Let It Go

60.

"Dr. Marks!" Derek called out. An older man stopped down the hallway from Derek and waited for him. "I just finished reviewing those slides in the lab. Thank you for clearing out an area for me to work in there." "My pleasure Dr. Shepherd," Dr. Marks, Seattle Grace's top researcher in the memory loss field, stated. "I take it your research is going well?" Derek nodded. "I've only been at it for a week but so far, so good." Dr. Marks grinned. "Good. Because I was thinking... As a doctor, the more interesting the case the better, right?" Derek nodded again. "Of course. Seeking out interesting cases is part of the reason I'm one of the best neurosurgeons in this country." Dr. Marks leaned against the railing of Seattle Grace's bridge overlooking the lobby.

"You've heard of Ellis Grey of course?" he asked. "Yeah...," Derek muttered suspiciously. He knew where this was going. "Well, know that nursing home you're scheduled to visit this afternoon?" "The one specializing in Alzheimer's, yes." "What if I told you Ellis Grey was a patient there?" Dr. Marks looked like he'd offered Derek the hope diamond with that piece of gossip.

"I'd say she's been a patient there for several years, suffers from early onset Alzheimer's, and has had her case kept largely quiet to prevent her peers and colleagues from knowing about her condition as well as to keep doctors with research grants out of her hair," Derek answered. Dr. Marks' jaw dropped. "How...?" "Her daughter is my girlfriend, not to mention one of the best neurosurgeons on my staff," Derek told the man. His eyes widened.

"Meredith Grey is your girlfriend? And she's on your staff?" Derek nodded, smiling proudly. "She is and she is," he replied. "She's only been on staff as an attending a few months but she's incredibly talented. She actually saved my nephew's life with a standstill surgery less then a month after becoming an attending. She's pretty damn amazing if I do say so myself." Dr. Marks shook his head.

"I always knew she'd be a good surgeon. She was the best resident in her year while she was here." Derek nodded. "I read her file," he admitted. That was before he'd fallen completely in love with her though. "She received glowing reviews from all of her superiors here."

"She told you about Ellis though? She kept it largely a secret from most of our staff here until her mother was brought in by ambulance," Dr. Marks said. "She told me. Recently, but she told me...," Derek trailed off, thinking of the reason she'd told him about her mother. He still felt bad about their argument even though it seemed as if Meredith had completely gotten over it.

"Well Dr. Shepherd, how would you like to visit with Ellis Grey? Including her as a subject in your research would do wonders to boost your reputations," Dr. Marks teased. Derek nodded. "It would," he agreed. "Having Ellis Grey's case documented in my research would further my reputation and possibly throw more funding my way for research." Dr. Marks nodded, encouraged. "I would love to meet with her," he said, reaching for his cell phone. "But only if Meredith agrees. Dr. Marks raised an eyebrow.

"Your girlfriend has to agree? You're on one coast, she's on the other. Names have to be kept confidential. She never has to know. And really? Calling your girlfriend for permission? I may be an old man Dr. Shepherd but asking the little woman for permission is a little sad." Derek shook his head as he speed dialed Meredith's cell number. "I'm being respectful," he said simply.

"Dr. Grey?" Meredith answered. "You answer your personal phone calls with your credentials now?" Derek replied. Meredith smiled on her end of the phone. "I'm in the hospital. It's habit," she told him. "I thought you may be in surgery after being paged away earlier," Derek told her. "No... Actually, my page was Harrison..." "Harrison?" Derek said quickly. "Is he okay? What happened?" Dr. Marks looked concerned.

"He's fine Der. You might not be fine when Annie gets a hold of you but Harrison is fine. He fell down the back porch stairs and bumped his head on the concrete at the bottom. It's nothing, not even a concussion. He just has a nice goose egg sitting out on his forehead. Annie was just scared and wanted to be certain everything was okay after everything he's been through. And before you ask, yes, I did a CT. It came up clear. He passed through my exam with flying colors." Derek let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"Annie was right to bring him in. With everything he's been through...," Derek trailed off. "He's fine Derek," Meredith repeated, this time a little firmer. "I know he is," Derek said with a smile. "He had you as a doctor." Meredith blushed a bit on her end.

"Why might I not be fine when Annie gets a hold of me?" Derek asked curiously. "Meetings with skirt doctors? Derek? Seriously?" Derek laughed. "He told you that?" "He told me and Annie all about how you and Uncle Mark told him Mark had lots of meetings with skirts. Annie is threatening to kill the two of you, something about you two not corrupting her son." Derek laughed again.

"Making that up about skirts was a better choice then telling him the truth," he reminded her. "This is true," Meredith agreed. "And by the way, thanks to me, he now thinks skirt doctors are doctors who help people with bad clothes and that Stacey and Clinton on that show What Not To Wear are skirt doctors." "Nice," Derek replied. "I was wondering when he'd ask what skirt doctors did. I was going to tell him they wore short skirts.' Meredith rolled her eyes. Derek noticed Dr. Marks looking slightly irritated.

"Mer, I actually have something I need to ask you...," he started. "Let's hear it. And kind of make it quick. I have to get down to the neurosurgery clinic in ten minutes for my afternoon appointments," Mereith replied. "So bossy..." "Keeps you in line." Derek laughed. "That it does," he agreed. "Mer, I'm going to a nursing home after lunch to conduct some interviews with their patients." Meredith swallowed. She knew where this was going.

"Dr. Marks was just telling me about your mother being a resident there and he asked if I would like to meet with her. And Meredith, I would. But not for my research. She's your mother and I'd like to meet her. But its your call. If you don't want me to introduce myself to her, I won't. I'm not going to do anything you don't want me to." Meredith sighed.

"It's not for research, right?" she asked. "Absolutely not. No research involved. A purely personal visit while I'm there, that's all Meredith." Dr. Marks looked shocked that Derek would be turning down using Ellis in his research. "I... I don't... Maybe...," Meredith stammered. "Its your call Mer. I won't if you don't want me to."

Meredith considered her options. Derek wanted to meet her mother, her mother who would probably be a total bitch and say horrible things about her. But Derek was a neurosurgeon. He understood Alzheimer's and he sort of knew her childhood hadn't been that great. There was nothing Ellis could spit out about her that Derek didn't at least know a vague detail about. After all. She hadn't exactly been around. Most of the time, her mother relieved her surgeon days anyways. Chances were good that she'd be telling Derek all about some high profile surgery or other.

"Okay," Meredith agreed. "Okay? I can visit with her?" Derek repeated. "Yes, you can. But she's difficult Derek. She says things and she doesn't really remember me and she'll probably tell you I'm a disappointment or something but you can visit with her." "You're sure? I won't so much as walk by her room if you don't want me to..." "Derek, I'm sure," Meredith said firmly. "If for no other reason then she can see how hot my boyfriend is," she tried to joke. Derek chuckled.

"I am pretty hot," he agreed. "So cocky," Meredith stated. "And as much as I love talking to you, I really need to get down to the clinic. But I'm fully expecting my phone call this evening..." Derek smiled. "You can count on it," he assured her. "We'll pick up where we left off..." Her giggle coming through the phone made him want to hop the first plane back to Virginia. He told her he loved her and knew she was smiling as she replied that she loved him too. He could hear it in her voice. They hung up and he put his cell phone back in it's clip. On the east coast, Meredith dropped her own cell phone back into her lab coat pocket. Derek was meeting her mother. This was going to be okay. It was going to be okay.

hey guys leaving off here today! there is a total of 89 chapters to this book so hang tight and enjoy the book!