Chapter Four: She-Shepherd Unexpected Kindness

He stormed right past her.

Not even giving her a second glance.

He barged straight into the Chief's office without even making eye contact with her.

Meredith was stunned.

Quickly she turned around and looked through the window into the office.

The Chief was looking at Derek with a serious expression as an obviously mad Derek paced around in front of the desk waving his arms around in clear frustration.

Meredith watched the debacle fir a few more seconds, interested beyond belief and trying to lip-read what Derek was saying.

But when she saw the Chief quickly glance at her and quickly tilt his head slightly to the side towards the elevator, Meredith knew what the Chief was going to tell Derek.

Her possible transfer.

Quickly taking advantage of an escape, Meredith quickly walked off towards the elevator and pressed the button to open it.

While waiting for it to come, Meredith turned back to watch through the window again.

Derek had stopped pacing but now the Chief was talking to him. She watched the words 'Meredith' and 'transfer' on the Chief's lips but she couldn't believe it when Derek suddenly sat down heavily on the chair behind him.

It looked like all of the strength had gone out of his legs but when he suddenly placed his head in his hands, Meredith saw him sigh heavily.

What on earth was wrong with him?

Unable to tell what was properly happening, Meredith was dismayed when the elevator suddenly opened.

Turning around to go into it Meredith found Dr Montgomery-Shepherd waiting inside.

Professional Meredith, professional.

Sighing quietly, Meredith entered the elevator with the She-Shepherd and pressed the necessary floor button.

She stood directly at the front inside of the elevator, her back to Addison, eyes shut and wishing the elevator ride and the entire day was over.

"A transfer to Boston Grey? Isn't that a bit overdramatic just to avoid me?"

Addison's voice rung clearly in the air and the amused tone of it made Meredith smile despite everything.

"I'm not avoiding you." Meredith said tiredly.

The tired weary tone in her voice caused Addison to draw her eyebrows together with slight concern.

"So then you must be avoiding my husband."

It was a statement not a question, and when Meredith didn't answer Addison didn't know whether to feel a sense of victory or guilt.

"I'm not just going to go just because of him, it's everyone and I just can't be here anymore when no one will take me to be a serious intern who wants to learn." Meredith finally replied, turning around to look at Addison. "Everyone sees me here as the slutty intern who slept with an attending, your husband, and who didn't get picked because he chose his wife, you. So now I'm going to go off and make a brand new start away from all of this."

Addison looked at Meredith with new eyes. For the first time she saw her not as the woman who had been her husband's girlfriend, but as a heartbroken woman whom had had enough of everything and needed to get out.

"You really did love Derek didn't you?" Addison asked, her voice soft and understanding.

Meredith, slightly taken aback by her nice tone, realised that Addison wasn't Satan nor was she just 'She-Shepherd' but that she was also just a woman who loved the same man.

"Yeah." Meredith said simply.

Addison watched her for a few seconds.

"Grey how would you like to work under me till you leave?"

Meredith's eyes slightly widened and she didn't know whether if Addison was drugged on something or not.

"Uh…is this pity or…" Meredith started but Addison held up a hand and interrupted her.

"Think of it more as protection Grey."

Meredith looked at her with a confused expression but before Addison could reply the elevator suddenly stopped and the doors opened.

"Walk with me Grey." Addison said and Meredith had no choice but to silently follow Addison out of the elevator and down the corridor.

"How long till you leave Grey?" Addison asked as they walked.

"Uh…two weeks is the shortest time period." Meredith answered, still confused with Addison's answer about protecting her.

"Two weeks…that's should be ok then." Addison said in a thoughtful voice, already planning out a schedule in her head.

Meredith looked sideways at Addison and didn't know what to say, "Ummm, Dr Shepherd…"

Addison stopped walking next to her and turned to look at Meredith, who could only gulp nervously.

"I uh…why are you doing this? I thought that I would be the last intern, or person, that you would want to have around."

Addison regarded Meredith with an amused smile, "You want to get out of it Grey?"

Meredith, for some reason, shook her head, "No ma'am but I'm still confused at the bit when you mentioned something about doing it for my protection."

Addison sighed quietly and looked at the wall for a second before looking back at Meredith.

"I was the first to find out about your transfer because the Chief thought that maybe you had made the decision because I had come, but the next person he was going to tell was Derek and…" her voice trailed off as she looked at Meredith for a few seconds, "he asked me that I look after you so Derek can't and won't bother you."

Meredith blinked for a few seconds, unable to reply.

Addison sighed for a second and suddenly began to walk off down the corridor, not waiting for Meredith who immediately began to walk behind her once again.

"Derek had requested to have you today, but now we need to find Bailey and have a little talk with her about your new arrangement and what your future." Addison said, walking towards the surgical board with Meredith in tow.

"Dr Shepherd, does anyone else know about my transfer apart from you, your husband and the Chief?" Meredith asked, slightly nervous at what the answer could be.

Addison suddenly stopped walking again and Meredith nearly bumped into her.

She looked at Meredith with a blank expression and she couldn't help but smile at Meredith's nervous and stressed expression.

"Relax Grey, no one apart us four know…"

Meredith sighed but when she looked at Addison again she was already off down the corridor again but it didn't stop her from hearing Addison complete her sentence.

"…For now."

A/N: Thankyou for the three lovely reviews and for the thirteen people who put this story on their alerts.

That is why I have updated two chapters. :)

iluvderekshephard: I hope they will too but we just gotta ride this wave out and see what happens. I haven't finished writing it yet so not even I know what is going to happen. Lol. I hope you keep reading though to find out.

MerDerlove4ever: It would be interesting in Boston….hmmm. But I hope so too. :) Thanks for the review and I hope you'll keep reading it.

Malu Snape Rickman: Thanks for the review and I am glad you think it is great:D