Help is Around the Corner
Addison and Derek's trailer catches fire, and Meredith offers them a place to stay for a while.
This evening after dinner is the weekly shopping trip for the Meredith Grey Frat House.
It's a first for Mark, who's only recently joined the household, and he seems to be really looking forward to this adventure.
"So you really all go together to the superstore, and to Costco?" says Mark.
"Otherwise how are we going to get everything we need?" says Meredith.
"If not they make me buy extra-large boxes of tampons, plus everything else, and it's just better this way," says George.
"Cool," says Mark.
"Alright, I have an alphabetized and color-coded list of everything we need, and it's divided up into zones. We'll send a team to each zone, and we'll meet at the cash register," says Izzie.
"Did you put down nacho-flavored-nacho-chips?" says Alex.
"Yes, I got your stupid nacho chips," says Izzie.
"Make sure you get the nacho-flavored ones," says Alex.
"Aren't they already nacho flavored if they're nachos?" says Addison.
"These ones have powdered spices on them so they don't even need salsa," says Derek.
"That sounds very… Unhealthy…" says Addison.
"You'll get addicted to them soon enough," says Meredith.
"Maybe I won't try them then," says Addison.
"You're just afraid you won't have any willpower," says Callie.
"I have lots of willpower," says Burke.
"That's only because you didn't like that flavor," says Cristina.
"It's an awesome flavor," says Mark.
"Anyhow, yes they are on the list, and here are your shopping buddies and zones," says Izzie.
"What we don't get to pick?" says Mark.
"No because if you go with your girlfriends or boyfriends you'll just get distracted so I've made teams that will be efficient," says Izzie.
"Fine," says Alex.
"Cristina, you're with Addison and Callie. Burke, you're with Derek and I. Meredith, you're with Mark and George."
Izzie delivers the lists, and they all split up into their respective teams.
"GO!" says Izzie.
Cristina and Addison and Callie all run off, because Cristina is convinced it's a competition.
Izzie knows her list inside and out though, so they make a good run for it.
Mark and George and Meredith, by contrast, proceed at a leisurely pace because they all want to spend time browsing the video game section.
"ARE YOU NOT FINISHED!?" says Izzie, when she finds three of them competing at one of the demo games.
"I'm winning, don't distract me," says Mark.
"Not for long!" says George.
"Ha!" says Meredith, as she pulls into the lead right at the very last second.
"Come on, we've still got the superstore," says Izzie. "And I'm changing these teams up, because this combination does not seem to be working…"
"Alright…" Meredith mopes until she realizes that she gets to see Addison again, and Izzie has to separate them from making out in the middle of the checkout line.
"Come on, all the other couples can keep it in their pants," says Izzie.
"You're jealous," says Alex, smirking.
"We're going," says Izzie.
"But we're newly-dating. Like newlyweds but not like, married," says Meredith.
"That's totally a reason," says Addison, as she kisses Meredith back deliriously.
"Do I have to separate you two?" says Izzie.
"We're coming," Meredith sighs, as she catches up with the rest of the group.
For the next round, Izzie simply splits up the couples, so Meredith, Burke, Callie, Derek, and Izzie are on one team, and Addison, George, Mark, and Alex are on the other team.
"What, I'm the only girl here? What, am I the entertainment?" says Addison.
"You better not be," says Meredith possessively.
"Why are Mark and I split up?" Derek whines.
"Because you two are equally distracted by each other. Now let's move!" says Izzie.
Mark shrugs, while Derek stands there looking confused, until Izzie gets him moving towards the necessary items again.
This trip happens to work much more smoothly than the last one, and before they know it they're at the checkout counter again.
"Wow, we really do buy groceries like a frat house," says Derek.
"We're not a frat house!" says Meredith.
"I can only think of frat houses that buy value packs of lube, condoms, and triple-a batteries," says Burke.
"Ours does," says Cristina.
"They're essentials!" says Alex.
"I agree," says Mark.
"Well, if it's got to last us a while," says Addison.
"Not necessarily," says Meredith. "We're coming back next week!"
The next chore after getting all of the groceries is packing them all into two cars, which is where Mark, Alex, Callie, Burke, and Addison do all the heavy lifting, and Izzie, Meredith, Derek, Cristina, and George do the sorting.
When prompted, Derek says he doesn't want to injure his two million dollar a year hands, to which Addison rolls her eyes at him, and hands him the most inconveniently sized packages to arrange just to annoy him.
The opposite task arrives at the house, where the unloading happens, and this time everyone forms a large assembly line to bring all of the items into the house.
"Rr!" says Doc, as he welcomes them back with his tail wagging.
"Hi Doc," says Meredith.
"Rr!" says Doc, as he paws at the groceries.
"Yes, we got your food," says Addison.
"Rr!" says Doc.
"Yes, we got you some treats too," says Mark.
"Rr!" says Doc.
"Not now, you can have some later," says Derek.
"Rr!" says Doc.
"No, we did not get you a prime steak Doc," says Izzie.
"Rr!" says Doc.
"Yes, we know you ask for one every single time, but the answer will always be no," says Cristina.
"Rr!" says Doc.
"Seriously, we got you some nice treats, and your favorite food, isn't that good?" says Callie.
"Rr!" says Doc.
"Just because some people feed you bites of steak at the table does not mean that we're going to cook you your own steak," says Burke.
"Rr!" says Doc.
"Not naming names or anything!" says George.
"Rr!" says Doc.
"Dude, dog food is good," says Alex.
"Rr!" says Doc.
"No, Alex doesn't eat your dog food," says Meredith, laughing as Doc growls at Alex.
"Rr!" says Doc.
"Alright, let's take you for a walk before you eat Alex," says Addison, as she walks Doc out the door, and Meredith follows her.
"Well that was an eventful evening," says Addison.
"Rite of passage, shopping for the frat house," says Meredith.
"It's quite an experience," says Addison.
"It is!" says Meredith.
"It's fun, I really like living here," says Addison.
"I'm glad, I love having you here, and if you haven't moved in, we might not have gotten so close," says Meredith.
"Yup," says Addison.
"Rrrrrr!" says Doc, agreeing with them.
They walk Doc to the park and back, and he plays with his friends for a while until he's tired, and Addison and Meredith bring him home.
They sit on Derek's hammock for a while together, until Meredith and Addison start kissing, and Doc runs into the house again.
"Rr!?" says Doc, as he scampers off.
"Bye Doc," Addison giggles as she kisses Meredith again.
And they make out outside until it gets late.
***** END OF CHAPTER 39