(Shattered...) Dreams Fulfilled

Coffee...decaf?

"Hey...time to get to work," Derek said as he brushed her lips lightly and kissed her awake.

"What..." she responded a bit startled, "I fell asleep on the way here?"

"Apparently I was boring... or you were still tired, so I let you sleep."

"You're never boring...and don't let that go to your head. You also reclined the seat, thank you, I must have been out as soon as we got in the car."

"Pretty much, you didn't even stir when I stopped at Starbucks."

"You're joking, you stopped and I didn't wake up?"

"You were not a very lively driving companion today, but I still got you coffee."

"Did you remember my usual?"

"Well, I kind of got you decaf."

"Derek..."

"Meredith..." he said as he reached over to release her seat belt and kissed her again.

"Let me get this right, I'm doomed to decaf, because last night you thought I might be pregnant?"

"I didn't say that."

"You don't have to...Derek, I'm not..."

"I got your usual..."

"You're enjoying this, aren't you? Teasing me and torturing me."

"I love you."

"Is that going to be your answer now...every time you want to avoid getting in hot water..." she giggled.

"You think you're on to me," he laughed heartily.

"Are you going to answer me," she teased.

"No, the answer is no...just every time I feel the need to make you remember...that I love you."

She smiled and kissed him, "let's go, or I'm going to be late."

"I'll go around and get your door."

He came around and opened her door, once gain leaning in to her, this time deepening their kiss, eliciting a contented and satisfied smile from her.

When she stepped out, he opened the rear door and pulled out a Starbuck's corrugated coffee cup holder and a bag.

"What did you get? Coffee for every hour of the day?"

"Just a little something for the nurses."

"You're buying coffee for nurses?"

"Yes, but we're buying coffee for them, you're going to be with me, when we deliver it, you still have at least fifteen minutes before your shift starts."

"You're bribing them...over bets, aren't you?"

"No, I'm thanking them."

"For what?"

"You'll see..."

"Derek, I don't really like surprises..."

"Now there,' he teased, "I disagree...I know you do..."

"Derek...I don't like surprises... especially where nurses are concerned."

"You're not letting me off the hook, are you?"

"Not yet...but I'm working on it."

"Fair enough, I deserve that."

"Well, I won't always bring it up...but you just made it too easy not to."

"You're in good spirits this morning."

"How can I be anything else...after sleeping in your arms last night," she asked, as she reached out for his hand, and they walked in the front door of the hospital hand in hand.

"Good morning ladies," he greeted as he and Meredith reached the nurse's station.

"Good morning Dr. Grey, Dr. Shepherd."

He placed the coffee holder on the counter, "ladies, we brought you coffee."

"You didn't have to do that...but it's a great way to start the morning."

"Well, Amy Lynn, it's just a little thank you..."

"Hey, Dr. Shepherd, Dr. Grey...good morning."

"Hi Lisette, where are the two missing members of the quartet?"

They tried to keep from laughing, including Meredith.

"What, only Sloan can pull off any type of corny line like that?"

"Did I hear my name?" Mark said as he reached the counter, already in scrubs.

"What are you doing here so early?"

"Emergency surgery..."

"You... plastics... emergency surgery?"

"It's not just the brain that has emergency surgeries."

Meredith and the nurses actually giggled, "Derek, Dr. Sloan, aren't the two of you a bit old for this childish competition."

Both answered almost simultaneously disputing it was a competition.

"Right...just like you're not trying to one up the other on bets."

"Speaking of which..." Mark said as he glanced over at the nurse about to join them,
"what do the fab4 have to report on the status of the G-S romance?"

Meredith laughed at his fab4 comment, "Derek, he really can pull off those lines so smoothly... What's the G-S romance?" Meredith asked.

"Grey-Shepherd..." Tracy said as she joined them. "Good morning, who brought Starbucks, that's a treat."

"Dr. Shepherd," Lisette commented.

"It was actually, Meredith and I..."

"Don't believe him, I was asleep in the car and had no idea he actually stopped to get coffee, until we got here."

"Well, sweetie," Amy Lynn said, "you were in the car with him, so that counts as from both of you, and we do appreciate it, it's much better than ours in the back room."

"We certainly do appreciate it..." Tracy commented.

"Dr. Shepherd you said it was a thank you... but why?"

"I stopped to get coffee for us, and thought of you, and though it's just a small token...wanted to acknowledge how supportive you were of Meredith...instead of joining the usual group of speculators...when this whole bet fiasco started."

"It was...our pleasure... still is you know... setting the record straight...you two are meant to be together...everyone can see that." All three nurses were thinking the same thing, they rode in together, surely that meant Mcdreamy was truly on his way back.

Meredith was taken aback by his comment, and decided she'd ask him about it later, but reached out for his hand, and squeezed it, while her eyes conveyed her appreciation.

"So, what's this...he brings coffee and I can't even get my question answered?"

"Dr. Sloan," Tracy flirted with him, "maybe they didn't want to answer your question."

"Of course they do, what's the rumor status on these two...is the pool still growing?"

"Well..." Amy Lynn said....

"What?"

"Here's Steph, I bet she knows..."

"Know what? Oh, great Starbucks!"

"Dr. Sloan wanted a status on G-S bet and if betting pool is still growing"

"Oh, heavens no...not since..." she stopped herself.

"We are standing right here," Derek said, "you could probably just ask us."

"Never mind, I know the answer...but if they've stopped taking bets cause they think they're back together...think again."

"Dr. Sloan!!"

"What Grey, you're not together...at least not sleeping together."

"Ok...I'm leaving now..."

"You're not having sex...when you two are...there's a totally different look."

Derek decided to change the conversation, "ladies, coffee will get cold...this one's decaf if anyone's interested."

"Lisette will have that," Amy Lynn chimed in.

"Why...I need my caffeine."

"Not anymore you don't," she said, with an I know something you don't smirk.

"Bite your tongue, AL and don't bring it up again..."

"This sounds like an interesting conversation...." Mark commented, stealing a glance at Tracy and winking.

"Not as interesting as why the GS betting pool's not growing," Steph commented.

"Don't keep us in suspense, what is it?" Meredith asked and surprised all of them that she was engaging in this much conversation, though she was usually friendly she did not spend time with chit chat.

"Apparently," Tracy joked, "the fact that you're together is a fait acomplit" she teased looking straight at Mark, "and not as interesting as when Dr. Sloan will convince Dr. Hahn to go out with him."

"What?????"

"Aha...the mighty Sloan caught in his own game," Derek taunted.

"You think..."

"It was kind of funny, Dr. Sloan...there's already been a high bet of $ 100.00 dollars."

"Really..." he drawled... "looks like I found myself the culprit...I'm surprised at you Grey...that you'd let him..."

"Payback..." Derek said....for your $ 50 bucks on ours...

"Ok... boys..." Meredith said... "playtime's over."

"Girls, Derek was right...thank you...I don't know the entire story...but...thank you."

"You're welcome Dr. Grey...we are on your side, we told Dr. Shepherd that."

"I've got to go," Meredith said pulling Derek away from the desk, "I'll see you later?"

"Absolutely...have a good day...and..."

"...and..." she teased him, knowing he was bursting to say something else about her being pregnant.

"I love you."

Her laugh echoed, making the nurses and Mark look in their direction, just as she embraced him and kissed him before walking away.

Mark joined him, "you instigated a bet against me...your best friend....your brother.."

"I'm not telling you what it was..."

"I already know... and you're loosing $ 100 bucks."

"Really..."

"Really Shep...I'll be sleeping with Hahn...before you're sleeping with Grey."

Derek laughed, "in your dreams!"

"Care to bet on it?"

They both laughed, further reestablishing their old camaraderie and bonds of friendship.

"Shep, you ok?"

"Yeah...we're working on it...Mark, really trying to make this work between us."

"I'm glad Shep...all kidding aside, you look happy, you both did today."

"We are..." he said, wanting to say so much more, but knew Meredith would kill him, and Sloan had a big mouth.

"It's a really good thing, you know...having your girlfriend back...may deter the chief from making any more girlfriend like demands."

"You're an ass."

"Yeah, but it's so much fun to screw with you head."

"Chief, good morning," Derek said as they came across him near the elevators.

"Shep, Sloan."

"We were just talking about you."

"Really, you guys want to set up another gentlemen's evening?" he said,almost hopeful for a positive answer. He was bored, and with Meredith planning on spending more time at Derek's, it got awful lonely in the middle of the woods.

"No," both Derek and Mark

"It wasn't that bad."

"Come to think of it...might not be a bad idea..." Mark said suddenly, "we can invite Dr. Hahn to join us again."

Derek laughed, "oh no...I'm staying out of that."

"What did I miss?"

"Richard, you don't want to know."

"Sure I do...whatever's going on in my hospital."

"Chief, I think it's time you and I went back to Joe's...I'll be your wingman again, you need to start dating."

"That's my cue...good luck with that Chief.... Mark's been having trouble lately in getting...uh...dates!"

Meredith had already changed into blue scrubs when Cristina reached the lounge.

"Hi, you're running late, it's a good think...Bailey's not here..."

"No actually, I've been here for hours...got to scrub in on a surgery."

"Hahn still keeping you out of her OR I take it." Alex commented.

"Keep your comments to yourself Evil Spawn."

"Enough...it's bad enough I had to hear Derek & Sloan this morning."

"Mer, you're on 24 aren't you?"

"Yeah, Iz, and with my group of interns, already dreading it."

"What...your cloud nine Mcdreamy state isn't enough to overcome the stupidity of your interns?"

Meredith took a deep breath, before speaking, and Alex and Izzie disappeared.

"Cristina, I don't have time right now, but I need to talk to you. Please page me when you have some time today," she said, and walked out without waiting for an answer.

After hours spent in surgery and trying to be patient with her interns, all Meredith wanted to do was sleep, and she still had over 18 hours left on her shift. She was on her way to the cafeteria when Cristina paged her, and she sent her a text message asking they meet in the cafeteria.

"Hi, what a crappy day it's been, two back to back surgeries, and well, why waste time with complaining about the interns. I know we were not that bad."

"We kicked ass."

"I think you're right."

"Cristina, do you mind if we grab something and sit outside?"

"Sure," she said as both went to select their lunch, and went to sit on the outside benches.

When they sat down, her phone vibrated, indicating a new message.

"thinking of u" she smiled and replied.

"me 2" she typed, hoping she could see his face.

"What's so pressing you need to talk to me? Can you see he's starting to screw up again?"

"That's just it," Meredith said without hiding her annoyance.

"What? He may be trying, but it's bound to happen."

"Ok...you know what, you really have to make a decision here."

"What are you talking about?"

"You and me Cristina. Yes, you're my person...yes...you've been there for me, whenever Derek hasn't been, and God knows it's been more than it should have been, but I'm trying...Derek and I both are, trying very hard to save our relationship...to figure out what that means for our future together, and you have to decide, if you are going to be supportive or continue to be a bitch."