Derek rolled over and groaned in frustration when he heard his pager go off. He opened his eyes and looked down to see the tiny little blonde from last night curled up against him. She didn't even stir as the insistent beeping continued. Carefully, he extracted his arm from beneath her and reached for his pager. It was the hospital. Dammit. Slowly, he sat up and scrubbed his hands over his eyes. God his head hurt. Which made sense when he thought of how much alcohol he had consumed the night before. Briefly, he considering waking her, not wanting to be the guy who was gone by the time she woke up, but he decided against it.
He reached for his pants and pulled them on as he stood up. His eyes searched the room for something to write with and something to write on. His eyes spotted a piece of blank paper and he smiled, victorious. There was a pen on her nightstand and he hastily scribbled a note and left it on the pillow beside her. He took one last look at the woman, fascinated by the lock of hair that fell across her face. His hand reached out to brush it away and his thumb trailed over her cheek. His pager beeped again and he silenced it quickly before hurrying it out of the room to find the rest of his clothes and be on his way.
Meredith slept like the dead. Literally. When she woke up, she realized she was alone. Which was odd because she was fairly certain that she had brought the hot guy from the bar home with her last night and participated in some mind blowing sex. It was just as well, she figured. She hated kicking them out the next morning. Hated that look of rejection on their face when they realized that they had been nothing more than her comfort for the evening. She rolled over, clutching her hand when she felt something rough against her face. Blearily, she opened her eyes. There was a note. With a sigh, she sat up in the bed pulling the sheet against her chest and picked it up. Her eyes scanned over it quickly and she was amused. She had written many notes like this in her time. It was a polite way of ducking out of awkward situations.
Last night was great. Hope to see you again sometime soon.
Yeah. That sounded like something she would totally write. Still, her eyes trailed over the messy scrawl and she sighed out loud.
The man even had sexy handwriting, she thought.
Which was about the time the nausea kicked in. She hurried to the bathroom and proceeded to empty the contents of her stomach. Drinking was great. Hangovers were not. She fumbled around in the medicine cabinet until she found a bottle of aspirin. She popped the pills in her mouth and turned on the water faucet, sticking her head under it to wash them down. Deciding that a hot shower and coffee would probably help, she made her way downstairs. She grinned, amused, as she saw the trail of clothes that were strewn all over. Oh yes, her head might hurt, but the sex had been fantastic.
Joe wasn't all that surprised to see the man back at the bar that night. He ordered the same thing, but he didn't look quite as tortured as he did the night before. Joe figured it had something to do with the little blonde, Meredith. They had practically been molesting each other at closing time. He was used to seeing things like that, but those two...man those two had some serious chemistry. The looks he had seen them exchanging spoke volumes. It was like the air crackled around them. Joe liked to watch people. You could learn a lot from watching people he had long ago discovered. Besides, it helped to pass the time.
He watched the man take his drink and make his way to a table in a dark corner. He didn't know why he kept referring to him as man. His name was Derek Shepard. He had gotten that from his credit card when he had run it the night before. It had been quite some time those two had run up the night before and Derek had tipped him well. So he had called a cab for the two of them, knowing that neither of them were in any shape to drive. Besides, he mused, he didn't know what would have caused them to wreck. The alcohol or the fact they couldn't keep their hands off each other.
Meredith had taken a cab to go visit her mother that afternoon since she had left her car at the little bar across from the hospital. Today had actually been a good day for her mother, which brightened her mood considerably. At least her mom had known who she was today. She hated the fact she was the only one who knew about her mother's condition and she hated even more that she couldn't talk about it with anyone. Her mother would be mortified if she thought anyone knew that she was anything less than Ellis Grey, world renowned female surgeon.
So she had gone back home and slowly began to sort through her mother's things. She called around and got prices on storage units to house her mother's things and then she scoured the paper looking for apartments. It wasn't like she didn't like her mother's house. She had grown up in this house. It was her home. Well, had been her home until she had to live in it without her mother. Now, it seemed empty. Cold.
It was just hard being in a house that reminded her so much of her mother's greatness. Now, to look at her mother, you would never know. You'd never just what a spectacular woman she'd been, only to fall prey to one of the worst kind of diseases. One that ate away at your identity and your memories. No, Meredith knew she had to sell the house. So it had been with a heavy heart that she had called the real estate agent that afternoon.
What had started out as a decent day quickly turned sour. Meredith felt anxious so she called another cab to take her to pick up her car. She was after all going to need it sooner or later. Besides, she wanted to thank Joe, the bartender, for calling her and her companion a cab. In Boston, most bartenders really could have cared less. She trudged into the bar slowly, heading straight towards the bar. What the hell, she decided. She was already there. Might as well have another drink. The realtor had really dampened her spirits earlier. That was her mother's house. It was like having to sell off her memories.
" You came back, I see , " Joe greeted her warmly.
" Well, I actually came to pick up my car and say thanks, but I really could use a drink , " Meredith responded to him.
" Sure, no problem. Same thing , " Joe smiled at her as he reached for a shot glass.
" Tequila's my poison , " she responded sheepishly.
" I'll keep that in mind , " he laughed as he poured her drink and slid it across the bar to her.
Meredith just grinned and turned up her shot glass.
Derek hadn't had a good day. It had started off well enough. After all, he woke up in bed next to a beautiful woman. It was when he got to work that things had gone downhill. Richard was still avoiding him. He had met the head of Cardio, Preston Burke, who he immediately he decided was far too arrogant and cocky for his taste. Not to mention he had been overrun with patients from the ER. Apparently today was the day to go out and get a head injury.
Now, he sat in the same bar, nursing the same drink as the night before. Only difference was he was sitting alone in a corner, shredding up a napkin. People milled around him, laughing and talking, but he tuned them out. He wouldn't lie. He missed New York. It was where his family was, where his life had been for so long. Now, he was alone in a strange city, all of his former life gone. He had called his mother and father to let him know he was okay, but had quickly hung up the phone when the conversation turned to Addison.
His parents believed in second chances, telling him that Addison had been a wreck and that she really truly seemed to regret her actions. Derek just couldn't bring himself to forgive her. He and Mark had gone through med school together, had done their residency together. Hell, Mark had been his best man at him and Addison's wedding for christ's sake. He just couldn't wrap his mind around the fact they could do that to him and more importantly, he couldn't shake the image of walking into his own bedroom to find his wife straddling his best friend, lost in the throws of passion. On his favorite flannel sheets no less.
Derek scowled when he noticed his glass was empty. He shuffled to the bar, keeping his head ducked down. The bartender, whose name he found out was Joe, merely poured him another glass and pushed in his direction. He looked up to say thanks when he noticed the same tiny blonde from this morning sitting at the other end of the bar again. Three empty glasses sat in front of her and her head was down. He wondered if he should go say something. He probably looked like a real jerk to her, having left without waking her. In the end, he decided to just let it be and went back to his table in the corner.
Joe was surprised to say the least when Derek didn't approach Meredith. He thought for sure he would see more out of those two. The way they had acted the night before...he was certain it would be more than a one night stand. Besides, Derek didn't strike him as the love 'em and leave 'em type. Sure, the guy was good looking, not that he was gay or anything, but for some reason, Joe just didn't get that kind of vibe from him.
Meredith on the other hand...he was fairly certain he knew her type. Drink lots of liquor, go home with a guy, but in the morning you'd still be just as miserable as you were the night before. He didn't know her story, but he hoped he got the chance to. She seemed like a nice enough girl, but she looked like she had troubles no one could even begin to touch. What a pair they made. He looked like he'd lost his best friend and she just looked...lost. There was no other word for it.
She was just about to head home for the night when something in the corner caught her eye. It was her guy from last night. He had his head down and his hands were busy shredding a napkin. He looked miserable. That was most certainly something she could relate too. She froze as she looked at him. The logical part of her brain screamed at her to just go home like she wanted too, but another part of her, it told her that the guy looked like he needed a friend. She was torn. Something she hated being. She was a doctor. Doctor's didn't second guess. They just acted. They went with their instincts. Swearing, she headed in his direction.
He looked startled when she took the seat across from him. His eyes widened when he saw her.
She looked at him amused. He opened his mouth to say something, but she cut him off.
" You just looked like you could use some company , " she offered by way of greeting.
He gave her that charming smile again and she swore she felt her knees go weak. It was a good thing she was sitting or otherwise she might have ended up in a heap on the floor.
" I'm sorry about this morning, I got called into work , " he apologized.
" Don't worry about it. Saved us both from that very awkward moment , " she grinned.
He laughed and she decided he had a nice laugh.
To go along with a nice everything else, a little voice whispered inside her head devilishly.
" So what are you drinking tonight , " he waggled his eyebrows at her.
" Well, actually I was just about to head home when I saw you sitting here all by your lonesome , " Meredith smiled at him.
" Oh, well don't let me keep you , " the man replied.
" Well, I was just wondering... you wanna come with , " she asked, surprised at her own forwardness.
He gave her that grin again and together they both headed towards the bar to close out his tab.
After they were gone, Joe just grinned to himself. He loved being right.
