Whatever It Takes

Chapter 19

How to avoid defeat, when truth and fiction meet
Why nothing ever turns out as you plan

These are things that I don't understand
Yeah, these are things that I don't understand
--Coldplay



"I don't understand." Meredith huffed under her surgical mask.

"Don't understand what Dr. Grey?" George asked her from the other side of the OR table as he assisted her in surgery.

"I don't understand why someone would just show up."

"What?" George asked lost...

"Sorry." Meredith mumbled "I'm talking to myself."

"Sounds like maybe you need someone to talk back."

She looked across at George, he'd always been so kind and gentle. She never really talked to anyone much, Christina mostly but George.. he was more than just a roommate to her, she considered him a friend.

For a second she was tempted to tell him, but it was too complicated, too much to explain.. and there was also an OR full of gossipy people.

"I just." She sighed shaking her head "I just don't see why patients need to call in for these hot shot doctors when we have perfectly fine ones here."

"Oh, are you talking about Dr. Sloane?"

"No." Meredith sighed "I mean yes... maybe."

"Yeah Christina was whining about that earlier too." George mumbled "But I told her that maybe it's a good thing the chief called him in, she could use it as a learning opportunity."

The hair on Meredith's arms stood up as her spine stiffened and she slowly looked up at George and her eyes narrowed as a realization suddenly hit the pit of her stomach.

"The.. the chief called him in?" she said through her teeth.

"Well yeah.. isn't that how they end up coming here. I mean if the patients knew about a better doctor wouldn't they just go to them wherever they are?" George spat out...

Meredith pressed her lips together through her mask as her jaw clenched and she muttered out...

"Yes.. yes it is."