The Write Match // Bill Hader

Twenty

We finish the pitch meeting and I send John to the writers room, while I go back to my office, hoping to avoid Bill as much as possible. I just need to know what he wants from me. Does he need me to like him or love him or what? I can never tell what he needs from me. I told him exactly what I could give him, I've made it clear, but something always seems to change and I cannot have that change.

I walk around studio all day, helping if it was needed. Everyone is going about their day, and I go back to the writers room and John keeps giving me these strange looks, like he's afraid of what I'm thinking and I don't know why. My thoughts are the same, he knows where I stand and he can't change my mind. There's nothing wrong with pushing my feelings away, especially if those feelings are going to change who I am.

"How was the trip?" Lorne asks as he takes a seat in the writers room.

"I loved it, which was different for me, but I had so much fun." I tell him and he nods.

"You and Hader didn't cause any trouble, did you?" He asks, joking, and I shake my head. I haven't talked to Lorne a lot, I was afraid of him when I met him, and I'm even more afraid of him now. I'm afraid he knows, like he's judging me. "The ideas at the pitch meeting sounded great for this week. I can't wait to see what you'll bring to the cast." He tells me and my stomach drops. The door opens, and Bill walks in, causing my heart to pound.

"Meredith, you okay?" Bill asks, and John gives him side eye.

"I'm just not in the best mindset to write right now, I just feel a little off." I tell them and Bill looks back at me for a second. I look away, looking back down at my laptop.

"There's an episode that needs to be written, take some time, then get to writing." Lorne stands, patting Bill on the back, then leaving, leaving a room of awkward silence.

"You two must've had a busy morning." John says and I see Bill with his eyes closed.

"We haven't been too busy, he's just in a bad mood today." I joke, but he opens his eyes just to shoot me a look. He shakes his head and I roll my eyes. "What do you want to do this week?" I ask him, and he looks at the papers lying on the table.

"I don't care." He tells me, keeping his voice blank. He'll pay for that, I think to myself. I look away, looking through some of my other ideas and I land on one called "Save Broadway." I'll make him sing this week, perfect. I finish writing the sketch, and pack my things up, getting ready to head home. I head for the door, but his hand on my arm stops me. "Can we-" He whispers.

"No, I'm going to do my job and you're going to do yours. Oh, and stop worrying about me so much." I snap and look back to him in the chair. "I'll see you guys tomorrow." I tell him and John before I leave, and I see a smirk, but it's not the usual smirk, he's in disbelief, almost as if he's mad. I walk out of the room and I can hear John and Bill's conversation pick back up.

I buzz John in a couple hours later and I see a look on his face that I don't like. I sit back down on my couch, pulling Bill's shirt over my knees, and tilt my head to John.

"I'm sorry, he insisted that he had to come." He tells me, and closes the door behind him quickly.

"What are you talking about? Did you tell him I was staying in my apartment?" I ask, crossing my arms. There's a knock on my apartment door a few seconds later and I shoot John a look.

"He annoyed the shit out of me, Meredith. I didn't know what else to do. He didn't say a lot as we left the studio, but I knew he would be here because he would want to talk to you. I just needed to be here first. I'll tell him to go home if you want." He shrugs and I shake my head, knowing I'm more than capable to talk to him.