. She looked at her sunburn face and chest in the mirror, cursing Cristina as she made her go to the beach for the day. It was the last day before her senior year, soon she would finally be out of the hellhole called her mother's house.
Her mother was never home, she was always either working as Chief of Surgery at the hospital down the street or she was at a conference somewhere around the world, she would occasionally allow Meredith to go with her. Her favorite was when she went to Italy, it was like a second home when she went. She always said when she was younger, she would move to Italy the day she turned eighteen but time had stolen her dreams. She knew one day she would be there.
She grabbed some of the aloe vera from the medicine cabinet, rubbing it on the bright red skin. She couldn't remember the last time she had been to the beach, maybe because it was nearly an hour drive from her house and she never enjoyed it much. Her best friend had begged her to come, Cristina was originally from California and when her father died, her mother moved to Seattle and never bothered to remarry. Meredith despised her mother but Cristina loved her, maybe it was because Cristina wanted to become a surgeon and thought Ellis was a god.
She contemplated on taking a shower, since she had just put aloe to sooth the burning in her skin, she decided to grab something to eat before the shower. She couldn't bare putting anything on her skin so decided to keep her shirt off as she went down to the kitchen. The only edible thing in the fridge was day-old pizza, she grabbed a slice and stuck it in the microwave.
Her thoughts seemed to wonder to how her last year of school would go, most likely how every other year went. She focused on her schoolwork during the week, the weekend was for partying. Her mother always hated when she partied, she always assumed it would ruin Meredith but that made her want to do it more.
She heard the beeping of the microwave, signaling the pizza was now ready. She grabbed the plate from the microwave, grabbing a soda from the fridge before making her way to the living room. She sat everything down on the coffee table as she searched for the remote. She found it, turning the tv on as it came on to some horror film as she ate the pizza.
She looked at the stack of papers, college applications. Some she wanted to attend, others were to please her mother. Every college she planned on applying to was on the east coast, only Stanford was on the west coast and it was because Cristina was making her apply there.
Her pizza was all gone now, she dreaded getting into the shower. She knew she would be taking a cool shower to help with the burns, she hated cool showers. She slowly made her way upstairs, leaving the soda and empty plate on the coffee table. As she reached the bathroom, she removed her shorts and was standing in all her naked glory as she turned on the shower water. She stepped in, the cold water beating against her skin sent shivers down her whole body. She grabbed the lavender shampoo, lathering her fingers and scalp with the flowery scent fill the air around her.
She quickly washed off her body with a loofa, being gentle around the burnt areas, before letting the water wash away the shampoo and soap. She stepped out of the cold shower into the slightly warmer room, grabbing a towel to dry off her chest and wrapping her hair in the towel. Her phone began ringing in her room, she made a dash for it. She answered, only to hear her mother's voice come through.
"Hello?" Meredith sighed, knowing she was about to hear some excuse from her mother about why she couldn't come home.
"Hi Meredith, I am coming by the house and I wanted to know if you wanted me to bring you a burger or something," Ellis said, her voice calm which meant she had just came from surgery.
"I'm good, I had pizza. I'll see you when you get here," Meredith said before hanging up the phone. She rolled her eyes, thinking of the conversation her mother just had. It was odd, her mother rarely called and asked her if she wanted anything or telling her she was coming home. Her eyes reverted out her window when she saw the light flash on in the neighbor's house. She had seen someone move in but never seen what the person looked like.
She watched, waiting for a figure to come into view as she slipped on her panties to sleep in. Her breath nearly stopped as the shirtless figure came out of one of the rooms, only dressed in boxer briefs. She saw his slightly muscular chest, lined with the perfect amount of chest hair. His dark hair looked wet and curly. She licked her lips as she eyed her neighbor up and down. She quickly remembered her bare chest was showing as his gaze met hers. His eyes a light blue as they looked surprised by Meredith staring at him.
She quickly made a dash toward her closet, pulling out the nearest t-shirt and sliding it on along with some shorts she had laying on the door. She came out, of the closet, checking the window. The figure still standing there, his eyes met hers again and a smile spread across his face. She felt her cheeks turn rose as he waved, she didn't know what to do so she waved back. Her little eye sex got interrupted by the door downstairs closing. She waved bye to the stranger before leaving her room to meet her mother downstairs.
"Meredith, do you not know how to clean up after yourself?" Ellis scoffed, sitting her coat on the coat rack near the door.
"Yes mother, I do. I wanted to take a quick shower, if you don't remember I have school in the morning," Meredith scoffed, taking her plate and soda to the kitchen to place each in their rightful place.
"Of course I didn't forget. I needed to come home and grab a pair of clothing. The new set of interns start at the hospital tomorrow and I want to look clean when I give my speech," she said as she walked up the stairs, Meredith followed.
"Oh of course, you have to look clean and superior to all the interns," Meredith practically mocked her mother as she leaned against the door frame that lead to her mother's bedroom.
"That's enough Meredith. Now I have to be going. I expect you to have those college applications filled out and ready to mail by next weekend," Ellis said, carrying a black pant-suit on a hanger around her room, searching for something.
"Ok Ellis," Meredith scoffed, going back into her room. She hoped to see the figure standing there and waiting on her but sadly the light was now off. She sighed, turning off the light before going to get into her bed. She couldn't get her mind off the figure standing in the window. He was extremely sexy and didn't seem right for him to live in the house all alone, unless he didn't. He could have a wife or a family for all she knew but that didn't stop her from dreaming of the eye candy she got a glimpse of.