Disclaimer: I don't own GA in the least.
A/N: I'm so, so, so sorry about the lack of updates. Maybe I should make this apology part of my story, cause I've been so uber bad about it. I'm sorry I've kept you all waiting!
Chapter 6: Mr. Jackson
"You didn't have to do that, Grey,"
"Actually, Alex, I did. I know how you feel about her, and I'm truly sorry if anything I said to her hurt you in anyway, but I've just had enough of her."
"No, I appreciate it, it's kinda nice to have someone stand up for me once in a while. Weird, but cool."
She smiled at him, and was about to say something, when they finally arrived at their patient's room. Standing there, clad in white coat and his typical navy blue scrubs was the devil himself. Or more correctly, the devil's husband, aka Dr. Derek Shepherd. Meredith never really failed to notice how the blue scrubs brought ought the blue in his eyes and how much she loved how they offset the dark hair of his. That sexy hair which was fabulous to run your fingers through, the hair that was no longer available to her at night or in the on-call rooms or… Earth to Meredith, she thought, and snapped back to reality, much as she didn't really want to.
"Mr. Jackson, these two fine young people are going to assist me on the case. This is Dr. Karev and Dr. Grey. If I'm unavailable for any reason, please do not hesitate to page either one of them. Both of them are expertly versed on your case and understand all of the intricacies. Either one can ask any other questions you may think of," recommended Dr. Shepherd.
From the bed, Mr. Jackson, the 64-year old patient, looked over the interns with sharp, inquisitive and entirely alert eyes. Clearly, this was not one of their crazy, out-of-it patients, but rather someone who could observe the world around him. He nodded, said "Good to meet you both. Well, I guess I'd rather not, since it means I'm in the hospital, and according to Dr. Shepherd have a small mass pressing on my spine. But I'm sure you're both fine young folk whom I'd like outside the hospital given the chance."
Meredith couldn't help but let a small grin creep up. "Well, Mr. Jackson, I'm sure we'll like you inside the hospital just as well. But if you ever decide you want to get to know doctors off-call, go the bar across the street. Then you'll probably change your mind pretty fast."
"Ain't that the truth," added Alex helpfully.
Mr. Jackson let loose with a hearty laugh, a sound which made all three doctors grin. "You know, you two kids, you should do a stand-up show together. I bet you'd be great at it. I can just sense a real special relationship there. And I guess I shouldn't call you kids, but just a bad old habit of this old man." Alex and Meredith couldn't help but look at each other and smile, smile in a way that only the other could get, and which made Dr. Shepherd uncomfortable. Uncomfortable because he had the sense that Alex really did know something he didn't and understood something about Meredith that he, Dr. McDreamy, didn't. And of course, that drove him crazy. Mr. Jackson, on the other hand, was far from uncomfortable. He quietly observed the brief smile between the two, but kept his mental observations to himself.
Dr. Shepherd nodded, breaking up the scene and his thoughts. "Well, good then. Mr. Jackson, I'll be back in a little while to check on you. Dr. Grey, if you could pick up the lab results, Dr. Karev, check the CT scans and get back to me. I'll see both of you shortly," he said, walking out, interns in tow.
"I'll go get those labs, Dr. Shepherd,"
"And I've got those CT scans covered."
Each headed off in a separate direction, when not too long after, all three realized something rather notable: Meredith had called him Dr. Shepherd to his face. But not in the "You're really Dr. McDreamy," or the "I'd rather be calling you Derek," type of way, but in a thoroughly and entirely professional way, as if there were no alternative. Just as if she was talking to Dr. Burke or Dr. Bailey. Perhaps Meredith Grey was beginning to arrive at a point where not only was there no alternative nickname for her ex-lover, but she didn't particularly need one either.