Merder: Different Circumstances

Chapter Forty Two

The final week, before their two week holiday, was filled with routine surgeries and consultations for both Meredith and Derek. As an unintentional punishment, the both of them were never getting interesting surgeries as they had to make sure appointments were completed with any outstanding patients and that there wouldn't be a backlog when they returned. With that, came longer working hours, as patients requested evening appointments, and much more boring days.

"Less than a week to go now dear," Mrs Johnson, a long term patient and recent liver transplant patient of Meredith's, stated as they concluded their appointment.

A small smile broke through on Meredith's face as she let her professional front slip ever so slightly. Whilst she was looking forward to the wedding, she found herself smiling more at what Mrs Johnson obviously wouldn't have been referring to in the slightest: her exchange of vows the day before.

"Yes, then I'll become Mrs Shepherd, still Dr. Grey however."

"Well, you could never let a man take credit for your achievements in life."

"Of course not." Meredith agreed, walking one of her favourite patients to the door, "You have Dr. Bailey's pager number in case of any concerns and then in my first week back you'll be booked in for a follow up appointment with me."

"Enjoy yourself hun, you deserve it."

Meredith watched as she walked down the corridor and towards a nurses station to book another appointment, before falling down into her chair. Any spare moment spent outside of the hospital was spent on wedding preparations and as much as she had grown to love it all, she would sometimes hide in her office after her working hours just to get some peace.

"Dinner for two?" She heard follow a knock on the other side of her door.

"Come on in Ashley."

"I have pizza and sushi, I wasn't too sure what you'd want." Ashley said as she walked in and placed the food down on the coffee table.

"I've been dying for this all day, patient after patient, it's so boring."

"Swear you and Dad are working opposite shifts, he's at home sleeping right now because he has that over night surgery thing later."

"Two weeks off, that's all that's getting us through. Also are you sure that you're okay to fly out to wherever your dad has booked on your own?"

Derek had been adamant about planning their honeymoon himself. So after spending a week just the two of them, Ashley was flying out to join them for a family holiday before their lives were handed back over to the hospital.

"I promise I'm fine. My mom said she's going to stay for a couple of days after the wedding so I will do something with her and then the rest of the time Matthew."

"If you're sure, where are you meeting us anyways?"

"The airport." Ashley said, not wanting to give away the secret.

"What airport, Ashley please you know I hate surprises."

"You'll love this one, I promise."

When Meredith gave a slight glare to push the subject further all she received was a shrug of Ashley's shoulders, which she just rolled her eyes at. The two of them continued eating, as Meredith was grateful her pager hadn't pulled her away. 

A knock at the door pulled the two of them out of their conversation of the final seating plan for the wedding, and Meredith called in whoever was on the other side.

"I heard my two favourite girls were here, so I thought I'd join you." Derek said as she walked into the room, placing himself between them on the couch. 

"We were just talking about the wedding and how Nancy is sat as far away from Cristina as possible to avoid any sorts of fights." Meredith explained. 

"Bridesmaids and Groomsmen again are?" Ashley asked. 

"Lexie is my maid of honour and Mark is your dad's best man."

"I have a twenty dollar bet with Karev that they will leave together."

"Ew, too much information Dad, I don't need to think about Uncle Mark like that."

"Then Cristina, Amelia and Jo are my other bridesmaids and Owen, Alex and Jackson are the other groomsmen." 

"Okay and the night before the wedding the bridesmaids are staying at our house and dad you're being kicked out to Mark's?"

"Yep. Ashley you can either stay with me at Mark's, with Meredith and the bridesmaids, I think your mum is staying in a hotel close by, or Grandma is staying in a hotel."

The rest of the conversation was lost as both Meredith's pager went off with a page down to the pit and Derek's to the pre-op room for his patient. With them leaving, Ashley checked the OR board to see that her Aunt Amy was stuck in a surgery before leaving to go home. 

"Seventeen year old girl complaining of abdominal pains and a laceration to the arm." The paramedic said to Meredith as they walked into the ER.

"Baby." The girl whispered.

"Can I get an ultrasound and OB paged down here please." Meredith shouted, before turning to the teenager. "Okay sweetie, we're going to get your arm cleaned up and then we can call your parents."

"No don't." She quickly followed, before pausing and realising she needed an explanation. "They don't know I'm pregnant."

Meredith paused as she was cleaning up the laceration and took a moment to compile herself, before continuing cleaning the wound.

"How far along are you?"

"31 weeks, I'm so tiny that baggy clothes hide it."

"And your parents don't know?"

"They always work so it isn't hard to hide. My boyfriends mom knows and she's been taking me to appointments and stuff."

Before the conversation could continue, Arizona showed up and completed the ultrasound, in which time, much to the girls dismay, her parents had been called. With the laceration only needing surgical glue and the contractions she felt only being braxton hicks, the teen was only waiting to be discharged and was left in the care of the nurses. 

"God if Ashley ever pulled anything like that I'm pretty sure Derek or Addison would kill her, hell I would kill her." Meredith said as she walked towards the OR galleries with Arizona. 

"She wouldn't she's a good kid." Arizona followed. 

"Yeah, she's the best."