Let It Go

19.

Meredith collapsed into her desk chair and rubbed her eyes. It was Wednesday. She was off on Friday and Friday couldn't come soon enough. She hadn't left the hospital last night, opting to stay and check on Harrison throughout the night. He was stable. That's all she could tell his family and it sucked. She knew it was a wait and see game. She had to wait for Harrison to make the decision to wake up. She willed him to wake up soon. Because then she could tell Frank and Ginny Shepherd more about their grandson's prognosis other then the generic sounding 'he's stable'. She had made a trip to visit Annie and give her an update on her son, but she had been asleep. After the day she herself had had, Meredith hadn't had the heart to wake her up.

A soft tap sounded at her door before it eased open. She looked towards it, half expecting to see Derek until she remembered that she was furious at him. Izzie appeared and shut the door behind her. Meredith breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn't in the mood for more of Derek's crap right then.

"You look like crap," Izzie stated, taking a seat across from Meredith's desk. "Well if that isn't the pot calling the kettle black," Meredith retorted, taking in Izzie's tired apperance, her blonde hair in a sloppy ponytail. "I'm on call. I have an excuse. You, on the other hand, were free to go once Harrison Moxley was moved out of recovery," Izzie retorted. Meredith shook her head. "I can't leave him. He's still too critical. I wouldn't trust anyone else with him right now - not until he wakes up at least." "You mean you feel responsible for him," Izzie said knowingly. Meredith nodded. "Yeah," she said softly.

"How's Dr. Shepherd doing?" Izzie continued. "Dr. Shepherd the father or Dr. Shepherd the son?" Meredith asked. "Dr. Shepherd the McDreamy one." "Oh, he's an ass," Meredith stated. Izzie raised an eyebrow. The day before Derek was this great guy Meredith was looking forward to a second date with. Today he was an ass.

"Why is Dr. Shepherd an ass?" Izzie asked. Meredith sat back in her chair. "That asshole raked me over the coals for performing a standstill on Harrison - said I was irresponsible, incompetent, trying to out do my mother. He also said I was using Harrison as an experiment, just like I'm apparently doing with the FAS baby. Then he took me off the case. That's the short, nicer version of why he's an ass anyways." Izzie looked confused.

"Seriously?" she asked. "Seriously," Meredith replied. "But you - you saved Harrison. That surgery was incredible. I mean, it was a kick-ass surgery, but that's irrelevant right now. You saved that little boy's life through a surgery most people wouldn't have the nerve to follow through on. Derek can't call you irresponsible or whatever!" Izzie protested. "I know and he he did," Merdith said. The two lapsed into silence. Izzie was shocked. How could anyone be anything less then grateful to Meredith for saving their son, grandson, nephew, whatever's life?

"But wait - I thought you were still on the case?" Izzie asked. Meredith nodded. "I am. I went to the chief and had myself re-instated. Head of the department or not, Harrison is Derek's family. Derek has no say so in his medical care but the chief does. His sister - at least I think it was a sister, she looked like him - and his dad both stood up to him about it, but he's furious. He's takinh a couple of days off of work to be with his family, but he's going to put me through hell when he gets back." Izzie shook her head. "No he won't. He'll realize you saved his nephew's life and will apologize." "On the off chance that he did apologize, I wouldn't accept it," Meredith replied stubbornly. "Mer...," Izze started. "Iz...," Meredith countered, letting Izzie know she didn't want to hear the forgive and forget speech that was coming. Izzie shut up and Meredith decided to change the subject - sort of.

"Something is going on with him," Meredith stated. "Who, Dr. Shepherd?" Izzie asked. Meredith nodded. "Well his nephew and sister were involved in a horrible car accident..." "No, not that. I mean, that, but there's something - else. When his dad came into Harrison's room last night, he stopped Derek from checking Harrion's pulse rate and said something about Derek not getting medically involved this time and not going through that again. And Mark said stuff..."