"Dr. Stevens. I've been waiting for this meeting. Have a seat"

She does--quietly, her head down, knowing she has done something wrong and irreparable. She can feel the chief burn holes in her with his eyes. He clears his throat and she looks up, scared to say the least. Neither of them say anything for a long time. He leans forward in his seat and he finally speaks, eerily calm.

"I have fired people for less, Dr. Stevens"

She looks him in the eye now, waiting for him to say the words she's afraid to hear.

"What you did was illegal--it was shameful--embarrassing for the hospital, for your colleagues, for me and I hope to God for yourself as well…"

"Sir…"

"I'm not done"

"Sorry, Sir"

"I should have you arrested, I should have an officer in this room right now"

She feels a knot in her throat so she pushes back down to her stomach.

"I don't want to know what you were thinking. I don't want to hear excuses. You were out of line--you were so far out of line--the line was a dot to you!"

"I know, Sir…I understand…"

"You understand! That's new to me! You put not only yours, but four of your colleagues'

Careers in danger! The name of this hospital! Irresponsible, selfish and stupid…"

She feels him take a deep breath and she closes her eyes expecting the blow.

"One month, no OR time whatsoever, do you understand?"

Izzie looks up, surprised, her jaw to the floor--did he just--no.

"I'm sorry…Sir…"

"The patient died from heart failure. As far as I--or the hospital officials know…no one knows what happened in that room last night but you and the people in there with you. I asked. Got no answer"

"Sir…I--thank you"

"I'm not doing you any favors, Dr. Stevens. As far as I'm concerned, you are practically a nurses' bitch for the next month. No OR time at all. I see you anywhere near an OR you are out of here, do you understand?"

"Yes, sir. I understand"

"I am not happy about this. You are on very thin ice, Dr. Stevens. Very thin ice. And you can thank Dr. Bailey for speaking up for you."

"What…"

"She happens to see a lot of promise in you, don't prove her wrong. Get to work, Doctor"

Izzie sits there for a second, waiting for the chief to says he was kidding and that he wanted her out.

"Is there anything else?"

He asks her, impatiently. She blinks away her thoughts, snapping out of a trance.

"No, I uh…sorry. Thank you, Sir"

She rises from her seat walks out of the office and closes the door, leaning her head against it, her mouth open ass he begins to hyperventilate. Tears well up in her eyes but she holds them back. There was no room for a breakdown now. She takes a deep breath and begins her way down the hallway.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"This is stupid--this is so stupid"

Cristina whines. She sits on the basement floor between George and Meredith. They are sorting out case files, putting them in and out of boxes.

"This seems like fair game to me"

Meredith says not looking up from her box.

"Fair game? Fair game? Meredith…we are alphabetizing files! Izzie and Alex did not get is bad as we did--it's not fair"

"Well…"

George begins.

"Izzie is doing everything from answering phone calls to fetching the nurses coffee while silently mourning her dead fiancé , and Alex is Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd's little apprentice. Judging by the people we are talking about and the situation…we've got it pretty good."

"He's right"

"At least they get to pass by the OR…or get sunlight. We're like…rodents…the ugly ducklings, the…hospital's dirty little secret"

"We are the hospital's dirty little secret at the moment. And I'm not complaining…"

"Oh please. You just don't want to face Hot She-Shepherd. So what if you slept with her husband…again? Apparently, that works for them"

Meredith shoots her a look at the same moment George lifts his shocked eyes at her.

"You slept with McDreamy! He's married!"

"You hadn't told George?"

"I can't believe you! Meredith!"

"It was an accident--damn you, Cristina."

"An accident! That's stupid--"

"George--"

"Yeah, how is that an accident? An accident would be…like if you got pregnant"

"You're pregnant!"

"No George! Cristina, shut up!"

"Oh shut up--I get shut up. Nice. That feels good, Meredith"

"Well, I'm SORRY, but I am feeling really crappy right now and I don't feel like being judged by my friends! Is it so much to ask for!"

"I am not judging you!"

"You told George!"

"I thought he knew!"

"Why wouldn't you want to tell me!"

"George…I just needed to think. And Izzie was sad and--Callie saw us! I thought she'd save me the trouble, so sue me!"

"Callie--CALLIE! Callie knew!"

"She kind of walked in on us…"

"She WHAT! I don't believe this…I'm going to--I--I need to lay down"

Mumbling, he scoots down and lays his head on the floor.

"Dude…Callie walked in on you? You didn't tell me that"

"I can't believe she didn't tell me…"

"We were--done, but she saw enough"

"Wow…I underestimated Dr. PleaseCrackMyBone"

George sits up.

"Doctor WHAT?"

"I'm still working on a name for her, that's all I've got so far. She's a top chick that Callie, is she good in bed, George? She looks like she'd be good in bed"

"Shut up"

"What! She seems like a good toss is all I'm saying"

"You are in so much trouble, Meredith"

Meredith sighs heavily and hangs her shoulders.

"No kidding"

They hear someone walk down the hall and a short, elderly redheaded lady appears in front of them.

"Dr. Grey, we need you to deliver these patient history papers to Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd"

Her saliva gets caught in her throat and she begins to cough.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Patient history, for Doctor Montgomery-Shepherd"

"But, I'm…"

"Is this going to be a problem? Because if it is, I can just let Dr. Bailey know, I'm sure she'd understand"

"No, I'll--uh…I'll get them to her"

"Fantastic"

The nurse hands Meredith the files, smiles and walks away.

"This is Karma having a ball, folks"

"Dude…you're so screwed"

"Cristina!"

"What? She is"

"I am. I'm so screwed"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX