Looking at you side ways

8

Meredith was sitting on the kitchen counter when Mark and Derek came up from the basement. Cristina and Preston were sitting at the table with the pizza boxes open.

Derek was surprised to see Burke. "Hey guys. I didn't know you were coming over."

Mark said to Burke," Great timing. The heavy lifting is over." Mark started washing his hands at the sink. Meredith started to jump down from the counter to get Derek and Mark a beer, but Derek put his hand on her knee. They both felt the jolt of electricity between them. [i]He was right in front of her with his naked chest at eye level.[/i] She pushed herself back towards the backsplash.

"Um, there is cold beer in the fridge," Meredith mumbled.

Derek moved away quickly and also started washing his hands

Cristina took in the sight of the bare chested Derek and Mark and glanced at Burke.[i] There was a lot of testosterone in the room. She was enjoying it.[/i]

"Mer said you guys might need some nourishment so I picked up the beer and she had the pizzas delivered." Said Cristina.

"Meredith. We appreciate it, but you didn't need to get us dinner. Why don't you sit at the table?" Derek asked as he grabbed his shirt and Mark's.

"You have been doing manual labor. You sit. I am good here." Meredith replied.

Derek and Mark both put their shirts back on and grabbed a beer.

Mark and Derek sat down with Cristina and Burke. Derek glanced over at Meredith. She was delicately eating a slice of cheese pizza and sipping a small glass of wine. Derek and Mark ate with great gusto from working so hard.

"So Burke, after we eat, are you ready to join the party? It looks like we still have a three car garage to clear boxes out of?" asked Mark

"I have to get up early tomorrow and take care of some things before my shift starts. Sorry. I would if I could." Replied Preston.

Mark and Derek shared a look. [i]They had seen Preston's perfect manicured hands. There was no way Momma's boy was going to get down and dirty.[/i] Cristina was looking at Burke's hands too. [i]She thought he had really long fingers as she munched her meat pizza.[/i]

Meredith said, "Oh you guys. The garage can wait. I have been parking in the driveway since I have been here. You have done enough today! I would not have been able to do in a month what you guys did in the last few hours."

"Baby, you have a three car garage. And my ride needs to be inside. Tomorrow Derek and I will tackle the garage. What's in the boxes in the garage anyway?" asked Mark

"I am not sure. Probably garage and gardening stuff and overflow stuff. Books and stuff." Replied Meredith.

"Surgical tapes and medical notes or study cards?" asked Cristina with excitement in her voice.

"No." Replied Meredith very firmly as she jumped off the countertop.

There was a small uncomfortable silence as everyone wondered why Meredith was so suddenenly abrupt.

The pizzas were almost gone and Meredith started putting things in the trash. Derek got up to help her and Mark finished off the rest of the pizza. He had a super fast mebaltishm and could and did eat like a pig.

"I should get going. Meredith; thank you for the pizza and beer. Your house is lovely . I can't wait to see what it looks like when you get the boxes out and the place cleaned up. I guess I will see you guys tomorrow?" asked burke.

Derek said, "See you at work."

Mark said a little sarcastically, "Thanks for your help Burke." Meredith and Cristina walked Burke to the front door and Meredith was surprised that Burke left without Cristina.

Meredith shut the door and asked Cristina, "I thought you two came together? Weren't you two having drinks?" she asked as she got her wallet out from her purse.

"No. We drove separately. It was just one quick drink before you called. I was really just checking out the competition. Trying to get inside his head. He doesn't talk much."

"Neither do you. Didn't you say you were women of few words? Thank you so much for getting the beer and coming over. Is this enough?" asked Meredith as she gave Cristina money. Meredith didn't know how much beer cost.

"It's more than enough. What's with the freak out?"

"I don't know. I have been alone for so long and all of a sudden, I felt like they were closing in on me. They are great guys. They really did a lot of work. You can't imagine. They must have moved thirty or forty boxes to the attic or basement. When they took their shirts off, I just, I don't know."

"Too much testosterone in a small space? Have you ever lived with men before? No Daddy? No boyfriend? No brothers or uncles or nephews hanging around?"

Biting her bottom lip, Meredith answered, "No, and I think I am a little freaked out. What was I thinking?"

Cristina laughed and said, "Mer; we are going to be so busy the next year. If you get a free moment you are going to be sleeping or studying. You will barely see them. Get over it already!"

"You are right Cris. I am sorry for dragging you over here. But thank you so much. I don't want to be a high maintenance friend. I will do better."

Cristina picked up her helmet from the chair in the foyer. "Mer, I love this place. I wish I didn't have a damn lease. I will see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, See ya." Meredith closed the door and heard her cell phone ring. She answered and told the person okay. She would drop the keys and check off in the morning.[i] Shit! That crazy cleaning service had called her back after hours and said they had a cancellation and would send a team to do the house tomorrow! Tomorrow! Tomorrow night, those guys would be moving into her house![/i]

She shuffled back to the kitchen to give them the news.[i] Was it good news or bad news? Things seemed to be out of her hands.[/i]

As Meredith drove to work the next day, she thought about all that had happened in the last twenty four hours. [i]She decided she needed roommates, she interviewed people, Derek and Mark had wormed them way into her house, they had moved years of boxes around and she had friends. As she had left the house she had called a mattress store and they said they could deliver in the afternoon. The cleaning staff would let them in. Everything was moving forward so fast and efficiently. Then why did she feel like things were spiraling out of control?