Against All Odds

6. A Group Meeting with Richard

"Now I want to know what the hell is going on and I want to know now!"

The Chief stopped ranting and looked at the four of them.

Meredith was the first to respond.

"Hmmm...let's see. You invited The Ruler of All Things Evil to Seattle, thus threatening to ruin my life, Derek's life and Michael's life. She has no regard for anyone other than herself and she instigated the whole situation back there."

"I did not! You pulled my hair!"

"You knocked my arm of the table. I wasn't bothering you!" Meredith ranted.

"You called me a pussy!"

"I'm sorry, I meant to call you a bitch!"

"Enough!" The Chief yelled.

Meredith and Addison turned their attention to him, both pissed.

"Now you two are adults. It is time to act like it. Now this decision was not in anyway personal..."

"Not personal! It's personal to me!" Meredith yelled.

"This hospital has no room for your personal lives...period. Now you are all going to go out there and act like you are the best of friends until the minute you leave this hospital. Or Addison can leave..."

"Fine by me." Meredith muttered.

"And you can be suspended." Richard finished.

Meredith looked at Richard in shock. Addison smiled smugly.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes." He turned to Addison. "And you can wipe that smug look off of your face. So kindergarten rules."

"And what exactly are those?" Addison asked.

"No biting, no hitting, no spitting, no pulling of the hair..." He said with a pointed look at Meredith. "...and learn to share your toys."

Meredith shot up out of her chair.

"Share our toys? But our 'toy' is Derek..."

"Hey." He objected.

She put her hand up to quiet him.

"And I am not sharing my 'toy'. She put the toy out on the curb for the trash collectors and I rescued it from the garbage dump. My toy."

Avery snickered.

"Why are you even here?" She asked him.

"Hey the Chief dragged my ass up here with you three..." He shot a look at Derek, who was glaring at him and quickly amended. "...two crazy people. I didn't do anything but keep you from killing someone. You can thank me later."

"Don't hold your breath. On second thought, do hold it. I will let you know when to stop." She said.

"Okay that's enough. I have had women yelling at me nonstop for over twenty four hours and I am tired and I have a headache and for the first time in twenty seven years, I want a drink but I can't drink because I am an alcoholic so I need everyone to get the hell out now. Goodbye and good riddance." Richard ordered.

Derek grasped Meredith's elbow and led her out, with Addison and Jackson close behind.

"Well that was entertaining." Jackson said.

"Yeah, well at least you said something." Meredith said with a pointed look at Derek.

"What did you want me to say?" He asked.

"Oh I don't know, something along the lines of 'Addison needs to get her broomstick and ride it out of here'."

"Richard is right. There is no room for personal here. You want to rant and rave, do it at home." Derek said.

Meredith backed away from Derek, jerking her arm from his grip.

"Yeah maybe I will do that." She shook her head and turned to Jackson. "Avery, let's go check on Mrs. Thompson."

"Sure thing." Avery said. He shot a grin at Derek as he followed her.

"Well that was interesting." Addison purred.

"What do you want?" Derek asked, moving away from her.

"I am just here to work. I told you that." She said, acting surprised.

"Yeah I know what you told me and know I want to know the truth." Derek said.

"I am telling you the truth. I am not here to cause trouble for you, I swear. I have a week here and then I am gone." She told him.

"Make sure you are."

She watched him walk away. She was gone as far as he knew. However, that OB attending looked mighty pregnant. They would need someone to fill in for her for a couple of months and suddenly she knew just the person for the job.