A/N: I'm so sorry about the delay in getting this chapter up! I won't bother to bore you with the details of what's been going on here, but just know that I am sorry! On the positive side, I've been having a good rush of creative ideas lately, so hopefully that will keep the chapters coming pretty quickly for a while!
Thank you all for being patient - I'm sorry I haven't had time to get back to all of you who reviewed the last chapter like I usually do! I'm trying to catch up, but I figured that getting this chapter up was probably a better use of my time than writing review replies. I'm going to try to stay more on top of them from now on so I don't get this far behind again!
"Are you sure you can't stay any longer?" Maggie asked as she watched Derek and Mark load suitcases into the back of Derek's car early Saturday morning.
"Sorry, Mom, but I've got to be back at work by Thursday," Derek said. "And Meredith needs to be back by Wednesday morning, so we've got to get going."
"Why do you have to be back, Grey?" Mark asked as he took the last bag from Meredith's hands. "You finally coming back to us at the hospital?"
"I wish," Meredith laughed. "Sadly, Callie still says I'm not ready yet. I've just got some work to do on a new program we're starting up at the group home."
"The group home?" Maggie asked in confusion.
"Oh, I do some part-time work at the Seattle Children's Home," Meredith explains. "I head up the community relations side of things, soliciting donors, getting volunteers involved, things like that. We just got a grant for a new outreach program, so I've got a few things to do on that when we get back."
"Don't let her modesty fool you," Derek added. "Meredith here managed to secure a seven hundred fifty thousand dollar grant for the center. She came up with the idea, wrote the proposal, the whole nine yards."
"That sounds like quite an accomplishment," Maggie commented. "What's the grant for, Meredith?"
"We're trying to start up a series of classes for people who may come into contact with foster children," Meredith said. "You know, offer them an opportunity to get familiar with the unique issues that foster kids have, things they can do to make things easier or more comfortable for them, issues to look out for, stuff like that. Our main focus right now is on getting the program into the proper organizations, but we've had a surprising amount of interest."
"We get a few foster children each year at my school," Maggie said. "I'm sure some of my teachers could use a program like that."
"Schools are going to be one of our main areas of focus," Meredith said. "I've already signed up two different school districts back home. Wednesday morning, though, I've got to sell the idea to the board at Seattle Grace."
"You want my help?" Mark asked. "The board adores me."
"I think I've got it under control," Meredith assured him. "But don't worry, if they like my plan, you'll see plenty of the program when you take my course."
"Is this going to be like that sexual harassment seminar they made me attend last spring?" Mark asked. "Because that was boring beyond belief."
"Mark Sloan, why did you have to go to a sexual harassment course?" Maggie asked, turning to glare at Mark. "Did I teach you nothing?"
"Um…it was just a staff requirement," Mark said hurriedly. "A general requirement, you know. Nothing I did or anything like that, I'm sure."
"That's funny, I didn't have to go to any sexual harassment seminar," Derek said.
"Mark, you go wait for me in the kitchen, young man," Maggie instructed. "You and I are going to have a little chat before Tom takes you to the airport."
"Yes, ma'am," Mark grumbled. "Thanks a lot, Derek."
"Any time, Mark," Derek laughed as Mark hugged Meredith goodbye. "See you in a few days."
"Oh thank God, you're back!" Cristina exclaimed as Meredith and Derek walked into Meredith's house Tuesday afternoon. "Barbie is driving me freaking insane."
Meredith laughed as she walked into the living room, where Cristina was sprawled out across the couch. "What's she on about this time?" she asked.
"I skipped her little Thanksgiving dinner," Cristina said. "I mean, it's not like she was all alone or anything. She had Evil Spawn here. And George and Callie came too. I just had better things to do with my time."
"What did you do instead?" Derek asked.
"She went to work," Meredith guessed. "Right?"
"She's just mad that I assisted on a pediatric heart transplant while she was here basting a stupid turkey," Cristina said.
"Hahn let you in on a heart transplant?" Meredith asked. "Very nice, Cristina."
"Yeah, well, she didn't really have a choice," Cristina said. "The kid was a transfer from Mercy West, and she was Rick's case. He came over to assist the surgical team and sort of ordered her to let me scrub in."
"He ordered her?" Derek asked skeptically. "I'd like to see anyone try to order Erica Hahn to do anything."
"What can I say? Rick's pretty kick-ass," Cristina said. "That's why I love him."
"Excuse me?" Meredith asked.
"What?" Cristina asked defensively. "He's totally kick-ass."
"No, not that part," Meredith said. "You said that you love him."
"No I didn't," Cristina said.
"You sort of did," Derek said.
"Shut up, McDreamy," Cristina snapped as she stood up. "I did not say anything of the sort, so watch it, both of you. You'll go spoiling my reputation if you're not careful."
"And we certainly wouldn't want that," Meredith laughed. "Heaven forbid anyone thinks that you actually have a heart."
"You think you're so funny," Cristina said. "You're soft, that's what you are. Completely and totally soft."
"I am not," Meredith protested.
"You so are," Cristina said. "McDreamy and the McFamily have made you soft. This is why I don't do relationships. Relationships make people soft."
"So what are you and Rick?" Meredith asked. "Switzerland, again? Looking for a new watch?"
"Switzerland?" Derek asked in confusion.
"Don't ask," Meredith said.
"Rick and I are not in Switzerland," Cristina said.
"So you are in a relationship, then," Meredith said.
"No, we're not," Cristina argued. "We're just…I don't know, we're complicated. But complicated is good. It keeps you on edge; it keeps you thinking. Nobody ever went soft from complicated."
"So Rick is what, your complication?" Meredith asked.
"See?" Cristina said triumphantly. "You've got to think about it, right? Complicated is good that way. Anyway, I've got to run. Rick and I are having dinner tonight. I just came by to borrow a few of your mother's surgical tapes for the evening."
"You're going to watch my mother's surgical tapes after dinner?" Meredith asked.
"Don't be ridiculous," Cristina laughed as she opened the front door. "We're going to watch them during dinner."
"I don't understand her," Derek said, shaking his head as Cristina slammed the door behind her. "I know she's your friend, but I just don't understand her."
"She's complicated," Meredith shrugged. "But she did say that she loved him, right? I didn't just imagine that?"
"No, she definitely said it," Derek said.
"That's what I thought," Meredith smiled. "I guess complicated is good, then."
Miranda Bailey shook her head as she walked down the halls of the hospital the next morning, finding a small cluster of her former interns - plus two attendings - huddled outside a conference room.
"What are you all doing here?" Miranda asked, her hands on her hips as she stared them down.
"Waiting for Meredith to finish her presentation to the board," Izzie said. "We want to be there for her if it doesn't go well."
"You think it's not going to go well?" Derek asked nervously.
"Of course it will go well," Lexie insisted.
"This is Meredith we're talking about," Mark said. "The girl does have a tendency to ramble more than just a bit. That could be distracting for the board. They're old, they have a hard enough following a conversation as it is."
"Seriously," Cristina sighed. "Can't we just do this waiting thing without talking to each other?"
"You damn fools," Miranda snapped. "You call yourselves her friends and yet here you are, hovering like vultures over prey, waiting for her to fail? You ought to be ashamed of yourselves! Don't you have anything more productive to do? This is a place of healing, so unless you can tell me that there's no one here who needs your healing, I suggest you all move your pessimistic butts away from this door!"
The residents and Mark quickly dispersed, muttering apologies as they scurried away, leaving Derek lingering alone near the door.
"Was I unclear?" Miranda asked as she looked over at Derek.
"But I…I'm her boyfriend," Derek stammered.
"I don't care if you're her boyfriend, fiancé, husband, whatever," Miranda said. "When she is finished, she can come find you if she wants to talk. In the meantime, I know there are still people in this hospital with sick brains. Go fix them!"
Derek sighed, knowing that although he technically had seniority over Miranda Bailey, there was no way she was going to back down on this – or anything else, for that matter. He shot one last reluctant look at the closed conference room door before heading off in the direction of the surgical floor.
"Children," Miranda muttered as she walked toward the staircase. "They all think they're so damn special. They all think they're going to scare the Nazi. Damn fools."
"There you are," Meredith said as she walked into the cafeteria and sat down across from Derek. "I thought for sure you and everyone else would be huddled outside the door when I got done."
"Bailey chased us away," Derek admitted. "Sometimes I really do wonder who's the boss of who around here."
"Bailey's the boss of everyone, even the Chief," Meredith said. "You should just accept that and move on."
"I suppose," Derek agreed. "So, how'd it go? Did they love you?"
"I don't know if they loved me specifically," Meredith said. "But they definitely loved the idea of the program. In fact, they've agreed to make it mandatory for all staff, with the surgical department up first."
"Really?" Derek asked. "All staff?"
"Do you have a problem with taking my course?" Meredith asked.
"Not at all," Derek assured her. "I can't wait."
"Well, that's good to hear," Meredith said. "Because we start two weeks from Saturday."
"It's on a Saturday," Derek said slowly. "All day?"
"Just the afternoon," Meredith said. "And you can count it toward your required professional development hours. Half the interns, residents and attendings will go the first time, and then the other half will go a few weeks later. They're making it mandatory, so don't even think about skipping."
"Good luck getting people like Mark there," Derek said.
"Oh don't worry, Dr. Webber and I already discussed that," Meredith said. "All the people who are likely to blow it off have been assigned to the first session. It's being held the weekend before Christmas. Anyone who skips the program will be assigned to work Christmas Day and New Year's Day."
"Ouch," Derek said. "I guess I won't be skipping then."
"You most certainly won't," Meredith said. "Especially since you already volunteered your house for my big Christmas party. I really don't see what the big deal is, though…it's a useful program. You might even learn something, you know."
"Well now, that depends on whether I'm able to take my eyes off the teacher," Derek teased.
"Oh, you'd better be able to take your eyes off your teacher," Meredith scolded. "I'm not sure Terri would appreciate you staring at her all afternoon."
"Terri?" Derek asked in confusion.
"I'll be teaching a bunch of teachers and staff at one of the high schools that day," Meredith said.
"Can I come take that one?" Derek asked.
"What, and distract me all afternoon?" Meredith asked. "I think not."
"You're no fun," Derek pouted.
"Oh, now there I disagree," Meredith smiled.
"Okay, explain to me one more time why we're going shopping again," Meredith said as she followed Molly up and down the aisles of yet another baby store that afternoon.
"Because my baby needs things," Molly replied. "My baby needs clothes, my baby needs blankets, my baby needs toys…ooh, my baby needs one of these monster truck mobiles!"
"Molly, you have clothes, and blankets, and more baby toys than I thought existed in the entire Western hemisphere," Meredith pointed out. "And you haven't even had your baby shower yet."
"But all those things were Laura's," Molly argued. "They're all pink. Everything I've bought so far has been pink, too, because my stupid motherly intuition told me I was having a girl…only now my doctor's ultrasound is telling me I'm having a boy. So now I need blue, because if my son grows up in pink dresses, he'll be confused, and I can't have a confused baby and…you know what? I'm the hormonal pregnant woman. Aren't you supposed to be catering to my every whim and not questioning my motives?"
"That's Eric's job, not mine," Meredith laughed. "My job is to tell you when you're acting like a crazy pregnant lady."
"You try being this fat and see how sane you are," Molly retorted.
"Okay, first of all, you are not fat," Meredith said. "You are not even close to fat. You were tiny to start with, and you haven't gained that much weight. You've got a cute little baby bump and that's it."
"Again, you're my sister, that's what you're supposed to say," Molly argued. "Trust me, I know I'm huge. I swear, I'm big enough that there could be two kids in there, Meredith. I'm fat and crazy."
"You are pregnant, not fat, Molly," Meredith insisted. "There's a definite difference. And you are not crazy, just a little hormonal."
"Yeah, well, it happens," Molly pouted. "Just wait until you and Derek start having babies, and you wake up one morning and realize that you can't see your feet anymore."
"Well then, I will just make Derek tie my shoes for me," Meredith said. "He'll love doing it. And even he doesn't, I'll probably be such a scary pregnant lady that he'll do it just to avoid my wrath."
Molly laughed at this. "I wish Eric were afraid of me just a little," she admitted. "You know what he said when I told him I couldn't tie my shoes anymore? 'Get some with Velcro.' I mean, seriously, Velcro?"
"Did he really?" Meredith laughed. "Oh, Molly…"
"I keep telling myself he's still suffering from some sort of heatstroke from all that time in the desert," Molly said. "It's the only thing that keeps me from ripping into him some days. I do love him, more than anything, but he's just so…I don't even know what the word is. He's just, he's so…there," Molly stressed, waving her hand in the air to illustrate her point.
"I'm not following," Meredith said in confusion.
"It's just, when he was in Iraq, all I wanted was for him to come home," Molly said. "And don't get me wrong, because I am absolutely thrilled to have him home, and I don't want him to go back. It's just that there are all these things that I've been doing on my own for all these months, and he doesn't do them the same way. Like, he folds my shirts wrong. And puts his shoes on the wrong side of the closet. It's like I've established this whole lifestyle that didn't include him, and now I don't know how to work him into it."
"And you're sure that none of this is the hormones talking?" Meredith asked.
"Oh, I'm sure it's all the hormones," Molly admitted. "And I know that all military families go through this when a soldier comes home. It's completely normal, and we will work through it. That doesn't make it any less annoying right now, though."
"Maybe you should be coming to therapy with me," Meredith laughed.
"I probably should be," Molly agreed.
"Karen actually suggested that you and Lexie come in for a session or two," Meredith said cautiously. "If you're interested, of course. I don't want to force you to come or anything. She just has this idea that family sessions might help me with more of my unresolved issues or something."
"I guess I could do that," Molly said. "Does she think we have issues?"
"I don't know what Karen's thinking half the time," Meredith said. "She says she suggests family sessions to all of her clients. Apparently it's helpful, I don't know. It's nothing to do with anything I've told her, I'm sure."
"Just be sure to warn her that the hormones make me crazier than most family members she deals with," Molly cautioned.
"I'll make sure that she's prepared," Meredith laughed.