This is just a short series, based on MerHayes, based on an article I read. The line in the article reads 'Grey's Anatomy will finally serve Meredith and Cormac a proper drink - and then some.' I couldn't just leave that alone. So here's a short series of what a proper drink, and then some, might really mean (Unless I'm completely off bat and the episode airs with something entirely different!)

Enjoy! xo

Meredith hadn't felt nerves like this… ever. Or maybe they were a different kind of nerves. She cast her mind back to her first proper date with Derek, her late husband. Breakfast at the restaurant, the one downtown with the fountain, decorated with the small dinosaur figures. She still never went back to that restaurant.

She shook her head. She couldn't go into this thinking about her dead husband. That was probably rule number one when you're about to finally go out to drinks with a guy.

They'd put this off for so long, what with the global pandemic taking up pretty much all their time. And then she got sick. And then there was her recovery. It was almost as though the universe was throwing obstacles between them. Not that she would imply the global pandemic intentionally happened to keep them apart.

She brought herself back to the present. There was no point in dwelling in the past. She had made peace with her past, and it was time to live in the now. Which is why she had jumped at the chance to go for this drink with Cormac.

They didn't go to Joe's; that would've been too much. There was an Irish bar, still not too far from the hospital, that he'd given her the address to. She stood by the bar, feeling slightly out of place. the atmosphere was charged, lively. She felt a little overdressed. She'd even arrived early, not wanting anything to go wrong.

Maggie had jumped at the opportunity to look after the kids, almost kicking Meredith out of her own house. She checked her phone, seeing there were still five more minutes until they were due to meet. She was anxious that there were no messages from Maggie about the kids, but surely that would mean they were fine. Her kids were happy, and healthy.

She put the phone away again as the bartender came over, asking to take her drink. She offered a polite smile, nodding. "Just a soda water."

Setting the glass in front of her, the bartender moved along the bar, leaving her be. She took a sip, looking towards the door of the bar again. This time when it opened, Hayes walked through, and she couldn't keep herself from smiling against the rim of her glass.

He spotted her, his eyes lighting up with a warm grin. He made his way over to her, taking off his jacket. "Hey, I can see you got yourself a drink already." He chuckled as he motioned over the bartender and ordered himself a drink. "What do you think of this place? I found it the other week, reminds me of a small part of home."

"I definitely feel overdressed." She laughed slightly, taking another sip of her drink.

He shook his head, nudging her shoulder with his own slightly as the bartender set down his drink. "You look amazing. Let's go sit somewhere, a bit quieter?"

"Sounds good." He gave her a half grin, half smirk as he led her to a table in the back.

She took a seat across from him, her glass on the table in front of her, hands wrapped around it. She met his gaze, feeling slightly awkward. It was easier in the hospital, easier to joke around, to banter with one another.

He was quiet as well, but besides the awkwardness, it wasn't completely uncomfortable. She looked up and met his eyes, matching his smile. "I didn't see you at the hospital today."

"Day off, the kids weren't in school, so we spent the day together." She shrugged slightly, sipping at her drink. "We took Amelia to the zoo; she hasn't been doing so good. I think being around the kids is good for her, though."

"Yeah, I heard about the proposal." He inhaled sharply, shaking his head. "Link looked like crap when I saw him."

"He really misunderstood the situation." Meredith sighed, her head tilting to one side as she looked down at her drink. "But I've had enough talking about that situation. Hospital still standing?"

"Without you there for twenty-four hours? Just about." He chuckled, tipping back his drink a second. "Everything seems good, seems to be pretty drama free for a while. Didn't even know it was possible. It's been non-stop since I arrived."

"It's been non-stop since I arrived, almost twenty years ago." She laughed, finishing off her drink.

"I'm really glad we're finally doing this." He grinned, his teeth showing slightly.

"Me too, actually."

"Want another?" He motioned towards her empty glass.

"I… it was just soda water." She bit her lip slightly, hesitating. "I could go for something stronger though."

"Fancy trying the whisky again?" He offered, a smirk on his lips.

"I think I'll stick with tequila." She laughed, shaking her head. "Surprise me, as long as there's tequila involved."

"Will do." He grinned as he stood up, grabbing their empty glasses as he went over to the bar.

She watched him for a moment, still smiling. It always surprised him how much of a gentleman he was. She turned back to the table, tapping her fingers against the wood. She looked around the bar again. It wasn't the worst place he could've taken her to, and it wasn't particularly rowdy. She was feeling a little peckish, though, so maybe they should've gone somewhere they could've gotten a meal.

Maybe they'll do that next time.

Maybe thinking there would be a next time was a little presumptuous.

But then he came back to the table with their drinks and a basket of fries, and she knew as long as he wanted a next time, she definitely did. She didn't even have to ask for food, and he brought it anyway.

"Thought we could attempt to fill our stomachs a little, since we're drinking." He grinned as he sat across from her again, placing her drink in front of her. "Tequila Sunrise."

"Perfect, thanks." She looked up, returning his grin.

Soon, they were chatting away about anything and everything. Kids, work, things Meredith had missed out on when she'd been sick. It was all starting to flow a bit more naturally now, and every minute she found herself getting along with him more and more.

There was a clear understanding, they'd never be the love of each other's lives. But that didn't mean they had to spend the rest of their lives alone. At least being able to have that mutual understanding, that life experience, it was worth a lot more than she could've imagined.