Bright and Shiny

Chapter 10

Before her first shift could be over, Meredith was finishing the post-op notes for Derek. Just standing against the nurses' desk, she was in deep thought when she could feel eyes on her, glancing up seeing Dr. Bailey suddenly appear in front of her staring her down.

"I'm not keeping your secret and if I were you and the other I'd inform the Chief of your little situation." She spat out.

" , I'm not sure what secret you think you need to keep but I nor the other Dr. Shepherd has no secrets from Chief Webber." Meredith calmly answered back, reminding herself that Bailey was her superior and she needed to not be rude. However that flew out the window after Bailey's next question.

"So Chief Webber knows he has an intern and attending together? That you're breaking the rules?"

"Well considering he was at our wedding 7 years ago, I'm going to go on the assumption that he does know that we're married and together." Meredith said in a snarky tone.

She was tired and when she gets tired she got snarky and right now she wanted to go home with her husband, eat and get her foot rub. Not have to defend her marriage to someone who clearly did not understand. Taking a deep breath, and sighing Meredith calmed herself down before continuing.

"Dr. Bailey, Derek and I have been married for 7 years. We've been together for 8. We met and fell in love when I was just out of high school and he was a med student. Chief Webber was there at the start and attended our wedding. We are not an intern and attending tawdry relationship, we are a long time married couple. I'm also not hiding any secrets, I just didn't feel the need for me to walk in here on my first day with a t-shirt that said 'the Head of Neuro's wife' despite how much my husband would have loved it. I wear my rings, he wears his, I use my married name, we drove in together, walked in together, will go home together. We are not hiding anything, we just didn't feel the need to broadcast our private business in our place of work. I am sorry if you feel I'm breaking the rules, but I won't apologize for being happily married." She finally finished looking Bailey directly in the eyes.

"Have you thought of what the other interns will think when they figure out this turn of events? Yang already believes you're being favored and she doesn't know the husband part yet."

"With all do respect , I know that I won't be the most popular person with the other interns. I've already resigned myself to the fact they are not going to like me for being married to an attending among another thing, but I won't feel bad for being married to the man I love and it's not my problem if they have issues with it. It's there's." She replied strongly sticking to her convictions wondering where all this inner power came from since it was just this morning she was freaking out about the other knowing to Derek.

"As long as you know, and tell your hubby he better not favor you. I'll be watching." Bailey trailed off as she picked up a chart and turned to go, halting midway.

"Oh and Shepherd, you did well today. With the Q&A and with the assist. You're definitely the intern to beat. You didn't hear my say this but I'm glad you're my intern, you look to have a good head on your shoulders and be very grounded in life. That will make you a good doctor." She praised to Meredith.

"Thank you , but I can't take credit for me being grounded, that's all Derek and the stability and love he gives me." I say honestly, Bailey nods before taking another step towards walking away before halting again.

"I understand Shepherd, I have a husband like that too." She says as gives me a slight smile and this time walking down the hall towards her patient.

Meredith smiles to herself and at how well that went before going back to Derek's post op notes not wanting to keep him waiting for their date.