Perfect strangers

Chapter 11

Derek was being distant. He was completely pushing Meredith away and she had no idea why. It was only a few days ago that they were talking about going away and having their 48 interrupted hours, just them. But now, he was avoiding her phone calls and wasn't coming to see her. So now, she was going to see him.

"Hey Meg." Meredith smiled as she walked up the receptionists desk. "Is Derek here?"

"Hm, he should be. Let me phone through." Meg smiled quickly before dialling on the phone and placing her against his ear.

Meredith looked up as she heard Derek's voice and saw him walking towards her. She pushed herself off the desk and moved towards him, stopping in front of him. Derek stopped in his tracks and looked up at her, immediately stopping his conversation.

"Look Mike I will phone you back." He said as he ended the call and placed his phone in his pocket. "Meredith, what are you doing here?" Derek didn't smile at her the way he usually did but just continued to stare at her.

"Well, I thought since you are avoiding me this would be the only place I could catch you. So here I am." Meredith said, her tone raising as people started to stop and stare at the couple.

"Meredith." Derek whispered hardly as he grabbed her by the elbow and pulled her into his office. "Look I can't do this right now." He rubbed his hands over his exhausted features.

"Derek, please tell me what is going on?" Meredith stepped closer and ran her hands up and down his chest. "I've missed you."

"I can't." He sighed as he grabbed her hands and placed them down at her side.

"Have I done something wrong? I mean, every since you got that phone call the other day about your new case you've been so distant with me..." Meredith said as she held back her tears.

"Mer, you know I can't talk about work with you..." he said as he reached up to tuck her hair behind her ear.

"Come over later?" Meredith asked and tried not to sob as she watched him step back.

"Look, I've got a meeting to get to but I will try my best to come and see you later." He smiled at her.

"Ok." Meredith whispered as she moved past him but stopped when Derek grabbed her arm and squeezed it gently.

"Bye." He leaned down and kissed her, letting his lips linger for a bit longer than usual. "I love you."

"I love you too." Meredith smiled at him once more before moving past him and out of his office.

                               *************
Meredith was now beyond angry. Derek had completely dismissed her early and then kissed her goodbye like it was nothing. So now she was angry as she stormed through the hospital.

"Dr Grey." Richard shouted out to her as she moved passed him causing her to stop in her tracks.

"Yes Dr Webber."

"Can I speak to you?" He said to her with a serious expression on his face. "In private."

"Oh yeah sure." Meredith felt her heart drop as she followed Richard towards a free conference room before he shut the door and then the blinds.

"Dr Webber, what's going on?" Meredith asked as she clicked her fingers out of nervousness.

"Take a seat." He pointed at the chair and watched as Meredith hesitated before finally taking a seat. "Look, you're not in trouble. But the hospital is, or some of the doctors are."

Meredith sighed with relief at the fact that her job wasn't at risk.

"You remember when you scrubbed in with Dr Taylor, on a little girl..."

Meredith frowned for a minute as she thought back to a few weeks ago finally realising what Richard was actually talking about as she nodded her head.

"Yeah well, the parents are suing. As far as I'm aware, they aren't coming after you but their daughter was in your care so you're involved. You will have to give a statement. Their daughter didn't when she shouldn't have, so the investigation will be going on even further now." Richard said as he collapsed down into a chair himself.

"So, what do I need to do?" Meredith asked as she shoved her hands in her pocket.

"We have a meeting in..." Richard glanced at his watch. "15 minutes, you need to be there. Our hospital lawyer will there and the Miller's will be there with their lawyer. It's going to get ugly Meredith so I hope you're prepared."

"Yes I am sir." Meredith nodded her head as she fidgeted with her watch on her wrist.

"Good. We best start heading down there now, we don't want to be late."

Both Richard and Meredith pushed them self up before finally leaving the room and made their way through the hospital. The hospital gossip was in full force as nurses, doctors and everyone around started whispering. The rumours were starting.

"Dr Webber." Mrs Johnson walked over and shook his hand, her brief case held tight in her hand. "You ready for this?"

"Yes." He nodded his head as he straightened out his lab coat. "This is Dr Grey."

"Dr Grey, I wish we was meeting in better circumstances." She reached out and shook Meredith's hand. "I take it Dr Webber has told you that whilst you aren't the one being sued we need you to tell us what happened that day, ok?"

"Ok." Meredith nodded her head as she moved her hair out of her eyes.

"Right let's go." Mrs Johnson smiled before she composed herself and pushed open the room to the conference room.

Meredith was completely overwhelmed. Mrs Johnson immediately headed over to Dr Taylor with Richard following shortly behind her. Which left Meredith standing in the doorway. Her eyes immediately went to the Mr and Mrs Miller who were hanging onto one another tightly, not letting go of one another's hand.

But that's when she noticed him. She was recognised them curls anywhere. Her fears were confirmed when he turned and her eyes met hers.
There was no words to describe how she felt right now, her heart dropped as she realised the real reason Derek had been distancing himself.

Derek turned and spoke to the Millers before moving over towards Meredith but was stopped by Mrs Johnson.

"Meredith." Derek discreetly moved and went to grab Meredith's arm and sighed as she flinched and moved out of his grip.

"Don't." Meredith said as she continued to stare ahead and held back her tears. Her whole world was really crumbling around her.

"Excuse me Mr Shepherd but I don't think it's the best idea to be talking to my client given the circumstances." Mrs Johnson said as she stood between the two of them.

Derek nodded his head before moving back over to his clients and occasionally looked towards Meredith and wanted nothing more than to take her into his arms. But he couldn't. He knew he shouldn't have taken this case but when he met The Millers, he couldn't turn them down. He just really wished it wasn't this hospital. Out of all the hospitals it had to be the one his girlfriend worked at and was a case she was involved in.

Now it felt like it would result in the choice of his job or his girlfriend, either way someone was going to get hurt.