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Chapter 12: "In the Still of the Night"

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Richard Webber was trying desperately to pull the dad card and the boss card, but Meredith would have neither. "Dad, I have a job today. I'm fine. Fine," she told him, trying to reassure herself. She didn't let him say anything else as she walked out of the linen closet, her head held high. Today was going to be a long day, she knew that.

Meredith saw Cristina, Izzie, and George all sitting at their regular lunch table whispering. Meredith knew that she was the topic of the day and walked directly to her normal seat and sat, causing all talk to stop immediately.

"I know. You're mad. And that's okay. I'm sorry that I haven't talked to you about … anything, really." She hoped this will clear the air, that somehow this would miraculously fix everything. She had been avoiding their phone calls like the plague, though, and Meredith knew deep down that this would only repair part of the friendships that she'd neglected for the last week or so.

"So you can talk to Alex about it, but not us?" Izzie's voice had adopted an offensive tone that Meredith knew would break easily. Izzie and George, she knew, would forgive her after a brief explanation. It was Cristina who would be the most difficult.

Meredith took a deep breath. "Alex doesn't ask questions. He doesn't do the thing where he hovers, and walks on eggshells. And I know that you guys are just trying to help, but I just needed to be left alone to figure stuff out for myself."

"Whatever," Cristina spat out as she got up to threw her tray away. Yes, Cristina would definitely be the most difficult.

"Are you and Alex, like, together?" George asked softly. His voice gave away his fear that Meredith had, in fact, become better than friends with Evil Spawn.

"No, and I'm not dating Sloan, and I'm also not hooking up with Dr. Shepherd. This, all this disappearing-"

"It's okay," Izzie cut her off. "You just should have come to us."

Meredith nodded at Izzie. "I'm sorry," she responded honestly.

"So did Alex totally beat down McDreamy last night or what?" Izzie asked. She leaned in, her regular smile returning to her face.

Meredith giggled. "Izzie!"

"I could beat up McDreamy, if I wanted to," George said.

"You could not!" Izzie squealed.

"George!" Meredith laughed, happy that things between she and Izzie and George had returned to normal. But, deep down, she was scared that her friendship with Cristina was beyond repair.

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Meredith's hand shot out and pushed the red button in the elevator, bringing it to a halt. "I have father issues," she said softly. Her face looked forward, waiting for a response.

"Tell me something I don't know," Cristina challenged. Her voice sounded almost bored.

"Richard Webber is my step-dad. He's my daddy. I have father issues, but not daddy issues." It felt good sharing this secret with her person. Meredith sighed in relief.

Cristina was silent for a little too long, and Meredith turned to face her. Cristina's jaw was hanging open. "I hate you! You're doubly inbred. God, I'd kill- Can I come over for dinner?"

Meredith smirked. "Are you still mad at me?"

"That is so not fair!" Cristina thought for a moment. "Are you going to tell him about me and Burke?"

Meredith raised an eyebrow. "Are you?"

Cristina pursed her lips. "Not yet."

"Then I won't, either," she told her.

"I'm not mad."

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Alex lay in bed, holding his pillow to his chest and staring at the ceiling. He'd been in bed for three hours and couldn't fall asleep. Perhaps it was the stress of the day, or the fact he didn't remember his bed being this uncomfortable, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't sleep.

At one, he reluctantly rose and went to go heat up a glass of milk for himself. He remembered his mom used to make it for him when he was young and wondered if the milk actually did anything, or if it was just the comfort of his mom sitting next to him on the bed and rubbing his back.

He sat on his couch and turned on the television, not caring what was on. He laid his head back and held the milk in his hand. Alex hated warm milk.

His head jerked up, a sound startling him. It sounded like the turning of a key in his front door. Alex cautiously stood and walked to his entry hallway, waiting for the killer behind the door to enter.

Her blonde hair was what he saw first, as he instantly relaxed. "Couldn't stay away?" he asked, smiling mockingly.

"Shut up," Meredith said. There was embarrassment in her voice. "I was lying in bed and I remembered that I forgot to thank you for coming to my rescue today … and last night." She closed the door behind her.

"Admit it, you can't sleep without me anymore." Alex grinned cockily at her.

"Fine! It's just that … my bed is so big and Izzie and George are doing their hovering thing again, and I just … didn't want to wake up to-" she stopped speaking, abruptly. "What are you doing up?" she asked.

Alex bit his lip and searched for an explanation. "Couldn't sleep," he finally confessed.

"Ah ha!" she squealed, giggling. Meredith locked the door and walked past Alex.

"That doesn't mean anything, Grey, maybe I was reading."

This caused Meredith to break into full on laughter. "You don't have any books!"

Alex smiled to himself. "Get in bed, Grey, we have to get up soon."

"I thought you were reading!" Meredith yelled. She had happiness in her voice, which had been seriously lacking all day.

Alex started to respond, but stopped when he found her curled up in bed, waiting for him. "That's my pillow," he asserted.

"Oh, shut up!"