Chapter 4: Birth of Light

"So, what do we have in the schedule, Iz?" asked Meredith pinching her nose.

"Bad night?" the blonde behind the reception counter said sympathetically.

"You could say that," sighed Meredith. The truth was she barely slept a wink last night, both out of frustration and worry.

"What's wrong?"

She didn't even have to open her mouth as the door opened loudly and she heard the hated chirpy voice, "Well, well, it's nice in here. Nicer than I expected."

She mustered all her patience and turned to him with an indifferent collected face. "It's not New York, Mr. Shepherd, but the practice is state-of-the-art."

"Mr. Shepherd?" the smirk she loathed so much returned in all its glory. "Last night it was Derek. Now it's Mr. Shepherd?"

Izzie gasped in a not so subtle way and Meredith's nails dug into her palm painfully as she stopped the stream of expletives spilling from her mouth. The vein in her temple pulsed dangerously.

"Izzie, Mr. Shepherd inherited William's part of the practice," she explained clearly. "Mr. Shepherd, this is Isobel Stevens, she works here as a nurse."

"Nice to meet you – can I call you Izzie?" he sent her a dazzling smile that Meredith was sure reduced the blonde to a puddle of warm goo.

"Sure, right. Of course! Nice to meet you too, Mr. Shepherd, we've been waiting for you."

Meredith stifled the snort in her throat.

"So, Meredith," he insistently kept calling her by her first name, "was basically right with her introduction but for one thing. I'm Dr. Shepherd, not Mr. Shepherd, for what it's worth."

"You're a doctor?" Meredith's head whirled back to him.

"I am," he nodded proudly. "A surgeon, to be precise. Head of neuro at New York Presbyterian. In New York as the name says."

If looks could kill he would have been struck dead this instant. Meredith boiled inside. She was sure she hadn't heard the phrase New York in her whole life as often as in the last few days. Now she was an ignorant woman doctor from the province? She was Dr. Quinn or something? Her name was in medical textbooks!

Suddenly, a shiver of fear ran down her spine. If he really was whom he claimed to be, he surely heard her name and her achievements. Especially, if he was a neurosurgeon, practicing her own specialty. She had to swallow her pride. She disappeared without a trace from medical world three years ago, no one here knew her near celebrity reputation, and that was to stay that way. Thank God he didn't make the connection yet. Well, what would Meredith Grey do in a place like Rachel when she could be anywhere in the whole wide world?

"That explains a lot," muttered Meredith under her breath. The oversized ego and God complex? Totally explicable now.

"Sorry, I didn't quite catch that, Meredith?" he grinned.

"Nothing," she smiled sourly. "Are you here to discuss the terms of the contract?"

"Meh, not quite," he scrunched his face.

"What? I thought we agreed we wanted to get this business done quickly."

"Oh, so that was what you meant by business. I wasn't entirely sure, and frankly, I was hoping for the other option."

"There's no other option," she glared. "If you're not prepared to discuss the contract, please don't interrupt. It's a workplace, we help people here."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I don't want to bug you," he chuckled. "I just came to see the place. After all, it belongs to me."

"Partly," she corrected him immediately. "Partly belongs to you."

"Nonetheless, I'd like to have a tour-"

"As I've already mentioned, we have patients."

"I can show Dr. Shepherd around," volunteered Izzie, slightly taken aback by the verbal exchange between two doctors.

"Great-"

"That won't be necessary," Meredith quickly cut her off. Derek asshole Shepherd would undeniably see her loft, as it was the most unfortunately located in the part of the practice formally belonging to him, and she didn't want him anywhere near her room. God only knew what he would do there without surveillance... "I will show him everything… personally, after the office hours are over… Is that okay with you, Dr. Shepherd?" She knew he'd agree. He'd agree to anything that would entail irking her with his sole presence.


"Of course, Meredith. I can barely wait."

"Wow," chuckled Izzie after he left.

"Don't," ordered gravely Meredith. "Just don't."

"That Shepherd is a cute guy."

"Oh, come on!"

"He's dreamy!" giggled Izzie. "And he likes you!"

"He... doesn't like me!" whined Meredith. "He hates my guts, and vice versa! You think he was here to make friends? He came to drive me up the wall!"

"He was flirting with you," insisted Izzie. "You don't need to be so uptight, Mer."

Meredith stared at her openmouthed. Izzie slid a chart into her slack hands. "Mrs. Pots. She's your first patient this morning."


"You are not serious! No way!" chortled Cristina over her plate.

"Yeah! Can you believe that!" Meredith stabbed her mince pie viciously imagining it was Derek Shepherd's forehead.

"What are the odds?" laughed Cristina. "What are you gonna do?"

"Throw up probably," Meredith grimaced. "I bet he's gonna make me kiss his ass every step of the way."

"Think he's going to raise the price?" she looked around cautiously and lowered her voice. "Not like it's a problem for you. You sleep on money."

"No one knows about that," she scolded her with her eyes. "I want it to stay that way. And it's not only about money. He will make everything purposefully harder, just to get back at me. I know the type. Arrogant surgeon with a god complex and a control freak."

"You've got a lot in common," remarked innocently Cristina.

"Why do you do that?" gasped Meredith, insult clearly etched on her face. "You and Bailey! And Izzie! Do I look desperate for a man? I don't think so!"

"You need to get laid."

"I don't-"

"How long has it been since you had some carnal pleasure? Three years?"

"My heart is not in my vagina!"

"Who says anything about a heart? He just seems like he might be good… you know, to… relieve some pressure…"

"The only thing he might be good at is spreading STD, I bet he gets around. I… I don't do casual, you know that Cristina," Meredith replied soberly. "I don't want casual. I had my share of being used in every way possible."

"You don't want a relationship either," argued the Asian.

"You're the one to talk, you're more single than me," Mer pointed out.

"Not by my choice exactly," remained Cristina sourly. "If Burke hadn't left, I would be married now."

"Possibly unhappily."

"You can't know that. You need to open up. Literally if not figuratively."

Meredith shook her head resignedly and stared out of the window for a while.

"You're telling me to open up to THIS guy?" she snorted. Cristina followed her eyes to see Derek Shepherd walking from building to building, with a puzzled expression on his face and Rachel tourist leaflet in his hands, probably looking for a specific address. He seemed more than lost as he paced up and down blocking the way for several passersby that rolled their eyes at him.

"Ok, you have a point here," she agreed.


"Try not to put more pressure on that arm, okay, Sam?" Meredith advised one of her patients that had strained a muscle working on his farm. "I know you've got a lot to do but right now, you need to slow down if you don't want it to turn nasty. There's no work without health, right?"

"Thanks a lot, Dr. Grey," he nodded gratefully and descended the three steps down onto the street.

"I hope you've got a free moment for me now," Derek came to a halt behind her. "Meredith…" he hesitated a bit calling her name.

"Sure," she replied letting out a long deep breath, "Follow me, if you please, Dr. Shepherd."

"Thank you. I've been wondering…" he said pensively. "Why do you let me call you by your first name? It must be annoying to you."

"It's not," she said shortly.

"Just a little."

"I don't care what you call me," she shrugged, leading him through the foyer.

"You did yesterday when I called you a thief."

"Well, if you don't see the difference, thanks," she nodded with unhidden sarcasm. "So, this is the reception area, as you can clearly see. This is my office," she pointed at the door on the left. "That was William's office. There's a supply room at the back and two procedure rooms. Since we don't have a hospital in the vicinity, we prepared three rooms for patients upstairs, there's also a kitchen area."

Derek peeked interestedly into each of the mention rooms downstairs. He was professionally curious and couldn't deny feeling impressed. The practice was stunningly well equipped, clean and bright, patient-friendly. "Mind if I take a look?" he pointed in the direction of the stairs.

She let out a tired sigh but urged him to go up first. She was sure he would stare at her ass if he was to follow her.

"Hmm," Derek hummed appreciatively.

"We are giving our patients the best standard of care," she said proudly.

"And what's that?" he nodded at the closed door at the end of the corridor. "You said three rooms."

Of course, the asshole had to notice.

"It's… a private area."

"What private area?" he frowned at her.

"Private," she barked out, her pulse quickening as she saw his face muscles stretched into the infamous grin.

"I can't help noticing that the private area is on my side of the building. I have the right to know what it is exactly. You could be cooking meth in there, for all I know."

Her nostrils flared like those of a charging bull in rage. "It's… my private area, my room."

"What?" he was genuinely surprised. "Do you live here?"

"Yes, I live here. And I do have a right not to invite you to my home, thank you very much."

At that moment, they heard the door to the practice open, followed by a frantic man's voice.

"Doc? Dr. Grey? Are you here? Stella is… the little one is coming!"

"Tour's officially ended," stated Meredith categorically. "I have a patient in need."

She hurried down, Derek at her heels.

"Stella's in labor, Mr. Hodge?" she asked pulling her hair into a messy ponytail.

"Yes, Dr. Grey! And I think something's wrong! She's very still!"

"Go back to your farm, Mr. Hodge," she instructed calmly. I'll be on my way in five minutes. Everything's gonna be okay, all right?"

"Right, Doc! Going, going…"

"I need to get changed and leave so why don't you see yourself out!" She ran back upstairs without a second glance but as she was getting to her car in her cheapest and most worn out clothes, her annoying companion was still there.

"What?" she spat. "Don't you see I'm busy? Maybe you need your eyes tested?"

"You're willing to examine me?" he quipped.

She ignored the cheeky reply and got into her jeep.

"Wait! I want to go with you," he admitted.

She snorted thinking he was joking around. A scowl appeared on her face as soon as he opened the passenger door to her car.

"Hell, no! Get out!"

"I just want to see you in action," he grinned. "Uhm, at work."

"I'm not a part of your inheritance, you don't need to inspect me," she hissed.

"I… can't agree with that," he shook his head. "I need to see for myself if you're capable of handling the practice. I can't sell my uncle's life work just to anyone."

Fire, she could swear she was breathing fire by now. "Get. In." she gritted finally. Taser, she had a taser in the car for self-defense and she wasn't afraid to use it. Besides, he was wearing his expensive clothes again. Insert evil laughter.

"Just shut your front up, or I swear I'll push you out of the car at the full speed!"

He did keep his front shut, all the way from the practice to the farm that was some ten miles away. Not that he wanted to. He took an exquisite pleasure out of riling her up. It was unbelievably satisfying. Also visually. Every time Meredith got mad, a rosy blush graced her cheeks, and it spilled right onto her décolletage. And the way her chest was rising and falling when she was breathless…


On the way to the ranch, he couldn't really allow himself to be carried away with his wit. He was afraid that he'd throw up if he opened his mouth. He was accustomed to smooth low cars and the streets of a big city and wide highways, not bumpy country roads. What's more, Meredith was a violent driver. She didn't drive that terribly when they first met, probably due to the critical weather conditions. Now, it seemed she had broken all existing speed limits.

"We're here," she announced taking the car to an abrupt stop.

"Thank God," he breathed out, leaning heavily against the dashboard. "You were trying to kill me, weren't you?"

"A bit self-involved?" she threw his own line at him. "Get out, Shepherd. If you decided to tag along, you can at least help."

"Okay," he breathed out several times and followed her out. His gynie rotation was a long time ago, but he was a surgeon for God's sake, a damn good one.

He pinched himself in disbelief when he saw her pulling out a big leather bag out of the back of her jeep. "That's your medical kit? Looks more like a vet's tool bag!"

"No shit, Sherlock!" she muttered and broke into a run around the house.

"Meredith?" he called after her in a complete puzzlement. When he caught up with her, she was entering a barn. "What the…?"

He walked in. A whole large family seemed to be assembled near one of the boxes and Meredith was talking very fast with Mr. Hodge.

"Who's that?" a little girl sucking her thumb in her mouth asked loudly pointing him out with her finger as he approached the group.

Every pair of eyes fixed on him beadily, scrutinizing him. He could swear they didn't even blink.

"That's Dr. Shep," Meredith grinned at him nastily. "He's my assistant."

"Doesn't look like one," commented critically the woman who had to be Mrs. Hodge. "What's with the clothes?"

"He's got a lot to learn," Meredith shook her head. "Okay, all of you better leave us alone with Stella, okay? We don't want to stress her further. Mrs. Hodge you can stay, she might appreciate female company more. Dr. Shepherd, come over here, you're gonna help."

"Really?" he snorted, both his professional and male ego painfully stung. "What do you think makes me female company?"

"Oh, you're metro enough," she muttered absentmindedly and slipped into the box allowing Derek to take the first glimpse of the patient.

"This… this is Stella?" he almost choked. There was a beautiful black mare lying on the straw floor, clearly in distress.

"He's not very bright, Dr. Grey, this one," huffed Mrs. Hodge. "You're hiring him or what?"

"God forbid!" snorted Meredith and knelt beside Stella while he continued to stare at the scene before him. "Mrs. Hodge, can you tell me the precise time when the waters broke?"

"4… 5 minutes ago, Doc. But it's not coming along!"

"That leaves us less than a quarter of an hour to deliver the foal… or it will suffocate," muttered Meredith pulling on her gloves.

"I thought you were a doctor!" exclaimed Derek, a note of panic in his voice.

"I am a doctor," she gritted through her teeth.

"Do you even have the rights to treat patients? Human patients?" he corrected himself.

Meredith's jaws clenched. What was it with this man and his constantly getting under her skin?

"I have a medical degree, you moron! And that is the last time I'm explaining myself to you! Rachel doesn't have a vet. The guy that was doing the job moved away a couple of months ago and we can't find a replacement."

"Well that explains everything and nothing," he said sarcastically.

"It's a red-bag birth," breathed out Meredith, rummaging through her kit.

"What does that mean?" asked Derek.

"God, come and take a look. I didn't make you come here."

He stepped closer into the box and grimaced immediately. He was a doctor, he wasn't squeamish, but what he was looking at was a little disgusting.

"Ew, what is that?"

"Seriously? What med school did you go to?" she snorted giving him an incredulous look. Derek immediately felt like an ignorant intern being scolded by his attending. "It's the placenta, it didn't break which prevents the access to oxygen. We have to tear it manually."

Derek frowned again. This wasn't happening to him. He was just dreaming, right?

"Shepherd, come over here! I'm gonna need you!"

"I…" he muttered reluctantly.

"Stat!" she hissed dangerously. He knew well enough that if it wasn't for the horse's sake, his eardrums would have exploded at her shriek. "There's a spare pair of gloves, put them on!"

He obediently knelt down next to her. Karma hated him recently.

"When I make the cut, you start to pull," she instructed him.

"Pull on what?" To be honest, he wasn't sure he wanted to know.

Instead of answering, she punctured the placenta and they were able to see the foal's head and legs.

"Legs, pull at the legs," ordered Meredith while she cleared the horse's nostrils enabling him to breathe freely. With a tortured grunt, Derek obeyed her wish. What were his million-dollar surgeon hands reduced to do… If any of his colleagues from NY Pres saw him now…

Meredith soon joined his efforts and together they were able to free Stella's newborn from the placenta. They both landed on the straw with their bottoms, letting out a little gasp.

"Oh, thank God!" sighed Mrs. Hodge caressing the mare's head.

"You're beautiful, little one!" smiled Meredith at the foal, all black like his mother, as it fussed around and tried to stand up already. Stella seemed to get a new lease of life since she turned herself abruptly towards her child and started to lick him.

Meredith leaned over her and petted her gently on the head. "You're a strong girl! We are both strong girls."

In this exact moment, Derek felt as though he was smacked over the head, real hard. He wouldn't be able to explain why but he felt as though he was looking at one of the most stunning views in the world. Meredith was practically dressed in rags, now all dirty. Her hair messily encircled her face which was completely relaxed, elated. Her eyes were sparkling. An angel seemed to step down on earth. He felt that euphoria as well, it was contagious. He was standing there pretty much like an idiot, his hands slimy, another set of expensive clothes ruined, but he felt pretty damn happy. He could stand like this forever.

"Don't even think about it."

"Huh?" He whirled his head with a frown at Mrs. Hodge who was carefully observing him.

"We've already got a nice boy for her. Local," she hissed and moved out of the box to give the news to her husband.

What the hell? It wasn't like he wanted her. Well, okay, he did. That must have been pretty obvious to everyone around, including Meredith. But it was not like he wanted to marry her. He didn't want to marry anyone for that matter, he was too young to settle down… Though, if there was a woman who could keep his interest long enough, it would have to be Meredith.

"Thanks for dropping me here," said Derek as Meredith's car pulled up in front of William's house.

"That's fine," she shrugged. "It was on the way."

"And thanks for this evening. It was… interesting," he chuckled.

"You must be really suffering from the OR withdrawal," she smiled though she was positively surprised. He didn't seem to mind another clothes disaster.

"Yeah," he nodded, looking her carefully in the eye. Even though he left New York three days ago, he missed the scalpel. She understood…


They simply looked at each other in silence until Meredith felt self-conscious and awkward and broke the connection rubbing the back of her neck. "I… I gotta go. It's… late, you know."

"Sure," he smiled and got off.

"Derek," she called after him and the fact that she used his first name made his smile wider. "Do you think… we could discuss the contract… tomorrow"

"Eh, you know, I don't get back to New York until next weekend." It was a spur of the moment really. He figured he might make this trip an adventure. Plus, he could be close to Meredith.

"So?" she blinked at him. "I need the practice running on full gear. I need to find a doctor."

"Yeah, I thought you needed help," he grinned. "And here I am. I can lend you a hand. You can have me for the whole week."

For a second, Meredith's face didn't express anything but a pure shock. And then-

"Ugh! Ass!" she shouted furiously, pulled the door closed almost clipping his fingers and drove off burning the tires.

"What?" he frowned after her car in disbelief rubbing his precious surgeon fingers with relief. He heard a whining of a dog somewhere close. There was a big brown spaniel lying lazily against his fence, with its long pinkish tongue rolled out, and seemed to look at Derek with pity. "I was just being nice," he explained to him. His only response was a long howl.