Meredith had decided not to tell anyone that she would be returning to Seattle; she silently hoped that no one else would be there; especially Derek. She was coming home to Seattle for one reason only; to help out her mother.

She had come home the week before her internship with boxes of her stuff that she had crammed into her apartment in Boston. She also took some time packing up her mothers things.

She visited her mother in the home she was staying in. It was the strangest thing to hear her mother talk to her like she was a six-year-old child, reminding Meredith to pick up her crayons off of the floor and to brush her teeth.

On her mothers good days, she would tell Ellis that she was going to become a surgeon just like her, and they talked surgeries. Those talks usually ended with Ellis talking about her residency.

It was now the night before her Internship and Meredith was staring at an invitation to a dinner party for all the new interns. She contemplated not going, but she would have to spend the next seven years with these people so she might as well get to know them.

She dressed herself in a black dress; like always, and headed to the party. Before she even got her coat checked she scanned the room. She saw Dr. Webber, who she knew was now the chief. Him she could deal with. She turned to her right and saw people she hadn't seen in years. Christina, George, Izzie, and Alex were all talking to each other and what looked to be catching up on the past couple of years. Meredith felt guilty. She really did alienate herself from her best friends.

She turned to her left and saw something that broke her heart. Derek Shepard was there, with another woman. Sure she never expected him to actually wait for her, but it hurt her nonetheless. She woman he was with was beautiful, tall and leggy. She briefly remembered a conversation she had had with Derek about how he never liked tall and leggy.

Meredith didn't want to deal with all of this now, she would procrastinate and see them all tomorrow. She probably wouldn't even get assigned to the same resident as her friends.

She quickly made a b-line for the door.

A few meters away, Izzie said, "was that Meredith?"

Also, a few more meters away, Dr. Shepard was wondering the exact same thing.

GAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGA

Meredith ended up in a bar across the street from Seattle Grace Hospital. She knew tomorrow would be hell so she thought she would kick back a few to forget what tomorrow has in store.

She was sitting at the bar, the bartender pouring her tequila shot after tequila shot. She had promised Joe, the bartender that she would take a cab home.

GAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGA

"Derek, this party is really boring; its like going to a kindergarten party when you're in highschool, or college even."

"Ok, your right, where so you want to go?"

"How about we head to Joe's for a few drinks?"

"Ok, not too many though, we're attending's tomorrow."

"That's right. I'm just going to say goodbye to Richard, can you get my coat?"

"Sure."

GAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGA

Meredith was talking with the most handsome guy. She was even contemplating taking him home with her. She thought about it for quite awhile; taking more shots to buy her time. For every drink she had, she started leaning more and more to taking the guy home with her.

Meredith was so concentrated on her drunken thinking process that she didn't hear the door open, but she did however hear her name being questioned from behind her.

"Meredith?"

She turned, it was Derek. The man she had cut out of her life. Right now she couldn't think of any reasons why she had ever let him go. Meredith also didn't notice the red-head standing next to him. "Derek?"

"So, did you get your internship here?"

Meredith blinked a few times, trying with all her might to sober up. "Yeah, kind of last minute. My mother wants me to look after the house while she's… away."

"Your mother is Ellis Grey?" Addison asked. Meredith nodded, "Wow. We're really going to miss her."

"Thanks" Meredith answered.

"Oh, right!" Derek piped in, "Meredith, this is Addison… My fiancé."

"Fiance? Wow Derek, that's really great." Meredith had to get out of her, "I have to get going, you know, 48 hour shift and all."

"Ok, well, I guess we'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, ok." Meredith grabbed her coat and bag and left quickly, vaguely hearing the handsome guy mumble something about being close to getting some.

END CHAPTER 18