A Love That Knows No Boundaries

5.

The next day, Derek was supposed to meet Meredith for lunch, he noticed that she hadn't been at the conference that morning, and he was wondering why. She wasn't answering her phone, or even coming to the door, he was distracted during the conference lectures, wondering what was going on with Meredith. He even asked Susanna what was going on, but she said she didn't know, but Derek felt that she was keeping something from him, so he suggested lunch since it didn't look like Meredith was going to be attending the conference that day.
Derek saw Susanna was already sat down waiting for him when he entered the hotel dining room. He was a little disappointed not to see Meredith there with her; a part of him had hoped that she had changed her mind.

"Hey Susanna"

"Derek, sit down. How was it this morning for you?"

"Fine, Susanna where is Meredith?"

"Meredith is fine, Derek, she just wasn't feeling very well this morning"

"Susanna" they hear Meredith voice behind them, Derek turns around and see Meredith walking towards them.

"Meredith, you feeling better" Susanna asks.

"I am thank you, Derek" she greets him.

"Meredith, you okay?"
"I am fine" Meredith says, ordering her lunch. Throughout lunch, Derek and Susanna were talking about his trial, and that he will be off to Africa again in the next few months. Meredith is quiet, trying to ignore the quick glance Derek throws in her direction not trying to draw attention to her, until she hears the word Africa.

"Africa, Derek"

"Yeah, i volunteer for Médecins sans frontieres"

"Never heard of it"

"It is known has Doctors without Borders in the US"

"I'm surprised you find the time"

"Well, once every two years i spend three months working with them, but this time i am planning on spending a year with them"

"Maybe i could set up an interview with you Dr Shepherd, and talk about it" Meredith said sounding professional.

"Meredith, you know what would make a good series of articles" Susanna piped in

"What that Susanna?"

"If Derek is up for it, you could join him for some of those months, it would make for a series of extremely interesting articles, you never know you could win another
Pulitzer"

"That would be a great idea, what do you say Meredith?"

"I would need to discuss with my husband before i make any decision"

"I can understand that, Meredith, but it would be an eye opening experience"

"When would you be looking at going, Dr Shepherd?"

"I go in six months, so it's plenty of time, i have a trial to finish up, plus i need to interview for a temporary head of department"

"So you have a lot to do before you go"

"I am lucky, Richard, my boss was my mentor, and so he knows how much this means to me. Usually i would have one of my attending fill in as head of department, but because i am going to be gone was so long this time, i need someone more qualified, to take care of my department"

"Derek, i was thinking after our talk last night, about visiting Seattle. I run a foundation in my mother's name, a foundation for surgical excellence. I will admit that i do have more than a journalistic interest in you and your trial. I was wondering if you and your chief of surgery was open to the idea, that on behalf of the foundation to take a closer look at your trial"