Don't own Grey's Anatomy or any character, setting, event, etc. associated with it. Still wishin' I owned Alex and McDreamy, though.
Chapter 3: Hot Gossip
Meanwhile, as they were walking away, Alex and Meredith were discussing the obvious: their assignment to Dr. McDreamy. "Think you can handle it, Grey?" Alex asked, mostly joking. Meredith gave him one of her trademark Don't even start with me looks in response. "I know, I know, you're just friends with the guy and his satanically hot wife. But I just had to check, for the sake of professionalism."
"You're a professional pain in the ass, Alex."
"Oh, how sweet. You know you want me."
"Not this again. Seriously. I'm not sleeping with you." Meredith spoke with exasperation, but the gleam in her eyes and the hint of a smile betrayed her amusement at Alex's typically presumptive proposition. In a lower tone, she whispered "Glad you're coming back to us, Karev." Alex didn't reply verbally, but just looked at her and winked.
Around them, a few nurses (who were by far the biggest gossips at SGH) took note of the brief but playful exchange between the two interns. The whole thing was especially note-worthy because Karev, the Grinch himself since Izzie dumped him, was smiling. It had been a few weeks, and Alex, who was usually charming and mildly bearable, had simply become unbearable. No flirting, no cockiness, no nothing. Just a whole lot of discernable rage and some indiscernible mumbling under his breath. So it was good to see some sign of life again. That he and Grey were flirting, well, that was simply good fodder for gossip. Olivia, George's (and Alex's) "slutty syph nurse" saw the scene with a brief pang of resentment. A few days ago she had tried to talk to him, to console him, but to no avail. She couldn't blame him, really, for his coldness, given what had happened in the on-call and as a result, but she still wished they could be friends. Or something. So seeing Dr. Grey of all people make him laugh bothered her just a little bit. Especially since Grey had hurt the guy she had actually liked. But at least someone had gotten Alex to begin to snap out of it, because even Olivia had to admit that mopey Alex was annoying. And boring.
Alex and Meredith arrived at the elevator impervious to the sidelong glances they were receiving. Alex pushed the button, and Meredith mentally prepared herself for another day of working with McDreamy. No, Derek, or Dr. Shepherd, but definitely not McDreamy. Sometimes it felt like she had to remind herself of that twenty times a day. "Damn it," she muttered under her breath as the metal doors binged open. She stepped in, Alex following, and pressed the button for 5.
Alex said nothing, and the silver doors slid shut. "Mer, just remember: I'm here. Seriously, if you need to talk or anything…"
"No, no, I'm fine," she replied giving a terse smile, as the elevator began to move. And really, she was fine. Fine, in that Damn it- I-have-to-work-with-my-gorgeous-married-ex-boyfriend sort of way. Actually, it wasn't that which so much bothered her, since they were 'friends.' Besides, she had more or less gotten used to working with him. But she had a dream about him last night which had left her exhausted and disturbed. Alex didn't need to know that, however.
All of a sudden, the elevator jolted and came to a sudden stop, throwing both of the interns forward.
A/N: I know it's sort of a short chapter- sorry about that! I think the next one will be longer though. Thanks again to everybody for their really nice comments; I'm glad you're enjoying this!