what i'm here for

Chapter 37: Three for Three

Derek was minding his own business, other than the fact that he was curiously surveying a particular conversation occurring at a table across the cafeteria, when a series of thuds resounded beside him. He turned his attention away from the intriguing interaction of the other table to find Cristina and Izzy setting their trays down beside him.

"Hi," he greeted cautiously as he discreetly glanced behind them for Meredith. There was no sign of his girlfriend.

"Hey," Cristina said as she sat down across from him.

"Hi, Derek," Izzy greeted warmly as she sat beside him.

There was still no sign of Meredith. Derek was somewhat taken aback by the fact that her friends were sitting with him, even though she didn't seem to be anywhere around. This had definitely never happened before. And it wasn't as if the cafeteria was full and his was the only table with space. There were plenty of free tables.

"So," he cleared his throat. "Anything interesting going on today?"

Izzy shook her head. "Not really. I scrubbed in with Dr. Bailey this morning."

Derek nodded and shifted his eyes over to Cristina, who shrugged.

"My interns are getting on my nerves."

Derek smiled, and then laughed when Izzy rolled her eyes at her friend.

"Who's that sitting with Dr. Sloan?" Izzy asked. She too had obviously noticed the conversation that had held Derek's attention before.

Derek shook his head. "I don't know." He smiled. "But I want to know." He turned and shifted his eyes in time to see Mark smile at the woman he was sitting with. Derek didn't think he recognized her, but he could only see the back of her very blonde head, so he couldn't be sure. Mark obviously said something funny, because she laughed and reached out to lay her hand on his and he smirked. Derek definitely recognized that look.

"Who ever she is, she's definitely getting McSteamied," Cristina commented.

Derek snorted, but had to nod his agreement.

"Hey, what are we looking at?" Alex asked as he, too, joined the table.

"Trying to figure out who the woman with Sloan is," Izzy filled him in.

Alex glanced across the cafeteria and shrugged. "Don't know, don't care." He glanced at Cristina. "Yang, I hear Hahn finally let you scrub in with her."

Cristina nodded emphatically. "Yeah," she glanced triumphantly at Izzy before continuing. "She let me scrub in yesterday. And I'm still working on her patients today."

Izzy scoffed. "Just because you have Bailey on your side."

"And she's obviously recognizing that I'm better than you."

Izzy rolled her eyes. "Think whatever you want."

"I will."

Alex shook his head and exchanged a quick look with Derek. A look that said, women, I wish I hadn't brought it up. Derek was surprised at how easily the exchange occurred, as if they had lunch together every day, as if they regularly interacted outside of work when Meredith wasn't involved. Derek smiled and nodded to himself as he realized he was being accepted as one of them. His family was accepting Meredith, and hers was accepting him.

"What about you?" Izzy asked suddenly, causing him to blink as he tried to understand the question.

"I'm sorry?"

"Any interesting surgeries today?"

Derek shook his head. "No. Did a small nerve graft this morning. Then caught up on some paperwork. More paperwork this afternoon."