Don't mess with the Grey.

Chapter 44

Meredith opened her eyes slowly, reluctantly, as her mind drifted back to consciousness, a very uncomfortable consciousness. Her muscles felt slightly stiff after a night spent in the simple bunk bed in the on-call room. But even worse than that was the lack of her human heating pillow. Over the last month, she grew so accustomed, addicted really, to sleeping with him, that every night apart left her with a small sense of emptiness. Mind you, she had trouble with nodding off at all.

With a wide yawn, she pushed herself to a sitting position, scratching her back. She eyed her bed with hostility; if it wasn't for a VIP case she felt compelled to supervise, she wouldn't have stayed all night. She didn't feel like going back to sleep, but she wasn't all that eager to get up and go out... there, either... She then glowered at the door, completely innocent in this case. She knew already, she knew for the past week, that this day was going to suck, royally. The reason for that was simple, her birthday.

It wasn't that she suffered from a bad case of b-day phobia. She had no problem celebrating other people's birthdays, she didn't have many occasions for that, pray. It was her own birthday she couldn't stand. Her mother never attached any special importance to that, by definition, special day. If she did remember about it, it was always extra money as a gift, something which Meredith had always in abundance. One year, however, Ellis promised little Meri a trip to the movies and a dinner out. Unfortunately, like many other promises in her life, the plans didn't come to fruition, not on her birthday, not on any other day. Dr. Grey was held up at the hospital while Meredith spent the evening alone without even a crumble of cake. Since that particular day, Meredith never held any great expectations. It was easier to overlook her birthday , less disappointing when no one cared about it.

But that was not the only reason Meredith could do without celebrating her birthday. There was an even darker one. By some ironic twist of fate, Meredith Jane Grey was born on February the 14th, the lamest, corniest, most commercialized holiday in the world. All the Valentine's traditions, decorations, cupids and pink hearts, effectively prevented her from forgetting about her own solitude and misery. And now she just knocked on thirty, what was there to celebrate anyway?

Apparently, Derek was strongly convinced there was. He refused straight on to ignore her birthday as she begged him to, and promised it was going to be both the best birthday and Valentine's Day of her life. Such a pity, she detested either occasion. Though, if her boyfriend was hell-bent on something, he would always find a way to make it happen. Knowing him, he prepared something grand... She gulped heavily, she hoped she wouldn't drown in the sea of pink when she left the on-call room.

With a sigh of resignation, she put her scrubs and the lab coat on, brushed her hair and peeked outside tentatively. So far, so good. Everything seemed normal. She straightened out her clothing and marched to her office.

"Morning, Chief," a nurse smiled up at her in passing. "Happy Birthday!"

Meredith nodded in acknowledgment though her teeth were deadly clenched. Of course, everyone knew; nothing could stay quiet in this place.

"Happy Birthday, Dr. Grey," wished a doctor on her way.

Derek, Addison or Mark... who was she supposed to strangle? Speak of the devil... His name barely entered her mind when she spotted him striding confidently towards her, like some prince charming. Her breath hitched a little as her eyes swept over his perfect chiseled features, baby blue eyes, perfect wavy hair and perfect shiny smile...

"There you are, I've been looking for you everywhere," he murmured into her ear sneaking an arm around her waist and planting a kiss on her lips. "Happy Birthday, love. And Happy Valentine's Day."

"Ugh, thanks?" she raised her eyebrows skeptically but reached up for another kiss. Kisses were okay, only Derek's kisses would get her through the day.