Cristina Yang was involuntarily opening and closing her jaw like a fish pulled out of water. There weren't many things that could leave her stunned. However, Meredith Grey possessed the strange ability to make her speechless .
In the course of their friendship, she had managed to stupefy Cristina on several occasions; for example, when she confessed sleeping with her attending or when she announced she was pregnant, but that night's revelations topped all previous ones.
"Er, I- I'm sorry," stumbled Cristina. "I don't think I caught it. I must have stopped paying attention at some point. I remember you saying you're staying in Seattle…"
"That's right," smiled Meredith happily. Making the decision was the hardest step; now, she felt incredibly relieved, even enthusiastic. "I've already called the Chief."
"You're staying because you want to give Bessie a home here; with both parents, right?"
Meredith nodded energetically.
"And then I must have misheard or imagined the next part of our dialogue; because I thought you said "Cristina you've got to help me with this, no one can know about Bessie."
"You didn't; imagine it, I mean."
"You're confusing me; are you going to tell Shepherd or not?"
" I am," said resolutely Meredith, "just not right away."
"Meredith," groaned Cristina. She didn't like what her friend was getting at. Please, please, please, Meredith, don't do the thing I think you're about to do…
"I've thought it over . I've been thinking about it all day. I want Bessie to meet Derek, but I can't let that happen now."
"Meredith," started again Cristina.
"Just let me finish," begged Meredith. "How do you imagine I tell him now? Hold on, I can see it: "Hi, Derek. How you're doing? By the way, you have a two-year-old daughter I haven't told you about." I'm sure it would work out just wonderful, Cristina!" Meredith's enthusiasm was clearly fading at the lack of her friend's support.
"I guess you're right," Cristina sighed with resignation. It really wasn't the best moment to tell Derek. But then again, would there ever be a good one for such news?
"We haven't seen each other for so long, I need some time to… um… get close to him."
Cristina raised her eyebrows.
"It's not what you think!" protested Meredith haughtily. "I need to see if I can trust him enough to let him into Bessie's life. I know you think you know what I feel for him," she started rambling slightly, "and you're partly right; but I'm not interested in rekindling anything romantic with him! What I'm interested in is my daughter's good."
Cristina decided not to pursue that particular topic. If Meredith believed in what she was saying, she wouldn't try to talk her out of it. Instead she asked, "So, you want to keep Bessie out of everyone's prying sight?"
"It's necessary," replied Mer, frowning, "before I figure everything out."
"How do you want to keep quiet the fact that you have a kid?"
"It won't be that difficult," assured Meredith. "I've really thought it over."
"Haven't I heard you ranting that the shift was so terrible because you couldn't take Bessie to Seattle Grace, and you can't stand the separation. Are you going to leave her at home for whole days while you're at work?"
"Of course not!" I've told you, Bessie is my priority; she's not going to suffer! And don't worry; I saw that problem coming and I have a way out of it."
"Ok, suppose you do," said Cristina only to present another of her reservations, "but what about the demise of your social life, not getting dead drunk every second night?"
"Thanks," smiled Meredith wryly. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm a serious world-class neurosurgeon," she added with a feigned superiority.
"Yeah, yeah. Seriously, you've already acquired the occupational disease of neurosurgeons: big ego and constant bragging," her friend rolled her eyes.
"Seriously, Cristina," all traces of humour were now gone from Mer's voice. "Are you going to help me? You're my person and Bessie's godmother."
"I know," sighed Cristina. "This is gonna be fun." Just like I expected, goodbye to boredom at Seattle Grace Hospital. "So,if you really want to keep this secret, we'd better find you a new place."
"Huh?"
"Torres has told me she's going to be back for the weekend. Apparently, the things with the boyfriend turned sour."
"Who's the guy?"
"No idea, she's very secretive about the whole thing."
"That might mean it's someone from the hospital," Meredith waggled her eyebrows. "Hey, does Callie always warn you when she's going to be back?" she joked. "Or did she have a particular reason this time, like did she think you might be busy with some boyfriend?"
"What?" shot Cristina. "What have you heard?" Oh, God, is there already any gossip… ?
"Er, nothing," replied Meredith, confused. "I was just joking- Wait a minute, there is a boyfriend? Spill!" she ordered with excitement.
"There's nothing to spill! My life is dull, nothing to tell," said Cristina but averted Meredith's gaze.
"I kno-"
"We were discussing your housing conditions," Cristina interrupted the question. "You've wanted my help, haven't you?"
Meredith decided to drop the subject for the time being, she would corner Cristina later.
"I'm going to move back to my old house. I'm not particularly happy about that and it might be risky, but I don't have time to look for anything else right now."
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At the same time, Derek was sitting in front of his trailer trying to relieve the tension in his body. He spent all day on the lookout for any news about Meredith and her decisions. Not that it did any good, the hospital was buzzing with gossip but nobody knew anything for sure.
Since Meredith's return, she had been constantly on his mind. Whatever he was doing, he always saw her eyes, her hair, her smile… it was exhausting, it prevented him from sleeping properly, but he didn't complain. After all, he got what he had been wishing for for the past few years. He met her and it brought him back to life instead of just existing.
However, until an hour ago, he had been hanging in sort of a limbo of doubts and insecurity. He had been so sure she'd fly to Boston. Who wouldn't, at her place? Well, she wouldn't apparently. Nevertheless, it had seemed unlikely that she'd stay in Seattle; her reactions the previous night indicated that being there caused her discomfort. Although, she was responsive to him earlier that day, she bantered with him. For a moment, he felt like in good old times, which he effectively, and foolishly, put an end to.
Luckily for Derek, an hour ago, when he finished an operation, the Chief was waiting for him outside the OR.
"Shep."
"Chief," he nodded.
"Your department's extending," said Webber. Derek's heart skipped a beat; he quickly straightened himself and looked at his boss. It was evident that Webber was excited but there was also concern lurking in his eyes.
"Meredith's just called; she's coming back."
Derek couldn't suppress a smile. She's coming back…
"Shep, I don't want-" Webber didn't know how to put his thoughts into words. It was hell of an awkward situation."I don't want to interfere into your private lives, but… listen to me," he added authoritatively. "I don't want you to mess with her again."
"Chief-"
"I have no idea why she left," he continues as though uninterrupted. "But I've always suspected it was because of something that happened between you two. And I won't let her get hurt and run away again. Which might happen if you try to revive this affair." He cleared his throat and started again with much more professional tone. "She'll be here tomorrow to sign the contract." He turned to leave but was held back by Derek's voice.
"Meredith, she wasn't an affair."
"Then don't treat her as such," were Webber's last words.
Did she really leave Seattle because of him, because he started dating Rose? Did she hate him or did she…? There were so many unanswered questions to which Derek felt he must know the answer. Webber's voice boomed in his head again – "I won't let her get hurt". He didn't want her to get hurt either. Only, he couldn't stay away from her…
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While Meredith was working her way through the contract sitting comfortably in the Chief's office the news were making a tour around the hospital. For the time being, she was blissfully unaware of the sensation she had caused. Engrossed in reading the documents, she couldn't know that the nurses passing by were giving her surreptitious glances through the glass wall or that people all over the hospital who bet on her return were receiving their rewards.
She also didn't have a clue that the surgical floor's lobby had become the headquarters for her curious friends and colleagues who knew perfectly well she'd be passing that place on her way from the Chief's office. The latest addition to the party was Derek Shepherd who had just scrubbed out of a surgery and intended to update his patient's post-op chart.
He frowned slightly as he sized up the little group gathered around the counter, pretending to look innocent. Bailey was going through some charts, her former interns supposedly having a small talk, Lexie Grey was fidgeting excitedly trying to stay out of Cristina's view and even Mark and Callie Torres were standing nearby.
"What's going on?"
"Your own department's getting a new surgeon and you don't know?" asked bemused Cristina. "Your days at this hospital are counted."
Derek didn't even bother to find a witty response to Yang's jibe. So, Meredith's here; she's really staying.
"Meredith came to sign the contract?" he tried to keep the overwhelming exhilaration out of his voice.
"So, you knew?" asked Izzie suggestively.
What's wrong with Stevens, is everyone at war with me?
"Shhhhh, they're coming," whispered George dramatically and surely, Derek spotted Meredith and the Chief getting close to the lobby. Webber said something while she nodded vigorously smiling slightly.
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"Looks like you've got a welcoming committee," said Webber pointing with his head at the crowded lobby.
"Why am I not surprised?" grinned Meredith.
When they reached everyone, the Chief cleared his throat and said "Since there are so many of you here, I'd like to announce that Dr. Grey has just joined our neuro department."
"Welcome back, Grey," said Alex good-naturedly earning a scowl from Izzie.
Meredith was relieved, it was going smoother than she expected. Izzie was disgruntled but Bailey didn't look like she wanted to murder her anymore, George and Alex seemed friendly and Derek… Derek was the embodiment of dreaminess…
Her good luck ran dry, however, by Izzie's comment who was clearly determined to make her uncomfortable.
"Yes, welcome back, Mer," Meredith sensed the falsely sweet tone. "We need to catch up on so many things. For example, we are all curious, why did you choose neurosurgery as your specialty?"
Meredith flinched, it was like relieving the moment Izzie discovered her romance with Derek.
"I guess I hadn't screwed that much in neuro," she shot without much thought but bit her lip almost instantly. Damn it! She didn't use that verb, did she?
There was a moment of a very pregnant silence in which Meredith prayed for the ground to open ad swallow her whole. Meredith chanced a look at her surroundings. Cristina was on the verge of bursting in laughter but was loyally holding it back. George was blinking rapidly staring at the floor, the same as Chief who was wearing an annoyed expression on his face. As for Derek, that ass, he was staring straight into her eyes, his own alight with hilarity. Alex and Mark couldn't repress their laughter any longer.
"You could have me fooled," said Izzie sweetly, gloating with satisfaction. Meredith just gave her a filthy look. What the hell is wrong with her?
The Chief cleared his throat again with exasperation, "I've got to go back to work. You'll get all the details from De-" he stopped irritably mid-sentence, "from Dr. Shepherd. Don't you have a job to do, people?"
Everyone started to bustle, fleeing the scene, apart from Derek, who reached her.
Meredith scowled at him, "You think it's funny?"
"Er, yeah, kinda," he said, still visibly amused. She just shook her head disbelievingly.
"Listen," he changed the subject. "I have a free moment, or two. We could discuss the details concerning your job, your responsibilities… let's say… while having lunch?"
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A.N. So, this is the chapter 9 and it's a bit shorter than the last ones I think. I'm sorry again for the long intervals between updates but I'm snowed under with work. I can't promise when I'm going to post again but I can assure you I'm not going to give up on this story, I love my baby too much :)
Happy New Year to everyone!
P.S. As usual, begging for reviews!
