Illicit Affairs

Chapter 8

Tuesday, 18th May 2021.

When she woke up the next morning, she found herself just laying in bed and staring up at the ceiling. She didn't want to go into work today. She didn't want to deal with Derek. She didn't want to run into Addison. She was due in surgery in less than three hours and still had to round on her patients, as well as deal with the residents and their interns.

She groaned softly as she finally pulled herself from under the covers to take a quick shower before getting dressed to leave. She didn't have time to stop to grab coffee from the kitchen as she ran out to the car, realising how late she'd now made herself as she had dragged herself through the motions of getting dressed.

After most likely breaking the speed limit to make it to the hospital on time, she finally arrived and made her way inside, thankfully avoiding anyone as she made her way to the residents' lounge to change. She quickly changed, only to be joined by Karev who walked in, loudly complaining to her about his interns, and apparently Dr Montgomery as well.

"Mer, can't you do anything? The interns are useless, and Montgomery's sour mood isn't helping things in the slightest! Can't I swap interns with someone else?" he groaned as he collapsed on the couch.

"Alex, maybe teach the interns so they won't be so useless," Meredith muttered as she put the items she'd need in her lab coat pockets, seeing multiple messages on her phone from both Derek and Addison, neither one relating to work.

"What's up with you? Anything to do with Addison's mood?" he asked, watching her and realising now how tired she looked, and frankly pissed off.

"I don't know what's wrong with Addison, Karev, just leave it. She'll be gone soon so you won't have to put up with her," Meredith said with a shrug.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that," Karev said, standing up again as he crossed the room to head back out, "said she's going to be here for a few weeks at least."

****

Apparently, Derek wasn't even in work that morning, so she was left to do rounds on her own with the residents assigned to neuro for the day, with their interns trailing along behind them. She studied each one of them carefully as they would present and ask questions, and it was almost as though none of them wanted to be there.

"What is wrong with everyone today?" she muttered to herself as she left the final patient's room, taking the chart back to the nurses' station.

The answers to her questions, about the procedure she'd be performing in less than an hour, were practically dragged out of them, and because she knew she'd need the assist and had no idea where Derek was that morning, she'd been forced to pick a resident and their interns at random, really.

"Maybe it's just in the air," she heard a grumble from beside her and she peaked over to see her red-haired lover from the day before who she'd ignored all night, leaning one elbow on the workstation beside her.

"Dr Montgomery, can I help you?" she asked quietly, avoiding her gaze.

"You ignored my calls and haven't messaged me back, wanted to make sure you were still alive," Addison commented, keeping her eyes on Meredith who continued to avoid looking back.

She could feel her eyes burning slightly, from tears that were threatening to fall, and she closed them, taking a breath. She was overwhelmed. Everything was just overwhelming her right now and this is too much.

"Meredith, you look like you're about to breakdown right here. Come with me," Addison spoke in a quieter voice, taking the blonde gently by the elbow and leading her into a nearby empty on call room.