Addison's Secret

Chapter 9: Comfort

Miranda Bailey stood firm with her hands on her hips, waiting for Derek to reach her as he walked down the hallway.

Her eyes locked with his when he finally reached her.

"Would you care to explain to me why I've got a bunch of interns whispering about you and not my surgeries I've got lined up for them? Or should I ask Meredith Grey?"

Derek gave Bailey a tired look.

"You know they call you the Nazi, don't you?"

"For good reason," Bailey responded evenly.

"It's just gossip," Derek said as he tucked his pen in his lab coat pocket.

He moved in the direction of anywhere that was far away from her.

Bailey followed close behind, determination fueling her every step.

"Oh, I was there. I don't know if I'd call it 'just gossip.'"

Derek paused and spun around, nearly bumping into Bailey's small, angry form.

"There is nothing going on between Meredith and I anymore. Let the hospital talk until the next thing they find fascinating comes along."

"There'd better be nothing going on between you and Grey. The last thing I need is a bunch of horny adrenaline-spiked interns running around with the residents and their spouses out for blood. It's a damn circus around here!"

Derek sighed and took a sip of his coffee.

"Speaking of adrenaline-spiked interns, I've got to ask Karev a question. So, if you wouldn't mind," he gestured for Bailey to walk past him.

Bailey eyed him but took heed to his gesture and continued on her way.

"Karev!" Derek called when he saw Alex turning the corner. He walked briskly over to him.

"You shouted?" Alex asked, an annoyed look already painted across his face.

Derek leveled with him.

"You're working with Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd tomorrow, aren't you?"

Alex continued to look at him without offering a yes or no.

Derek resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"I need you to get me the files for her patients. I'd like her to have a chance to look things over before she comes back to work."

"Yeah, whatever," Alex replied with a shrug before strolling off.

"He's a tough egg to crack, but he's a good doctor."

Derek turned around to the sound of Richard's voice.

"You've got to be tough with that one," he continued before dragging his eyes to Derek. "How's Addie doing?"

"Good, she's doing good," he nodded absentmindedly. "I'm just trying to wrangle up her patients' files for her before she comes in tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Richard looked at Derek dumbly. "I thought she was coming in the day after tomorrow."

"No, it was always set for tomorrow," Derek stated. "Why, is that a problem?" He asked, one eyebrow raised in question.

Richard thumbed through a stack of files in his hands. His eyes widened only slightly and then went back to normal before he made eye contact with Derek again.

"No...not a problem at all."

"The way you said that makes me think there's definitely a problem. What's going on, Richard?"