Can't Help Falling in Love

18

"Meredith, you look great," he said, stepping towards her.

"Ryan," she said firmly. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I work here," he smiled. "Why are you here?"

"That's none of your business," Meredith snapped. "I have to go."

"What's wrong?" Ryan asked, frowning as she moved to walk away from him.

"What's wrong?" Meredith asked. "What's wrong is that when we were dating my mother paid you off to leave me. And you took the money right before you got my best friend pregnant. So what's wrong is the fact that I just took time off work to have lunch with my horrible mother who stood me up and now I have to stand here talking to you, the person who completely destroyed my life."

"Meredith," Ryan sighed. "I think about you a lot."

"You have no right to think about me," Meredith snapped.

"I made a mistake," Ryan said softly. "Mer, I should never have taken that money."

"Don't call me Mer," she snapped. "And you're right, you never should have taken the money, but there's no way that you're going to get back together with me. I'm happy now."

"Meredith, can't we even just get a cup of coffee, talk about things?" he asked.

"No!" she said. "I have to get back to work."

"Meredith!" Ellis's voice sounded from down the hall. "You're late."

"Seriously?" Meredith rolled her eyes. "I've been here for half an hour waiting for you to get out of surgery."

"Well, it was useless, patient died only a few minutes in," Ellis said as she tore her scrub cap off. "I see you've reunited with Ryan."

"What?" Meredith asked.

"He's much better suited for you than that model you think you're in love with," Ellis said.

"You have got to be kidding me," Meredith said. "Mom, you paid him off to leave me."

"And now he's successful, determined, focused," Ellis replied. "You can't live off of me forever. And you'll need someone successful with that pitiful salary of yours."

"It's not pitiful," Meredith argued. "And I haven't taken money from you in years. Since you decided to pay people to make me miserable."

"Don't be dramatic," Ellis said. "And you're living in my house."

"Fine," Meredith said. "I'll get my own place."

"You think you'll move in with that boyfriend of yours?" Ellis asked.

"Mom, please just let me live my own life," Meredith said.

"Mer, you should calm down," Ryan murmured, stepping closer to her.

"And you....you don't get to talk to me," Meredith replied.

"I just don't want to see you upset," Ryan said softly.

"How's your baby?" Meredith snapped. "Think about that and try to imagine not hurting me. I have to go."

"Meredith Elizabeth Grey, you come back here right now," Ellis commanded as Meredith stormed towards the elevators.

Meredith ignored her as she moved into the stairwell, storming down the steps. She wasn't sure that she'd ever been this angry, and all she needed was to see Derek and make sure that she wasn't some kind of unlovable person who was meant to be alone for the rest of her life.

When she reached his apartment, she stormed up the stairs and pounded on the door, running past Mark as he opened the door. "Where's Derek?" she demanded.