Everyone Has Secrets

Chapter 25

Her surgery that day had been particularly difficult. She'd been in the OR since eight that morning, and Brian had disappeared around halfway through. She wasn't sure where he had gone or why, but she didn't have time to think about that. She'd almost lost her patient five times, and she wished Derek had been in there with her. They way they worked together was exactly what she'd needed in there with her.

So far, the young girl seemed to have pulled through, but they wouldn't know about any deficits she might have until she woke up, if she woke up. Meredith really couldn't say at this point, and all she really wanted to do was go lay down and sleep.

She left the girl's parents with one of the nurses to show them to her, looking for the nearest unoccupied call room so she could just breathe for five minutes. Everywhere seemed to be locked and she just needed to sit down. She found an empty desk at the nurses' station and sat down, lowering her forehead onto her arms on the table.

"Hey, everything okay?" Derek's voice came out of nowhere after a few moments.

"Tired, nowhere to lay down," she mumbled, not moving.

"You did really amazing in that surgery," he said after a moment of silence between them, and she was pretty sure he'd moved to sit in the chair next to her.

"You saw?" she asked as she sat up, covering her mouth as she yawned, "I didn't see you, I'd have asked you to join me."

"You didn't need me," he chuckled softly, "You had it pretty well handled. I watched most of it from the gallery."

"It didn't feel like that sometimes," she shrugged, "The way we work in the OR... you know what I'm thinking of doing before I have to say it. I could've done with that."

"Well, we've got all day in the OR tomorrow, wouldn't want you to get sick of me," he joked, gently nudging her side.

"You make a valid point," she laughed softly, turning her chair to face him, pulling one leg up on to the chair with her arms wrapped around it.

"You're supposed to say you'd never get sick of me," he frowned mockingly.

"I mean, maybe I'd get sick of you? Depends if your daughter was around," she shrugged, her chin resting on her knee.

"Why? You like her company more than you like mine?" he feigned hurt, his hand against his chest as he poured playfully.

"Is that really so shocking?" she laughed softly, running her fingers through her hair as she started to take the plaits out.

"You have a point, but don't you think she got all her best traits from me?" he cocked his head slightly, his eyes tracking the movements of her fingers through her hair.

"I hope so," she grinned softly at him, trying to ignore the slight blush on her cheeks.

"Ready to go?" she heard Brian just as he turned the chair round, and she gasped, grabbing on to the armrests as her breath escaped her.

"Bri! Don't do that," she frowned up at him, more irritated than she probably should've been.

"Will coffee and brownies make up for it?" he asked, grinning softly at her as he held out a paper bag and takeaway cup.

"Well... yeah, probably," she grinned softly, taking the bag from him, pulling one of the brownies out and taking a bite. An involuntary moan rose from the back of her throat as she tasted the chocolate melting on her mouth, her eyes closing a moment as she savoured the taste, flicking her tongue out over her lips.

"Good, right?" he grinned at her as she opened her eyes again, and she didn't miss the telltale sign of arousal as his eyes darkened slightly.

"Where are these from?" she asked, covering her mouth slightly, trying to ignore the feeling of Derek watching their interaction.