The air at Seattle Grace Hospital was usually filled with the buzz of activity and the hum of healing, but tonight, within the walls of the Shepherd household, a different atmosphere enveloped the dinner table. The five residents of the house—Derek, Meredith, Mark, Lexie, and Mary—gathered for their routine family dinner, each carrying the weight of a tiring day.
Derek Shepherd, the renowned neurosurgeon and current Chief of Surgery, was particularly drained. The Clark case deposition had taken a significant toll on him, his usual lively spirit subdued under the pressures of his role. Sitting quietly, he barely touched his food, his thoughts elsewhere.
Meredith, his wife and a gifted surgeon herself, cast concerned glances his way, while Mark Sloan, Derek's lifelong friend and brother in all but blood, attempted to lighten the mood. "I swear, I had more patients today than the whole week combined," Mark commented, trying to break the somber silence.
Mary, the youngest and exceptionally talented second-year resident, added, "It's been hectic at the hospital. More accidents than usual, I think."
Her comment, innocent as it was, seemed to strike a nerve with Derek. His brow furrowed, and he retorted sharply, "Mary, you're too young and inexperienced to judge my work as Chief."
Mary looked taken aback but responded calmly, "Derek, I wasn't judging—"
He cut her off, his voice rising, "Maybe you should focus on listening more and avoid making unnecessary comments."
A heavy silence fell over the table. Mary's expression hardened slightly, but she remained quiet, her gaze dropping to her plate.
Mark leaned in, his voice firm, "Derek, come on, that was unnecessary."
Meredith nodded in agreement, but Derek's frustration only grew. "I don't need you and Meredith ganging up on me," he snapped.
The tension escalated when Mary, unable to bear the stifling atmosphere, quietly excused herself. But Derek, his temper flaring, commanded, "Sit down, Mary. It's disrespectful to leave the table like this."
"I am not a child, Derek," Mary said, her voice steady but firm. "I have the right to excuse myself."
Derek's hand slammed against the table, his eyes locked with Mary's. "You will not speak to me that way. I am your guardian, your brother, and your attending."
The room fell silent, the shock of Derek's outburst palpable. Mary slowly sat back down, her eyes not leaving Derek's.
Mark stepped in again, his voice a mix of concern and frustration. "Shepherd, you're out of line."
"Stay out of this, Mark," Derek retorted, his gaze still fixed on Mary.
Meredith reached out to Derek, but he shrugged her off, the tension between him and Mary growing.
Mary, holding her ground, said, "I respect you, Derek, but I expect respect in return."
Derek scoffed. "You're 19, Mary, yet you act like you're 30."
"It's not about age," Mary replied calmly. "I am a medical professional, just like Lexie. If you bring profession into this, then respect me as a resident, not as a little kid."
The standoff continued, every eye in the room fixed on the siblings. The familial bonds that had always held them together were being tested, the lines between personal and professional blurring under the strain of their roles at Seattle Grace Hospital.
"You have no right to judge how I run the hospital, Mary," Derek asserted, his voice laced with an edge of anger.
"I never judged you, Derek," Mary responded, her tone calm but firm. "I simply mentioned there were more patients than usual. It's a fact, not a criticism of your leadership."
Derek, unconvinced, scoffed at her explanation. "Sounds like judgment to me."
Mary sighed, trying to clarify her point. "I think you're doing a great job as Chief. But some things are beyond your control. Like today, I had to treat a group of teenagers who ingested Tide Pods. It's not your fault the ER was busy."
But Derek, caught up in his own frustrations, retorted, "So, you're saying it's your fault then?"
Mary's expression shifted to one of hurt. "Derek, you need to cool down. This isn't about assigning blame."
Meredith and Lexie, uncomfortable with the escalating argument, quietly excused themselves, leaving Mark to mediate the situation.
Mark, who had been like a brother to both Derek and Mary, turned to Derek with a stern expression. "Derek, you're being unreasonable. You can't talk to Mary like that. She's your sister and a fellow doctor."
Mary, feeling overwhelmed, stood up. "I'm going to my room," she announced, her voice carrying a note of resignation.
Derek, still fueled by his emotions, shouted after her, "Stop walking away in the middle of a conversation!"
Mark placed a hand on Derek's shoulder, trying to calm him. "Derek, let her go. You both need some space to cool off."
But Derek brushed off Mark's attempt at peacemaking, his gaze fixed on the retreating figure of his sister. The air in the room was heavy with unspoken words and unresolved tensions, a testament to the complexities of familial relationships strained under the pressures of life at Seattle Grace Hospital.
In the stillness that followed Mary's departure, Derek and Mark remained seated at the table, the remnants of their dinner untouched. The tension in the air was palpable.
Mark broke the silence, his voice measured but firm. "Derek, you're overwhelmed, I get it. But you can't take it out on Mary."
Derek ran a hand through his hair, a gesture of frustration and exhaustion. "I know, I know... It's just... everything's piling up."
"It's okay to feel overwhelmed, Derek," Mark said, his tone softening. "But you can't lash out like that, especially not at Mary."
Derek sighed, leaning back in his chair. "I wouldn't have talked to you that way, Mark."
"Exactly," Mark agreed. "And that's because I'm just your brother. To Mary, you're more than that. You're her guardian, her brother, her boss. She respects you more than a typical sister would. That's a lot of roles to juggle, Derek."
Derek nodded, the weight of Mark's words sinking in. "I guess I never really thought about it that way."
"You can't abuse that respect, Derek," Mark continued. "She's eighteen years younger than you. If you had spoken to me like that, I would've dragged you to the study and forced you into an adult conversation."
Derek chuckled weakly, the irony of the situation not lost on him. "You're right. I should go talk to her."
With a determined nod, Derek stood up and made his way upstairs to Mary's room. He hesitated at her door, taking a deep breath before knocking softly.
"Mary? It's Derek. Can I come in?"
There was a brief pause before her voice came, quieter than usual. "Yes, you can come in."
Derek opened the door to find Mary sitting on her bed, her demeanor calm but distant. He took a seat beside her, careful to maintain a respectful distance.
"I'm sorry, Mary," he began, his voice tinged with genuine remorse. "I was out of line at dinner. You didn't deserve that."
Mary looked at him, her expression softening slightly. "I know you're under a lot of pressure, Derek. But it felt like you didn't respect me."
Derek nodded, acknowledging her feelings. "You're right. I've been so caught up in my own stress that I failed to see how it's affecting everyone else, especially you."
"I understand that you're my guardian and my boss," Mary said, her voice steady. "But I need to be treated like an adult, especially in front of others. It's hard enough being the youngest resident without feeling belittled at home."
"You're absolutely right," Derek agreed. "You're an incredible surgeon, Mary. Your age doesn't change that. I shouldn't have used it against you."
Mary's posture relaxed a bit. "Thank you, Derek. That means a lot to me."
Derek took a deep breath, the tension between them slowly dissipating. "I promise to do better. I respect you, not just as my sister but as a colleague. And I'll make sure everyone else sees that too."
Mary nodded, a small smile gracing her features. "I appreciate that, Der. And if you ever need to talk or vent about work, I'm here. We're a family, after all."
Derek returned her smile, feeling a sense of relief wash over him. "I'll keep that in mind. Thank you, Mary."
As Derek stood to leave, Mary spoke up again. "Derek?"
He turned back to her. "Yes?"
"I'm proud of you, you know. Despite everything, you're doing a great job as Chief."
Derek's smile widened, touched by her words. "Thanks, Mary. That means a lot coming from you."
With a newfound understanding and respect, Derek left Mary's room, feeling a weight lifted off his shoulders. The challenges at Seattle Grace would continue, but with the support of his family, he knew he could face them head-on.