Under the Night Sky

Chapter 31

"I- I don't," Cristina dropped her arms to her sides. "I don't know what to do or say anymore because it seems you're going to get hurt regardless."

"I'll be fine," Meredith smiled at her reassuringly. "Right now- I'm happy. And I'll be fine."

Cristina seemed willing to argue the point but one of her cooks successfully interrupted her.

"Boss, Dr. Grey," Mack hurried to them, "Dr. Shepherd's coming!"

"Turn off the lights!" chuckled Meredith hushing everyone. The restaurant plunged into darkness and everyone stilled in silence.

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This was one of his worst birthdays ever. The one following his father's death could have topped that but the day so far was nothing short of miserable and pathetic. He subsequently answered the calls from all of his sisters, mother and Mark. However, he hadn't felt this lonely for a long time. Meredith, the person he wanted to spend that day with, was not with him. She didn't even have any idea it was a special day for him.

He didn't hold it against her, she was at Cristina's trying to reconcile with her best friend. He got that, the snarky innkeeper was Meredith's person. She understood her without words, which was quite a feat in itself as Meredith was one of the most complicated people he had ever met. He had been a tad surprised this morning to hear that Yang was not talking to Meredith. He hoped the twisted sisters managed to get over their misunderstanding. Maybe he would even be able to save something of the birthday evening.

With a hopeful sigh he directed himself down the main road to the inn.

"Evening, gentlemen," he nodded at the group of men when he reached Under The Alien.

"Doc."

He couldn't help noticing that their greeting was less than enthusiastic and they barely looked up from their beer bottles. A tiny frown creased his forehead, he was one hundred percent sure he didn't do anything gossip worthy as of late. Shrugging he went into the inn, registering with another surprise that it was unusually quiet. It should be bursting both with tourists (it was the peak of the season) and locals alike (Saturday night). It was bizarrely dark too, what the hell was going on?

"Meredith?" he called out. "Cristina?"

He made his way to the restaurant area having to feel the walls with his outstretched hands. The atmosphere was giving him the creeps.

"Anybody here?"

All of a sudden, the lights were up, blinding his eyes while his ears gave out under the deafening "Happy Birthday!" that tore off from dozens of throats. He blinked madly, glancing around in shock as people surrounded him from every side, clapping and beaming wildly. At long last, his searching eyes found hers, gentle and amused at his blatant confusion and bewilderment.

He felt his own face stretching in a gigantic smile as his feet carried him to Meredith holding an enormous birthday cake alit with many candles.

"Happy Birthday!"

"Happy Birthday, Dr. Shepherd!"

People shook his hand and patted him on the shoulder as he walked but he didn't really pay attention. His regard was fixed entirely on Meredith, just as hers was on him. A happy chuckle escaped his throat as his befuddled brain realized it was without a doubt all her doing. She was not mending her friendship with Cristina the whole day, she was preparing a surprise party for him.

"Hey, birthday boy," she said coyly as he stopped in front of her and the cake.

"Mer-" He had so many questions to ask, so many thank-yous to give but all he was able to utter right now was her name. For a moment all he could do was to bask in her warm smile and the twinkling of her eyes. Sometimes when she looked at him, he got a feeling as though she didn't see anything but him. As though something shifted in her feelings towards him around the time of their trip to Vegas. He always chastised himself immediately, she didn't love him, he should not forget about it. He came to terms with that fact, he had to. However, it couldn't stop him from hoping she would reciprocate his affections eventually. He had got further in their relationship that he ever thought possible already.