Help is Around the Corner
Addison and Derek's trailer catches fire, and Meredith offers them a place to stay for a while.
Dr. Bailey stands waiting for the junior residents in the locker room as they all pile in together, exactly 10 seconds away from being late.
"Karev, you're with Burke, O'Malley, the pit, Stevens, you're with Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd, she requested you, Yang, you'll be joining Stevens, and Dr. Grey, you're with Dr. Shepherd," says Bailey.
"Okay-" the interns nod, knowing not to push it since they were already almost late this morning.
"Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd and Dr. Shepherd are in surgery together in O.R two, Cristina, Meredith, and Izzie, go join them," says Dr. Bailey before she redirects everybody else.
"I can't wait to see this case," says Izzie.
"I wish Burke would let me back on cardio," Cristina grumbles.
"Mm-" Meredith says, only half-listening.
"I'm so glad Dr. Montgomery requested me!" says Izzie.
"Yeah, I guess you're into working with the pregnant moms, huh," says Cristina.
"Yeah, and Dr. Montgomery is so talented," says Izzie.
"She is-" Meredith pipes in.
"Mer, you're not ranting on about McDreamy?" says Cristina.
"He's good, but we know he's good. It's a fact, and he always talks about it," Meredith shrugs.
"You're not excited to see your boyyyyyyyfriend?" Izzie teases.
"He's not my boyfriend," Meredith deadpans. "He's a liar, and I don't forgive him," Meredith clips.
"Good for you," says Izzie.
"So you'll be operating with your giiiiiiiirlfriend," Cristina teases similarly to Izzie.
"Yeah," Izzie flips her hair.
"Oh come on-" Meredith frowns, and finishes scrubbing, and walks around her friends. "Let's just go."
"Hello doctors, good to see you," says Addison, smiling.
Her hair is covered by her teal scrub cap, and it accentuates the blueish tint in her eyes, Meredith notices.
She can still see the lipstick Addison put on this morning, and the light makeup is just so pretty.
And Addison is concentrating on the fetal monitor, and she looks so graceful-
And Meredith should stop staring because she is at work right now.
"Dr. Grey, could you please come here and hold the retractor?" says Derek.
"Sure-" says Meredith, purposefully standing on the side that's closer to Addison.
"Dr. Stevens, do you see how the uterus is a bit distended," says Addison.
"Yeah-" says Izzie, as she leans closer to see.
"Dr. Yang, do you see?" says Addison, as she shows Cristina.
Meredith tries to lean closer to see too, but Derek steps in.
"Dr. Grey, focus on the retractor, I need to be able to see-" says Derek.
Addison shoots Meredith an apologetic look, and says that she'll show her after the surgery.
"Thanks-" says Meredith, smiling softly.
"So Addison, I was talking with the insurance company, and they said the money will come through in about two weeks, and we can start looking at houses in the meantime," says Derek.
"Yeah?" says Addison.
"Yeah, I was thinking about building a house on the land in Seattle, what do you think?" says Derek.
"And you'd build it yourself, or?" says Addison.
"Well, I'd do up some plans, have them checked out by an architect, hire contractors, and such," says Derek.
"Okay-" Addison nods crisply.
"It'll take a while to build, we could find a place to rent in the meantime," says Derek.
"No, I mean, you can keep staring at my house-" Meredith jumps in.
"It's been a while Meredith, if you need the space-" says Addison politely.
"No I really like having you around-" says Meredith urgently, looking at Addison the whole time.
"If you're sure it's not an imposition…" says Derek.
"It isn't, it's great, right?" says Meredith, to Cristina and Izzie.
"It's great," says Cristina. "Even though I don't technically live there."
"Except you basically do," Meredith laughs. "And you're my person! I value your opinion!"
"Thanks," says Cristina.
"I think it's wonderful," says Izzie.
"Of course," says Meredith bitterly.
"Alright, I'm done here, Meredith would you like to close?" offers Derek.
"Sure," says Meredith, nodding, and switching places.
"Would you like to close here?" says Addison.
"Me or her?" says Cristina.
"Izzie can, and I'll let you do the next one?" says Addison.
"Thank you!" says Izzie, giggling on purpose.
"Meredith, I can stay a minute after if you want to learn what we were doing earlier-" Addison offers.
"Yes please!" Meredith practically jumps to accept Addison's invitation.
"Alright," says Addison. "Come here, I'll show you," she motions.
Meredith moves to meet Addison, and Izzie and Cristina just stand there, until Addison says "I'll catch up with you later, if you want to inform the family."
Meredith sighs contentedly that she gets a moment alone with Addison, and she enjoys learning what Addison had been teaching earlier.
"There you have it," says Addison.
"Thanks," says Meredith. "And I mean it, I love having you around the house-" Meredith says earnestly.
"Thanks, Grey," says Addison. "It's fun."
"Do you want to have lunch together-" Meredith blurts out.
"Sure," says Addison.
They scrub out, and talk about mundane things, while they head over to the cafeteria.
Addison unpacks a lunch for herself and for Meredith, and they settle down at the table. Meredith scoots over so she's almost touching Addison, and rests her head on the redhead's shoulder.
"Still tired?" asks Addison.
"Yeah-" Meredith whispers, nuzzling Addison's neck.
"Naptime after lunch?" Addison offers.
"Ooh, yes please. Will you come with me?" Meredith wraps her arms around Addison.
"Sure," says Addison. "I could use a little rest."
Meredith smiles widely, as she opens up her lunch, glad to be able to spend some more time with Addison.
She's also happy that they can nap together, because Addison always cuddles her when they nap together.
Meanwhile, from across the room, Izzie and Cristina are having lunch together.
"Do you want me to go over there and interrupt them again?" says Izzie. "Because it's fun, but it's kinda exhausting. And Meredith has been angry at me-" says Izzie.
"Nah, let them bond for a while," says Cristina. "The plan is to get them together, they spend some more time together, they'll get it," says Cristina.
"Oh thank goodness," says Izzie.
"Hey so if you have lunch free from fake-seducing Satan, do you want to meet me in say, ten minutes?" says Alex.
"Sure-" says Izzie.
"Why is everyone having sex but me-" says George grumpily.
"Meredith isn't having sex yet-" says Cristina.
"Yeah but she will-" says George.
"And you can, go find Callie," says Cristina. "She likes you!"
"Right," says George. "I'll go find Callie."
Cristina nods, and she goes to find Burke to see if he wants to have lunch together.
Once Meredith and Addison finish their lunches, they find a nearby unoccupied on-call room to nap in.
Meredith yawns, and pops into bed, and opens her arms for Addison to join her.
Addison wraps her arms around Meredith, and Meredith makes happy satisfied sounds.
Meredith tries not to look into it too much, but she loves when Addison holds her hand while they're cuddled up like this. It feels intimate, and personal, and she likes to think that Addison doesn't do this with anyone else.
She hasn't been in bed with Derek for weeks now, and even if Izzie is flirting with Addison, Addison doesn't nap with Izzie, so she's winning, and that's good because-
Gahhh!
Meredith finds herself getting so attached to Addison.
She swore she wasn't jealous earlier, but what if she was, just a little bit?
She has a bit of an obsession with her.
Maybe a bit of infatuation.
She just likes how Addison feels, and moves, and talks, and walks, and a lot of things!
And the idea of her cuddling with someone else makes her heart pang. Oh well, she's here with Meredith now. And that's what Meredith falls asleep to.
They sleep and sleep for an hour, until there's a quick knock at the door, and it's Preston Burke.
"We need you, Dr. Montgomery, we need you. Grey, you might as well come too," says Burke.
"What is it?" says Addison groggily.
"A patient, just came into the E.R," says Burke. "She's pregnant, and she has some neuro concerns."
"Be right there," says Meredith, as she motions for him to close the door for a second.
And alas, their naptime is over for the moment.
***** END OF CHAPTER 11