Dragging her feet like they were tied with iron balls, Meredith wearily peeled off her doctor's coat, and removed her sweatshirt from her lock, quickly wiggling into it. Slamming the door closed, Meredith could also hear voices of Christina, Izzy, and Alex- about half a mile away. The rambuncous trio was already waiting at Joe's—ready for her to have a wonderful fun filled time.

Yeah right…. Sure…..have a good time…. Ha!

A slight sob escaped her—although impossible to cry by human terms, Meredith still relished the thought that she could try to cry at least. Standing swiftly, Meredith fought the urge to drive her fist into the locker in anger- she didn't or couldn't explain the large dent she'd put it in if she used her full strength.

"Hey… you're Grey right?"

"Yeah… what about it?"

Meredith stopped mid-stride of pulling her purse over her shoulder when Derek poked his head around the corner, eying her with a warmth that made imaginary butterflies flutter in her stomach. Meredith looked away from him temporarily… his scent was… unbelievable…

Oh my god…! So this is how…. Edward feels!

"Uhh…. I- I gotta go! Excuse me!"

She shoved past him—harder than she would have wanted, and as soon as her feet touched the pavement, she broke out into a run—clearing cars and the parking lot of SGH faster than normal humans could even begin to keep up at.

She didn't stop until she'd reached her own car, parked farther down the road. Nearly ripping the door off its hinges in her haste to escape, she climbed in, slammed the door shut, and screeched out of the parking lot.

The accelerator hit eighty… then one hundred…. One hundred and twelve…

She didn't stop until she'd barreled past the outskirts of Forks about a half hour later. With sigh, Meredith steered her car down the forest path of the Cullen's lofty retreat.

~*~

"So….. you're addicted to him… like I am to Bella?" Edward guessed naturally.

"Well… I guess I found my brand of heroin…" Meredith said in a moping tone.

Edward could read her distressed thoughts as soon as her car made its way up the driveway. She'd burst through the door like a raving maniac, startling Esme, Jasper and Rosaline in the middle of their packing.

"Oh, Meredith… what's wrong, honey?" Esme asked, setting a box down.

"I… need… to see….Edward…. oh… Esme! I'm sorry, I was just… am I interrupting."

"No sweetie, we were just finishing up a few small things before joining Carlisle in Seattle, my dear." Esme said kindly, taking a box to the garage.

"Edward's with Bella in his room." Jasper said in a soft, soothing voice. Meredith could feel his power at work, soothing her.

"Thanks Jazz… I'm sorry for budding in."

"You're not, you're family." Rosaline said, easily adding another box to the pile. "Emmett!" she suddenly bellowed, turning on a heel and storming off in the direction of their room.

Meredith made her way towards Edward's room….

Now the trio found themselves having a conversation high in the trees, a few miles away from the Cullen's house.

"So… you just met him at work and fell for him?" Edward asked, wrapping a protective arm around Bella. They were sitting beside each other, one a branch that swung a least a good three hundred feet from the ground.

"I think it sounds romantic!" Bella said, inhaling the crisp forest air. "Like me and Edward!"

"Yeah… the same temptation Bells…." Meredith said in a hopeless voice. "His scent is enough to drive me insane!"

"If you love him, you can conquer it." Bella said with a smile, kissing Edward on the cheek. Edward ran his fingers through Bella's hair, kissing his soulmate back on the cheek.

" But… how can I…? He's a mortal… I'm a vampire… whose sole desire is to seduce and destroy…"

"But you deserve someone! I mean, Edward and I took a chance and look where we are!" Bella added.

"Yeah…..but… what about that nutcase James that was tracking her?"

"We took care of him." Edward said quickly. "Plus, Carlisle called me.. happy birthday!"

"Oh god…. Whhhhhy!" Meredith moaned.

"I think, that Mer should go for him. I mean… you've been alone longer than Edward, haven't you? Don't you think that you deserve some happiness?" Bella pressed.

"Everyone does need someone." Edward said with a playful smile.

Meredith fiddled with her fingers, contemplating.

"Well… I did make that new year's resolution back in 74' to be happy…" Meredith said, entwining her fingers delicately.

" See? You owe it to yourself." Bella added.

"Bella and I know what you're going through. Its hard, but the struggle pays off in the end." Edward said, nuzzling Bella's neck.

I admire Edward's amount of control with her… he'll be like Carlisle in a few years…

Meredith pursed her lips, in deep thought.

"You're right… I think…. I do deserve this…. I mean… I just gotta play it cool, right?"

"Yup—also, perhaps not showing off any vampire abilities…" Bella jokingly warned.

"Ha ha… not even a tiny bit?"

"Not even a little bit." Edward warned. "he may not be as understanding as Bella is."

"Plus…. You may attract the attention of the Volturi…" Bella said in a slightly worried whisper.

"Yeah… I hadn't thought about that… but I doubt they'd pay attention to me anyways…." Meredith said in a offhand voice, but in the back of her mind….

Naw…. They wouldn't want to leave their precious city all the way in Italy….but ….

Out of her memorized human habits, Meredith rubbed her arms worriedly. Meredith's cell phone rang in her pocket. She flicked it open, setting it to her ear on the first ring.

"Yeah…? Oh… hey Izzy…. No, I'm fine. I'm just relaxing with Edward and Bella—say hi guys!"

"Heeeey Izzy!" Bella shouted into the phone. Edward took the phone from Meredith momentarily.

"Hello Izzy? Yeah she's fine. We're just talking. Yeah we'll be around in a day or so. Say hi to everyone for me. Here's Mer-"

He handed the phone back to her. Meredith took it with a smile.

"Thanks Ed—oh… yeah, I'll come back don't worry."

Well that's good—did you know how much you had us worried! Izzy's distraught voice came wafting through the phone.

"Really Iz, nothing bad can happen to me…." Meredith muttered. "I'll be back in an hour or so. See ya."

She slammed the phone shut, sliding it back into her pocket. She shifted her weight, balancing easily on the perch.

"I'd better be going. Got everyone freaked with my departure."

"Well, hope everything goes good back in Seattle. I'm gonna be stopping by whenever I get the chance." Bella said, snuggling into Edward's shoulder.

"She means it….all the time… every weekend…" Edward said, "Not that I mind…"

"Well, she's a really beautiful girl, Ed. I'm happy for you." Meredith realized that she meant it. She was generally happy for the younger couple. With a small smile, Meredith took two steps and leapt into air, freefalling three hundred feet to the ground. Arching her body expertly, she landed on the forest floor on one knee without a scratch.

"Edward—I'm going back! Thanks for the advice!"

The rustle of leaves, and a moment later Edward climbed down the tree with Bella hanging onto his back. After setting her down, Edward nodded.

"Its probably for the best. You never were the type to run away from a problem."

Meredith kicked a small rock with her foot.

"You're right… I'm not. Well, see you guys later."

"See ya Mer."

"Yeah, see you around."

Meredith nodded, and in three minutes she had raced back to her car. In a half hour, she was already racing back to Seattle.

~*~

Christina looked up at Izzy with a morose expression. Izzy frowned, texting another reply to their best friend.

"She's not answering…." Izzy pouted.

"Well, she was spending time at the Cullen's…." Christina said as that settled the matter.

"Mer's a big girl… its not like anything's going to happen to her." Alex pointed out, stabbing a nacho into his cheese dish and swirling it. George cracked his neck, swirling his untouched beer in his glass.

"Perhaps we pushed her too hard to celebrate her birthday….I mean, she did want to be left alone today…"

"O'Malley we've been trying to get Mer up to lighten up for years…." Alex pointed out.

"See, that's my point. Every year… and the more she closes herself off to us." George argued back. "I don't think we're helping by forcing her."

The door opened, and Meredith's familiar scent wafted past their noses. She made a direct beeline for their table, sliding next to Christina, her face flushed from the run from the car to the door.

"Hey guys, sorry to freak you all like that." Meredith said apologetically, putting her elbows on the table.

"Did you talk with Edward?" George asked.

"Yeah… he and Bella gave me some good advice. Esme was just finishing up the house… they'll be here shortly. I've also decided I am going to live a little… I mean, I think I deserve it."

"See! A breakthrough! Finally!" Izzy said with delighted yell.

If Meredith could have blushed, she would have.

~*~

Derek Shepard scribbled his signature on yet another tedious report. Handing it to an attendant he still could picture Meredith's face in his mind.

She's… beyond beautiful! Like…. I don't know what…..something… unearthly gorgeous….

"Dr. Shepard?"

Derek turned around and came face to face with his mysterious angel. Meredith wiped her palm on her pant's leg, holding it out tentively.

"Look, I'm sorry I freaked so badly the other day…. Family matters."

"That's alright, I completely understand. You're Meredith Grey, right? I'm Shepard… D- Derek Shepard actually…"

Their hands met. Derek was shocked at how cold they felt. Their handshake was brief, seconds at best, but his eyes were riveted to her flawless face, and tantalizing dark eyes. In half a second, Meredith withdrew her hand, placing it back on the clipboard she held.

"I know about you… well.. I heard about you…." Meredith stammered. "You're… really good at what you do…"

"I… uhhh… I suppose I am…. " Derek said, scratching the back of his head, awkwardly shifting his weight from foot to foot. "I- I'd better be going…. Rounds, ya know?"

"C- course… I mean…. I'd better get back to.. Bailey… and stuff…" Meredith followed up loosely.

Their gazes lingered on each other for a moment more, before turning about face from one another and walking down the hall. Meredith rounded a corner, peeking from behind, watching Derek's retreating back as he conferred with another nurse. She jumped slightly when she felt a hand on her shoulder, turning slowly, she looked into the faces of Carlisle and George.

"I'm proud of you Meredith. You kept in control." Carlisle said warmly.

" See, I knew she could do it." George beamed. "Sorry… we sorta heard the whole thing. Super sonic hearing, remember?"

"Glad it was you guys, not Christina and Izzy. They'd never let me hear the end of it." Meredith said, leaning against the wall. "That reminds me—Esme and the others are almost done with the house packing. Bella promised she'd come see us on weekends."

"Good. I haven't had a moment to call anyone today. Too many emergenices." Carlisle said, thumbing through a file.

"Grey! GREY!"

They turned around- Bailey was tapping her foot at the end of the hall. "You too O'Malley! Don't make me come down there!"

"Duty calls." George groaned.

" Remember… we're playing good little interns this century…" Meredith whispered.

"Best not to keep her waiting." Carlisle said, nudging the younger vampires in Bailey's direction. Dutifully, George and Meredith ambled towards her.

Carlisle chuckled, and made his way down the hall.