Chapter Eight: Telling The Others

The day finally ended and Meredith didn't get her twenty dollars from Cristina.

Cristina had known that Meredith had had a run in with Derek the instant she had seen her and so they had gone to Joe's to rant about men and all the problems that come along with them, i.e. testosterone, penises and how much pain they cause by being total asses.

Cristina still hadn't answered Burke yet about his proposal about her moving in and so that was still causing rifts in their relationship.

Meredith had bidden Cristina goodnight and she made her way home.

The instant she entered her house, George greeted her with hot cup of tea and Izzie greeted her with her latest batch of muffins.

Meredith knew in her heart that she had to tell her roommates now because no doubt that tomorrow would be too late. Meredith had seen so many interns staring at her and talking about her in whispers that she knew that by tomorrow everyone at Seattle Grace would somehow know about her transfer and she would be getting looks of pity and sympathy again.

That was exactly why she had to tell Izzie and George now because she could not bear to have them being cross at her if they found out through someone else.

"Guys you trust me right?" she asked as she tried a delicious chocolate muffin and had a sip of her drink.

George and Izzie shared a concerned look then looked back at Meredith.

"Yeah?" Izzie said, drawling it out in a confused voice.

"Why?" George chimed in, equally as confused.

Meredith looked at both of them seriously, "I think we all need to sit down for this."

Izzie looked at Meredith with shock, "Oh my god, you slept with McDreamy again…"

Meredith glared at her, "No! Why do people think that straight away whenever I need to tell them something serious?!"

George quickly stepped in front of Izzie and said carefully, "Well in Izzie's defence that's what I thought too and…"

"George," Meredith interrupted, "What I need to tell you is more important and no I did not sleep with him."

Looking at the both of them, Meredith pointed to the couch in the lounge room and said in a commanding voice, "Sit."

Quickly, like obedient children, Izzie and George went to the couch and sat down.

Meredith moved to stand in front of the couch, placing her cup of tea and muffin on a nearby table. She crossed her arms and stared at them with a blank expression.

"I want to tell you this now because it is going to effect all of us and…" she started but was interrupted once again.

"Oh my god, you're going to sell the house and George and I will be destitute and homeless…" Izzie said in shock.

George looked at Izzie in surprise, "Iz, I don't think it's that bad." He said reassuringly but when he looked at Meredtih and saw her face even he began to feel nervous. "Right Meredith?"

Meredith sighed and looked at her two roommates with a tired smile.

"No George it's not that bad. You two will not be homeless and destitute and living on the streets."

Izzie and George breathed a huge sigh of relief but Izzie looked at Meredith with a different kind of worry, "Then what is it that you want to tell us Meredith?"

Meredith blinked a few times and took a deep breath as Izzie and George looked at her with worry.

"I'm transferring to Boston Public in two weeks."

There it was, they now knew.

In a synchronisation, Izzie's mouth dropped open and then George's did a second later.

Watching the shocked pair on the couch, she waited for a second for someone to reply but that second turned into a full minute and then into several minutes of shocked silence.

Meredith looked at their shocked faces and when they didn't reply she finally asked, "What? Say something someone!"

Her annoyance showed in her voice but she began to wave her arms frantically at them.

"Hello? Guys I just bared my biggest life-changing secret to you two and neither of you have replied? I don't know if you hate me or if you think it is the right decision or whatever?"

She looked at Izzie and took a new muffin out of her bowl, "Izzie you muffins are delicious but I need you to answer me because your opinion matters to me."

Meredith then looked at George, "George I need your opinion too."

Izzie's mouth finally got reconnected to her brain as she sputtered, "A t.t.. Transfer? Meredith, you can't be serious? Why would you want to transfer to Boston Public when the best surgical program is at Seattle Grace?"

Meredith internally sighed. She had known that Izzie would have been the least understanding at first but Meredith knew that she would understand once she had explained it fully to them.

George, who saw everything, understood immediately and he looked at Izzie then back at Meredith then back at Izzie again.

"Iz, she's leaving because of Dr Shepherd."

Izzie looked at Meredith in shock for a split second then sympathy clouded her soft features. "Oh my god, you're running away from him."

Meredith suddenly scoffed very loudly in annoyance and quickly plonked herself on the couch in-between George and Izzie without saying anything till she got another muffin from Izzie's bowl.

Taking a furious bite, she had half chewed it before gazing angrily at the wall.

"Bailey had said the same thing to me," she said, half muffled by the muffin rolling around in her mouth, "everyone has it so wrong!"

George, bless his heart, suddenly leant against her and wrapped his arms around her midriff and hugged her.

"I didn't think so." He said quietly and Meredith suddenly felt Izzie's arms wrap around her too. "You want to transfer, start anew and…I'm still stuck on the idea of you transferring just to avoid him."

Meredith sighed and relaxed slightly as her roommates hugged her.

She was all dark and twisty.

She did not do hugs.

But Meredith didn't want to pull away because she knew she was going to need them.

No matter how she felt or thought, Meredith knew she was going to need her 'family' more than ever to support her and just 'be there' for her. They didn't have to like her decision but as long as they were ok with it, Meredith knew she was going to be able to go through with the transfer.

All she had to do now was just deal with the problem that was named Dr Derek Shepherd.

But that was tomorrow's problem. Tonight she would not worry about it.

"Wanna watch my mom's surgical video's again?"

Instantly George and Izzie agreed with simultaneous cheers and George letting go of Meredith, vaulting himself off the couch and running off to the cabinet where they were kept.

Izzie also let go of Meredith but she studied her friend with searching eyes.

"Meredith, are you really serious about this?"

Meredith smiled at her, "Izzie, you know that this is the only way for me to get my name clean as an intern and to be able to practise becoming a surgeon. You know I cannot continue here working in the same hospital as Dr Shepherd if I am to achieve this. I need to do this and I need you guys to be ok with it, you don't have to like it but just to be ok with it."

Izzie stared at Meredith for a few seconds in silence, amazed at just how far she had come since Derek had picked Addison.

Instead of falling down in a miserable heap every night, drinking tequila and sleeping with strange men, she had picked herself up and made the bravest decision in her life.

"I admire you Meredith Grey." Izzie replied, her voice full of admiration. "You have my full support and friendship wherever you will go."

Meredith smiled at her, "Thank you Izzie. I just hope it works out."

Izzie, with her optimistic enthusiasm, replied, "I'm sure it will, as long as you work hard for it."

George suddenly came running back into the room with the box full of videos.

"Hey, I found them!" he exclaimed, both happy and relieved.

"Ok put one on George." Izzie said and without further ado, the trio were watching once again when Dr Ellis Grey used the 'Grey Method'.

As the trio sat on the couch and watched in awe at Ellis Grey's amazing medical skills, it slowly occurred to each of them that this was going to be one of the last times that they would be having happy times together.

In silence they all huddled closer together on the couch and didn't say anything about it because then it would ruin the mood.

But they cherished it.

Meredith would be leaving. That they couldn't change.

So all they had to do, was simply just live and cherish what time they had left together.

That they could do.

A/N: Ok, today I have update three chapters for your reading pleasure to tie up loose ends with characters and situations before I begin the two week count down to Transferring Day. Now if I have missed anyone in answering reviews I'm sorry and I will edit it ASAP. I am slightly overwhelmed though by how many reviews I have gotten, but I love reading people's opinions on the story. They really help me out with ideas and characterization. I can't thank you guys enough so these updates are for you. Keep reading and till next time!

fizzwizz15

MerDer88: lol. It doesn't really seem like a MerDer fic at the moment. Just give it time. :) Thanks for the review.

TVHollywoodDiva: Thank you very much and thanks for the review.

greysanatomy l0ver: Hey, I'm sorry to have left you all hanging there, I hope my update will stop you hanging…till I next update anyway. :) Glad you like Addison's character too. :)

Liz86000: Hey, well she can be a btch but it all depends on how you look at her. Lol. But she had to make some pretty tough decisions. Thanks for the review and I hope you're interested in what I've updated with. :) but I did see the bit in season three where she revealed she had been pregnant with Mark's child.

mbird: Definitely! But they just can't see that for the moment. :) Thanks for the review.

sweetgreuy: He is very sad and the drama between these two is just going to get worse. But as for another method for them to see each other after she's gone…we'll see. :) Please keep up the interesting reviews. I love reading them. :D

V-4-VeNdEtTa: Glad you're still loving it. No I don't know the saying but I'm going to indulge you guys with my latest update. :D Thanks for the review.

DeniseSB: the last two chapters that I have posted in the three I have just updated today are a testament in answering your questions. :D I hope they are in character for you and give you the missing pieces of the puzzle for the characters true emotions. Enjoy and I am very interested in what you will think of each chapter. :) I look forward to reawding your comments. And one last note, the Chief knows all

MissRe: Thanks. :D This confrontation is gonna slowly grow. :) Hehehee. Thanks for the review and I hope you'll like how I play it out.

iluvderekshepard: Addison is very observant despite everything. Unfortunately she will transfer but not without consequences. :) Thanks for the review.