Where You Belong

39

George returned her smile and nodded. "He does," he agreed. "But why do you sound surprised?"

Meredith sighed and shrugged. How could she begin to explain the issues that come with being an only child of an emotional distant, borderline emotionally abusive mother, to a guy who grew up with two brothers and happy parents? She was confident George had never doubted that parents loved him; George had never thought to doubt it. Meredith had never thought to believe it. "No one has ever loved me or trusted me before," she said simply, hoping he would hear what she wasn't saying.

"Oh, Meredith," he said quietly. "That can't be true..."

"But it is," she responded, very matter-of-fact. Her mother had taught her from an early age to refrain from forming close personal relationships – to avoid, to distance oneself, to never be vulnerable, to never believe in love, to never trust in anything except science - and it had taken Meredith until her return to Seattle after more than two decades to realize just how wrong that was. Because love existed. And things like being vulnerable were scary, but they were also worth it.

George cautiously reached for her hand, giving it a squeeze. "Well, for what it's worth, I love and trust you too," he said, his voice hesitant, but honest. "Maybe not the same way Shepherd does, but you're one of the best friends I've ever had, Meredith."

She felt her lips curling into a bright smile. "You too, George. And...thanks."

He gave her hand another tight squeeze before releasing it. "Well, I should really get you to surgery now, if you're ready?"

"I'm ready, George. And try to make it quick, okay? Because there could still be a chance that Derek and I could get to the airport and-" Meredith cut herself off as her sights fell on the recognizable man standing at the nurses' station before her. "It's McSteamy," she told George.

He nodded. "Yeah, it is, but I don't think-"

"McSteamy!" She called out, trying to get his attention. "Woohoo! McSteamy!"

Mark's head, along with almost every other one at and around the nurses' station, turned to face her. She waved him over. He closed his chart and sauntered over to her gurney, nodding an acknowledging greeting at George. "Is that what you're calling me now?"

A giggle escaped her lips and she shrugged. "We are, but I don't think you're supposed to know that..."

He shook his head, a smile playing across his lips. "So, I heard my fellow dirty mistress is having an appy."

"Yup," Meredith said, nodding emphatically. She waved a nonchalant hand towards he roommate, "George is going to appendectomize me," she explained, and then brought three fingers to her palm, leaving her index finger out to point at Mark. "But I'm not your dirty mistress."

"I never said you were my dirty mistress. You're Derek's dirty mistress."

She glared at him, still pointing. "He'll kill you if he hears you call me that."

Mark rolled his eyes in good nature and reached for the hand that was still accusing him, in an attempt to stop her, but Meredith wrenched it out of his grasp immediately.

"He'll also kill you if he sees you touching me."

Mark did his best to look casual, but not even the morphine coursing through her system prevented Meredith from glimpsing the flash of pain that flittered across her boyfriend's ex-best friend's eyes as he pulled his hand away from her. He cleared his throat and kept his distance, maybe even more distance than the situation required. "Derek seems awfully protective of you," he stated, most of his usual confidence back in his voice. He made a show of motioning towards George, who was still close by, torn between keeping his distance from the new Attending and showing support for his roommate.