DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN GREY'S ANATOMY, I wish I did.
Several weeks have gone by since Meredith's near breakdown. She is doing better emotionally. Derek has been her rock. They have both been working better schedules, and have had time to spend with each other. Meredith is finally getting some sleep. All of the interns are in the locker room. Meredith opens her locker, finding several brochures, books, and pamphlets on timber framed houses. She smiles.
Izzie: Mer, are you meeting us at Joe's tonight?
Meredith: I can't.
Cristina: I'm sure she has something to do with her precious McDreamy.
Meredith: Cristina...
Alex: Someone's jealous!
George: This is scary. Cristina. Jealous. You better watch Dr. Shepherd, she might put a hit out on him.
Cristina: I don't get jealous.
Izzie: You are so jealous.
Cristina: You know what- Whatever. Never mind.
Meredith: Cristina, it's just-
Cristina: No. I'm not jealous, okay. What do I have to be jealous over?
Alex: Shepherd. (Dr. Bailey walks in.)
Bailey: I'm tired, so don't piss me off. Assignments: Yang- Montgomery-Sloan, O'Malley- Shepherd, Karev- Burke, Stevens- Sloan. Thompson- Torres needs you. (She hears them protest.) What did I just tell you? Shut your damn mouths!
Meredith walked around looking for Callie. Derek of course found her first. He pulled her into a supply room. Taking advantage of her until she protested. She knew Callie can be pretty nasty if you ticked her off. She didn't want to get stuck with a nasty resident for the day. Derek put on his best pout face and let her go, reminding her that they had dinner plans at the bistro down the street. Meredith ran off, finally finding Dr. Torres.
Meredith: Dr. Torres.
Callie: Where have you been?
Meredith: I was looking for you.
Callie: Really? So that would explain why you were in the supply closet with your boyfriend, right? (Meredith didn't answer.) Our patient has and osteo-sarcoma in his femur. We are going to try and remove as much of the tumor as possible.
Meredith: Okay.
Callie: I need him prepped for surgery in an hour.
Meredith: Okay.
Callie: Thompson, please stop saying 'okay'.
Meredith: Ok- right. Yes.
Meredith and Callie are scrubbed in. Callie has the leg open. She is showing Meredith the osteo-sarcoma, which is huge. They are going to remove as much as possible, but it looks pretty aggressive.
Callie: So when is the big day?
Meredith: (This time she knew what she was talking about. Every other person in the hospital has been asking her. If she hears it one more time she is going to snap.) I don't know. I haven't thought about it.
Callie: You should be. This is a big deal! You should be excited.
Meredith: (She was surprised that Callie had so much enthusiasm about it.) I am excited.
Callie: You don't look it. You know, when I was in high school, I had everything planned. The dress, cake, the ring. Just not the man. Maybe George is that guy.
Meredith: George is a good guy. (She felt bad. She knew that George didn't love Callie. Not yet, at least.)
Callie: He is. So I'm thinking light green.
Meredith: What?
Callie: Your bridesmaid's dresses. Hey, if you don't want to plan. I will. You can't leave him waiting forever.
Meredith: I'm not a fan of light green. I like dark blue.
Callie: That's so somber.
Meredith: I don't want to torture my friends with bad dresses.
Callie: How soon were you thinking?
Meredith: I don't know. I haven't had time. Sometime, soonish.
Callie: Soonish?
Meredith: Yes, soonish.
Callie: The way these nurses are around here, I wouldn't leave him hanging long.
Meredith: Thanks. I'll watch them. (She smiles.)
They scrub out. Meredith is slightly unnerved after her conversation with Callie. Maybe she should put some more effort into it. She wasn't sure where to start. She had never done this. Her mom and Lois had pretty much planned her wedding with John. Cristina was her person, and she wasn't really being too friendly these days. She could tell that Cristina really was jealous. Meredith would love to tease her about it, but she knew Cristina would deny it. She actually felt a little bad about it, everyone was pulling her in different directions. Meredith scrubbed in on another surgery with Callie. They fixed a fracture in the tibia. It was a total mess. Meredith was thankful that Callie didn't say anything more about the wedding. Meredith's shift was almost over, she went in to check on the patient with the osteo-sarcoma.
Meredith: Mr. Dawson, how are you feeling?
Dawson: Okay.
Meredith: Any pain?
Mrs. Dawson: I just asked him. He said he was okay. You are awfully young. You must be smart. I'm sorry I ramble when I'm nervous. Oh, oh. (She turns the t.v. up.) Have you been following this?
Meredith: What? (Meredith's face drops. She listens to the t.v.)
Reporter: ...We are standing outside of the court house. The verdict has just been read...Ray Jenson, accused of murdering attorney Jonathan Thompson has been found guilty on all counts...Once again Ray Jenson has been convicted of second degree murder...
Meredith felt her chest tighten up. Was this good, was this bad? She dropped the patients chart. She has to get out of there. She wasn't sure what to do. Derek was still in surgery. She needed to get out of the hospital, and she didn't want to go home. She hadn't seen the news or paper in weeks, she had no idea it had been publicized. She quickly went to the locker room. Izzie and George were in there. She heard them talking, but it didn't register. She didn't acknowledge them. She was in a zone. She was in a different dimension. She quickly changed her clothes and walked out the door, unsure of where she was heading. Izzie and George quickly finish and follow her. They have no idea what's going on, but it can't bee good. Meredith hurriedly walks across to Joe's. The familiar ding from the bell on the door rings out. She takes her usually seat at the bar.
Joe: You okay? (No answer.) What can I get you?
Meredith: A bottle of tequila and a water. Don't pour it. I just want a full bottle.
Joe: Okay.
Meredith: And please turn the channel. (Joe looks up, connecting the two.)
Joe: Right away.
Meredith sat there for an hour, just staring at the bottle. Her friends were watching her. Joe gave them the heads up on what was going on. They weren't sure what to do. Izzie called Cristina, who was on her way. Cristina passed Derek in the hallway. Even though she didn't want to, she let him know what was going on. Derek quickly changed his clothes and headed over. He saw Meredith slumped over staring at the bottle.
Derek: Hey.
Meredith: Hey.
Derek: Let's go home.
Meredith: Okay.
Derek: Thanks Joe. (He slaps twenty dollars down on the bar.)
Joe: What's this for?
Derek: Consider it a rental fee. See you later. (They walk out.) I'm sorry you had to see that on t.v. Baby, are you okay. (They climb in his car.)
Meredith: I don't know what to think Derek. He hurt me, really bad. But a part of me feels bad for him. He killed my husband and I feel bad. How is that right?
Derek: It's understandable.
Meredith: I hate him. I hate him more than anything, but I know in my heart he didn't set out to kill John. Something is wrong with my head. It doesn't make sense.
Derek: You know him. You spent time around him. He is a person. You wouldn't be you, if you didn't feel this way, Mer.
Meredith: I didn't drink. I just needed to look at it. I had to prove to myself that I could do it.
Derek: I'm so proud of you.
Meredith: I'm okay. I can handle this, I have you. I am going to his sentencing. I need to, for closure.
Derek: Okay. I'll come-
Meredith: I need to do it myself.
Derek: Are you sure?
Meredith: Yes- I'm positive.
Meredith and Derek were both lying in bed. He was reading a book. She looked over at him, and thought. It was time. Time to start her life. She reached over and pulled out her laptop, she was planning a wedding.
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Short update. I'm not sure if there will be an update tomorrow. I have got to ride my horse tomorrow. Maybe, just maybe there will be. I'll see what I can do. I can't remember who asked, but Derek isn't leaving my story, he is leaving my calendar, because February is almost over. I will miss him...