Author's Notes: You may (or may not) have noticed that I'm crap when it comes to Psych. Since I don't feel like doing research on it, I'm just going to try and go with common sense. Hope it works. . .
Chapter Six
They had talked with Dr. Wyatt for another half an hour and at the end came up with a schedule. Meredith would have two sessions a week by herself and then an addition one with Derek. Dr. Wyatt had also suggested that Derek find a therapist of his own to work through the things that came up in the joint session.
"Kathleen doesn't count," Meredith said, after Dr. Wyatt made the suggestion.
"I'm sorry," Dr. Wyatt asked.
"Kathleen, his sister, is a psychiatrist," Meredith said, "she doesn't count. What? You mentioned it once and so did Emma." She shrugged.
Derek nodded, "Fair enough. Any suggestions?"
"I'll comprise a list, Dr. Shepard, and page you."
"I'll pick it up tomorrow," he said. "Thank you."
"Can I have the last few minutes with Meredith," she asked. Derek nodded, kissed Meredith's cheek (because he felt like it) and left the room. "That was interesting," she said, when the two of them were alone. Meredith nodded in agreement. "What are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking," Meredith said, slowly, "that I have to be proactive to make sure that my fear of being alone and dying alone do not become real life. I'm thinking that I'd survive if Derek left again and that I'd eventually be okay, but I don't want to have to go through that again. I'd have to leave or he'd have to leave because I can't stand to see him with someone else but not seeing him at all . . ."
"It's good that you're expressing your feelings, Meredith, make sure to listen to what they tell you."
GAGAGA
Derek had suggested lunch and Meredith realized she hadn't actually eaten yet. They went to a nice Italian place near the pier, overlooking the water. Afraid that Derek might bring up her drowning, she tried to steer the conversation to other things.
"We've never done this regularly, have we," Derek said, frowning.
"What," she asked, slightly agitated and greatly paranoid.
"Eat out," he said, "away from the hospital. We never really did that kind of stuff. We had breakfast once, but everything has either been at the hospital, your house, the trailer, or Joe's."
"That's okay," Meredith said, "that's us."
"Is it," he asked out loud, not really meaning to. "We're never done a lot of the customary things."
"We're us, though; we don't have to do what everyone else does."
Derek thought that over and agreed. "Still, I was raised in a house full of women. I should have done that kind of stuff without thinking." He leveled his gaze at her. "Prepare to be wooed like you've never been wooed before," he said in a very serious voice.
Meredith couldn't help it. She giggled. A smile appeared on Derek's face as soon as she giggled and he waited several giggle-filled minutes before interrupting. "What?"
"It's just . . . that was . . . okay, Derek. Game on. Just, be prepared to be wooed right back." Pro-active, she though. That's very pro-active.
Derek smiled. He hadn't seen this side of Meredith in months. He couldn't wait.
GAGAGA
Meredith started a nine-day Plastics rotation the next day. When she went to file the chart she had from her latest patient, she found a large display of flowers sitting on the counter. "Secret Admirer," she questioned Olivia.
"Yours, maybe," Olivia smiled before answering the ringing phone.
Confused, Meredith set her chart down and grabbed the card.
Hope you're having a good day.
Let's have coffee.
D
Meredith blushed. Derek was actually trying to woo her. Not that he had to do much, but it was nice to know he was thinking about her. Her competitive streak took hold. She had to outdo flowers. Junk food was out; Derek wouldn't touch the stuff. He had taken her out to lunch the other day . . . maybe a home cooked meal. But Meredith didn't really cook. She could make Meatloaf. Her Aunt taught when she was little. But meatloaf wasn't exactly romantic so she mentally made a list for the grocery store and another of things to do: invite Derek to dinner, invite roommates to dinner – and Cristina, Mark (for Derek), and George – and maybe Lexie, get Izzie to help and make something awesome for dessert.
Armed with a plan, she grabbed the next chart and got back to work.
"Grey," he said, "get one of your interns to grab the labs for 2216." Musical tones sounded from his phone. He smiled as he read the text message:
Change of plans. I'm the only Shepard coming. Details soon.
He shouldn't have felt so bad about Emma being the only one coming to Seattle, but he was secretly relieved. He couldn't face the rejection of those women if they decided to never truly forgive him.
"What are you smiling about," Meredith asked after she sent Dr. Aaron to grab the reports.
"Emma's coming to Seattle."
"Oh," Meredith said. Derek must have forgotten to mention it. Speaking of the devil . . .
"Ooh," he said, smiling, "what are these?" He gestured to the flowers.
"From a secret admirer," Meredith said. "So, your sister is coming to Seattle?"
Derek frowned. He could have sworn he mentioned. "My head is all over the place," he said, placing his hand on her arm, reassuringly. "I totally forgot. Did Mark tell you?" He turned to Mark. "What have you heard?"
"Just Emma's coming," Mark said, "there's been a change of plans."
"Oh." Derek had been looking forward to seeing all his sisters and his mom. He turned to Meredith. "Well, Emma already loves you, so you're all set. Actually, you both get off pretty easy since Emma's the only one talking to you, Mark."
"Why is she the only one talking to him," Meredith asked, confused.
"They, uh, haven't forgiven me since they found out that Addie and I stayed together."
"So, you two are coming over for dinner tonight," Meredith said, deciding not to give them a choice. "The only thing I know how to make well is meatloaf. So, I hope that's okay."
Mark looked at Derek, waiting for a clue on how to proceed.
Derek's eyes twinkled. "You're going to cook? For me?"
"And Mark, and Izzie, Alex, Cristina, George, and . . . Lexie. If she'll come."
"I think that's fantastic. Do you want any help?"
"I can do it," Meredith said. "If I need help, Izzie can do it. You're both of at a descent time, right?" They nodded. "Good." She nodded to herself and walked away.
Mark looked at Derek. "Is she okay?"
"Great," Derek said, "she's great."
GAGAGA
Emma looked at her mentor, Edward Travers, and smiled. She couldn't believe what he had done. As she sat there, he was at his desk talking on the phone to her mother. "Yes, Mrs. Shepard. We'll certainly tell him. We will. Yes, I very much need Dr. Riggs with me. I'm very happy we were able to work something out. We will. Thank you, Mrs. Shepard."
Travers hung up the phone and looked up at her. "They'll let us go since I'm taking you along for the consult and then make arrangements for another time."
Emma laughed. "I knew you could do it, Travers. Thank you."
"Anytime. Now, I believe we're going to be late for a dance recital if we don't get along." They grabbed their belongings and went to the Recital Hall where they met up with Travers' wife, Lynn, who had taken Abby to rehearsal.
Since Travers was going to be there, he had arranged to make sure Emma wouldn't miss it. Their granddaughter, Cassandra, was also in the class. They sat behind Travers' son and his wife and watched the recital.
Emma was excited to go see her brother, even if she had to wait a couple of days. Derek had mentioned, more than once, that Meredith didn't do well with families and Emma had decided to make this as painless as possible for Meredith. Derek planned on marrying her one day and Emma was excited at the prospect of a new sister-in-law. She was going home to pack tonight, dropping Abby off at Kathleen's in the morning, and flying to Seattle with Travers before lunch. Derek was going to be so surprised . . . as long as Mark kept his mouth shut.
Author's Notes: I hope this isn't confusing. The last part was with Emma, in NYC. Let me know if anything needs clarification. Thanks to all of you who have reviewed. Reviews are appreciated (and make me smile, he he).