He didn't sleep well after that night at the bar. The next day, work progressed slower than he would have liked. Christina kept making a big deal out of the fact he couldn't pick up a girl. Izzie kept giving him a smirk that made him feel like a four year old whose mother thought he had a crush on a neighborhood girl. George kept stressing the fact that the next day they had a meeting, and Meredith hadn't yet called or made any indication of her return. He finally trudged out of the hospital annoyed and emotionally drained. After careful deliberation, he decided against going to Joe's not wanting to run into anyone or have to figure out why he suddenly didn't have the urge to bring any hot women home.

He tried not to think about it on his way home or when he walked into the house. After grabbing a beer, he settled onto the couch and put the TV on ESPN. His attention didn't stay on the reply of last year's football season.

Somehow, by the time the first commercial, his mind was on Meredith for the umpteenth time that day. Where did she go? Why did she go? More importantly, why did he care so much? Sure he and Meredith were close friends. They had seen each other during some of the highest and lowest parts of their lives and careers. She had been the first to reach out after he failed his intern exam. He had been the first to notice Derek's lack of presence around the house after Christina's wedding while Christina, Izzie, and George were too busy with their lives. They had been there for each other through their hard times. But they were just friends who occasionally… more than often shared a bed at night. Sure their relationship was weird, and there were some unexpected attachments that they vocalized more than once after they had a little too much to drink. But it wasn't like they were in love. There was no chance that the two most dark and twisty people in the whole hospital would find their happy ending or whatever that easily. But why the hell did he feel like this?

--

New York City, New York…

"Are you sure you can do this?" She said curiously as she studied her brother's face.

"The practice won't miss me if I'm gone for three days." He shrugged as he threw another pair of jeans into his suitcase.

"Maybe I should open a practice. Then I could come and go as I please."

"It's the only way to practice medicine."

She sighed and gave him a small smile. "Thank you, Mark."

"No problem, Mer." He shrugged.

"I'd think you'd have a little bit of a problem with the whole red eye thing."

"You have not begun to hear the beginning of it."

She rolled her eyes and sat down. "I don't want interns."

He chuckled. "Do what I do…"

"I can't make them get me coffee."

"Sure you can. You're their boss."

She giggled and lied back. "I don't think I'm ready to go back. Can't I stay here?"

"Though, I would love nothing more than to have my little sister in the same city, you can't."

"Why not?" She pouted childishly.

"Because you have to face him."

"Yeah, I know." She sighed.

--

Seattle, Washington…

They had been able to sleep most of the way there since it was quite a few hours and during the night. But when turbulence woke her, she had trouble going back to sleep. By her calculation, they would be landing in a little over an hour. And anticipation and anxiety were starting to get to her. After fidgeting in her seat with her eyes shut for fifteen minutes, she was able to fall into a light sleep. But twenty minutes later, she woke up again for no other reason then she was uncomfortable. She gave up on sleep after that and read a magazine advertising some resorts one of the airline's sponsors had in the Cayman Islands. After about forty or forty-five minutes, a flight attendant came around waking everyone so they could put on their seat belts. Grumbles filled the cabin as people sleepily sat up to put on their seat belts.

Meredith shook her brother awake and advised him to buckle his seat belt. He groaned and warily did as he was told. She, too, put on her seat belt and set the magazine back in the pocket on the back of the seat in front of her. In a few moments, the captain came over the loud speaker and informed them they would be on the ground on ten minutes.

She glanced down at her watch and set it back three hours from the time that it was set for in New York. It was all little past twelve o'clock midnight. It wasn't long until she was on the plane touched down. Ten minutes later, they were allowed to get their carry-on bags and get off the plane. Mark got down their bags and led her off to plane.

The airport wasn't active since it was so late. Mostly tired looking people who waited for people to get off planes, security and other personnel, and the people getting off the plane. They found their bags in baggage claim and headed to her car.

Her car was where she left it in the extended parking area.

"Am I taking you to a hotel?"

He nodded. "That's fine."

She could tell he was tired and the next day he'd be complaining about the red eye. Mark was the kind of guy who could sleep all night and still complain the next morning. So, she didn't push for any type of conversation as she got behind the wheel and drove the security guard's station to pay her bill for leaving her car there. It wound up being a hundred and fifty dollars.

The whole way to the hotel, she debated on whether to go home and possible face Alex in the morning if not that night or to find somewhere else to sleep. Deciding, the bomb she would be dropping on him wasn't a fifteen minute conversation, she decided to go to the hospital and try to get a little sleep in an on-call room.

"I'll come pick you up after my meeting."

"It's okay. I'll get a cab to the hospital tomorrow. I want to see my little sis in action."

She rolled her eyes and nodded. "Good night."

"Night." He gave a short wave before wheeling his suitcase into the hotel.