In Your Dreams

2.

"Derek, I can't tell you how grateful I am that you accepted my offer."

Richard beamed and boasted like the father of a son who just hit a home run at the world series. Why he insisted on showing me around on my first day I didn't know. I'm a world renown neurosurgeon, I knew my way around a hospital. I didn't need the principal to show me to my home room.

I smiled through my teeth. Ok, maybe it was more than a fake annoyed smile, I was happy to be in Seattle. And even happier to be out of New York.

"Well Richard, your offer couldn't have come at a better time."

"Oh?" He was obviously curious.

"I needed a change."

"Well change is definitely in order." He beamed more, way too happy for a Monday morning. "It may take a while to meet everyone, big hospital with busy people. You sure you don't want me to call a conference?"

"Yes Richard." I laughed once "I don't want to draw attention to myself, I only want to work."

"Some things Derek, some things never change."

And he was right. I'm a self proclaimed workaholic and I didn't see that changing anytime soon. Work was my home, it was the place I went to when I was sad, angry, hurting, it was always there to reliably take my mind off the world and it's problems. I loved work. If I could ever find a woman that I loved more than my work, well then I might be liable to change, but I didn't see that happening anytime soon.

"Ah, look we're in luck!" Richard chuckled as we rounded a corner "Right there is our head of Plastic Surgery Dr..."

My mouth dropped and I looked aghast. I hadn't seen that stature in years but I would recognize that set of brute gorilla shoulders anywhere.

"Mark Sloan!" I gasped "You're kidding me."

"I'll be damned." He said with a smirk as he turned to face me "Derek Shepherd."

We then indulged in a man hug. Now men don't hug, not straight men anyway, and not with each other. But there is a thing called a man hug. The hands meet in a strong 'manly' shake, and then the two lean into each other, tap the shoulders and lean out. That is a man hug.

"My god." I laughed "What's it been? Ten years."

"Eleven." Mark smiled, obviously happy to see me too "But who's counting."

Mark was my best friend and roommate in med school. It was a daunting task, living with a guy who practically ran a whore house in his bedroom. And constantly being begged to be the third wheel's date as he tried to pick up on her friend. But he was a good guy underneath it all, at least I had a friendly face in Seattle.

"Wonderful!" Richard cheered "You two know each other?"

Mark grinned "We were roomies in Med school."

"You were the worst roommate in history." I scoffed "I have no idea how we managed to be friends."

"Hey, you had fun. Admit it." Mark smirked "I think I even got you laid a few times."

"I'm perfectly capable of finding my own sexual partner."

"Ok." Richard mumbled. I had completely forgotten he was still standing there "I'll let you two catch up."

We nodded and waited for Richard to get out of ear shot before we tore into each other.

"So how's life been in the last decade?" Mark asked "Did you marry that Addison chick?"

"Married and divorced."

"She was hot." He shook his head as he reminisced insensitively "Did she nag you to death, or get fed up with her power trip?"