Another team presented something similar this morning. Except they're several steps ahead.
The words replayed in her mind like an endless loop.
It was impossible.
It was ridiculous.
How could anyone else have done that? This was their research. She and Amelia had worked their asses off for this.
"Who is this Heyworth anyway?"
"Neurosurgeon. Big name. Used to do a lot of research but I thought he retired years ago. Mer, how could he have this?"
He couldn't. He shouldn't.
This was their baby. This was their work.
This didn't make any sense.
They strode toward the office they'd been directed to. Apparently, a Dr Rich Heyworth and his team had presented this morning. Similar ideas. Several steps ahead.
How?
"Where is he?", she exclaimed at the young guy working on his laptop.
"Grey? Shepherd?"
A woman approached them, her stilettos clicking against the floor, a file in her hand as she extended her other towards them.
Meredith exchanged a look with Amelia, taking the woman's hand. She then proceeded to do the same with Amelia while they stood, reeling.
Where was Heyworth?
Who had he sent for his dirty work? Perhaps his lawyer. Oh, she would make sure he needed a lawyer for plagiarising their work.
"We were sent here to meet a Dr Rich Heyworth?"
"That's correct. I'm his daughter, Dr Cassandra Heyworth.", she presented them with a tight-lipped smile, her caramel-brown eyes studying them intently. "I was told that you'd be looking for him. I'm afraid he's not here at the moment."
So what, he had sent his proxy?
Fuck that. She wanted answers. And she would not leave without them.
Meredith stuffed her hands in her pockets, shifting on her feet, ready to demand answers when Amelia started, "So, you're the one heading this project, then?"
"I am one of them, yes.", she replied cryptically.
Meredith had had enough.
"Look, we have some..concerns about your research. And how it's uncannily similar to ours and none of your work has been public. And the fact that it was presented before us."
This time, she offered them a firm, sly smile that sent a chill down Meredith's body.
"Right, while I understand your concerns, we have been independently working on this for quite some time now. And those are our conclusions. It has nothing to do with you or your work."
Bullshit.
Meredith clenched her teeth, the muscle in her jaw twitching.
She had a feeling Catherine Avery had something or really, everything to do with it. She had been against it since the very beginning. She had wanted them to hand over their research to Tom Koracick. A part of her had been expecting the panel to utter his name, had been waiting for it since that would make sense. This didn't.
The idea of someone they had never heard of being involved was baffling. Would Catherine stoop that low? And after the fact that they'd come to a sort of understanding after her diagnosis?
Damn it, she was so tired of trusting people implicitly. It was like hitting herself with a hammer repeatedly, she learnt over and over again.
"You're a neurosurgeon?", Amelia asked, feigning composure. One of them had to. Considering Meredith was about ready to punch the persistent sparkling smile off this woman's face.
"I am a neurologist."
"Right. Sorry, I just have never heard of you. Heard a lot about your father, though."
"That's true.", she shrugged, folding her hands in front of her.
"Well, then, I suppose we're done here?", she rubbed her hands together, again with that disconcerting smile.
"No. Not yet. Not until you tell us the truth.", Meredith's hands were clenched into fists as she moved toward her. She wouldn't actually resort to violence. Not really.
"Doctor Grey. That is the truth. I don't know what you were hoping for, but that is, in fact, the entire truth."
There was a certain familiarity to her words. Like she'd heard them before. It tickled some old, dormant part of her brain.
Who was this woman? Surgeon or no surgeon, why had she never heard of her?
"Mer, maybe we should-"
She ignored Amelia, cutting her off, "So, how did this research begin then? When did it start?", Meredith was close enough that she could hear her breathe.
An eerie feeling filled her body. As if something was about to go terribly wrong.
"Hi? Is there a problem here? Cassie?", a man's voice arrested her inquiring further.
Her stomach roiled at the voice. She'd heard that voice. Again, a bunch of synapses fired in that same old, dormant part of her brain.
She noticed the woman's demeanour change drastically, completely. Surprise and something akin to fear flashed in her eyes, her back straightening as her gaze fixated on something behind Meredith. Or someone. That man, she presumed.
It wasn't until Amelia gasped, until that gasp had turned into a scream did Meredith veer around.
And what stood facing her shattered her world. Crushed her reality.
Everything seemed to fall apart in a moment.
"-Derek?"
A/N: okaaay so that was that. Haha. Well, i hadnt planned on writing this at all. But since ive watched the promo for the new episode, this premise has been stuck in my head. And i just had to. So anyway, Derek is alive? And today seemed like the perfect day to post this. I have had this one story in mydrafts for years where Derek's been alive this whole time but i never posted it but somehow im posting this along the same lines.
Enjoy, i hope yall liked this! I'll post more soon, lemme know if you want more.
Bye bye.