Against All Odds

12. Is It Too Late?

Meredith kissed Michael's forehead as she dropped him off at daycare. It had been a rough night. Meredith had been irritable because Michael had been irritable because Derek wasn't home. And that was her fault.

She had tossed and turned all night knowing she had overreacted.

He was Derek. She trusted him with her life. With Michael's life. She didn't trust Addison at all and what she had seen was probably Addison's desperate attempt to sink her claws into him.

She was going to find him and apologize.

And they were going to move on.

She rushed up to the third floor, hoping she could catch him before rounds. She knew they couldn't hash things out right then but she just wanted to say she was sorry. They could talk tonight.

She saw a glimpse of the hair and ran forward, resisting the urge to call out his name. The less attention in this hospital, the better.

"Dr. Grey!"

She groaned and ignored the voice. She kept going.

"Dr. Grey!"

She halted and turned quickly to face Kepler.

"Can I help you?" She hissed.

She looked taken aback by Meredith's tone but pushed on anyway.

"Um...yes. Mr. Donnelly in 3116 is presenting with intermittent chest pains, which to me may suggest a myocardial infarction and..."

"Is there a point to this? Cause I am not getting any younger." She said, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Um...what do I do?" Kepler asked.

"You call Cardio. I am Neuro. So unless his heart grows a brain, you are barking up the wrong tree. Oh and before I forget, Dr. Shepherd is mine. So stop with the lip biting, the gushing, the fawning and the general eye fucking or you will be a patient here instead of a doctor. Are we clear?"

Kepler nodded hesitantly and just stood there, as if afraid to move.

"Can the Cardio department read minds?" Meredith asked.

"No, ma'am." She said.

"Well than wait the hell are you waiting for?" Meredith hissed.

"Nothing ma'am, right away ma'am."

Meredith watched her scurry away.

Stupid interns.

She walked towards the general vicinity of where she had seen Derek.

She halted when she saw him arguing with Addison. She straightened back her shoulders and walked up to them.

"Stay out of it! You have done enough damage thank you very much. I didn't come to your room last night to..."

Addison closed her eyes and inhaled quickly. She gestured towards Meredith and Derek turned and froze.

Meredith was reeling. He had went to her room last night? For what?

"It's not what you think. I swear." Derek was saying to her, his hands raised in defense.

"I...I have to go." Meredith stuttered before fleeing.

"Mother fuc..." She heard Derek spat.

She just needed to process this. She could do this. She could make it to the elevator before breaking down in front of the whole hospital. She was going to call the chief, tell them she needed a personal day and call Cristina and make sure that she could pick up Michael after she got off. She needed time.