Don't mess with the Grey.

Chapter 51

Meredith took a quick glance at Carolyn who was bustling around the stove with her back to the room, and hissed at Derek, "You don't have to sit here and guard me." Against all reason, Meredith's, Addison's and Derek's advice, Carolyn insisted that her future daughter in law helped her prepare the family dinner on the last day of Shepherd women's visit to Seattle. While Derek, Derek insisted he wanted to lend a hand and didn't budge since they came back from the hospital.

He didn't even look up from the vegetables he was chopping and muttered in equally quiet voice, "I'm not."

"Yes, you are!" she argued, her hand moving decisively cutting meat to thinner and thinner particles with skill and precision of the great surgeon she was. "You don't have to worry, she's not going to reduce me to a puddle of tears this time!"

Derek sighed at the recollection of how Ellis's visit last year ended, with broken Meredith in his arms, telling him her darkest secret.

"You're lucky it's not a patient's brain," he quipped casting a pointed look at her chopping board, deflecting her accusations.

"I can take care of yours in a minute," she bit back. "Seriously, Derek, go away. I don't want overbearing questions or anyone's pity-"

"It's not pity," he started to explain patiently but was interrupted by his mother clearing her throat meaningfully; she was now facing them with concern mingled with curiosity.

"Is everything all right, Dear?" she addressed Meredith.

Was everything all right? Far from it. Ellis Grey was back in town sowing doom and destruction on her way. She would probably bend backwards to stop her from marrying Derek and now Susan, Thatcher and Lexie were coming to dinner too, as she didn't have the occasion to explain to her half-sister her words weren't really an invitation. Carolyn on the other hand, was thrilled at the prospect of meeting her father.

"Everything is perfect," answered Meredith with a tightlipped smile.

"Bullshit," Derek snorted under his breath.

"Derek, language," berated him his mother.

"Yeah, can you make him go to his room?" Meredith squinted at him. "Maybe he'll listen to you."

"You don't listen to anyone for sure," he threw the ball back.

"I don't-"

"Meredith, Derek!" silenced them Carolyn. "What is going on? Can you explain me why you're acting like a pair of five-year-olds?"

"I don't know," shrugged Meredith. "I think Derek's just PMSing."

"Smartass," he muttered giving her a stormy look. Normally, after a jibe like that, he would sweep her off her feet and take her roughly on the kitchen table. Unfortunately, this time there was an obstacle in the form of his mother.

"Honestly," Carolyn shook her head, "I don't know how you've managed so far not to kill each other behaving like this."

"We do talk," replied Derek.

"Make-up sex," said Meredith at the same time, deadpanned.

"Oh, and you were angry at me for what I said to Finn," reproached her Derek and turned back to Carolyn. "Meredith's mother is in Seattle."

"You ass!" shrieked Meredith and threw a piece of meat at him which he missed in the last moment. "I hope you enjoy the coach tonight!"

"Enough of this!" commanded firmly Carolyn. "Derek, clean that up. Meredith, is your mom really in town? Is she joining us tonight?"

"No!" snorted Meredith. "Of course not!"

"But if she's in Seattle," argued rationally Derek's mother. "I think it's a great opportunity-"