Meredith found she couldn't effectively wipe the happy grin from her face for more than a few minutes at a time. So far her record was somewhere around eight minutes. She would force the happiness from her mind, focus on work, attempt to be an adequate role model for her interns... but then something would happen. Something would remind her of Derek and the happy smile would flutter back onto her face uninvited. She couldn't help it. She, Meredith Grey, was happy. She and Derek had spent the entire previous day together, just happy to be spending time with each other, no schedule to follow. It was nice. They had gone for a walk through the city, and walked along the boardwalk hand in hand. She smiled at the thought.
She sighed as her interns gave her another questioning glance. Only her second shift with interns and she was sure she was already being labelled the crazy resident. Good for her. Her mother would be so proud. Forcing a more neutral expression to her face, she inwardly chastised herself. She needed to be making a better impression on the four individuals she now silently referred to as thing one, thing two, thing three and... George. Because George didn't deserve to be a thing, he was George, and as sorry as she was that he had to repeat his internship, she was glad he was assigned to her. She could honestly say she had the best intern.
"Dr. Myers, can you present?" She prompted her intern. He looked worried and kept sending nervous glances towards Dr. Riley, the upper year cardio resident who was standing, arms crossed menacingly on the other side of the patient. Dr. Riley was practically glowering at her and her interns, his dislike for teaching and hostility towards interns displayed openly. He was almost like Mark in that respect, although Meredith found Mark rather human in comparison to this man. Mark was selfish, Dr. Riley was cold.
"Uh, Dave Alders, post-op day two from a double bypass surgery on Monday-" Dr. Myers' shaky voice was cut off.
"You don't need to say Monday if you just said two." The arrogant surgeon reprimanded as if it were some horrible faux pas, and not a simple repetition. "You're wasting our time."
Dr. Myers gulped, his fellow interns seeming to draw away from him as he tried to regain his bearings. "I'm so sorry, Dr. Riley. I'll try not to-" But he was cut off once again.
"Still wasting my time. If you want to be a surgeon you need to learn to be efficient or you need to go home right now. You're wasting the time of a hospital full of doctors who have better things to do than-"
"Dr. Riley," Meredith heard herself cut in as she suddenly remembered she was in charge of Dr. Myers. "Might I remind you that Seattle Grace is a teaching hospital and it's only Dr. Myers' second day. He's doing fine."
Dr. Riley stared at her in shock, his dark eyes narrowing as she glared right back, refusing to back down. "I don't need some punk second year resident talking to me like that." He spat. "I won't be requiring any help today, Grey." And with that he was striding out of the room.
Meredith rolled her eyes at his behaviour as she turned to face her interns. George was staring at her with something resembling surprise and maybe a little admiration. Thing one through three just looked shocked. Dr. Myers especially looked a little pale. She wasn't about to be nice to her interns, George excluded of course, but she also wasn't about to let some other cocky surgeon yell at them just because he had obviously woken up on the wrong side of the bed that morning.
She turned her attention to Dr. Myers. "Don't let him get to you. Riley is an ass, it's been well established. You were doing fine, it was him that was wasting our time." She turned her attention back to the group. "Lets go, we'll find something else to work on."
As he interns shuffled out the door, she returned the chart to its hook on the foot of the bed and smiled at the patient. "Everything is looking good, Mr. Alders."
"Thank-you, dear," the elderly man responded.
Meredith met her interns in the hall and led them towards the nurses station, keeping her eyes peeled for Callie. An attending she didn't recognize walked past, her eyes only taking in the navy blue scrubs. It reminded her of Derek wearing navy blue scrubs. And then she realised she was smiling again, even as she was cursing at herself for the absurdity of the reminder. An hour earlier the incessant smiling had been triggered by the term 'craniotomy.' She needed to get herself under control before she ended up in psych.
She led her interns down to the main surgical floor, and was relieved to immediately spot Callie in a conversation with another resident at the nurse's station. She approached the desk, making it clear she was waiting for Callie, but not interrupting her conversation. She was unsurprised when thing one, two and three stayed back. George sidled up beside her, glancing around to ensure privacy before he leaned in close.
"Are you high?" He whispered.
"What?" Meredith exclaimed at his question. "What could possibly make you ask me that?" She continued in hushed tones.
George gave her a look. "You've been manic all morning and then you told off a seventh year resident."
"I have not been manic. And Riley deserved it."
"He may have deserved it, but that still doesn't explain why you're manic."
"Riley did deserve it, and I am not manic!" She exclaimed, even while trying to keep her voice low and innocuous to anyone around them.
"You've been weird and smiley all morning. It's creepy."
"I'm happy. Since when is being happy creepy?"
"When it's you being happy." He countered.
"Touché," she admitted. "But it's true."
George was just about to retort when Callie suddenly pushed her way into their conversation.
"What do you need, Grey?" She asked quickly.
Meredith blinked at the invasion, not immediately able to decipher Callie's question.
"Dr. Torres," George cut in, his voice sounding fully professional. "I think it is my duty to report to you that one of your residents is high." There was a twinkle in his eye.
"I am not high, George." She scoffed at him and turned her attention back to Callie. "And I have to report to you that my intern is harassing me."
"I'm not harassing her..."
"Guys!" Callie cut in, her tone exasperated. "I'm sorry, but I so don't have time for your petty argument things. Assuming you're not actually high," she said to Meredith, "Do you actually need anything? Cause if you don't I need you to not waste my time. I'm stressed out of my mind."
Meredith cringed. "Sorry, Callie. We... I need a new assignment. Riley doesn't want our help anymore."
Callie's eyes narrowed at her admission, but she didn't comment. "Fine, there's a patient coming into the pit in five minutes. I just got the page. Go."
"Thanks, Callie."
Meredith stepped away from the desk, her interns jumping to follow her. She smiled. This time not about Derek. This time about the fact that she was a good resident. And her interns were eager to follow her. However, the act of smiling and realizing it was the first time she had smiled that day that hadn't been precipitated by Derek-y thoughts made her think about Derek. And now she was smiling wider. "Damn it," she muttered under her breath.
"What was that, Dr. Grey?" George called almost knowingly from behind her.
"Nothing, O'Malley," she responded, refusing to turn her head to face him. She wouldn't give him the benefit of knowing he had caught her.
0000
Meredith set her tray down on the table between those belonging to Cristina and Izzy, and across from Alex. She collapsed into her chair, her eyes still on George sitting alone across the cafeteria. She had tried to force him to eat with them, but he had refused, apparently wanting to remain in anonymity as long as possible. The simple act of eating lunch with four residents would raise eyebrows. Questions would be asked. And it only took one comment by anyone plugged into the Seattle Grace gossip line for everyone to know his secret.
She sighed, turning her attention to her fellow residents. "This isn't right. George should be sitting with us, not all alone."
She saw Izzy glanced over, her large eyes full of sympathy and concern. "He wouldn't sit here?"
Meredith shook her head. "Doesn't want everyone to know he's repeating yet."
Izzy turned her attention back to Meredith. "Are you sure?"
Meredith paused, her hands holding her sandwich out in front of her, teeth about to bite. "Am I sure that he doesn't want everyone to know? Yes, he told me."
"No, I mean are you sure that's what he doesn't want to sit here?"
Meredith pulled the sandwich away from her mouth, focusing curious eyes on Izzy. Derek had told her Izzy had been baking the whole time she was gone. "Why? What's going on? Are you two fighting again? Cause I thought I heard him come over last night?"
Izzy's eyes grew wide. "What? No. Nothing's going on, we're not...fighting," she swallowed. "Everything's fine. Its fine, you know, it's me and George. We're fine. Good. Fine."
Meredith hesitated. Something was obviously going on, that much was clear, but Izzy looked terrified that whatever it was would be brought up. So she nodded. "Okay, Iz. Just checking."
Alex was staring oddly at Izzy, and Cristina was watching her with an amused expression, as if she would any minute go for the attack. Meredith focused a pointed look on both of them. This was not a subject to be brought up here. But she was going to bring it up soon. Her own life was finally coming together, why shouldn't her friend's life follow suit? And Izzy obviously needed support with something.
"So, I heard you went postal on Riley this morning," Cristina said, effectively changing the subject.
Meredith roller her eyes. "I didn't go postal."
"You really pissed him off. He's been ranting all day. My interns won't stop talking about it."
"Mine either," Alex said, and Izzy nodded her concurrence. "You better watch out, or you'll be known as the new intern-lover."
"It may actually be too late for that," Cristina added.
Meredith rolled her eyes again. "I'm not an intern lover. Riley was way out of line."
"So, you really did stand up for you intern?" Cristina asked.
"Well, yeah-"
"Intern lover." Alex cut in. He and Cristina laughed.
"Whatever," Meredith muttered, though she smiled at their antics.
She turned her attention back to her sandwich as Cristina started bragging about the cardio procedure she had assisted with that morning. Alex seemed to be listening intently, and Izzy to a somewhat lesser, but still interested, degree. Meredith, however, found her attention drifting back to the previous day. The day she now regarded as Day 1 of her new life, or the rest of her life, or the second half of her life... or whatever. Day 1. It almost sounded better by itself, more ominous. Or was it actually Day 0, and today was Day 1? Because The Talk had happened yesterday, and today was the first full non-conflict day. She completely closed herself off to Cristina's ramblings as she pondered the thought. She still liked thinking of yesterday as Day 1, because it implicated something special. And today wasn't particularly special. Just a normal day, definitely not Day 1 worthy. Day 2 worthy, but without the capital. Okay, so yesterday was Day one, today is day 2. She nodded to herself, and forced her attention back on to Cristina.
Only a few sentences into trying to catch up with what her best friend was saying, Meredith felt a presence behind her and turned to find Derek approaching their table, coffee in hand.
"Hey," she greeted happily. She had left before him that morning and then he had been in surgery all morning and into the afternoon, so she hadn't seen him since she had dragged herself out of his warm arms in the earlier hours of the morning.
"Hi," Derek responded, smiling warmly at her. There was something different about the tone of his smile that she couldn't put her finger on. He had been doing it since they had woken up the second time the day before. It was completely new. And she loved it.
"Hey, Dr. Shepherd," Alex extended his own greeting, cluing in the rest of the table to his presence.
"Hi, Dr. ... Derek," Izzy stumbled but managed to say.
Cristina shifted her gaze between Derek, Izzy and Alex, as if trying to place where on that continuum she fit, and how she should address him now. "McDreamy," she finally muttered, nodding in greeting.
Meredith snorted and turned her attention back to her boyfriend. "You want to sit with us?"
"Well, I was just planning to get a coffee and get back to my paperwork," he responded, unsure of his place. He obviously hadn't been expecting to bump into them, but hadn't been able to resist saying hi when he had spotted her.
"Paperwork can wait," Izzy cut in before Meredith could respond. And she slid over to a chair closer to Alex, allowing Derek to take the seat next to Meredith.
"Okay, I guess it can wait a few minutes," he responded, taking a seat and pulling his chair closer to Meredith as he did so.
Meredith smiled, thankful to Izzy for making Derek feel welcome. She couldn't do it all on her own, and she didn't hold out much hope for either Alex or Cristina helping out.
"Damn it!" Izzy suddenly exclaimed.
All eyes were on her and Meredith sent her a questioning look.
Izzy glared at both Meredith and Derek. "I forgot I was supposed to be mad at you two."
Meredith almost laughed. "What?"
"Why, were they interrupting your sleep again?" Cristina voiced.
Meredith glared at her, feeling Derek fight back a laugh beside her.
"They stole my card." Izzy told them, ignoring Cristina's question.
"They stole you car?" Alex asked.
"No, my card. My photo card."
Cristina had an evil glint in her eyes. "To take pictures of-?"
"Cristina!" Meredith exclaimed, cutting of her best friend before she had a chance to finish her sentence. Cristina laughed.
"Why would they steal your photo card?" Alex asked, ignoring Cristina and Meredith.
"Because they make mean, card stealing roommates."
"Right..." Meredith spoke. "We're the mean roommates, when you're the one sneaking sleeping pictures of us."
Izzy glared at her for several seconds. "That's so not the point," she finally muttered. "The point is, you two stole my photo card."
"Wait," Cristina butted in. "You stole the card back when we woke you two up?"
"When was this?" Alex questioned.
Cristina turned to him. "After the stupid bachelorette thing. Meredith and McDreamy were sleeping on the couch. Izzy went all lovey-dovey and pulled her camera out. Meredith took her down and stole the camera. Then McDreamy gave it back to her." She turned to Derek. "So, you must have swiped the card. Impressive."
"Thanks," Derek said with a proud nod.
"Especially since you were hung over," Cristina continued. "And you just realized now they had the card?" She asked Izzy.
Izzy shrugged. "I don't usually check to see if the card I put in my camera mysteriously disappeared from my camera."
Meredith laughed. "We gave it back to you."
Izzy mock glared at her. "I'm not talking to you, Grey," she muttered. "You either, Shepherd."
Meredith laughed, rolling her eyes in good humour. She took a sip of her water and leaned closer to Derek, who easily responded by wrapping his arm loosely around her waist. Even he was laughing. And with that, Cristina was back to her story telling about her morning surgery.
"How was your surgery?" Meredith questioned after he cautiously sipped at his coffee.
Derek shrugged. "Uneventful. Very routine."
"That's good."
"Mhh-Hmm," Derek nodded, sipping from his coffee. "What about you? Interesting day?"
Meredith sighed. "I had a little confrontation thing with Dr. Riley, then got a trauma case. It was okay."
Derek regarded her. "Yeah, I heard about the Riley thing."
Meredith rolled her eyes. "How is it everyone knows about it? It so wasn't a big deal."
"A second year resident telling off a seventh year resident? That's a big deal."
"I didn't tell him off, I just..." She trailed off, not able to come up with the right words. "He was being completely irrational. He yelled at Myers for saying 'post op day two from Monday.' Seriously. Who does that?"
Derek laughed. "Dr. Riley is an ass," he whispered. "But don't tell anyone I said that."
Meredith smiled. As an attending, he really shouldn't be voicing those types of opinions with anyone other than the Chief or Riley's department head, but his secret was safe with her.
"I'm proud of you," Derek told her quietly, momentarily tightening the arm around her waist to pull her in close. "You're a good teacher."
Meredith rolled her eyes in good nature. "A good teacher? It's only me second day."
"And look how good you are already," Derek spoke, not missing a beat.
Meredith laughed quietly. He sure was biased. But she loved him for it. He slowly released his added grip on her and she sat fully upright again, still happy to feel the warmth of his arm comfortably around her middle. She felt completely at ease.
"You just have paperwork left for the day?" Meredith questioned.
Derek nodded. "Yup, another hour or two. I managed to get myself caught up in everything while you were away, so I want to try to keep it that way for as long as I can."
"I give you a week," she told him.
He laughed. "That sounds about right." He shrugged. "How about you?"
"I'm off at seven."
He smiled at her. "Do you want to grab dinner or something?"
She nodded at him. "Yeah, dinner sounds nice. But no where fancy or anything. I'm not up to the whole dress up thing or whatever tonight."
He smirked. "Are you up to the whole dress-down thing tonight?"
She gasped at his words and playfully pushed him away. "I can't believe you just said that!" She hissed.
He laughed, tightening his arm so she couldn't pull away too far. "Believe it," he told her, placing a quick kiss on the side of her head. "So, should I pick you up here at seven? I need to run out to the trailer and get my mail. I haven't been there in a while. I can do that while you finish up and then we can get something to eat."
Meredith nodded. "Sounds good."
"Alright then, I need to get back to my office so I don't delay our little plan. I'll see you in the lobby at seven?"
"Yup," she leaned in for a quick kiss.
He smiled and stood after she pulled away. "See you later," he called to the other three occupants at the table.
Alex and Cristina chimed in quick responses. Izzy, however, regarded Derek, her eyes narrow.
"I'll have you know," she told him, shifting her gaze to Meredith and then back to him, letting him know she was including Meredith in whatever she was about to say. "I'll have you know I am planning to buy a lock for my door when I leave tonight. There will be no more stealing of this roommate's prized possessions." She pointed to herself, a sarcastic smile on her face.
Meredith snorted. A dozen comments came to mind, regarding the fact that Izzy's photo card was hardly a prized possession if she didn't even notice it was missing and they hadn't touched anything from her room, but Derek beat her to it.
"I thought you weren't talking to us?" He shot back, a twinkle in his eye.
Izzy sat flabbergasted as she obviously spun to come up with a witty comeback.
Derek laughed, leaning down to press his lips against the back of Meredith's head. "Bye," he said into her hair, and then he was gone. She joined Alex and Cristina in laughing at Izzy's still stunned expression.
"McDreamy so got you," Cristina sputtered.
"Shut up!"
"You totally set yourself up, Iz." Alex added.
Izzy grumbled, glaring at Meredith.
"Hey, don't glare at me. I didn't do anything." She held her hands up in mock surrender.
"Yeah, but you suck," Izzy muttered. She gathered up her things. "You guys all suck." And she stood from the table and strode out of the cafeteria, leaving her friends laughing in her wake.
AN: So, just a nice, light, happy chapter. After debating way too much on how to proceed, it finally occurred to me to just sit back and let the chapter write itself, so its a little off the path, but still going to the right place and inadvertently gave me a nice subtle lead in to the next topic I plan to tackle. So all in all, it worked out very well. Also, sorry about the massive delay due to my exams taking precedence over my fanfic, if I ruled the world it would be the other way... although if I ruled the world I wouldn't have exams... Anyway, I would like to point out my seven updates in seven days in my defence and promise the update again soon. Thanks for reading as always.