what i'm here for

Chapter 20: Amazing

Meredith looked suspiciously down the hallway, both directions, before stepping off the empty elevator car. After the surprise attack from her new sister, she had been actively avoiding a confrontation. She made her way to the nurse's station and picked up the phone, her fingers automatically dialling the ambulance bay to be put through to the dispatcher. She really needed to find that arm. She spoke to several people, none of whom had seen the arm, but promised to look. She wondered how it was possible to lose an arm.

"That's right, Grey. Okay. Thanks." She hung up the phone with a sigh, her fingers coming up to grasp the chain around her neck, a habit she had picked up over the past two weeks. She dropped her hand and turned, feeling his presence before he spoke.

"Hey," Derek said.

"Hey. I'm looking for an arm. A severed arm. Have you seen it?" she questioned, knowing how absurd she sounded.

He smiled. "Have I seen your severed arm? No, no I haven't. But I'll keep an eye out for it," he joked.

Meredith shook her head and smiled. "Thanks," she muttered sarcastically. And she was about to continue when a newly familiar figure, now etched permanently into her memory, appeared in front of her.

"Hi," Lexie said. "Look I'm sorry about before. Don't block the bay doors, I know that now. I was just so nervous about meeting you..."

Meredith regarded her quietly, cursing herself inwardly for having been caught in the open like this. She had no idea what to say to the girl. No idea.

"Hey, aren't you the girl from the bar?" Derek was asking.

Lexie turned her head, as if only just taking in his presence. "What?"

Derek nodded. "You're the girl from the bar." He stated with more confidence.

Meredith narrowed her eyes, realizing exactly what Derek was talking about.

"Oh! Yes, oh my god," Lexie stumbled. "Yes, hi. Sorry, I didn't recognize you right away. Oh. My god. That's so funny. What are the odds?"

"Yes, Dr. Shepherd, what are the odds?" Meredith asked. She knew it wasn't his fault, knew he had told her the truth when he told her about the girl hitting on him in the bar. He hadn't done anything wrong. But how the man had managed to catch the attention of a new intern two years in a row, and her sister of all people. Well, she wasn't going to make it easy on him, not right now. She was exhausted and stressed, and was actively trying to avoid Lexie.

Derek scoffed at her question. "Hey," he started, but didn't continue, knowing she wouldn't want to have this conversation in front of a new intern, who had tried to pick him up at a bar. Their bar.

Lexie seemed unaware of his hesitation, turning her attention towards Meredith. "I really am sorry," she repeated. "I just really want to talk to you. I was hoping we could..." But Meredith was shaking her head, backing away.

"I have to go check my patient," she muttered.

Derek gave her a questioning look, wondering why she was so eager to take off. He was sure she wasn't trying to avoid him. "Meredith..." But she was gone.

Beside him, Lexie sighed. "She hates me. My sister hates me."

This caught Derek's attention. "Meredith is your sister?"

Lexie nodded. "Half-sister. We just met today. I didn't even know she existed until a few months ago." She looked at him and seemed to snap out of it. "Wait, you're Dr. Shepherd, right?"

Derek nodded, trying to assimilate the knowledge he had just been given. Really, what were the odds? He sighed, trying to see which was Meredith had turned at the end of the hall.