𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐗 ━━ 𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐤 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐝

twenty two | faith

"Why are we making food again?"

"It's what you do when someone dies. You cook."

"Making sandwiches is not the same thing as cooking."

"Which is why I'm making chicken noodle soup."

I stir the pot of boiling chicken broth, slices celery, halved carrots, and pieces of rotisserie chicken — thank you, Costco.

Meredith spreads mayo across each bottom bread with a butter knife before placing various slices of cheese over them.

"Have either of you seen my wristwatch?" With a frown, I glance at my empty wrist. "I swear, I had it last night."

"You're hiding something, Leven." Cristina accused while flipping through a copy of People magazine.

"What makes you think I'm hiding something?"

"You just have. . .a look."

If someone even mentions that word again, I'm transferring out of Seattle.

"Can we focus on Izzie? You know, since Denny died." I remind them of the reason we've all been at Meredith's house since the prom. "Cristina, Burke got shot."

"So did you."

"I had a minor cut."

"And a collapsed lung."

"God, did you read my file or something?"

I dip a metal spoon into the pot and lift it up to Meredith, who approves of the taste of the soup after one mouthful.

She offers me half of her sandwich. "Why'd you run off earlier?" Meredith questions. "You were at the food table, and then you were gone."

"Oh. Yeah, I. . ."

"Spill it, Leven."

"Derek kissed me the night I was injured."

"And. . .?"

"And he kissed me again last night. In an exam room."

A rant session with the three women begins promptly at the dining table. Cristina has long set aside the magazine and instead is focused on the story.

"You guys had sex?"

"Oh, God, no. It was a. . .very long kiss."

"Last night, you and McDreamy kissed."

"And the night before."

Meredith soothes me by rubbing my back. "We're not judging you, okay? We're just. . .trying to wrap our heads around this."

"Believe me. . .I would be judging myself if I was in your shoes." My head rests against the cold wood of the table. "He's still married."

"Did he say anything afterwards?"

"No. Torres came in to tell me what happened. . .to Izzie."

"What about before?"

"He said something about me being a breath of air after drowning." I run a hand over the back of my head. "I told him not to fall for a dying woman, and he said it was too late."

"Is Shepherd leaving his wife?" Cristina sits up in her chair with sudden interest.

----------

Iona Allard-Phoenix, mother of Leven Phoenix and ex-spouse to Lennox Phoenix, charges towards the door with her entire life packed into suitcases.