A/N: Huge apologies to those who were following this story, life got the most of me, opened an online store on top of work, didn't have time to just sit down and write. Very sorry, hope I do better in updating this time.

Chapter 7

"Good job in there Dr. Grey, I am happy to have such an experienced neuro resident transferring here in Cedars. Dr. Shepherd at Seattle Grace did a great job mentoring you." Gia Castillo acknowledge Meredith as they were scrubbing out of a subdural hematoma, she had basically done by herself alone, unassisted.

"Thank you, Dr. Castillo." Meredith replied to her boss, pushing aside the rush of emotions upon hearing Derek's name for the first time after almost a month and a half of moving to L.A. "It was a rush. Doing it all on my own."

Dr. Castillo smiled, she saw the spark of ingenuity and drive in Meredith that she herself had 12 years ago when she was a second year resident. She knew Meredith will get to the top, even with a baby in tow; with her talent, there was no other place to go. "I have a craniotomy happening later this afternoon, if you are interested in assisting."

"Definitely, Dr. Castillo, and I must thank you for the opportunities you are giving me." Meredith smiled back.

"Dr. Grey, you are one of the better residents that I have right now, I do not waste my time on teaching the good, I want to focus on the better ones to be the best." With that she went out the door, leaving a very self-fulfilled Meredith.

It was not every day that her mentor commended her, and to think of it, there were not a lot of compliments and appreciation going her way in her whole life. It was a nice change, very nice indeed.

With a loving rub on her 4-month old bump, she went out of the scrub room to check on her patient.

If someone told her six months ago that she will be sitting on a beach house in L.A. with Addison Forbes Montgomery and just hanging out, she will probably die laughing. That was exactly what she was doing at that moment, what she was doing for the past few months.

It had become a regular thing for both of them when they were not out with their friends. They catch up on their day, either on her deck or Addison's; tonight it was on Addison's deck.

She was lounging on one of Addison's deck chairs, while drinking sparkling water, as Addison was telling her about the patient that she had that day with 6 kids and another one on the way.

"She has this six rambunctious boys and all she wanted was to try for a girl," Addison ended her story. "What happened to you today?"

Meredith took a sip of her sparkling water, "Not much, had two surgeries on my own, kept my interns in line. Same old thing, you know."

Addison eyes got wide at the start of her statement, "You flew solo on a neuro case? On 2 neuro cases? That is great! Congratulations Mer."

"I know. It was such a rush, I thought the ultimate high was when I was just touching the brain or the heart while retracting or cutting. But to just be in control and be the one in the middle, the one in front of the brain; that was too much for words." Meredith told her, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Addison nodded, knowing exactly what she means; it really was different, reminiscing her experience when she was a resident. "I know what you mean."

Meredith looked at Addison's thoughtful gaze, "Don't you miss it Addison? To have 2 or 3 surgeries in a day, the rush of running your own OR?"

"I guess, sometimes." Addison sighed, "But, to actually meet my patients and get to know them, see the babies that delivered grow up, that's another high all in itself. I felt the rush of cutting people open the whole day for 15 years, not having a relationship with them, it made me seem cold like in a operating room. Now, I realize there is warmth in practicing medicine."

"Maybe in a few years, I will feel that way. For now, I cannot wait to get back into the OR again."

Addison smiled, looking at Meredith, she too cannot believe that she was hanging out with Meredith Grey. It was like out of Primetime drama series that she was friends with the woman that her ex-husband left her for. But knowing L.A. Meredith was much easier than knowing Seattle Meredith, where they were constrained by their past.

And looking at Meredith right now, and comparing to what she had seen from afar in Seattle, L.A. is a good thing for Meredith, even with a baby on the way without Derek, she was happier and more focused on her career than she ever was back in Seattle.

Derek was not having a good day, his patient died that morning after 30 minutes of trying to revive him, and he had to call it. The man had 2 kids and he was just 30 years old, Derek had to go and tell the man's wife that her husband was dead at 10 that morning.

It was now lunch time and he had spent the last 10 minutes starting at his lunch inside his office. He was too distracted from his life, he knew it, Mark knew it, and even the chief knew it. The only person who was oblivious of his distraction in his life is Rose.

"Shep, the sandwich is not going to eat itself without you putting it in your mouth." The voice in the door startled him from his staring contest.

"What?" Derek looked up to his best friend. He did not hear the door to his office open.

Mark invited himself to a place on the couch inside Derek's office, looking at the sorry state his best friend dug himself in for the past month, he knew he had to do something, "What do you say you ditch the plant tonight and we go to Joe's?"

"Her name is Rose."

Mark smirked, "I know."

Derek had to chuckle at that, he knew he needed the night out with Mark, he was too unfocused and Rose was not doing anything to snap him out of it, and he knew he needed to snap of it. "I'll meet you at Joe's at 9."

"Good. "