9 to 5

After they left, Miranda got back in the bed. She didn't have to go into the hospital and she would revel in her free time and get some work done, run some errands. She called Callie and asked her if she wanted to come over and have a few drinks, gossip and eat. Callie agreed and said that she would call Bokhee and a few other ladies from the hospital to make this girl's night really pop. Miranda thanked her and she got out bed and headed for the grocery store and to the bank and to get a manicure and pedicure. It had been a long time since she'd gotten one and she loved the feeling of someone rubbing and paying special attention to her feet. Getting back home with a car full of stuff, she began to get stuff ready. Callie and Arizona showed up first and helped set up. Bokhee and another nurse who Miranda had known for a few years, Kate, came twenty minutes later. Teddy Altman, former Head of Cardiology at Seattle Grace Hospital, before the name change, was in town for a few days—"So I just invited her because she's Teddy!" Callie said. Everyone kicked off their shoes and relaxed in Miranda's living room.

"So, not that this needs an introduction, but my son and husband—"

"Your fine ass husband," Callie interrupted, making everyone laugh hysterically.

"Okay, well, my fine ass husband is out of town and I haven't hung out with my girls in a long time. So, let's enjoy!"

"Here, here," Arizona said raising her glass.

The six women talked and played a few of the games that Miranda had pulled from Tuck's closet. For a minute, while Callie and Bokhee teamed up for Taboo, Miranda sat back and watched. She was glad to have friends. She heard her phone ringing in the kitchen. She got up to answer it. "Anybody need anything while I'm up?" She asked.

"More wine," Kate and Teddy said at the same time.

Miranda walked out of the room, nodding and laughing. "Hello?" She asked answering her phone.

"Bailey!" Richard's voice boomed.

"Yes, sir?"

"I need to talk to you."

"I cannot perform surgery," she said quickly.

"No, I don't need you to perform surgery, but if you've had some… things to drink, then I'll catch up with you tomorrow. You are coming in, yes?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Meet me in my office at 10 AM."

"Can we make it 11:30?" She asked crossing her fingers.

He chuckled. "Yeah, sure."

"What's this about?" Miranda asked.

"We'll discuss all of that tomorrow," he said disconnecting the call. Miranda stared at his stern-looking picture blinking on her phone. She wondered what he wanted to talk to her about, but also hoped that she wouldn't forget. She put a note in her calendar and wrote a note and put it on the refrigerator.

"Bailey! Wine!" She heard Arizona laugh.

Miranda grabbed another bottle and walked in the room to see that Arizona had taken off her prosthetic leg, she'd lost it in a plane crash, and she was telling a funny story about her and Callie's daughter, Sofia.

At the end of their long night, after pulling out blankets and pillows for her very drunk and exhausted guests, Miranda trudged up the stairs to see Callie asleep in her bed. She climbed into the bed next to her best friend. "Hey!" Callie said when Miranda pulled the covers. "Share the wealth."

"Speak for yourself," she said and they giggled.

"You know what I was just thinking about?" Callie asked animatedly.

"Whaa?" Miranda answered with a yawn.

"It was about this time last year that you were going to get married to Ben and I was telling you that you could run if you needed to and that I would help you."

"Some maid of honor you were."

"You said you were nervous!"

"Yeah, nervous doesn't mean run away from the perfect guy," Miranda said nudging her friend.

"Well, I don't know if you know this, but he walked in on me, Meredith and Arizona talking as I was telling them that you said that you were nervous and I think that he thought you were really going to leave him."

Miranda gasped. "What?!"

"That's why he came to the hospital."

"You know what… just for that, I'm making you go shopping with me to pick the perfect gift for him for our anniversary. Even if it takes all the mimosas," she said and they cracked up, laughing themselves to sleep

She smelled breakfast cooking and walked downstairs to see Teddy, Arizona and Callie laughing and talking in the kitchen. Kate and Bokhee were already gone. "Good morning, ladies," she greeted them. They greeted her back. After breakfast, they all cleaned up the kitchen and left saying they had a great time and they should hang out more often. Miranda checked her watch and saw that it was 10 o'clock and that she had an hour and half before her meeting with her mentor. She took a bath, soaking her body in the warm water and feeling glad that she had time to herself. She was so happy and couldn't believe that this time two weeks ago, she would have been crying alone in this same bathroom instead of finding comfort in it. She thanked God that everything was back to normal and better than ever.

Getting to the hospital, Miranda stopped in the locker room and changed into her scrubs before heading to Richard's office. She knocked on the door. "Come in, Come in." Seeing her face he said: "Bailey, good to see you."

Miranda waved. "So, sir, what is it that, uh, you wanted to talk to me about?" She didn't have a clue as to what it was. And she was a little nervous.

"Have a seat," he said gesturing for her to sit down. She did as she was told and waited for him to speak. "Coffe?"

"No, thank you, sir. I'm just curious at what you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Then, I'll come right out with it. You're a great teacher, Bailey," he started.

Miranda nodded as he stated the obvious, but she didn't want to point that out. "Thank you. I like to think that I've learned a lot under your tutelage."

He smiled. "And so you have. You have great direction and great ideas and don't think it's lost on me that you're also doing brilliant work in your lab and you've gotten your disease under control, showing your…," he paused to find the right word and looked at her. "Your strength and determination to do what it takes to better yourself and your career." Miranda blushed and looked away, still unsure of what he was saying. "Which is why I'm recommending to the hospital board that you get a seat… on the board." She jerked her head back and stared at her mentor. Was he saying that just might be a member of the hospital board? What? Did she space out and miss something? "Miranda?"

"Uh, um, sir?"

He cleared his throat. "Did you hear me?"

"I think I did, but I'm not sure if what I heard is what you said or if I imagined it because it just seems so fantastical." She swallowed. "So do you mind repeating what you said?" She tried to smile, but she imagined that her face looked weird, so she stopped.

Richard chuckled. "I don't mind at all." He took a deep breath and Miranda held her breath as well. "I'm suggesting to the board that you become its next member. I think you are the total package and like I told you a few years back, Chief of Surgery is the goal. You've always been perfect for the job, just never ready, not experienced enough, but you're getting there—but in a couple of years, you will be there." He leaned across his desk, staring at his mentee. "But you're ready for this seat and this is the next step," he said banging on his desk with enthusiasm. Miranda smiled wildly. "This is what we've been working on," he said getting out of his chair and walking around his desk. "Since I took you under my wing your intern year."

"Of course, sir. I guess…," she stopped talking.

"Guess what?"

"I guess I just thought you'd given up on that. On me," she said honestly, looking at him.

"What?" He asked shaking his head. "Nonsense, Bailey. You've always been my right hand at this hospital. Everyone knows that. You've always been a great friend. People know that, too," he said with a wink. Miranda tried not to show all of her feelings at the compliments that her mentor was throwing her way. "Smile, Miranda, you have arrived." She walked out of Richard's office feeling good, really good. Everything was going her way. She was living the life that she'd always wanted.

The next day, she went to Grey Sloan and worked in her lab. She was so close to creating something good that she couldn't didn't leave the lab for hours while she researched. On her way home, she got a text from Ben saying that they were on the road and they'd be there in two hours. Getting home, she made herself a pasta dinner complete with garlic bread and wine; she curled up on her sofa to watch one of her favorite sci-fi movies, "I, Robot," while she waited for her husband. Just as robots began to attack the main character, played by Will Smith, a knock on her front door, made Miranda jump and she spilled wine on her shirt. "Damn it," she said as she walked to the door. Looking out of the peephole she saw that it was Ben. She threw open the door in a hurry. "Hi!" She exclaimed.

"Hey, baby!" He said dropping his bag and holding her tightly. They hugged for a minute before pulling apart. He kissed her cheek and quickly on the lips. Miranda smiled and Ben closed the door, locking it and pushed her against the door. He leaned down and kissed her passionately, placing a hand on the door next to her face. "I feel like I've been away for years the way I've missed you."

She nodded. And they kissed again. When they pulled away she asked: "You want some dinner?"

"Yes, please." Ben got her plate from the table in the living room as she fixed him a plate. While they ate, he told her that Tuck was staying with Tucker and they could pick him up from school the next day. He filled her in on their "guy weekend" and she told him about her "girls night". She fixed him a glass of wine and also told him about her meeting with the former chief of Seattle Grace Hospital. "Miranda, that is amazing," he said with a strand of pasta falling from his mouth.

She smiled. "It is. But," she said putting a hand up. "I'm trying not to get too excited."

"No, you can be excited. You're getting a seat on the board!" He said grinning. Ben took her hand in his.

"Ah!" She sighed. "I will make policy, not just hear it. I will make changes." Miranda spoke sincerely. Being Chief of Surgery at Seattle Grace, now Grey Sloan, had always been the dream, but she never thought about being on the board of the hospital. And now she wanted it. Badly. Ben smiled as he continued to hold her hand, squeezing it a little. He winked at her and told her she would be great. Her heart warmed at his assurance. "So, where's my gift?"

"Ha!" He laughed. "I got you two." Miranda smiled and stretched out her hands. "One is my bag and the other is hidden on my body." Miranda stared at him. He looked at her with an amused look on his face. She took his hand and led him up the stairs.