Sharing Sandwiches

What to any other person was so normal they wouldn't even have to think about it, like a lunch break that lasted longer than 10 minutes, was a true miracle to Meredith Grey. For what seemed like the first time in years, it was a quiet day in the Seattle Grace Hospital, so she took the time to enjoy the feeling of the nice warm sun on her face as she ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich outside. Izzie, Cristina and the rest were nowhere to be seen, but that was fine to Meredith. Sometimes it was good to be alone for a while, especially when you were surrounded by so many people, and patients, as well as roommates 95 per cent of the time. Yea, alone-time was definitely something Meredith valued.

'Hey', she suddenly heard an all too familiar voice behind her say. Apparently today wasn't going to give her any more of the seldom alone-time.

'Hi, Derek', she greeted him. They had ended their "thing" a long time ago now, so then why did he still have the ability to make her feel like this? Like she was still in love with him or something. Of course she wasn't. She couldn't be; he was married, and she was dating the vet. They were a 100 per cent over. Meredith told herself she was just feeling these feelings today, because today was weird and immature. Why else would she be sitting outside eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? That's not something a normal adult would do. Except maybe if it was one with a Peter Pan complex, but those were exceptions.

'I noticed you sitting here all by yourself, and I figured I'd join you, if that's okay?', Derek inquired. He looked so handsome, his skin slightly toned by the sun, the wind playing with the brown hair Meredith used to run her fingers through. The brown hair Addison now ran her fingers through. Better not to think of Derek that way anymore, Meredith told herself. It wasn't good for her mental health.

'Actually, I was just having some alone-time', she replied, though she couldn't bring herself to reject him again. And after all, it was just lunch. 'But I'm done now, so you can sit', she continued.

'All right.' Derek took place next to her and frowned as his eye caught the sandwiches. 'Is that what I think it is?'.

Meredith took another bite. 'Could be, what do you think it is?'.

'Peanut butter and jelly..', he replied.

'Yea. Do you want one?'

Derek smiled and thought back to when he was still a boy and his mother used to make him those sandwiches for lunch because he couldn't stand the food they had at school during lunch. 'Sure, why not', he took the sandwich she gave him and started to eat it. 'Nice. Quiet day, isn't it?'.

'Wouldn't be sitting here if it wasn't so quiet.', Meredith replied. She liked to just sit here and chat with him, like friends. Like the friends they were supposed to be, but she couldn't help but wonder what it would be like if they weren't "just" friends. Could it be different? Deep inside Meredith wanted it to be, but she knew it was over. Wasn't it?

'How are you and your new boyfriend?' Derek inquired. Meredith wasn't sure, but she thought she detected a slight mocking tone in that. Perhaps he was jealous? Probably not, she'd just imagined this. 'We're doing very well, thank you. How are you and Addison?' Meredith then asked, just slightly hoping for a negative answer. She decided that if Derek told her that they weren't doing good, she could still have hope, she'd let herself. But it he said they were doing just fine, it would be over, and she'd do everything she could to get over him and forget their times together. It all depended on Derek's answer now.

'Addison and I are doing great.'

It was over.