Chapter Twenty-Four: Day Five, Morning
Meredith did not know what time she had gotten home, all she knew was that she had a day off today so the instant she got home she raided her tequila cupboard and drank herself into a alcohol induced sleep.
It had been George her who had found her passed out on the couch at four a.m., snuggled up in a blanket and clasping an empty bottle of tequila to her chest.
With a heavy sigh he had gone to the kitchen to retrieve the bucket that she would need in only a few hours when he and Izzie were at work.
Carefully he had taken the empty bottle out of her hands and silently disposed of it in a nearby trash can. When he had turned around, Izzie had been standing in the doorway and regarding the scene with pity.
He had merely shrugged at her that plainly said he had no idea how Meredith had ended up on the couch or when.
Silently the pair went back upstairs and went into George's bedroom, shutting the door behind them so they weren't at risk of waking up their unconscious roommate downstairs.
It was Izzie who spoke first, "What's up with Meredith?"
George looked down at the floor as if he could see through it and down at Meredith who was directly underneath their feet. Quickly he looked back up at Izzie and he ran a hand through his hair.
"I dunno, it's weird. Yesterday she was in such a good mood that it nearly seemed so unlike her and…"
"Unnatural." Izzie interrupted.
He looked at her in brief shock but he could not help but nod in agreement.
"Yeah. It was unnatural, like 'Meredith-bright-and shiny' unnatural." He said, looking sad.
Izzie looked thoughtful for a few seconds before glancing at George in confusion, "Is there anything that could have happened yesterday that could have made her relapse to her life dependence on tequila again?"
George shook his head in silence and Izzie sighed in slight annoyance. Normally she had a brief idea what was going on in Meredith's life and her problems but, since finding out about her transfer, it seemed that Meredith was becoming more and more secretive in what was happening in her life.
"George do think that Meredith seems to be…" Izzie asked, her voice trailing off as she did not want to continue the sentence.
"Not talking to anybody?" he finished, looking her directly in the eye. "Yeah"
Izzie looked at the closed door carefully as if expecting Meredith to come barging in at any second, so she leant over towards George and whispered, "When was the last time you saw Meredith and Cristina talking?"
George thought carefully and his eyes widened, "Not for a few days."
Izzie now looked extremely concerned but she suddenly smiled which caused George to look at her in confusion.
"George, we are going to show Meredith that we can be Cristina-like too and that she can trust as and can talk to us about anything." Izzie said, now suddenly very enthused and optimistic that George looked at her in surprise.
"We-we are?" he asked and he watched as Izzie suddenly exited out of the door and began walking away from him.
"Yes George we are! Cristina and Meredith are 'do-ers' so we are going to be 'do-ers' too. We are going to help Meredith in every way that we can until the day she leaves so she knows she isn't alone in all of this."
George followed Izzie all the way down the staircase until they both stood in the foyer. Along on the way down they had grabbed their bits and pieces that they needed for work in which they were both finally ready to go.
As they stood there, simultaneously they turned and looked at Meredith's slumped form on the couch. Even from that distance they could see the faint streams of tears that had dried on her cheeks hours ago.
Looking back at each other, George and Izzie spoke at the same time with knowingness.
"McDreamy."
And with that they both walked out of the door and could not help but feel sad for Meredith and angry at Derek. But at the same time they were extremely grateful that they would not be home that day for when Meredith would finally wake up and her hangover and taken full effect on her.
That thought made them smile all the way to the hospital.
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The instant Cristina found out Meredith had had a tequila-fest without her (and BY HERSELF no less!), she had made Izzie and George recount everything that had happened and how Meredith had been last night before rounds.
But when the poor pair told her that they did not know what time Meredith had come home, and not knowing how she had been last night and what had happened at the hospital had caused guilt to lace through Cristina like nothing she had felt for a long time.
I should have been there…
Feeling extremely hurt and angry at herself, Cristina had partially opened up to George and Izzie and had explained the situation between her and Meredith and how she had avoided Meredith.
That had only drawn Izzie to look at her with disappointment.
"You've been avoiding Meredith cause you felt the same awful crappy feeling of abandonment and sadness that we have been feeling since she told us all that she was leaving?!" Izzie asked in shock. "How weak is that Cristina?!"
Cristina had just glared at Izzie, "Since when do I have to answer to you barbie?"
Izzie suddenly stepped forward and caused Cristina to take a step back against the lockers.
She looked at Cristina with a harsh look of disappointment, "Since when she has needed us more than ever if she is to get through this intact."
Cristina's hard expression slowly softened and sadly she nodded up at Izzie after a few minutes of silence.
George had watched the whole exchange in amazement and slight fear, how on earth had Izzie made Cristina listen to her?!
But when he heard her speak he instantly understood.
"You are her 'person' Cristina. She needs you more than she needs George, Alex and I."
In silence Cristina had nodded and walked away from Izzie to await the arrival of Bailey with the day's assignments.
Izzie looked at George and was confused when he was looking at her with something that came close to awe.
"What?" she asked.
"I wish I could speak like that and had that sort of power." He answered, causing Izzie to smile at him.
"You can do it too George." She replied.
Before he could comment, Bailey entered the room and got everyone into order in seconds.
And so another day of working at the hospital began, whilst Meredith was just beginning to wake up at home.
Blearily she opened her eyes and instantly shut them again when the familiar pounding began in her head and she reached over for the faithful bucket lying on the floor near by.
Bringing it over to her, Meredith instantly groaned as the nausea began swimming throughout her body.
"I am never drinking tequila again…" she moaned in discomfort as she shut her eyes and felt her stomach suddenly spasm in pain.
Instantly Meredith had her head in the bucket and she began exorcising the demon that was known as a hangover.
After the first few times she was sick, Meredith blearily relaxed back on the couch and shut her eyes as her now-empty stomach gurgled at her, saying 'feed me! I don't like alcohol!'
She lay there for a few minutes and Meredith began remembering what had happened last night.
Unconsciously her hand went to her left cheek as she remembered what it was like having Derek's soft large hand on her skin, causing her body to be flooded with warmth and feeling that she thought she would never feel again.
And she had slapped him…
Tears rose in her eyes as she remembered the bright red hand mark she had left on him and the shock and hurt that had been on his face.
What is he going to say to me when I see him at the hospital tomorrow?
Thought after thought kept on hitting her wave after wave and as each thought got progressively worse and worse, Meredith felt sadness and an overwhelming guilt and a slight sense of shame although she could not understand why.
"What the hell am I going to do?" she grumbled in slight despair, but she immediately was reaching for the bucket again as her body didn't allow herself to think.
An hour of hell slowly past and by the end of it Meredith was so over the tequila-induced vomit-fest that she dragged herself off the couch and raided the kitchen for something to help settle her stomach and her tumour-like headache.
After having some wonder drugs and crackers, Meredith felt slightly better but that still didn't stop the queasiness and discomfort she felt whenever Derek entered her thoughts.
Which right now was all the time.
"Crap! I'm meant to see my mother today!"
A/N: It has been…too long but I have started working on this story again. Originally I left it thinking I would update in a few weeks when school wasn't so busy…boy how wrong was I…So I forgot about it. I won't make a long speech except I will express my most sincere gratitude and thanks to all of those who reviewed last chapter. I had no idea for a long time how to continue it, but I re-read through the whole story and it finally occurred to me what to do. Now I have a new train of thought with how to continue and so the updates will begin again. :) Enjoy!
larimausi: Yes I am definitely going to continue this story. It just took me a while to get back into the mode of writing…but thank you for this review. It kinda got me kick started again :)
francetwo: Good grief I hope you haven't died! :O His accent is adorable :D thanks for the review and I am glad you like it :)
wiccanforever: I love Viper too! :D But it was actually quite hard to type it up convincingly. I had to sound out every individual syllable so I could type it up XD Thanks for the review! :)
a_fan: Hey there. :) I am sorry for taking so long, I hope to continue it much more often than I have of late :)
voguette: They totally should bring him back for a few episodes. He was one of my favourite characters they have created for just an episode. :) Yes the slap was the wake up call, or at the least the start of it :D A lot can happen in 10 days, or in just one day :) I hope you continue to read and thank you for the insightful review :D
jlamb13: Wow! blush thank you very much :) I was I had been more awesome though otherwise I would have updated sooner lol. :) But glad you like it and tanks for the review :)
Malu_Snape_Rickman: Hey that's ok :) Med school must be so hard! Glad you were still reading regardless you were sick back then. :) I love Viper too :D He is wonderful! I hope you continue to read this though :) Thanks for the review :D
TVHollywoodDiva: Thank you very much. :) I am happy you enjoyed it :)
rolly21: That is a very good way to sum it up…but he did in the show and I have always wanted to see what would happen if she had taken this path to leave. :) I bet he just did expect her to stay. Well I think it was pretty evident in the series 2 of the show that he did… thanks for the review :)
katy1986: You would be surprised just how big a wuss I am whilst writing my own stories :) I have been known to cry once or twice if I get too emotionally involved in a chapter or an entire story lol. So there is nothing wrong with shedding a tear or two, it just shows I am doing my job properly as a writer :) and as to what the climax will be, mad chase or a last minute confession, or all of it and more…we'll see :) but I saw that in that episode too :) And it made me so sad… Thanks for the review :D and Merder all the way too! :D
MerDer88: More tension? Hmm, I'll see what I can do :D Tis all soo much fun to put in more tension :) I love reading a story with lots of tension and well written…lets see if I can pull it off :D Thanks for the review :D What should I review though?
lilxjames: You can say that again :) and thank you :D I was a bit unsure the slap might have been too far but really all things considering…I don't think it was :) Thanks! :D
MerDerGirl: Ah I wouldn't want to be the spoiler of things when we haven't even reached the midway point yet ;) Glad you liked and I hope you will continue to read :)
Christina: Hey, glad you liked :) Thank you for the review and letting me know what you thought :)
tiara733: My typing realised it before I did when suddenly I read back over it and was like 'What??!!' then I realised it worked. :) But I like that you didn't see it. I like that I can still pul lout some surprises. :)
MissRe: Maybe you did miss a chapter? :) If Izzie can play scrabble with Denny when he was still alive, then why can't Meredith play cards with Viper? :) And yeah I liked that she realised that too. People seem to discover those moments when they are doing the most unlikely things in the most unusual situations. :) Hope you like more :) Thanks for a great review :D
sweetgreuy: EWW!!! Rose/der is just…was…and will be forever wrong! gags Yes we nearly boycotted but we hung on till the end of the season and squealed in joy at that scene when Meredith made their house with candles. :) I think Derek is just in denial and not wanting to believe it just yet its him…but oh, he will :3 Thanks for the review :D They are always a great read :D
hugeGAfan: Viper was one of my favourites too, that was why I brought him back :D Thanks for the review :)
MerDerLove4ever: MerDer is fun to write and sometimes too much fun, but I know what you mean :) But sometimes they have to go through the motions before life will allow them a happy ending :) A few things need to be sorted out first before that can happen…but I won't spoil it ;) Thanks for the review :D
snv3: I love writing jealous Derek…especially possessive Derek…tis so much fun :D I hope you are still around to read the next update. :) If not, that's ok too :) Thanks for another great review :)
Bec-Do I Love You JP: I had to think up of something that would make Meredith be rightfully angry enough to finally strike out at Derek…but I am glad you liked the chapter. And Viper! :D He is great! :D I love him too! :D
dempeo_is_lovee: Thanks! Viper is so much fun to write :) He reminds me of a cousin I have in England. He sounds nearly exactly like him. Tis amazing!! It took me a while to get MerDer scene the way I wanted to be…but I got it ok in the end.
MERDER25: Wow! Thank you very much! It is great to know I am able to capture their characters well :) I struggle with it sometimes and I really never want to get them wrong because I love them both so much. :D This chapter was probably one of the hardest to write…
callied: Yes Derek constantly seemingly able to produce this amazing ability is just too easy to write sometimes, but all the more fun too. Thanks for the review :D
InGreyEyes: I think Meredith should have slapped him in the actual tv show…several times over there were perfectly opportuned moments…but alas I can make up for that with that good slap I wrote for him ^-^ I agree with you too. You can see it from the first moment when she and Viper were talking on the show that they definitely had that sort of chemistry :) Thanks for another great review! :D