Help is Around the Corner
Addison and Derek's trailer catches fire, and Meredith offers them a place to stay for a while.
They have the afternoon off with Doc, and Meredith wants to keep an eye on him still to make sure that Doc is not going to go stealing any more chips.
Addison tries to insist it's not necessary, but she doesn't want Meredith to get suspicious as to why she's entirely unworried, so eventually, she caves, and she joins Meredith in playing video games with Doc.
Somehow Doc manages to paw at the controller, and occasionally he even gets a win when Meredith and Addison both attack each other, or accidentally fall into a void.
It's cozy and domestic, and it makes Meredith feel like she wants a life like this with Addison forever and ever.
"You know, I'm in the mood for some of those chips," says Meredith.
"Hmm?" says Addison.
"I think I'm going to get some," says Meredith, as she pours herself a bowl, and sets it in front of them.
Addison bites her lip and sighs. She wants some of those chips, but she can't bring herself to confess that she likes them, so she just sits there and watches Meredith eat them.
"Rr!" says Doc pointedly at Addison.
"No Doc, you cannot have any," says Meredith, misinterpreting Doc's grumbling.
"Doc," says Addison, "No chips."
"Rrrrrrrrrrr-" Doc grumbles at Addison.
"Do you want to try them?" says Meredith.
"No-" says Addison all too quickly.
"Just asking," says Meredith.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to bite your head off there-" says Addison.
"Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr," Doc groans dramatically, as he paws at the controller to suggest that they play another round of video games together.
They do, and Addison loses, with Doc actually coming in second (because Addison fell into the void three times), with Meredith winning, obviously.
"I suck at this game," says Addison.
"Rr," Doc agrees.
"It's okay, you're good at everything else," says Meredith, leaning over to kiss Addison on the cheek.
Addison kisses Meredith on the lips until Doc grunts at them again.
"Do you want to swing on the hammock while we spend some time together?" says Meredith.
"Rr!" says Doc.
"Okay," says Addison, as she picks Doc up, and brings him to the hammock where he starts rocking contentedly.
"Race you to the bedroom," says Meredith.
"You're on," says Addison, as she rushes to catch up with the blonde.
The two make out happily for a while, and Doc enjoys his time in the sun.
Doc is rocking back and forth when a cat appears in his peripheral vision.
"Rr," says Doc territorially.
"Mow," says the cat lazily, as she hops up onto the hammock.
"Rr!" says Doc.
"Mow," the cat shrugs, as it curls up next to Doc, and closes her eyes.
"Rr!" says Doc, as he paws at the cat unti she answers him.
"Mow-" says the cat, nonchalantly as Doc keeps poking her.
"Rr!?" says Doc, as he steps an inch away from the cat.
"Mow," says the cat, unafraid of Doc, as she curls up into Doc's side again.
"Rr..." Doc sighs, as he continues rocking in the hammock, now accompanied by the neighbor's cat.
Oh well, he thinks to himself. At least this cat seems friendly enough. And after all, it's not even his hammock.
Doc and the cat are still sitting in the hammock when the others arrive home from work.
"Hi Doc," says Derek. "You seem chipper. I guess that means you're all fixed up, or you weren't sick in the first place, right?" says Derek.
"Rr!" says Doc, wagging his tail as Derek comes to pet him.
"And hi kitty cat, you seem sweet. I'm Mark, I'm a nice guy," says Mark.
"Mow," says the cat ambivalently.
"Do you want a cuddle too?" says Mark.
"Mow," the cat says.
"Here-" Mark gently strokes the cat's ears, and the cat tenses for a second, and then relaxes once she decides that Mark isn't going to hurt her.
"Rr-" Doc grumbles.
"Yes Doc, I haven't forgotten you," says Mark, as he reaches over Derek, and pets Doc.
"Rr!" says Doc happily.
"Mow," says the cat.
"Hi kitten!" says Derek, as he picks up the cat.
"Mow," says the cat, as she wraps her tail around Derek's arm.
"Rr!" says Doc with a bit of jealousy.
"Come here," says Mark, as he lifts Doc up into his arms. "There you go, buddy."
"Rr," says Doc happily.
Derek says that the hammock will fit them all, so he sits down in the hammock, and Mark sits down in the hammock, and they hold the dog and the cat on their respective laps.
Doc and the cat seem happy, and Mark and Derek are brought closer because there's not a lot of space in the hammock.
And that's how Callie and George find them sitting there a half-hour later.
"Awe, they're so cute," says Callie.
"Hey, is that the neighbor's cat?" says George.
"I bet she likes the hammock," says Callie.
"Yeah," says George. "Let's go in without waking them up."
Callie agrees, and they go inside, and join Addison and Meredith on the couch.
After having made out for a while, the two of them had decided to snuggle up and read some books.
"So there's a cat out there," says George.
"Yeah?" says Addison.
"Is it the neighbor's?" says Meredith.
"Yep," says Callie.
"Is anyone allergic to cats?" asks Addison.
"Maybe we shouldn't bring her into the house. Someday someone who lives here will be," says Meredith.
"True," says Mark, as he sets the cat down.
"Meredith loves to bring in strays," says Derek.
"Hey, you're strays, don't mock me bringing in strays," says Meredith.
"You're making us sound like animals," says Mark.
"Rr!?" says Doc.
"There's nothing wrong with animals," says Addison, as she pulls Doc into her lap reassuringly.
"Rr," says Doc.
"Say bye to your friend Doc," says Meredith.
"Rr-" says Doc politely.
"Mow," says the cat, as she shuffles back to the neighbor's house.
"I'm glad you have someone to play with while we're gone," says Addison.
"Rr," says Doc shrugging.
"I know you'd rather play with another dog," says Meredith.
"When are Alex and Izzie and Cristina and Burke coming?" says Addison.
"In an hour or so," says Callie.
"Whose turn is it to make dinner?" says Addison.
"I can make it," says Callie. "Taco night."
"Thanks Callie," says Meredith.
"I'll help," says Addison, and she kisses Meredith as she walks by. "So, any interesting cases today at the hospital?" says Addison.
"Yeah," says Callie, and they continue their conversation in the kitchen.
"How was your day at work?" Meredith asks Mark and Derek.
"Good," says Mark.
"I clipped three aneurysms," says Derek.
"In one person?" says Meredith.
"No," says Derek.
"Two in one, one in the other," says Mark.
"Aha-" says Meredith.
"Are you interested in neuro?" says Mark.
"I might be," says Meredith.
"It's a good specialty," says Mark. "Not as good as plastics though."
"Thanks, Mark, but I'm not very interested in plastics," says Meredith.
"Understandable," says Mark.
"Does Doc need a walk?" says Derek.
"Rr!" Doc perks up at the sound of that.
"Sure," says Meredith.
"We can take her," says Mark, as he motions for Derek to join him.
Derek does easily, and Meredith pets Doc one last time before sending him off with the boys.
"Best behavior, Doc," says Meredith.
"Rr!" says Doc.
"We'll bring him back safely, don't worry," says Derek.
"I won't," Meredith giggles.
She loves her dog, but she sure is happy to have others to help her out with his care around the house.
Soon enough, Izzie and Alex and Cristina, and Burke arrive after work, and Callie and Addison call them to the dinner table.
It's entirely filled with a make your own taco buffet, and Cristina at least is extremely impressed with it.
"Oh yeah!" says Cristina, as she takes a plate and makes herself a taco.
"Me next," says Alex, as he grabs another plate.
"Thanks for cooking," says Izzie, because she knows how much work it is.
"Yes, thank you," says Burke, as he also makes up a taco.
There's tacos to go around, and Mark and Derek have some when they get home.
And Callie even feeds some leftover beef to Doc that she's left aside for him, which Doc eats of course, very happily.
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***** END OF CHAPTER 44