Chapter 56: What Are You Talking About?
"Cristina?"
Owen looked intently at his girlfriend, but she continued to clean a plate with such zeal as though she would like to wipe it down to powder.
"Cris, can you at least acknowledge in some shape or form that you're listening to me?" he sighed. "Talk to me."
Cristina made no sign that she was paying any attention to his words. She put away the dry plate on the dish rack and grabbed another from the sink.
"It's not your fault-"
"Oh, really?" she snapped at last. "Because I think it is, and not only me. Ask anyone in town, I bet everyone knows by now."
"I don't-"
"I'm going to be the black sheep again. Not that I mind too much, I've always been the black sheep and I've enjoyed it. Only this time I hurt my person."
"You did what you thought was best!" Owen raised his voice. "Nothing here is your fault. How could you know Shepherd would turn out to be completely untrustworthy… If he really did…? I… I still can't believe it, he really seemed like he was a reasonably guy."
"Tell me about it," Cristina grumbled.
"I… Are you sure it's not some kind of mistake…?" he asked.
"Please, get over it already with that male solidarity, it's really unbecoming."
"It's not male solidarity," Owen rolled his eyes. "I'm just trying to figure out a solution."
"There is no solution!" she snorted. "My person got screwed over by a stupid penis, again! I really think you should all be castrated just after birth."
"An excellent idea," he threw sarcastically. "Do you know… what she saw…?"
"She saw Shepherd with another woman," Cristina said with unconcealed irritation.
"Doing… what?"
"Are you that daft? Meredith got back in the middle of the night, chilled to the bone, and still in that stupid gown. What do you think they could be doing? You wanna know the exact position?"
"No, I'm… sorry," Owen succumbed at last.
"Don't be. I am the only one that should be sorry."
"You shouldn't be either," this time it was Meredith herself who contradicted Cristina. She had come downstairs and slipped into the inn's kitchen, unbeknownst to Owen and Cristina who both fell uncomfortably silent.
"Oh, please, don't stop talking about me for my benefit," Meredith shrugged but there was no sarcasm in her voice. "I'm sure the whole of Rachel is doing it right now. And I don't mind. I don't care anymore."
"I'm sorry…" Cristina started.
"I told you, you shouldn't be," Meredith assured her calmly, pouring herself a cup of coffee. "I thought my life could turn out differently for once… but I guess it can't. I'm not even surprised. Don't make that face, I'm going to be okay this time. I have you… and I have Rachel, two things I know will never fail me."
"You're going back to bed?" Cristina asked. She didn't want to have this discussion with Meredith. She felt as if she had failed her already.
"No!" Meredith announced resolutely. "I've slept almost the entire day. Enough! I'm going to eat something, grab my things and get going."
"Get going where?" Cristina asked cautiously. "Where are you going to stay? You're not… going back to the house?"
"I don't know yet," Meredith shrugged. "I've got all my stuff there. I own it too… I need to think this over. Maybe he'd agree to sell the rest of the rights to me? Why wouldn't he? I don't see him ever coming back here."
"I've heard life seldom turns out to be that easy," Cristina muttered under her breath when Meredith left the kitchen.
"Why the mournful face? Has the Chief thrown a tantrum at you because you jilted him?"
Derek slowed down by the nurses' station hearing Mark's voice. "Nah," he sighed, not taking his eyes off his cellphone. "I've been trying to reach Meredith all day but- Wait, I thought you weren't talking to me?"
"I wasn't. Then, I read this," Mark showed him the cover of the medical journal that printed the interview with Derek. "And I've heard about your illustrious thanking speech last night. And I want Addie to stop withholding sex."
"There's that," laughed Derek and joined him at the station. "Listen, man, I really didn't want to-"
"I know," Mark interrupted him quickly.
"I'm sorry."
"Me too."
They glanced at each other briefly and then looked away, going quiet.
"So," Mark began after a while, placing the journal on the counter. "You did all this for her, didn't you? Not to save lives, or to make yourself famous, you did it for her."
"I… I did," Derek admitted.
"Why? She is an established medical genius already."
"Our world owed it to her," Derek answered cryptically.
"Our world? It really sounds like you're moving to another dimension."
"In a way I am. And I can't wait."
"I've heard you told Jenkins about your plans? How did he react?"
"How do you think?" Derek chuckled. "He was not happy, to put it mildly. I think my ears keep ringing from his shouts."
"Did he agree to let you out of your contract?"
"Eventually. I have trained a new department head for him. I settled to split my grant. I'm leaving a part of the sum in Pres."
"What are you going to do with the rest? Revolutionize Rachel's health care?" Mark snorted.
"Not quite," Derek replied vaguely and reached inside his pocket to check his phone. "Nothing. This is weird…"
"Aw, you're so sad you can't talk to your girlfriend, it's so cute," smirked Mark.
"Whatever. I can be cute as long as I know Meredith as okay. She told me she was going out of Rachel and then no call, no text, nothing. It's not like us to stay silent."
"Relax, it's a woman we're talking about, a different species," drawled Mark.
"What different species?" Addison asked, popping up beside them.
"Yeah, what were you talking about, Mark?" Derek goaded him.
"Uhm, Derek is from a different species. We were talking about his impending exile to Rachel."
"Have you made up?" she beamed. "Finally!"
"Does it mean we're going to my place tonight?" Mark wiggled his eyebrows at her.
"Mark! Can we not talk about this right now?" she stressed, slapping his ass inconspicuously. "Derek, you've got everything ready for your journey?"
"Almost," he nodded. "Most of the formalities are done. I've packed half of the stuff I'm bringing over. I've booked the flight…"
"For when?" Mark asked quietly.
"Next Monday."
"Less than a week... Do you think there still are free places?"
"For what? The flight?" gasped Derek. "Man, you don't have to go. Mom already insisted to come. And Amelia."
"Well, you'll have to make some room for me too," Mark stated stubbornly. "I need to see the place, and her, with my own eyes. I'm long overdue for a vacation. I haven't had one in forever."
"Me neither!" Addison piped in. "I haven't been out of this state for ages!"
"I really don't- Fine, you can come," Derek gave in under his friends' intense gazes. He only hoped Meredith wouldn't behead him for the flock of guests. He needed to warn her as soon and as gently as possible. Damn, he still needed to tell her he was coming to Rachel himself, for good this time.
"Lexie," Helen called after her peeking out of her office when the middle Grey passed by. "Have you heard from Meredith?"
"No, I haven't," she shook her head, concern evident on her face. "Have you?"
"No. She hasn't called me, and I don't want to intrude on her and Derek."
"Damn, Meredith!" Lexie kicked the wall with her foot. "I told her to text me when she got there! Why can't she ever listen? She knows we're worried sick!"
"She is probably too caught up with all the sex," Helen joked quietly.
"I only hope so!" Lexie rolled her eyes. "You know what? Whatever, she could be in the middle of an orgasm, I'm calling her!"
She grabbed her phone and called the number, fuming silently while she waited for the call.
"She's not answering?"
"I don't care! I'm gonna keep calling her until she picks up… or I go into surgery… Meredith, finally! Why haven't you called?"
"What kind of a sister are you? Do I sound like Meredith?" a snarky voice hissed into her ear.
"What- Cristina?" Lexie gasped, totally perplexed. "Why are you answering Meredith's phone?"
"Ugh, because she went home, and you keep annoying me with your constant calls?"
"Cristina?" Helen frowned questioningly. "Is she in New York too?"
"Are you in New York too?" Lexie repeated the question.
"Are you dumb?" snapped Cristina. "If I was in New York, I would be charged with murder."
"Wait, you're in Rachel? Is Meredith in Rachel?" shrieked Lexie.
"Of course, did you expect her to stay around to watch Shepherd with his red-headed whore?"
"WHAT?" Lexie shouted at the top of her voice, passersby jumping up in fright.
"Lex?" Helen looked at her warily.
"I'm gonna kill him!" Lexie gritted through her teeth, her eyes flashing angrily.
"Who? Derek? What's going on?"
"I gotta… I gotta go!" Lexie gasped out tearing off her lab coat.
"Go where? Your shift-"
"Tell the chief resident you've sent me for your laundry!" Lexie shouted back, already running down the corridor.
Helen returned to her office; her forehead marred with a frown. She was afraid of what to make of it all, she was afraid to even think of it all. For some mysterious reason, Meredith ran back to Nevada, literally. Her common sense and the scrapes of conversation between Lexie and Cristina, Helen came to conclusion that Derek must have had something to do with it. Only what? What could possibly bring such a strong reaction in Meredith. What did he do? She didn't have to wait long before she had an occasion to ask this question as the object of her musings himself appeared.
"Hey, Helen," he beamed, walking in, completely unaware of her state of mind.
"Dr. Shepherd," she said dryly, looking at him suspiciously. She understood less and less of the whole situation. Why was he smiling from ear to ear?
"You busy?" His eyes swept the office briefly as he misinterpreted the impersonal way he was received. "I'm sorry I gave you no notice but…" his grin stretched even wider, "I won't be your doctor for much longer and I wanted to tell you myself."
"I was expecting as much. I wasn't sure I'd ever see you alive again given the way Lexie stormed off to kill you."
"Lexie?" he chuckled lightly. "To kill me? What for?"
"You tell me. What did you do?" Helen narrowed her eyes at him, her jaw set, her arms folded defensively.
"What… did I do?" he mirrored her question, slightly puzzled. "I won the grant last night?"
"Oh, please," Helen rolled her eyes. "What did you do to Meredith?"
Derek only stared at her. "I'm not following…"
"What did you do to Meredith to make her run back to Nevada?" she snapped.
"What?" he gasped. "Run back? From where?"
"Don't pretend, you're insulting my intelligence," Helen sent him her most poisonous glare, but he still looked thoroughly confused.
"I'm pretty sure you're overestimating mine," Derek frowned. "Can you, please, explain me what are you talking about?"
"About Meredith's visit to New York of course, what else?" Helen snorted out.
"I… what… she…" he stammered. "Meredith… here… in New York? You're kidding me."
"Does it look like I'm in the mood for jokes?" she rolled her eyes. But the longer she studied his face, the more doubts she had. "Did you two have an argument?"
"No! I really have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. Is Meredith in New York?" he inquired with sudden urgency.
"So… are you telling me you haven't talked to her?"
"Not since yesterday morning," he shook his head. "I couldn't get ahold of her."
Deciding he was being truthful, Helen explained, "That's because she was on the way here."
"So, where is she? At her parents'? Why hasn't she told me?" he bombarded her with questions.
"Mer is no longer in New York, Derek. She returned to Rachel late last night or today early morning. And I thought you'd know why?"
"What?" he gasped, starting to pace up and down as disbelief and misgivings overtook his mind. "She didn't… I didn't know…"
"You want me to believe you didn't see or hear from her yesterday?"
"I think we've established that already," he answered impatiently.
"I find it a little hard to believe because I saw Meredith standing in the exact same spot yesterday where you are standing now. She came for my gala invitation, she wanted to surprise you there. Next thing I know, she's back hundreds of miles away, and her friends are ready to kill you."
"I'll repeat, I have no idea why that is! I haven't seen Meredith, I haven't talked to her! How could you even think I would do anything to hurt her?" Derek asked indignantly. "For the past few months, I've been doing nothing else but trying to get back to her. Now, I'm this close," he stated brining his palms close together.
"What do you mean?"
"I'm leaving New York," he announced with a sort of confident pride. "Next Monday actually, I'm moving to Rachel. Permanently."
For a prolonged moment, Helen didn't know what to say. Apparently, shocking news was in the air today.
"You've been planning it all along, haven't you?" she asked in a softer voice. "Meredith doesn't know…"
"She doesn't," Derek confirmed.
"She didn't agree the last time you tried to talk her into it."
"I firmly believe this time will be different," he said handing her the journal with his interview he had brought in his briefcase. "Have you read it?"
"Oh," she breathed out skimming it briefly. "Derek… I hope it works."
"Do you think that could be the reason why Mer went straight back to Rachel? Because she learnt about my plans? I don't see how though…" he sighed.
"It sounded more serious. But Lexie just stormed out, I didn't get a chance to know more."
"And you naturally thought it was my fault?" he rolled his eyes.
Helen gave a little innocent shrug. "Well, I do hope it's not you whom Lexie set out to annihilate."
"Me too," he winced at the painful recollection of the first meeting with Meredith's younger sister.
"Dr. Derek Shepherd!" Lexie demanded obnoxiously at the nurses' station.
"Excuse me?" one of the nurses flinched away.
"Dr. Shepherd, the neurosurgeon. Where can I find him?" Lexie gritted out.
"I'm sorry, that's quite impossible," the nurse replied, visibly forcing herself to stay civil.
"I don't care if he's too busy to-"
"Why don't you let me finish?" the nurse said dryly. "Dr. Shepherd doesn't work here anymore."
"Right! And I was born yesterday!"
"Maybe you were?" the nurse snorted. "As of today, Dr. Shepherd is no longer the head of neurosurgery, nor a doctor employed in this hospital!"
"Thank you for nothing!" Lexie hissed and glanced around desperately. She didn't believe a word of what the hateful woman was saying. She was surely making excuses for his sorry ass. He was sadly mistaken if he thought it would deter her. She went down the corridor under the nurse's suspicious gaze and noticed the surgical board. She did find a Shepherd there but not a neurosurgeon, it was without a doubt one of his sisters.
Lexie was still deliberating about what to do next when she caught a scrape of conversation.
"I'm really proud of you you've decided to go with Derek," a tall woman in scrubs said to another doctor. "I know he wants it all but it's still a huge change."
As Lexie studied the pair closer, she was struck with a sudden realization. A red-headed whore, Cristina said…
"You!" she spat at the woman, blocking her way.
"I'm sorry, do I know you?" she asked, slightly alarmed.
"No, but I know of you, whore!"
"Hey! Watch your mouth!" the man stepped in front of the redhead protectively.
"Oh, you service him as well?" Lexie snorted to her. "I thought it was only Dr. Shepherd but I'm not really surprised!"
"Dr. Shepherd? You know Derek?" Addison tried to make some sense out of the situation.
"I thought I did but unfortunately, I was quite mistaken! Where is he?" she demanded.
"He's not at the hospital-"
"Addie, don't! She's a psycho! Where's the security when you need them!"
"Fine! Tell that mendacious dirtbag that he can hide however long he wants, and when I find him…" she breathed out shallowly, "he'll regret the day that he ever met my sister!" With that, she turned out and almost ran away through a small crowd of curious onlookers.
As Lexie exited the building, her rage was being slowly replaced with miserable resignation. Her heart panged for her elder sister. How could they all be so grievously wrong about Derek Shepherd! He made an impression of such a decent guy. She couldn't imagine how Meredith might feel, she was disappointed and hurt by a man she thought she loved once again.
She kicked a pile of dirty snow with her foot. She knew what she had to do now, and she wasn't looking forward to it. Her parents were calling her since this morning, asking about Meredith. She was stalling so far, saying that she was catching up on sleep. But in these circumstances, the truth could not be concealed for much longer. With these unhappy thoughts, she directed herself to Thatcher and Susan's house.
