Title: The Sweetest Place on Earth
Summary: Two people leave the hospital tying to escape their past, but what happens when they run into each other. Meredith never chose between Derek and Finn she just couldn't so she didn't chose either. Derek and Addison are divorced. Addison and Mark are together and happy.
Disclaimer: Sadly I don't own Grey's Anatomy or I would be watching it now. I don't own anything.
Note: Meredith only talked about her friends in Seattle and a guy that broke her heart. She never mentioned his name even before she knew Derek was there. The only one who knows is Dani.
Later that day
Meredith took awhile to get dressed. She kept looking at herself now that Alex knew she thought everyone could tell. He was nice and didn't seem like he was going to tell anyone. She was glad the old Alex might have told everyone, but this Alex is the one who took Izzie to prom or kissed her in Joe's Bar after not kissing her on their date. She had grown close to Alex in a friendly way. She would never sleep with him, but was one of her closest guy friends.
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While Meredith was getting ready, she was really thankful they didn't offer to just go with her. Rose guided her friends over to the chairs near the nurses' station.
Izzie sits down next to Alex and holds his hand. "She really seems happy." The look on Rose's face shows she didn't know about the McDreamy mess. "It makes it easier knowing she is here and happy at least. I can't wait till Thanksgiving." She is smiling and squeezing Alex's hand for reassurance. "You might have heard of Cristina. She wants it a surprise. We weren't supposed to come until Christmas. We are still coming then though."
Rose that Meredith and Derek had big news they were sharing on Thanksgiving. They made a big thing about how special this Thanksgiving was that they all had to be there. She also knew Derek and Meredith's families were coming. She always could sense they were more than friends. She didn't know any of there history though.
"Meredith looks different." He had of course been staring at her. The only thing that got him through his breakup was that he was going to see Meredith soon. "She was practically glowing. Her hair was blonder and her eyes seemed to shine. She also looks healthier. Back in Seattle she was so skinny almost unhealthy.'
"Yeah she does look healthier. She also seems really happy." Izzie smiled she was glad Meredith was moving on with her life. She only wished she could do it closer to home. "I wish Meredith could have moved on in Seattle. But I guess that would have been hard with McDreamy and Satan trying their relationship. And then McSteamy and Satan's relationship. I also think it was to hard for her to choice between McDreamy and McVet. She knows what it is like to not get picked."
"Izz I think we should leave the past in the past. You can tell her what is happening in Seattle, but don't bring up Satan, McSteamy, McDreamy or the past that hurt her." He smiled at her and pulled her closer to comfort her.
Meredith came strolling into the lobby alongside Jon. They were both laughing and chatting away. Izzie and Alex were both smiling thinking maybe he was the guy she chose to move on with. George looked upset that he still couldn't make her happy like the boy she was walking with was.
"Is that Meredith's boyfriend?' Alex points to the guy walking next to her.
"Meredith doesn't have a boyfriend but this morning she was caught in the on call room with…" She gets interrupted my Meredith who over heard and knew she just saved her cover.
"I don't have a boyfriend. We are just friends. Friends can't cuddle together." She blushed at saying that. Her friends would be betting money on when she and Derek's friendship would turn to a relationship. They never believed she was just friends with him especially after prom.
"That was just my friend Dr. Jon Anderson. He is a resident specializing in Vascular Surgery. We are just friends. I am never going to ruin a friendship unless I am sure that the relationship is worth it.
"Are you sleeping with him?" Izzie asked her wondering.
"I haven't had sex for like a month and before that prom." She smiled at the shocked faces her friends betrayed.
"Seriously' they all asked her mouths hanging open. Any bystander would probably think there jaws were broken.
"Seriously" She confirmed liking the fact that along with Alex and Derek she also changed.
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The drive to chocolate world was short. Meredith was happy it was the beginning of October she was able to wear a jacket. The scrubs hid the pregnancy well, but she was concerned about her clothes. The jacket did well covering her stomach she just hoped that it wasn't hot in chocolate world or she might have to take her jacket off. She was now showing in regular clothes since she was 19 weeks. Meredith was surprised Izzie didn't notice but didn't say anything to her.
They walk into chocolate world and decide to go to the bakery. Izzie inspected the desserts and bought a couple to see if they were as good as her cupcakes. They walked over to a table that was in a quiet section and sat down to talk.
"So what is Seattle like without me?" Meredith asked wondering if anyone noticed she was missing.
"Cristina is going nuts without you. Every time you call and mention a friend she thinks you are replacing her with another person to be your person." Izzie said. "She wanted to come to but you know Burkes parents were coming so she couldn't."
Meredith wanted to laugh she met Burkes mother. She wanted Cristina to switch specialties if they ever had kids. Meredith can't picture Cristina in any specialty but surgery. She loved the OR and kids were not Crisina's thing.
"How is the chief doing?" Meredith asked.
"Well he was planning to retire until he found out Burke's hand had a tremor. Now he is basically stuck know one else is qualified. Cristina and Burke were working together. They weren't punished or anything though. Bailey wishes she was still in charge of Cristina now. It is kind of under wraps in the hospital not many people know." Izzie said still not believing that he was that hurt from the gun shot he got when he was entering the hospital for the start of his shift.
"Wow Cristina did seem pretty stressed when they started back at work." Meredith said who almost didn't believe the news. She took a bite of her cupcake. "This isn't as good as yours Izz, but it is still good."
"Yeah they are good." She smiles and continues discussing the gossip. "Oh guess where I heard McDreamy is living?"
"Um I don't really have a clue but in New York near his family."
"No Mer I heard he is in South Carolina. Teaching a class of under graduates and working part time in the hospital there." Izzie is always glad when she has all the lasts gossip.
"Izzie I heard that he was in Hawaii. Did Nurse Debbie tell you he was in South Carolina?' George wanted to be right. "He is supposedly on a retreat there. He was said to be going crazy here."
"You are both wrong. He is in Maine working in there best hospital." Alex had a grin of satisfaction on his face. "The chief called to get him back, but he said he was chief there already."
"All of you listen to gossip that is so funny. He can't be in all of those places." Meredith almost laughed out loud at the choices she was given by her friends. Derek might not think it is funny that everyone thought he was crazy living in Hawaii or chief in Maine, or teaching in South Carolina. Next they would say he is traveling in Africa teaching tribal people.
"You sound awfully confident in are answers being gossip Mer." Alex said thinking maybe she was right. He heard at least five other explanations all of them he could rule out by not being believable.
"Ok how many rumors are there about where I am." Meredith wanted to show them they were lying without actually saying hello he is in Hershey with me.
"I heard you joined your mother traveling. Then there was a rumor that you and Derek were in Africa saving lives and each other." George was laughing hard. "You to haven't spoken in weeks I wanted to shout at them but I didn't. I mean really you and Derek together in Africa."
"Hey Grey I didn't know you escaped to become an Amish women in Ohio. Helping out the people. That is so good of you." He was grinning ear to ear at that one. Alex went to take a bite of Izzie's muffin and she swatted his hand away before he could. "They probably would realize that is not true because Amish people don't sleep around." He grinned at making her blush so easily.
"I could become Amish you know. I was celibate."
"Look how that ended Mer. You got in Derek's pants at prom." She was beat red at that moment and Ales was thinking in his head. After a minute he stopped and looked at her with an expression. At that point she knew he knew that McDreamy was going to be a father. "Mer can you show me where the bathrooms are located in here?"
"Alex, just follow the signs. You can't get lost we will still be here." She didn't notice that he didn't have to go to the bathroom but wanted to talk privately with Meredith.
"No they can be confusing to find. It will just take a minute Izz." She smiled and then got up from her chair and walked with him.
"So does Derek know that you are pregnant? I will find him if you don't know where he is." Alex didn't want Meredith's child growing up without a father or a bad one like he had. He felt like it was his duty to protect her and the unborn baby.
"He knows. We are just friends now but he knows. He is supportive." She smiled thinking about her last doctor's appointment when he was holding her hand the whole time she was there. They were so excited when they found out it was a girl. Her daughter and Dani's daughter would grow up together.
"So it is the same doctor Shepherd working in your hospital that worked in Seattle. Is this also the person that you were found in bed with?' Was she ever going to tell them she was having a baby or would she hide it from them and when they came to visit say she is babysitting.
"Yeah it is. We might eventually be more than just friends. I don't want anyone butting into my relationship telling me it's not a good idea. I want to be able to be happy and not be the gossip of the hospital."
"Yeah that probably is nice for you since you moved to be out of the spot light." They started walking back from the bathrooms before Izzie or George would think they got lost.
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After leaving chocolate world they went straight to Hotel Hershey. They were touring the hotel and then a few churches. They asked Meredith to go to since George would go to.
"Wow the hotel is pretty in person." Meredith said amazed by how pretty the stone structure could be.
"You should see the gardens Mer they are to die for.' Izzie smiled she was going to have the perfect wedding.
Once they got inside the hotel they waited in the lobby for Kim the wedding planner to meet with them. Even the lobby was pretty it had breathe taking views of the surrounding land. They would probably be able to take lots of pictures in that room alone.
She showed them around. Meredith never realized how pretty the hotel was. She was getting hot and unzipped her jacket. She excused herself to the bathroom needing a minute to calm down. She wasn't as sick anymore now that she was in the second trimester, but every once in a while she didn't feel that well. An older lady was also in the bathroom.
"Are you okay Miss?" She was concerned for a pale sweaty Meredith.
"Yeah I just wasn't expecting the morning sickness to last into the second trimester." She smiled at the nice lady. "But apparently my daughter thinks otherwise."
"Oh kids are never convienent before they are born sweetie. My four children all were born when I was least expecting always making me sick when I didn't want to be and I always found out I was pregnant when I wasn't ready for another child."
"Glad I am not the only one. I came to visit the hotel with my friends who are getting married here in a few months. Which I better go meet up with. Thank you for your concern."
"You are very welcome.'
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The rest of the weekend Izzie, George, and Alex were visiting was uneventful. It wasn't until they were at the airport something happened. They were almost at a terminal when they ran into some people unexpectedly.
Who did they run into is in the next chapter. Thanks for the reviews.