A/N This time the update is a bit shorter and a bit fillerish before the two-parter that's coming next and which is going to be a game changer…

Read, enjoy, and comment…

Yours,

Em

"Mer!"

Derek caught up with her in the corridor and gently steered her behind the nearest door for some privacy. Thankfully it turned out to be a storage room.

"Mer… There is… I…" he started to stammer, not exactly sure how to convey in words that her mother was in Seattle Grace.

"I know, Derek. I already know my mom is here," she hurried to put him at ease.

"You know?" he breathed out. "And you're okay?"

"Yeah," she giggled. "I was actually on my way to ask you if you were okay. She mentioned that she bumped into you."

"I'm fine, surprisingly," he nodded. "Are you really okay? This is… this is your mother we're talking about."

"I feel like we really connected," she shrugged in amazement. "She was honest. She was… kind…"

"That's really good," Derek sighed with relief. "I was worried sick."

"I know, I got your calls," she said apologetically. "Sorry I couldn't pick up. I was with the Chief."

"Again?"

"You know he's been haranguing me about choosing specialty," she bit her lip. "And that was actually why he called my mother over."

"Seriously? What's the deal?" he frowned. "The Chief himself practically is begging you to do it. You keep saying no even if it would be a huge leap in your career. I don't understand it."

She looked at him simply and sighed.

"Derek, I want to come clean with you."

"Me too," he nodded nervously.

"But I need time. You… your actions hurt me. I'm sorry to say that but it's the truth," she admitted hating the fact that she was hurting him now. But it was the truth. "And… I'm not sure if I've forgiven you yet. I want to. But I'm not sure."

He nodded, his eyes cast to the ground, his Adam's apple bobbing up as he accepted her honesty.

"And I need to be sure," she added quietly. "Because I've just seen how disastrous it can be when people take out their bitterness on the person they love."

"Okay, okay," he sighed.

"Der," she addressed him with a more cheerful voice and pulled out a crumpled envelope from her pocket. "Have you opened yours? Mine is still intact."

"Mine too," he managed a little smile as they exchanged the letters. She remembered. "Ready?"

She nodded and tore the paper, Derek following her. With bated breaths, they unfolded a single sheet of paper.

"Congratulations, Der!" She couldn't help but give him a tight hug, her hand caressing his back.

"You too, Meri," he hummed into the crook of her neck, clinging to her familiar body, inhaling her sweet scent he missed so much. The contact was reviving and tearing him apart at the same time.

She was first to pull away gently.

"Soon, Der, I'll be ready soon," she promised him in a whisper and as she left him in the tiny room, she prayed that all her doubts would really disappear in the near future.

THE GEEK AND THE REBEL

Meredith entered his office with a soft knock.

"Dr. Evans? Have you got a minute?"

He lifted his head from the papers spread before him. "Dr. Grey, I must say this is a surprise."

There wasn't any irony in his voice, just amusement but she felt like a child who misbehaved anyway.

"I'm sorry I've been avoiding you-"

"No, I am the one who is sorry," he beat her to an apology. "I understand your objections, now I see how it must have looked from your perspective. I should have consulted your opinion first, instead of going to the Chief behind your back. It has to be your choice, not an order from your superiors. I wanted to talk to you but you were a patient yourself when I was going back to New York."

She nodded slowly. "What do you expect of me exactly? I'm just an in- well, a resident now."

"Which means you have an open mind, enthusiasm for medicine that still has years to be dimmed and," he hesitated, "I simply enjoy working with you. You're professional, you're always prepared. You're what I demand of my coworkers. I feel I can trust you. The Chief told you about our plans, didn't he?"

"He did. They are quite ambitious."

"They are doable. With all the resources Seattle Grace has at its disposal, the resources it might gain access to, totally feasible. The question is, do you want to be a part of the process? I assumed you'd fit in neuro but maybe you have your mind set already on a different specialty?"

"I… need to think about it. It's always been my fiancé who's obsessed with brains… My… ex-fiancé," she cleared her throat. "I am sorry. When you have a mess in one department in your life it's hard to contain it…"

"Probably even harder when you work with that person," Evans nodded understandingly. "Anyway, you've got a few weeks to decide whether you're in, until you're back from vacations."

"Does it mean I don't have to go to this stupid event tomorrow?" she asked hopefully.

"I think… that Chief Webber made it mandatory for everyone," he chuckled.

"Damn," she sighed and bit her lip. "I supposedly say yes… we'll be… just coworkers, right?"

"Or friends," he smiled.

"Yeah, but just friends, okay?" she insisted.

"Friends is a lot," he nodded to make her at ease. She fascinated him both as a doctor and a woman. But the moment he decided to be her mentor, he knew he couldn't act on the latter. Besides, he didn't have any chances with her anyway. "Meanwhile, I've got an interesting case. You're interested?"

"Like incredibly difficult and requiring a long demanding surgery interesting?" she smiled. "I'm in. I need something more kick-ass than coffee to carry me through tomorrow's bore-raising event."

He chuckled handing her the chart. "Tomorrow's your last day as an intern, isn't it?"

"Actually, today is. Including the night shift. I was supposed to be free tomorrow, and the day after, and then…" she trailed off.

"And then?"

"I was to get married this Saturday."

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely.

"Me too," she sighed but smiled halfheartedly. "I'm gonna get busy with the case."

She was not going to think what would have been. She would never be able to reconcile with Derek if she only had in mind what they lost.

THE GEEK AND THE REBEL

FLASHBACK

It was a serene summer afternoon. Sun was shining through the trees as they quietly made their way between rows of tombstones. The halted before one of them and Meredith knelt to lay the flowers. They were always fresh flowers on this grave.

"Hey, Dad," Derek breathed out. "You must be surprised why we're here again. We visited only last Saturday. But, we have news…" he trailed off taking Meredith's hand in both of his. She smiled at him tenderly.

"We are getting married. Like… finally getting married," he chuckled. "We've been engaged for eight years… and we don't want to wait any longer. It's time."

"We've set the date," Meredith took up quietly, laying her head on Derek's shoulder. "I'm sure Mom and the girls won't believe it. But we really are getting married. Next summer, after our internship is over."

"It's going to be a crazy year," smiled Derek. "Intense. But there's so much to look forward at the end. At this time next year, we'll be counting down the days… almost hours… And we wanted to tell you first. Mom practically, er, witnessed the entire engagement so we thought you should hear first we're really sealing the deal," he laughed. "I wish you'd be here…"

He glanced at Meredith, "I wish you could meet him…"

"Sometimes I think I knew him," she smiled at him pressing a kiss onto his cheek. "I imagine him like an older and more experienced version of you."

"Mer," he choked out.

"Shh," she hummed planting another kiss on his lips.

"Come on," he said placing an arm around her. "Let's go and give Ma an occasion to celebrate."

END OF FLASHBACK

THE GEEK AND THE REBEL

When Meredith returned to her and Cristina's apartment in the early morning next day, she was practically dead on her feet. It was touch and go with their patient for many hours, he coded twice on the table but his conditions stabilized by morning. But as she sank onto the couch in the living room she felt the exhaustion of the whole intern year on her body, all the successes and failures, including the biggest one of all, which was also the greatest failure of her life.

She just wanted to sleep it over, sleep… She remembered with annoyance that she was obliged to attend the horrendous fundraising event this evening. She didn't even have anything to wear.

"Morning, bitch," Cristina greeted her coming out of her room, ready to start the last day of her internship.

"Good night," yawned Meredith, nuzzling her face into the coach. "Cristina… I need to borrow from you…"

"Borrow what?" she asked pouring yesterday's coffee into her throat.

"A dress… wear… tonight…" shy mumbled tiredly.

"A dress?" snorted Cristina. "Do I look like a person who would wear a dress? I'm a feminist!"

She went back into the living room but Meredith was already sleeping soundly. She shrugged, "Okay, I'll ask Tinkerbell."

THE GEEK AND THE REBEL

When Meredith opened her eyes again, the apartment was basked in the hot afternoon sun. As always lately, her first thought was Derek. She wanted so much to know where they were standing. Maybe she could use the two weeks off work to really see if their relationship could be salvaged… Nancy, she needed to have a talk with Nancy. The eldest Shepherd sister always had a sober rational look on things.

Meredith's nose twitched. A post-it note was stuck onto her cheek tickling her face with one corner.She sat up slowly reading it with curiosity.

Tinkerbell got you a dress, princess.

Left it on the bed…

Your bitch

Meredith let out a little chuckle but she was nevertheless grateful. She would kill herself if she had to look for something to wear last minute. Scratching her head distractedly, she trudged to her room. Her eyes open wide as her regard fell on the bed. She rubbed them with disbelief. It didn't help. The horrible sight was still there, right in the middle of the duvet, accompanied with a matching purse. A pair of shoes were innocently standing near the bed.

Her fists clenched while her angry yell sounded through the apartment. "Cristina! I'm gonna kill you!"

THE GEEK AND THE REBEL

Murder, she had murder on her mind as she picked Cristina's number.

"Hey, princess. Ready for the ball?"

"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?" she roared into her phone. "DO YOU THINK IT'S FUNNY?"

"The fact that I could be out of my mind?" quipped Cristina. "Nope, it's more tragic than funny."

"THAT'S ENOUGH, CRISTINA!"

"Okay, okay," she said hurriedly. "Tone down a bit, my eardrums might not survive until the end of this conversation and it seems it might be a long one."

"I hope this is a joke!" hissed Meredith. "Because if you expect me to wear that hideous rag, I'm taking you to psych on the first occasion!"

"Hey, bitch, slow down. Haven't you read the note?" snorted Cristina. "I didn't pick it. Izzie did… Oh, Izzie! She's right here. Iz, Meredith has some objections towards that lovely dress!" She was back within a couple of seconds. "Izzie says sorry but she can't talk right now. She's eating a sandwich."

"She's gonna end up as a sandwich if she doesn't bring me a normal dress before the evening!"

"Eh, Izzie says the dress is perfect and it doesn't clash with your hair," Cristina repeated after the blond.

"I don't care! What do I care that it doesn't clash with my hair if it clashes with the rest of me? I do not wear pink!"

"Izzie also says that it's an exact copy of a bandage dress by some Herb Lever … uh, Erg Ledger… no, whatever-"

"Hervé Léger!" Izzie's muffled voice interrupted Cristina's.

"I DON'T CARE-"

"Izzie says you will look great," Cristina went on monotonously. "So, see you tonight, princess."

Meredith stared at her cell with disbelief. They hung up on her! Her arms fell to her sides helplessly. That was just freaking perfect…