Change My Life || A Merluca Story

one (shot?)

The December weather seemed particularly dreary that Monday morning Meredith walked into Grey-Sloan, Derek agitated and silent beside her as they made their way through the doors. Almost immediately he was walking away from her, like he was ashamed to be seen next to her. She found herself emotionless as she walked towards the attendings lounge, shrugging her coat off without a second glance behind her. She hung the material on the hook, as she changed into her navy scrubs with heavy hands, clipping her ID to her lab coat as the door swung open. "Dr. Grey." The deep voice behind her drew goosebumps to her neck and arms, as her hand faultered, before returning to securing her badge on her lab coat.

He brushed past her, setting his bag and things down in the locker a few down from hers. "Dr. DeLuca," she mutters out, not meeting his gaze. She could feel his own lingering on her curiously, before he changed into his own navy blue scrubs. She closed the metal door before turning on her heel, still unable to meet his gaze since their walk in a few days ago.

"Well, what was I supposed to do, Derek? Let her die without giving her a chance?"

Meredith knew she'd be getting the backlash of their now void medical trial, after she had changed the envelopes of two of their patients lab results. "You can't pick and choose who lives and who dies! You're not God!" Derek yells at her, and she flinches when he throws the pen in his hand across the room. "It wasn't fair! The man was nearly dead, Derek! The girl had a higher chance of survival! I don't care what the lab results said, I stand by my choice! Because of me, that girl has a whole entire life ahead of her." Derek meets her look with a glare.

"And another lost theirs."

She nearly screams in frustration. "It would've been the other way around Derek! Either way someone would have died!" She defends but he gets up, glaring at her. "You ruined my medical trail—"

"Our medical trial," Meredith interrupts before he shakes his head, angrily running his hand through his hair. "My medical trial. I knew I should've done it by myself. That way it would've been done efficiently and accurately," he mutters and she scoffs. "So now I'm not qualified enough? Because I'm not some fancy brain surgeon?" She yells, her anger blooming inside of her. "I never said that!" Derek says back, pointing an accusing finger at her. "Well you sure as hell implied it!" She retorts, before his pager goes off.

"I need to go," He nearly spits out, as he opens the door, slamming it behind him. She stands in shock, her eyes glittering with tears under the dim florescent lights. She felt the steady pressure in her chest, her eyes widening slightly when the door opens again. "Oh, uh, sorry should I come back?" Andrew stood in the doorway, his gaze on her curiously. She turns away from him, wiping her cheeks as she shakes her head. "N-no. You're fine, I was just leaving—" she says quietly, but his hand catches her arm before she can leave.

"Are you okay?"

His sincerity brought a fresh flood of tears to her eyes as she nodded. "I said I'm fine," she says but she bites her cheek to keep from crying aloud. "I couldn't help but overhear yours and Dr. Shepherds argument," He begins and she inwardly sighs, feeling the rush of heat in her cheeks. "And in your defense, I think what you did was right. I would've done the same thing." His quiet words made her eyes stop watering as she hesitantly turned her head to look up at him. It was the first time she heard someone agree with her instead of Derek. All of her colleagues hardly spoke to her since the trial ended, Bailey upset with her for dropping the hospitals ratings.

"You would?" She asks quietly and he nods, his hand slowly falling from her arm. She hadn't realized the steady warmth of his hand was what eased her anger until she couldn't feel it anymore, suddenly feeling cold. "I—" she begins but stops. He grabs his scans, his hand on the door handle. "If you ever need to vent or talk, I'm here."