AFTERMATH
AN: I started writing this anyway. It's three days later, which makes it exactly five days until the wedding. I think. And Callie is leaving for good. But for all you Callie fans out there, she will leave on good terms. And please check out my new fic, If Everyone Cared. It involves all of your favourite Seattle Grace friends, plus a few more of my own!
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
- Seattle Grace Hospital, Helicopter Pad, 2016 -
The Seattle Grace 'family' stood on the helicopter pad, all grouped together, most of them with their arms crossed and Christina-glares on their faces, all watching Callie Barnett and Georgiana Torres board the ER chopper to head for County General, Chicago.
"Goodbye, everyone!" Georgie called just before she stepped into the waiting helicopter.
The 9 year old received a sullen "Bye, kiddo" from the surgeons, who were pleased to see Callie leave after causing so many problems in the last few days.
Within the first few minutes of Callie leaving, the surgeons had left the roof for the main conference room, where Meredith had called a meeting, since she wasn't there to see Georgie off.
"I wonder what Meredith wants," Izzie asked as the elevator doors closed, shutting the roof off from her, George, Alex, Christina, Preston and Derek.
"Yeah," George muttered. "Ever since she and Callie had that fight, she's been acting really strange." Everyone agreed with him.
- Seattle Grace Hospital, Main Conference Room, 2016 -
AN: This is the conference room featured in season one finale Who's Zooming Who, the 'safe sex' demo room.
Meredith was pacing the length of the conference table by the time everyone else reached the room. She looked as if she had been moving for so long she could wear a hole in the carpet. And there was a trail of tissues along her stomping path.
"Where's Addie and Mark?" she asked, immediately spotting the two missing surgeons from the bunch.
"Running late," Alex said. "I spent the morning in Plastics, and he had a couple more things to finish before he could get here. He also said Addie had a thing to do with the girls before she could... speak of the devil!"
The door opened to reveal a disheveled-looking Addison and a perfect-looking Mark, completing the group of surgeons. Save one very important one.
"Where's Miranda?" Addison asked, not seeing her friend anywhere in the room.
"William's sick, she didn't come in today," Preston answered. "But we're here for Meredith at the moment."
Meredith looked at each individual face, stopped pacing and sobbing, ready to burst again at a moments' notice.
"Three days ago, Emily Constance Grey passed away at 4:14 pm, right when we were arguing and what-not with Callie." Sobs punctured Meredith's words, making her difficult to understand, so Derek stood up to support her while she spoke.
Smiling at her superior, she drew strength from his form to continue. "Emily was the daughter I gave birth to, but never knew. Being a surgeon, just like my mother, I didn't want her to have the childhood I had, so I have never even spent time with her. The only things I knew about her was that she thought I was her half-sister, as she was raised by Thatcher and Susan Grey, and she would have turned 12 in 36 days."
As sobs racked her body again, Derek held her closer to his to try and steady her, to give her the courage to continue.
"I always thought I would tell Emily everything, my reasons and all, on her 16th or 18th birthday, she would forgive me to an extent and we could live happily ever after, or as best you can while being a surgeon, but now I can't tell her anything, because she's dead, and there's nothing I can do about it!"
Meredith completely lost her composure in that moment and broke down in McDreamy's arms, thankful for his wonderful cologne and everything else about him.
The other occupants of the room were shocked.
"I thought you wouldn't be dark and twisty Meredith again," Alex said, trying to make her feel better. "If it's any consolation, Izzie and I would like to name you and Derek godparents to our daughter when she's born."
Meredith looked up at the pair, a smile breaking through the curtain of tears on her face. "You're having a little girl? Oh My God, that's wonderful! Do you have any names yet?"
This news had made the atmosphere a little less tense.
Izzie smiled, grabbing Alex's hand with one and her belly with the other. "Yeah, we've decided on Evelyn Savannah. Evelyn is sort of like Ellis, Emily and is also thanks to Addison," Izzie smiled towards her mentor and maid of honour, "Who, along with Mark, has agreed to be my maid of honour and Alex's best man respectively."
The pregnant woman beamed, finally able to get this news off her chest and share it with her family.
"But what about Emily? Will there be a funeral for her?" Addison asked, returning the spotlight to Meredith, who was still dark and twisty for the moment.
"Addie, even though I'm her mother, Thatcher and Susan are her parents, and I have to respect their wishes," she said, detaching herself from Derek's arms to stand up for herself. "There was a memorial service for her yesterday, which I wasn't invited to, so her friends could say good bye, but the burial will be private for her family only…" Meredith stopped, having started to cry again.
Christina walked over, bumped Derek out of the way and hugged her friend.
"I thought you didn't do hugging," she grinned through the tears.
Christina grinned and kept the embrace secure. "Shut up, you're still my person and the girls made me toxic."
Meredith stepped back for a second to look at her person, then at the rest of the women gathered around. "Damn the men and their stupid boy penises," she said, looking directly into Derek's eyes as she spoke the words.
Everyone laughed, McSteamy and McDreamy looking kind of put out for a second, before they smiled again.
"Yeah," Mark said, grabbing Addison around the shoulders.
"Yeah."
They stood in silence for a moment.
Then Izzie started laughing, breaking the silence.
"What's so funny, Doctor Model?" Christina asked.
Izzie shook her head. "Nothing, I'm just excited. I'm getting married!" she squealed.
"Yeah," Meredith giggled before joining Izzie in her bright and shiny dance.
- Joe's Bar, later that night, 2016 -
"Well, if it isn't the bunch of wayward interns," Joe said with a smile as the group walked through the door, minus the kids, of course. "Should I break out the Scotch and Tequila?"
Meredith laughed from her position on Derek's side, his arm firmly attached to her waist, before greeting the bartender that had saved their lives many a drunken time.
"Hey Joe," she said, taking her seat along the front of the bar as usual.
Izzie sat down on her other side, the one that wasn't taken up by McDreamy, her hand resting gently on her abdomen, and the others followed suit; Alex, Addie, Mark, Christina, Preston and George.
"Should you even be in here?" Joe asked her, right before placing shot glasses on the bar for the rest of their party.
Izzie smiled. "Actually, Joe, I have a favour to ask you."
"Ask away," he said. "Just as long as it involves nothing sexual, because otherwise Walter might mind."
Everyone laughed at his last comment, even Izzie.
"No, Joe, I'm serious," she said.
"So am I."
Izzie took a deep breath. "My wedding is in five days, and I want to have a bachelorette party before I walk down the aisle."
"Hasn't the last ten years been a bachelorette party?" he asked, a huge smile on his face. Izzie shot him an evil look. "Fine, I'll shut up."
"But does that mean no alcohol for the bride to be?" Christina said, turning to look at Izzie, who nodded. "What a crap party."
Meredith gave her best friend the evil eyes she deserved. "Christina! We're supposed to be supportive friends. Plus, I thought you weren't allowed to drink until the wedding?"
The smirk that was on Christina's face wiped instantly. "Damn," she muttered.
The bar was silent for a minute, even Joe didn't have anything to contribute.
"Addie…" Christina suddenly said, smiling sweetly. "Can't I…"
"No," the OB/GYN said without having to listen to the rest of her question. "Not unless you plan on having children again, ever."
The bar laughed at her expense.
"Maybe I should invest in some pumpkin pie and soft drink," Joe said, "Otherwise it will be a very boring party."
"Don't forget the cream pie!" Derek said. He received many strange looks from the rest of the gang. "What?" he asked with an innocent look on his face. "What's a party without a food fight?"
Everyone laughed again, and Christina raised her glass.
"Touché, McDreamy, I'll drink to that."
"Cheers!" they shared.
- Jewellers Store, Somewhere in Seattle, later that night, 2016 -
Derek walked into a store he had known about for many years, and had known the owner for even longer. He was immediately recognised and summoned to the ring counter.
"Ah, Doctor Shepherd, good to see you again," the old man said, greeting him with a smile and firm handshake.
"Teddy, good to see you too," he responded. Theodore Perkins was a third generation jeweller, and still ran one of the best stores in the state of Washington.
"So, come to buy an engagement ring for Meredith?" he asked.
"Oh, so you remember, do you?" Derek said, very impressed with the old man's memory.
"Of course, Derek. The day you came to me ten years ago, you were so excited you couldn't find the right ring. Then a phone call one day about your wife returning, and I never hear from you for ten years. What the hell happened?"
Derek sighed. "Teddy, it's a long story, but my mother died in a car crash ten years ago, and I ran. Now, I'm back and have started to fix her again, but this time I'm not going to let go."
The jeweller smiled. "That's the spirit, son. Now, choose a ring and hurry up about it, because she's not going to wait forever."
Derek stared at ring after ring, not finding one that would suit Meredith's small, dainty hand, until he reached the diamond rings.
"That one," he said, pointing to a small gold band, encrusted with five small diamonds. "That's perfect."
Teddy took the chosen ring out of the case, and admired his taste. "Just the ring you were looking for, ay? Do you want anything inscribed on it?"
Derek thought for a minute. "I don't need anything but you," he said simply.
Teddy smiled again. "That's wonderful. Now make sure you some back here when you want to find wedding bands…" he trailed off.
"Don't worry, I will. You should see me in the next week or two, so watch out," Derek said. "I'll be back to pick the ring up in two days, and I'll sign a cheque then."
Teddy watched as Derek turned to leave the store. "Good luck, Derek. May you and Meredith live happily ever after."
Ok, so that's the end of chapter 17. The next one will be the bachelor and bachelorette parties; then chapter 19 will be the wedding and chapter 20 holds a surprise…
Oh, and I have already started writing the sequel, but as yet it remains unnamed.