𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐗 ━━ 𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐤 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐝

eighty two | poster

"Hey, Derek. I owe you an apology. You, too, Leven."

Arizona approaches me and Derek as we enter the hospital, arms curled together and neither of us dressed in our scrubs yet. The night before Callie and Arizona had come over after our shifts to discuss buying the hospital before Pegasus Horizons.

"Oh, no. There's no need."

"No, no, I do. It was late, and I was tired and stressed out."

"Well, we were all stressed out. We're just trying to do our best."

"No, I know. But I had no right to call you egotistical."

"It was egomaniacal, I think."

"Yeah, I-I was out of line."

The three of us come to a stop next to Webber, where a blown-up poster of Derek and his pearly whites adorn the wall.

"On the other hand. . ." She trails off before wandering away.

"You're Pegasus' Face of the Hospital?" The former chief breaks the somewhat awkward silence.

Derek cautiously scans the picture. "Cahill said it would be some brochures, some schmoozing, not. . .all of this."

"Not a whole lot of practicing medicine either. I hope you know what you're in for." Webber side-eyes him. "No offense, Derek. I mean, it's a great face, but. . .this is a lot of it."

And the moment we're left alone, I tug Derek's arm into the nearest elevator. His hands stuff themselves into his coat pockets.

"It's unbelievable."

"It's unacceptable."

"Would it be too much if I asked for a copy to put up in the living room?"

The unamused surgeon looks towards me.

"What? We could hang it up above the fireplace mantel. It would look great on a winter night. And God, I hope our kid has your teeth."

". . .you're lucky you're pregnant."

My elbow digs into his ribs, the two of us silently chuckling.

"Dr. Shepherd, hold up!"

Ross runs up to the elevator just as the doors close. I huff under my breath and press the button to keep them open.

"Love the picture. Love it. Your head is gigantic." The intern boasts ecstatically, to which Derek sighs. "I'm prepping for our A.V.M.. Do you prefer O.R. two or four?"

And he turns towards me.

"He's doing an A.V.M. under hypothermic arrest where he drops the brain's temperature to avoid stroke risk."

"I know I look young, but I'm an attending. I know what that is."

"He's the only one in the region who does it."

"Yup. That's why I married him."

"I've always wanted to see it up close."

"Well, would you like to see your own foot up your —"

"I'm not doing it." Sensing a strike of rage from my end, Derek interrupts. "Cahill wants me to meet the buyers."

"Seattle's hottest doctor is needed. Sorry, Ross." My lips curve in an exaggerated pout.

Ross leaves just as quickly as he came, eliciting a sigh of relief from both of us. The tip of my fingers press into the "close" button.

"If I have to look at that face any longer, I'm gonna be sick."

"Thanks."

"You're very welcome."

As the doors shut, an even larger version of Derek's face appears. Derek groans in shock and utter disgust, and I feign a gag.

One by one, the five survivors of the plane crash are taken into Callie's S.U.V., conveniently parked just outside of the ambulance bay, to talk to the Shepherd financial advisor.

Cristina and I are paired together to sit in the front seats.

"Mrs. Shepherd. Lovely to see you again."

"Hi, Stan."

"You know him?" Cristina snaps towards me.

"Of course I know him." I reply just as forcefully. "Derek introduced me when my dad died, and I had no clue as to what to do with the money."

"All I wanna know is. . .is it possible for us to do this?"

"And how possible is it?"

"It is very possible."

"Okay, well, how much more money do we need?"

"That's what I was saying. I-I don't know. Not until I see a hospital financial statement. And the element of surprise will be sort of crucial here."

"Leave it to me, then."

With a limited amount of time, Derek and I concoct a plan — a very short-lengthed heist — to steal one of the documents.

"I can't believe I volunteered to do this." My hands press into the windowsill behind me. "I was never sneaky growing up. I always let my boyfriends in and out the front door. Sent my dad into a spiral whenever he saw."

"This is the only way I can think of getting in there, alright? Stan needs to see the financial statements. I will schmooze and distract, and then you —"

"Stick a slab of paper down my shirt and call it pregnancy boobs?"

"I don't know."

"Just get me in there, Shepherd."

He curls his hand around the doorknob of the conference room and twists it open.

"Gentlemen and ladies, I'm sorry to interrupt you, but I'd like to introduce you to my wife, Dr. Leven Phoenix."

One of the men stands up from his chair and extends a welcoming hand.

"Pleasure to meet all of you."

And the pitcher of water set exactly at the center of the table is knocked over, spilling water over most of the paperwork.

"Oh, Leven."

"I'm so sorry. With my center of gravity thrown off, I've become really clumsy."

The agents work to clean off the mess, and I tuck a document under my white coat. Once we've turned the corner, I motion to the stolen paperwork.

"I could marry you again right now. You are so hot when you're nefarious."

"That's just the adrenaline rush talking."

As Pegasus moves up their decision to purchase the hospital tonight, the group of five invites themselves to the conference room. . .and quits.

"The first thing we need to do is form an L.L.C. so that you can legally get all your funds in one place. And you'll need a name for your new corporation. Do you know what you'd like to call yourselves?"

"The Bitter Pills?"

"Epic Failure."

"Blind Leading the Blind, Incorporated."

"Death Spiral."

"Another round of scotch?"

"That would make a terrible name."