Lily stood at the nurse's station waiting for George. It was Saturday morning. George had not spoken to her since Thursday.
She rubbed at her temples; tired from the late night she's spent analysing it with Izzie. They'd drunk too much red wine, eaten chocolate and tried to assess men. What a joke.
"Mush" Derek came up beside her.
"What are you doing here this early?" He asked.
"I was hoping to ask George to the party tonight?" Meredith and Derek were having a house warming party and had decided to combine with a small send off for Lily.
"What's the deal?" Derek asked sensing there were problems.
Lily sighed frustrated.
"I have no idea" She moped.
Derek placed a supportive hand on her back.
"He thinks the distance is too much" She said sadly.
"It probably is" Derek said and Lily looked up at him in anger.
"What!"
"I'm
just saying. It will be hard" Derek said, holding his hands up as
if in protection.
"That's not your place to say… Jesus Derek, I support you no matter what" Lily accused.
"And you offer advice when I need it" He jumped in.
"Or ask for it… I didn't. I just wanted you to listen Derek. Like I listened through your Addison problems, through your Meredith problems…"
"I listen to you … I was just saying"
"Then don't, don't say! I'll see you tonight" Lily grabbed her bag and walked away from Derek.
Lily walked through the living room at Meredith and Derek's. She acknowledged a few people she knew as she passed, there were about 20 or so guests, all from the hospital mingling and dancing.
She spotted Alex and Izzie coming through the door and raced over to speak to them.
When she reached them she looked at Izzie expectantly. When Lily had missed George Izzie had assured her she would get him to the party.
Izzie shook her head, and then gave Lily a hug.
"He might come," She whispered and Lily nodded her head.
Lily sat on a couch oblivious to the surrounding party. Meredith interrupted her thoughts as she sat down beside her.
"You okay?" She asked thoughtfully.
Lily looked at her and shrugged.
"I'll be fine" She mumbled.
"I heard you and Derek argued"
"It was nothing" Lily replied.
"Does he need to apologise?" Meredith asked, still figuring their sibling relationship out.
"N, we're good, we're always good" Lily looked at Meredith and gave her a warm smile. That was just the way it was for Lily and Derek.
"I'm glad" Meredith gave Lily shoulder a small squeeze as she tood up.
"And I hope George turns up" She said as she walked over to her husband on the other side of the room.
Lily stood talking to Preston and Cristina. She wasn't really listening as the pair argued about some medical procedure. Instead her eyes were fixed on the door. As it opened she held in her breath. Letting out a disappointed sigh as Parker's head appeared around the corner.
Then Addison appeared.
Lily's eyes darted around the room, finally resting on her brother who had seen Addison enter.
He looked back at Lily as if to say What the?
In a moment he was at her side.
"You invited Addison?" He asked quietly, and a little annoyed into her ear.
Lily shrugged. Addison was her friend.
"She won't stay long, why would she?" She said.
"And next time you'll think better off pissing me off" She teased as she walked over to where Addison stood in the doorway looking uncomfortable.
Lily gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"Thanks for coming, where's Parker get too?" Lily looked around.
"He went to the bathroom… I can not believe you are both leaving on Monday" Addison said a little sadly.
"Fame and Fortune calls, you know?" Lily laughed and Addison smiled amused.
"You had fun… with Parker I mean?" lily asked.
Addison smile grew larger.
"Mmm Hmm" She said.
"I had… I had a blast" She agreed.
She looked at Lily and could see she was upset.
"He's not coming" Lily sad sadly.
Addison nodded.
"I know, I saw him on call at the hospital" She rubbed her arm sympathetically.
"Oh well, you win some…" Lily trailed off.
"I know, you loose some" Addison finished and pulled her friend, who had helped her through so many sad times into a hug.
It was 5am Sunday Morning. Lily was sitting on the steps, wrapped in a blanket, on her brother's veranda. The last guests had left an hour ago, Derek and Meredith had gone to bed to get rest before going into the hospital to work in the afternoon. Lily had been unable to sleep, staying up and cleaning the remains of the party away.
A car rattled up the driveway and she looked up as George stepped out of the car.
He walked over quietly and sat down next to her, Lily to scared to speak said nothing.
"Izzie came in early" He said looking out at the view, and not at Lily.
She nodded.
"I'm sorry I missed the part" He said shivering in the cold a little.
He turned to look at her, his face expressionless.
"But I wanted to come and say goodbye".
The word was like a slap in the face and Lily sat up surprised.
"Goodbye" She repeated.
"I love you Lily" He said softly.
"Then why goodbye?" She asked, her voice desperate.
"Because I can not live waiting for the next time I see you… I can't, it isn't enough"
"But it's something... for now. It won't be forever" Lily reached out to him and he allowed her to hold his hand.
"But it isn't enough, not for me. We could go months without seeing each other… it just isn't enough" As he said the words Lily was aware that there would be no changing his mind.
"I love you George" She said as tears fell down her cheek.
He looked at her, his face softening a little.
"Got room under there for me?" He asked.
She lifter her arm and moved over on the step.
"Always" She said.
"There'll always be room for you" And he moved under the blanket, and kissed her goodbye.
MorningMeredith spat out the toothpaste. Looking up into the mirror, she looked at the bags under her eyes.
She shook her head, brushing her hair up into a harried ponytail. The party the night before had taken its toll on her and Derek, and they had both slept past the alarm.
"Hurry it up" She said to Derek who was still in the shower.
"Or I'll go in on my own" She added.
He opened the glass screen door, shaking his head.
"No you won't" He said, licking his lips as the water dripped down his face.
"Derek it's okay for you… but I'll get in trouble" She tilted her head.
He reached out to her.
"I'll write you a note" He said grabbing her, she let out a scream.
"Nooo, I'm dressed" She squealed, trying with no luck to break free.
He pulled her under the water stream, kissing her neck.
"Let's fix that, shall we?" he said, ripping the buttons open on her top.
She gave in to him, kissing him back forcefully.
"Nice hair" Cristina said as Meredith walked in to the hospital, he hair still wet not having time to dry it after the shower sex.
"I was… I was running late" Meredith said.
"There's a staff meeting in half an hour, did you get the page?" Cristina asked.
Meredith nodded.
"Does your husband know anything?" Cristina asked.
"About the meeting?" Meredith shook her head.
"Your boyfriend?" She asked and Cristina shook her head.
"Useless… inside information should be one of the benefits of sleeping with an attending" Cristina shook her head, eager to find out what the reason was for the unexpected staff meeting being called on a Sunday.
Meredith was equally as intrigued as she looked in the distance to see Derek, Addison, Preston and Bailey huddled with two other surgeons.
Derek looked over and spotted her, they shared a small knowing smile, before he returned to the conversation.
"Whatever it is looks important" Meredith said, and she and Cristina returned to work.
Shock Announcement"What's going on?" Meredith quickened her pace to walk beside her husband as the staff milled into the conference room.
He placed his hand lightly on the small of her back.
"Richard had a heart attack" He said quietly and she looked at him surprised.
"What does that mean… to here?" She asked but Derek shook his head unsure.
"Excuse me" Patricia, Richard's assistant spoke and the noise softened.
"I'm here on behalf of the chief who was admitted to ICY last night after a heart attack" She aid and some of the staff let out surprised gasps and the room began to buzz.
"Alright, alright, quiet please… Dr Webber is doing quiet well but has been ordered to take some much-needed rest by Dr. Whitely, Dr. Burke… and his wife Adele" There was uncomfortable laughter.
"In his absence his asked that I name is temporary Chief of Surgery" Patricia said.
Meredith slipped her hand through Derek's, knowing the Chief position was his secret goal.
She looked at Cristina whose eyes were on Burke across the room from them.
Patricia put her glasses on and began reading a statement.
Due to my health issues I am naming Dr. Montgomery as my relief Chief of Surgery. She is both skilled and capable.
I trust that you will all accept my decision.
Patricia finished reading.
Meredith looked at Derek, whose face remained unreadable.
He coughed.
She looked to where Burkes stood questioning Patricia, asking to read the sheet himself. He pushed it back to her and walked out unimpressed. Cristina followed.
The room was a buzz, with quiet surprised whispers and many people immediately congratulating and sucking up to Addison.
Derek still remained silent.
Meredith squeezed his hand; he squeezed it back, then turned to her.
"Better get back to it, I have to check on Mrs. Myers" he said, kissing Meredith's cheek before leaving the room, not allowing Meredith to ask him what he was thinking.
6 Weeks Later"You've been doing a great job Addie, I want to thank you" Richard looked at Addison in the seat he usually occupied. He longed to get back to work but feared his wife's wrath if he returned.
"Adele tells me she's not letting you back here just yet" Addison smiled at her mentor and one time teacher.
He nodded with a grim look.
"You getting any slack from Derek or Preston?" Richard had known his decision for a replacement would cause issues, but he truly felt Addison was the best choice at this time.
Addison has sensed that Preston was miffed, but Derek had been unusually pleasant about her appointment.
She shook her head.
"Can you handle things a bit longer?" He asked seriously.
"Of course Richard, anything for you?" She said and she meant it.
"Anything?" he looked at her, lifting a folder out of his bag.
She looked back at him with a quizzical look.
"It's about the new burns unit… and the plastic surgeon the admin staff have hired" He handed her the folder and Addison looked at the name on the paper… then up at Richard.
"Well If Derek's nose wasn't out of joint before… it sure will be now"
Family with benefits
"I saw an article on Lily today, in a magazine" Meredith said, watching Derek as he chopped up vegetable for dinner.
He looked up at her and wiped his hands with a hand towel before taking the magazine from her.
It was a tabloid suggesting she was seeing some young new soap star based in New York.
Derek smiled amused.
"You miss having her around?" Meredith asked pouring them some wine.
Derek nodded.
"You miss your family" She added, it was a feeling foreign to her having not come from a close family.
"I do… but you're my family now" He looked at her and smiled as she handed him his glass.
"But it's not the same… I get that" She said sympathetically.
"No… it's much better, you're my family, with benefits, and I wouldn't go back to New York for anything" He kissed his wife tenderly.
She pulled back giggling.
"Derek… dinner" She said as his lips came for her again.
"I'm hungry… just not so much for steak and vegetables" He said, kissing her with fury. First her lips, then her cheek, then her neck, and before she knew it he had wiped the kitchen bench clean with one sweep of his arm, the chopping block, vegetables and knife falling loudly on the hardwood floors.
He lifted her with ease to the bench, and filled his hunger with the beauty and passion of his wife.
Now on the floor leaning against the kitchen cupboard Derek's pager went off.
He looked at the message.
"Addison" He groaned.
"She can still ruin my evening"
"You'd better call her" Meredith stood up, brushing a piece of carrot off her knee.
He nodded reluctantly.
"You call her on your cell… and I'll call for pizza" She said.
"Yeah no vegetables tonight" He smiled and kissed her neck softly. She pulled back.
"Don't start that again" Meredith smiled.
"Go call Addison, it better be about work" She said, as Derek walked to the hallway to get his cell.
Hang Ups Pt 1
"Derek" Addison having looked at the caller id picked up the phone.
"Addison" he replied.
"Thanks for finally returning a page" She said sarcastically, well aware that he had done his best to not see her today.
She had hoped to do the right thing and warn him about Mark's impending arrival. She didn't know why she was bothering, but she felt it was the right thing to do.
"What do you want Addison?" He asked shortly annoying her with his tone.
"Wheat was so important it couldn't wait till the staff meeting tomorrow morning" Addison took a deep breathe, he was getting on her last sympathetic nerve.
"I'd like to see you before the meeting, at 7.30 in my office" She said.
"Richards office" He retorted. Again Addie was taken aback by his tone.
"My office Derek, 7.30" Hanging up before he had a chance to question her again.
Hang Ups Part 2
"Stay calm" Meredith said handing Derek an espresso from the coffee cart.
"I have rounds, but come see me when the meetings are done" She said kissing his cheek lightly.
"Who does she think she is? Summoning me in to her office like she's my boss" He said bitterly.
"Well she technically is" Meredith said warily, retreating when he looked at her angrily.
"For now she's your boss… it's temporary" Meredith tried to talk her way out of it.
"She's not doing this as my boss Mer, she's doing this as my scorned ex wife... summoning me in" He said.
"I gotta go Derek, before I get summoned by Bailey… just try and be calm okay" She said as they began to walk, stopping at the nearby elevator.
He looked at her and took a deep breath in.
"Okay" He said reluctantly.
"I won't kill her" They shared a small smile before Meredith walked the other way, and Derek entered the Elevator.
"Hold the door" A familiar male voice called out and Derek quickly hit the open doors button, looking up to see who he was holding it for.
Mark
stepped into the open door, unshaven, he smiled at Derek.
"Derek"
He said stepping into the elevator.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Derek asked, wandering if the day could get any worse.
"What? Didn't Addie tell you I was coming?" Mark smiled obviously amused. Derek squinted his eyes a little in disbelief.
"You're looking at Seattle Grace's Newest Plastic Surgeon" He said, as the elevator doors closed behind him.
Hang Ups Pt 3
As soon as the elevator doors opened Derek took off. He'd chosen not to answer back to what appeared to be Mark's obvious baiting.
He slammed opened the door to Richards office startling Addison who was behind the desk.
"Tell me it's not true" Derek managed to spit out.
"What?" Addison asked just as Mark appeared in the doorway.
"Hey Addiosn… long time no see… oh accept for that video conference we had yesterday" He teased.
Derek looked at Mark astonished then shifted his gaze to Addison.
"You knew about this… oh don't tell me. you hired him?"
Addison felt herself trying to calm the situation.
"He was hired by Admin"
"But you knew about it?" He questioned.
"Richard told me earlier this week" She nodded.
"She is the Chief, she had to okay it" Mark stood with his arms crossed looking on amused.
"Oh Shut up Mark, I had nothing to do with it" Addison shot in his direction.
"What? You don't want the best plastic surgeon around working at your hospital" He asked, and Addison couldn't reply.
"Face it Derek… she knows how good I am… as a surgeon I mean" Clearly enjoying the double meaning.
"Tell me I'm not the best in plastics" Mark said staring down Derek.
"You belong in New York or Hollywood with the boob jobs and collagen" Derek replied angrily.
"What's your problem Derek?"
"You know my problem" He stepped forward getting up in his face.
"Boys" Addison raised her voice trying to stop them.
"You screwed her" Derek ignored Addison.
"And you screwed her over" Mark shot back.
"You divorced her… married your lusty intern… get over it" He said forcefully, just as Derek looked ready to punch him Addison stepped in and pushed him back.
"Don't let him bait you" She replied pushing him into a chair.
Se turned to Mark.
"The conference room is up the hall on the left, Go… Go!" She insisted. He looked at her unwilling to be seen backing down, but he could see she meant it.
She sighed before turning around.
"I can't work with him" Derek said.
"You did before" Addison sat on the edge of her desk rubbing her temple. It was too early for ego wars.
"Before what Addie?" Derek spat bitterly.
"Exactly before what Derek? He's right it's time for you to get over it… I'm not your wife anymore… move on" She shook her head annoyed that he was still using this against her.
"He's here for you Addison" Derek said.
Addison shrugged her shoulders.
"That's not your concern anymore".
"You did this to get back at me" He replied.
"Sure Derek, cause it's all about you" She scoffed.
"Get over yourself… and get over it" She said, walking out of the room. At the door she turned around.
"The meetings in 10 minutes pull it together and be there" She said in a strong voice, turning on her hell and not letting him reply.
Tonight
"I'll be back in a bit to check on you Mr Myers" Meredith said leaving the room of her patient.
She signed a chart and placed it back on the Nurses station.
Looking at her watch she decided the Attending meeting should be over by now and she would look for Derek. She was still not convinced he would have remained calm with Addison, despite promising her that he would be good.
"Hello stranger" A voice said, and Meredith looked up, surprised to see Mark.
She looked at him jaw agape.
"Mark… hello" She managed.
"Derek" She added under her breath, thinking she needed to find him before he saw Mark.
"I've seen him" mark seemed to read her mind.
"Oh… that can't be good" She said.
Mark shook his head.
"It wasn't – seems he still hates me" Mark seemed amused as he spoke.
"Will can you blame him?" Meredith asked, still concerned for Derek.
"Um yeah, has he ever heard of moving on?" Mark laughed a bit.
"what are you doing here Mark?" Meredith wandered.
"I'm the new head of Plastics at Seattle Grace, in line with the new Burns unit" He waited for her reaction.
"Oh that can't be good – I mean congratulations, it's good fo you, and the hospital… but Derek… Anyway, rambling now, Congratulations" She said, looking around the hall to see if she could see Derek.
"Congratulations to you too" Mark said.
Meredith looked at him confused and he pointed to her new hospital ID .
"Dr. Shepherd… that's the other reason I came to Seattle, to see if it was true, big step up from Dirty Mistress to wife" He smiled at her.
"Yeah well… thanks, I guess, if it's genuine" Meredith was wary.
"It is Meredith, it is. Derek was my best friend; I want him to be happy"
"You have a funny way of showing that"
"You mean because I slept with his wife… it won't happen again" He stepped in a little closer.
"I promise"
Meredith stepped back.
"Oh I know it won't"
"I mean come one, you guys are…. Different, they weren't in love anymore… besides its all ancient history now Dr Shepherd" He teased.
She gave him a small smile.
"That's right" Meredith could see Derek over Mark's shoulder and he did not look happy.
"You should go" She said, but mark turned around, watching as Derek walked over angrily.
"We were just talking" mark said when Derek reached the,.
"Stay away from my wife"
"Hold on, De ja vu" mark joked to lighten the mood, but it didn't help.
"I'm
serious Mark stay away from her"
"Derek" Meredith tried to
interrupt.
"What are you afraid of?" mark dared to ask.
Derek withered in anger as he tried to calm down.
"I swear if my hands weren't worth 5 million a piece I would damage you so bad that even you couldn't fix the scars" He said, his voice steady but raised.
Meredith
gasped in shock at her husband's anger.
"Derek" She placed
her hands on his arms.
He looked at her, then back at Mark. Equally defiant Mark stared back at him.
Meredith's pager went off. She looked at it.
"Damn 911" She looked at Derek again.
"I have to o, play nice" She said, stepping between the two men to create some more space she hurried off.
"What are you worried about Derek?" Mark asked.
"Are
you worried, you're going to treat Meredith as badly as you treated
Addison and she'll run to me?"
"Don't flatter
yourself?"
"Then what?"
"That's the least of my
worries, I love Meredith, I had fallen out of love with Addison… a
long time ago…"
"Then why do you still hate me" mark asked.
"Because I didn't need my best friend, the guy I'd grown up with, hoping into bed with my wife the first chance he got… no matter how much I didn't love her"
Mark saw that Addison was standing close by, well within hearing distance.
"I'm warning you, I let you off lightly before, because I blamed myself partly for how my marriage had gotten… but go near Meredith… and I'll make you pay!" He said walking off, never seeing Addison was listening.
Mark looked at her sad face.
"Well I suppose that removes any lingering doubts I had about whether I meant anything at all to him" She said sadly.
"I'm
sorry Addie… it's not you; he's still pissed at me" Mark
offered, wanting to make her feel better.
"Don't make excuses
for him Mark, it's not necessary" She said, giving him a weak
smile.
"Besides, I've moved on" she said, her smile getting stronger.
"Yeah, want to prove it" He said, and she looked at him intrigued.
"Take this New York City boy out and show him Seattle" She considered it for a moment. The part of her that would always feel guilty about sleeping with her husband's best friend thought it wasn't a good idea. But the new her, the her that was through blaming herself and was now separate to Derek, couldn't see anything wrong with taking an old friend out to dinner in a strange city.
"Sure, you still like Mexican?" She said and they both smiled at each other.
Flying Visit
Lily looked at her watch as the taxi arrived in front of Seattle Grace. She had just arrived for the weekend, flying in for a brief book signing and to catch up with her brother before returning to New York for a script re-write for the movie.
It was almost 7pm and Derek was likely to be at the hospital still.
She looked down at her case, which the driver had placed on the side walk.
"Silly Lily" A familiar voice boomed, Lily looked up so surprised to see her brothers former best friend, that before she knew it she was in his embrace.
"Mark?" Lily pushed him back.
"Hey"
"Hey yourself Sil" He smiled at her. He had been almost like another family member, but had tormented Lily by calling her Silly Lily. Apparently nothing had changed. Except that Lily had only seen him once, briefly, since he had betrayed her brother… and indirectly their whole family.
Lily had especially been crushed because she had always felt something for Mark. Yes, he had teased her, but he had always been protective of her - in a very different way to her brother. He had been especially affectionate. Lily had always secretly wondered if their was something between them they had just never dared to explore… until she had found out about his relationship with Addison.
"Don't call me that" She said with an annoyed look.
Mark looked at bit surprised.
"Ok… Lily… so what are you doing, come to calm your brother down?" It was Lily's turn to look surprised.
"I have no idea what you're talking about… I'm here for a book signing, and to see Derek, of course" Lily's voice was cold, but Mark either didn't notice or ignored it.
"That's right, I've been reading about you, hows the movie business, any stars need a great plastic surgeon?" He made small talk.
Lily shook her head.
"What are you doing here?" She asked Mark.
"I work here… hired by the new chief"
"New Chief"
"Well, acting Chief… Addison?"
"Addison?" Addison hired you?" Lily almost shrieked.
Mark tilted his head sideways.
"That
surprises you… it wasn't her official decision…"
"But
she approved it" Lily couldn't believe that Addison would allow
the man who helped ruin her marriage back into her life.
With perfect timing Addison came out the front door of the hospital. Thrilled to see Lily, she called out to her.
"Lil" She walked over quickly and hugged her, Lily didn't hug her back.
"You hired… him" Lily asked.
Addison immediately sensed her coldness; she pushed some hair behind her ear allowing herself a moment to think.
"It's not quite like that"
"You know how Derek feels about him".
"You're brother's lack of ability to move on is not my concern anymore" Addison shot back defensively.
"So what Addie? You go out of your way to piss him off?" Lily asked.
"Hey Silly" Mark interrupted.
Lily turned and glared at him.
"I said don't call me that, I'm not 12 anymore" Mark put his hands up to rebound the fiery words.
"Lily, not that I need to, but I can explain" Addison wanted her friend to understand.
"Don't bother… the two of you… deserve each other" Lily breezed past Addison, leaving her feeling despondent.
"You ready to take me to Dinner?" Mark tried to change the mood.
Suddenly feeling like the scarlet woman Addison was no longer sure it was a wise idea.
She shook her head.
"Hey, that's not the Addie I know… the passionate, confident Addie I know would never let her ex's kid sister wear her down" Mark grabbed her hand lightly, and lifted her chin to look at him with his other hand.
"She's my friend" Addison said weakly.
"Then she should know you better… we're not doing anything wrong now Addie, you hired the best plastic surgeon in the country… and we're just two old friends…"
He smiled at her… and she smiled back.
"And you're not married anymore… so if something were to happen…" He said cheekily… then he leant in and kissed her forehead.
She felt a little better.
"Let's go, I'm starving" She said, melting into his cuddle, they walked off together… and Lily watched disapprovingly through the glass doors.
Support
Fiercely loyal, the anger in Lily rose as she thought back to only a few minutes earlier when she'd watched Addison and Mark walk off together, arms wrapped supportively around each other.
What is Addison thinking? Lily wondered.
She knew Addison was no longer her brothers wife, that each of them were now moved on, but surely she could see that being with Mark was nit the right thing to do.
She stepped off the elevator on the surgical floor to look for her brother, almost running into Meredith.
"Lily" She said surprised and the two hugged. They lacked the same familiarity that Lily shared with Addison, but Meredith made her brother happier than she had seen him in the longest time, so she would always be precious to Lily.
"What
are you doing here? Derek never mentioned…"
"He doesn't
know, I flew in for some promotional stuff"
"I can never keep up with you two" Meredith said.
"You never say goodbye…."
"And we never announce our arrivals… we just exist within each others lives… and that's okay. You'll get used to it" Lily smiled.
"Is he around?"
"He should be, I'm on call tonight and he usually stops by with some dinner before he leaves, but he has a lot on his mind so who knows?" Meredith yawned, looking particularly tired.
"You okay?" Lily asked.
"Been
on 15 hours already… you know the drill"
"You look a little…
pasty" Lily tried not to offend.
"Just tired" Meredith forced a grin.
"It's good to see you, I'll get someone to page Derek, wait here" Meredith said, dashing off in the other direction.
"Mush" Derek bounced around the corner and lifted his little sister off the floor in a tight hug.
"What are you doing here?"
"Promo work… seems I have good timing" She looked at her brother seriously.
He stood silent for a moment and then the words seemed to connect.
"You saw Mark"
She nodded.
"With Addison" She added and waited to see the response. Derek's face remained unchanged.
"Birds of a feather" He said.
"You don't mean that"
"They deserve each other, let them make each other miserable for a while" He gave a half smile.
"I'm sure Addison wouldn't go there" Lily said unconvincingly.
"Honestly I don't care Lil, they can have each other… I'd just rather it wasn't under my nose every day" Derek sighed and sat down.
"I'm glad you're here" He said, smiling at her as she sat beside him.
"Me too" She said returning his smile.
Lily hung up the phone after confirming her hotel reservation. She had declined Derek and Meredith's invitation to stay at their house preferring to give them some space, with Meredith seeming particularly tired and Derek stressed over Marks arrival she thought it would be best.
She was waiting in the hospital foyer for Derek to meet her. He had wanted to give Meredith a sandwich before he and Lily headed to dinner together.
"Lily?" Lily recognised George's voice without even turning around, when she did she was greeted with his surprised stare.
"George" She smiled.
"What are you going here?" He asked.
"Gosh, that seems to be the question of the evening" Lily laughed.
"I just wasn't expecting… I didn't think you would be back so soon"
"I told you I'd be back George" Lily said her voice a little sadder. She missed him. His warm, friendly face. Seeing him still hurt. But she refused to let him see that so she forced a smile.
"It's good to see you" She said.
He looked at her a moment saying nothing, as Derek joined her side.
"We should go" He tried to save his sister, seeing through her fake smile.
"Good night George" Derek said, walking towards the door.
"We're having Mexican" Lily said uncomfortably.
George nodded.
"It was good to see you too" he said, turning away.
Lily watched a moment before calling his name. He stopped still, not turning back to face her.
"George… I would have been home sooner for you" She said, a small tear stuck in her voice.
He sighed sadly, before walking off again without looking back. As George walked last Derek in the doorway, he extended his hand supportively towards his sister… and she took it.
