❝𝐅𝐎𝐎𝐋'𝐒 𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃❞ ɢʀᴇʏ·s ᴀɴᴀᴛᴏᴍʏ

CHAPTER TWELVE.

For the next few days, every morning is filled with tension. George still doesn't come home for obvious reasons, Izzie casts sidelong glances at Meredith intent on hearing at least an apology from her, Meredith pretends she has a lot on her plate and has a quick breakfast to leave the kitchen, and Maddox, for her part, once again plays the impartial referee. She sips her mug of coffee in silence, glancing slyly at the two girls, and knows it's only a matter of time before a pitched battle breaks out in that very house.

"Do you want me to take you to the hospital?" Meredith asks her. With the newly healed arm, Maddox better not drive yet, so the brunette nods, finishing her breakfast. "Okay, I'm going to get my stuff and we're all set."

Meredith disappears, heading upstairs, and that's when Izzie dares to speak to her. "So you've taken her side."

"It's a ride to the hospital. I haven't sided with anyone, Iz. This isn't a war."

"Except it could be. George has left the house for her, and the first thing you do is spend the night with her and take her side. Meredith already has Cristina, and possibly Alex."

"God, Izzie, don't be like that. I'm not favoring Mer, and I'm not going to favor George. I've already talked to both of them, and they know I'm here if they need anything. We're not twelve years old, we can handle this maturely."

Izzie opens her mouth, surprised. "There's no way Meredith didn't know George was in love with her from the beginning. If she made up her mind..."

"Okay, I know you're George's best friend, but this isn't entirely her fault. George knows that Meredith isn't in love with him, she's in love with someone else, and if he hadn't been pressured to talk to her and tell her how he feels, this wouldn't have happened."

"So now it's my fault?"

Neither of them have noticed that they are raising their voices and that Meredith is waiting in the hallway, unwittingly listening to the conversation. Maddox turns her head, watching the girl shift uncomfortably as she looks at them shyly, and picks up her backpack angrily, storming out of the kitchen. "I didn't say that."

"There was no need to fight with Izzie over me. We don't need to create sides in this," Meredith says as she drives.

"Sometimes she takes things too personal. She's making this personal by rubbing it in my face that I've taken your side. I haven't taken anyone's side, we're adults and we don't have to get in her business."

Meredith whistles a little after a few seconds, a knowing smile tugging at her lips. "Wow. Since when did you become so wise? You're the baby of the house."

"Okay, first, I've always been wiser than you. Let me give you a truth today: you fix your problems by drowning yourself in booze, Izzie bakes until she has no room left on the counter, and George crawls around the hospital like a soul in pain," Meredith starts to complain, but Maddox calls her on it. "Ah, ah. I'm wiser because I fix my problems by talking to people and finding common ground."

"So you're saying you'll talk to your parents and your brother and live happily ever after because you'll find 'common ground,'" Meredith counters, giving her a sideways glance and a playful smirk on her lips.

"Low blow, Grey."

Meredith laughs heartily and parks the car. The two head to the locker room to change clothes, and Maddox is a little nervous because it's her first day on real cases in over a week. They run into Cristina and Izzie on their way to make rounds with Bailey, who has brought little Tuck, and although Cristina chats with them animatedly —especially about the fact that George now lives with them, so Cristina strongly recommends that Meredith apologize— Izzie avoids them some more.