Chapter Two: Avoidance and The Bet
She was going to kill him.
Meredith cursed Derek with everything under the sun and moon as she walked out of the locker room and towards neurology.
Derek was a McBastard.
The instant Bailey had looked at her when she had entered the room, Meredith had known.
So had Cristina.
Even before Bailey had read out where everyone was assigned for the day, Cristina had sidled up next to Meredith and muttered under her breath, "Don't worry about him, just try to learn all you can. You get through this day, we'll go celebrate with booze later."
With a small supportive and comforting squeeze on her arm, Cristina gave her a small smile and Meredith nodded before Bailey had read out today's assignments.
Ultimately sentencing Meredith to her doom.
So now she was on her way on her way to neurology but with every step that brought her closer to that part of the hospital, Meredith found herself walking slower and slower until she came to a complete stop.
Residents, attendings and other interns all bustled past her with patients and Meredith suddenly found herself turning around and walking in the opposite direction.
A dark rebellious side began to overtake her. Why should she go to be under him today? Why should she put up with him watching her, being McDreamy and constantly reminding her of what she can't have whenever she saw his wedding ring or his wife who actually was a nice human being?
Not today.
Meredith made her way to The Pit and began administrating sutures, stitches and other light dressings on patients that didn't even belong to her.
All of the other interns down in The Pit had noticed her, but none had the heart to tell her to leave or to dub her in to Bailey. Besides, the more hands they had down in The Pit the better.
It was Cristina who found her half an hour later.
Meredith had been suturing a man's sliced arm when she suddenly became aware of another presence behind her.
"Yes?" she asked, expecting it to be Derek or Bailey, but she was relieved when a familiar small cough came from behind her.
Quickly glancing over her shoulder Meredith saw a surprised, and slightly astonished, Cristina.
"You'd rather be in The Pit secretly and willingly be doing sutures than face Shepherd for the day and in scrub in on some major surgeries?"
Cristina's astonished voice made Meredith smile despite the inner turmoil she had been feeling since the stairwell encounter that morning.
Quickly finishing her last suture, Meredith released the mad and turned back to Cristina with a tired smile.
"I'd rather be doing rectal exams than spend today with Dr Shepherd."
Cristina's eyebrows instantly rose up and she blinked a few times. "That bad huh?" she asked with surprise as Meredith looked at her.
Meredith nodded and sighed, "Yep. You have no idea."
Cristina looked sadly at her best friend's face and sat down next to her.
"Tell me then."
"And so now he knows I've been having sex every night with strangers to try and get over him." Meredith finished before sitting on the spare hospital bed next to Cristina.
They were down on the bottom floor of the hospital where all of the spare beds and wheelchairs were. It was 'their' spot and it was great because it seemed that only they and Izzie, George and Alex knew about it.
Cristina looked at the floor for a few seconds then back at Meredith with a thoughtful expression.
"Have you ever tried just not talking to him except for professional needs?"
Meredith nodded sadly, "Yep."
Cristina sighed but suddenly perked up, "Have you ever tried it with money as the reward?"
Meredith looked at her with confusion, "Money? I'm not going to start charging money for the men I've been picking up at Joe's for sex! I'm not a prostitute!"
Cristina scoffed in amusement, "Meredith that's not what I meant but that idea could work."
Meredith gave her 'I am not amused' look and Cristina just grinned at her.
"I will give you twenty dollars for every day you only talk to Shepherd at a strictly professional level."
Meredith looked at her best friend in disbelief for a few seconds, expecting Cristina to suddenly start laughing and say she was joking.
But she didn't.
"You're not joking." Meredith said and Cristina simply nodded.
"Just think of it Mer as a way to test yourself and to help you move on." Cristina replied, her amused expression turning into a serious one.
Cristina had never seen her best friend so low but, just by being there everyday, Meredith was slowly beginning to stitch herself back together.
But it was on a molecular level.
It was going to be sometime though till the stitches would piece together her skin. They still have to reconnect the nerves, veins and many levels of tissue and muscle.
But Cristina would be there to help slowly sew her up.
It was her heart though that was worrying Cristina the most though.
She didn't know if Meredith's heart was reparable.
"Do I get a bonus if I don't sleep with a guy on the same night?"
Meredith's voice snapped Cristina out of her reverie.
Cristina looked thoughtfully at her for a second before smiling back at her, "Sure. It'll be fifty all up if you can do all of that."
Cristina extended her hand towards Meredith with half a smile.
Meredith smiled back at her and took Cristina's hand in hers before shaking it lightly a few times.
"Let's see how this works out." She said cheerfully, letting go of her hand but Cristina just looked perplexed at her.
"We just have to get you through this day first Mer."
Meredith nodded but suddenly jumped as her pager went off.
Quickly glancing at it, she immediately recognised Derek's pager number.
Fearfully she glanced up at Cristina.
"It's him. Should I go?"
Cristina sighed and nodded sadly, "Yeah you have to."
Meredith slid off the bed and stood on the hard floor. She turned and looked tiredly at Cristina who was studying her.
"Let's see how I go with this." Meredith said bravely before turning away and beginning to walk down the empty corridor.
"Mer!" Cristina called, causing Meredith to turn around and gaze back.
"What?"
Cristina paused for a second before answering, "The Chief's looking for you. He's in his office."
Sighing Meredith nodded and trudged down the corridor away from a sympathetic looking Cristina.
Why was it that fate was so against her today? Meredith thought with some anger and frustration.
Sighing she slowly made her way to the closest elevator but when she pushed the button to make it close she saw him.
Quickly she pressed her body against the side of the elevator in an attempt to hide herself.
Luckily the elevator doors slid shut before he had the chance to turn around and see her.
Breathing a huge sigh of relief, Meredith pushed the button to take her to the Chief's office.
Meredith knew there could only be one reason why the Chief wanted to talk to her.
Honesty and bravery would be the right cards to play because she knew that if she didn't get this right, the Chief wouldn't allow her.
It all depended on how she acted.
Meredith finally reached the Chief's office door. Nerves ran through her as she knocked on the door, but the instant she heard his say, "Enter." Her nerves disappeared.
Opening the door, Meredith went in and the instant the Chief saw her, he said, "Sit down Meredith."
He was already sitting at his desk so she sat down on the opposite side of it.
Across the desk Dr Webber studied her for a few seconds, unable to say anything.
Meredith stared back at him with a cool, relaxed expression.
"You wanted to see me sir?" she said questioningly, but she knew exactly why he wanted to see her.
"Don't try and pretend with me Meredith Grey, you know why I wanted to see you."
Meredith sighed quietly and nodded in defeat at him.
"I want to know why one of the brightest and competitive interns in my program has applied for a transfer to Boston Public Hospital Meredith. That is why I asked for you to come here today because I want to try and talk you out of it."
A/N: Hooray now the story has officially started. :) Keep reading and reviews would be lovely but they are not necessary because I will continue to update anyway. :) Thanks and if there are any problems or I'm writing a character way off course then please tell me because I hate to think that I am. Ta.