Chapter 4

Part 1: Preoccupation

Meredith tied her hair into a ponytail as she tried to calm herself down. So she was fighting with a man who happened to be her boss, so what? She was a professional she could handle it. When the rumor about her and McDreamie started she handled it and when he left her and she had to work with him she handled it. This was no different. She was going to pass through this like she passed through everything else, like Ellie Grey's daughter only knew how to, with her head up high.

Somehow she didn't quite believe that. This was different because this time Derek wouldn't be on her side. She didn't know what was worst that Derek hated her right now or that she cared.

"I heard they brought in a patient with absolutely no nose and that they were gonna need a lot of help to build him one. I want an in on this one." She heard Cristina say.

"You're so lucky Bailey doesn't hate you today. She assigned me on the Miller's case. None stop diarrhea as if my day didn't suck enough already." Izzie answered.

"What did you do to piss her off?" asked George.

"I woke her up."

At that moment Bailey entered the locker room.

"Okay people, enough with the chit chat. Stevens the Miller's case just threw up, O'Malley you're with Dr. Burke, Yang you're with the Dr. Shepard and before you ask the female and Grey you're with the trauma patient in room 564. Get moving people!" said the Dr. Bailey.

They all started walking pretty fast. Dr. Bailey hadn't slept since her son was born and it made her angrier then usual.

"Are you okay?" Cristina asked Meredith in her typical detached voice.

"Yeah."

"You just seemed a little preoccupied in there."

Meredith gave her a stunned look.

"You noticed?" asked Meredith.

"Of course. I can be a caring person."

Meredith raised her eyebrow.

"What? I can."

"Okay."

"So does it have anything to do with your fight with McDreamie?"

"You know?"

"Yeah. It's all over the hospital."

"What!"

"Oh relax, will you? It's not like it surprised anyone. We were all waiting for him to get jealous. I must admit, I didn't think you would move on so quickly though. You made me lose 30 boxes by the way."

"Who else know?"

"George, Alex, the nurses, everyone."

"I can't believe it. Don't you people have lives?"

"We do. We just do a better job at keeping ours private."

"He asked me if I was having sex with him."

"Men."

"I know and…"

"It's Burke."

"What?"

"No, it's Burke down the hall. He's coming up our way. I better hide."

"Wait. Why?"

"He wants to talk about our future. I tell you men are stupid." She said walking away.

Meredith continued to walk toward room 564 when Preston Burke stopped her.

"Have you seen Cristina?"

"No, can't say I have." She quickly lied.

"All right, well if you see her tell her I am looking for her."

Meredith just nodded. Cristina was right. She wasn't the only one with problems.

Part 2: Fight

Derek's surgery had been postponed. That was probably for the best because Derek's anger had wore him out sooner then usual. He had imagined seeing Mark every time he turned a corner, but had never actually set his eyes on him.

Derek was waiting for the elevator when the door finally opened to reveal Mark Sloan. He usually tried to avoid a confrontation with Mark, but not this time because this time he was looking forward to seeing him.

When Derek entered the elevator, Mark was unable to hide his shock.

"Hey." Mark finally said.

"Stay away her." Derek answer.

"Way to jump into a conversation. No "Hey Mark. How have you been? Long time no see""

"Just stay away from her."

"Look Derek, what me Addison had…"

"Not Addison. I'm talking about Meredith."

"Oh, I see." Mark chuckled.

"You don't see anything. There's nothing to see."

"I find interesting that you're more interested in what I do with your ex than what I do with your wife."

"My relationship with Meredith is none of your business."

"No. My relationship with Meredith is none of your business."

"You're playing with her and I won't let you use her."

"If I remember correctly you're the one that used her."

The elevator's doors opened on the lobby.

"Just stay away from Meredith. If you hurt her in any possible way, I'll make sure that even you won't be able save your face with the best plastic surgery."

What Derek was too furious to notice was that his fight with the Dr. Sloan had been witness by half of the staff of Seattle Grace Hospital. That was quite an interesting piece of gossip.

Part 3: Lunch

Meredith sat down at a table with George and started picking at her fries. Izzie and Alex soon joined them.

"If I have to see one more person vomit I swear I'm gonna quit." Izzie started.

George smiled.

"You're on Bailey's black list." He laughed.

"I just woke her up once, once."

"That's all it takes." Meredith pointed out.

"She doesn't sleep much this days." George added.

Alex leaned in to say something in Izzie's ears. It must have been something dirty because she started blushing.

"Karev go do your lovey dovey stuff somewhere else. I'm planning to eat." Cristina said as she sat down.

"Talked to Burke yet?" Meredith asked her.

"No. Talked to McDreamie?"

"Okay, point taken."

"What Yang's avoiding Burke again?" Alex asked with an amused smile.

"Shut up. It's none of your business." Cristina answered.

"You know you're not being fair to him, right? If he doesn't have a chance with you, you should tell him. Don't act like you don't know what he wants." George said in an angry tone.

Izzie looked at him with a stunned look.

"What?" asked George.

Izzie just look at Meredith with a sad smile.

"This has nothing to do with her." George stated.

"With who?" asked an oblivious Meredith.

"No one." George answered nervously.

Izzie's biper went off.

"All right, I've got to go clean up some more poops again." She said getting up.

"You know I find it very interesting that you pass judgments on my relationships when you don't have any." said an angry Cristina.

"I…" started George.

"Oh god, it's Burke. I've got to go."

"I should start on some charts anyway." said Alex getting up. "Tell Izzie that I'll see her tonight."

"Will do." said Meredith with a smile. "You know you're cute when you're in love."

Alex blushed, but didn't say anything to contradict her.

"Look like it's just you and me George."

George smiled shyly.

"So Meredith, you…"

"Hey." She heard someone whisper in her ear.

She turned around to find Mark smiling at her.

"Hey to you too. So how was your day?"

"Listen Meredith I'm gonna go." said a very uncomfortable George.

"Okay. Bye then."

"Bye"

"So what have you done so far? I heard they brought in a patient with no nose." Meredith asked Mark.

"Yeah. It's pretty interesting. You want to scrub in?"

"I don't want you to do me any favor because we're dating."

"It's not a favor. I thought of asking Karev and Yang too."

Meredith nodded satisfied with his answer.

"You wanna know what else interesting happen to me today?" Mark asked her.

"What happen?"

"I ran into your boyfriend and apparently I've got to stay away from you."

"What Derek told you that?"

"Yep. You know sometime I can't believe him. I can sleep with his wife for months and he just stops talking to me, but I start dating his ex and I become worst than the devil."

"I can't believe he told you that. I mean fighting with me is one thing, but threatening you. What's wrong with him?"

"He's jealous. That's what's wrong with him." Mark explained with a smile.

"Why would he be jealous? I'm not even going out with him."

Mark just chuckled.

"I don't find this very funny." said Meredith.

"Well, I do"

Mark got up and gave her a quick kiss.

"I've gotta go check on my patient. We're still on for Friday?"

Meredith nodded with a smile.

"I'll see you later." She said.

"All right. See you."

With that he was gone. Meredith was even more confused if it was possible. Derek was jealous? But Derek never got jealous. Why would he be anyway? It's not like he was in love with her. He didn't pick her after all. So why would Mark say that? God, when would McDreamie get out of her mind? How was she supposed to move on if he didn't let her?