Looking at you side ways

16

The next month went by quickly. Meredith went out on a few dates with Jaake. Mark brought a different girl home regularly. Derek had managed to get it through to Addison that they were not a couple and would never be a couple. He sporadically brought girls home, but no one special. Meredith and Cristina had grown closer and were becoming best friends. Derek and Meredith were dancing around each other, but neither willing to take it further remembering their friend's advice. But they too were becoming closer, finding out more about each other.

Meredith was in the stairwell on the landing tying her shoe lace. She heard the door open below her and stood up quickly. That's when she heard it.[i] Cristina's laugh.[/i] She peeked over the railing and quickly covered her mouth with a gasp. [i]Burke had his arms around Cristina and they were kissing passionately. Really, [/i]thought Meredith?[i] Cristina had told her to not mix business with pleasure and her she was with her tongue down Burke's throat.[/i]

After a moment, they moved further down the stairs and Meredith went off on her mission to get labs for a patient.[i] Later in the locker room, Meredith was going to be speaking to Cristina.[/i]

At the end of their shift Cristina asked Mer, "You want to get a drink?"

"Yeah. I sort of need to talk to you."

"Men problems?"

"Just questions. You ready?"

Meredith and Cristina walked across the street to Joe's and grabbed a table with a view of the bar. Meredith saw Derek sitting at the bar with a tall curvy brunette. [i]She looked familiar. She had stayed overnight last week. Maybe Derek was getting serious about her. She knew he rarely took somebody out past a second date.[/i] Meredith shook her head and had to look away when Derek started kissing the girl.

Cristina said, "So spill already. What's going on?"

"I could ask you that."

"Ask away. I am an open book."

"Really?" asked Meredith.

"Really."

"What is going on with you and Preston Burke?"

Cristina choked a little on her beer and said, "Burke?"

Meredith said, "You know Burke. Tall, dark, handsome, fellow intern. Whom you said not to mix business with pleasure with." Meredith raised her eyebrow at her.

"Well. We are just friendly."

"Are you always that friendly, as in your tongue down his throat, with all your male friends?"

Cristina laughed and asked, "Where did you see us?"

"In the stairwell today."

"Shit! It could have been anybody. I guess we will have to be more careful."

"Yeah. You could have told me. I can't believe you told me that I shouldn't think about Derek as more than a roommate or colleague and you are doing the same thing."

"Whoa. Whoa. Completely different. We are in Switzerland. Neutral. You want a relationship. Burke and I are just sex. I am not even sure I like the Momma's boy."

"Why are you with him then? How long have you guys been dating? What makes you think I want a relationship?"

Cristina shrugged her shoulders and said, "You don't do casual sex. You are not that girl. Sorry Mer, but you aren't. And that's okay. It's not a bad thing. We are not dating. He's hot. I like sex. We work a hundred plus hours a week. I need sex. I don't have time to go on dates and crap. He is filling a need. And trust me, it's just sex. It's good sex, even great sex, but no relationship. It's been a few weeks and never outside of the hospital. Usually in an on call room or a supply room."

Meredith asked, "How is that even possible? I know guys can do that, but I don't know?" Meredith shook her head.

"I don't have time for a boyfriend. If I get a second of free time, I sleep or study. Or counsel you. So what is up with you and McVet?" Cristina asked, trying to change the subject.

Meredith took a sip of her wine and said, "Well he is picking me up here in a few minutes to go out to dinner."

"So how is the sex?"

Meredith twisted a finger around a strand of hair and said, "Um...We haven't had sex yet."

Cristina sat her bottle down on the table and stared at Meredith a little stunned. "You have had five or six dates and no sex? Oh, you have to get rid of him. He's not even a real doctor."

Meredith said defensively, "He is so a doctor and we are getting close. We are just taking things slow." She thought back to their first date. [i]He had been so sweet. She had fallen asleep at dinner and he didn't take offense. He just had her dinner wrapped up and brought her home. Derek had been home that night and told Jaake that he could make sure Meredith got some sleep. Derek had actually had to help her up the stairs she was so dead on her feet.[/i]

Cristina said, "He's not a surgeon and if you don't want to jump him after that many dates, cut your loss and move on. You just need to get laid."

Sighing a little, Meredith looked sideways over at Derek and his date.[i] Now he was rubbing her thigh. Great [/i]thought Meredith. Jaake came in the door and smiled when he saw Meredith. He walked over and gave her a heated kiss.

He pulled back and said hello to Cristina. She nodded at him.[i] He was fine looking and seemed nice, but Cristina thought he was a little dull. He worked with animals! She didn't care what Mer said. He wasn't a real surgeon.[/i]

Derek had been looking over sideways at Meredith and had seen Jaake come in and give Meredith a long lip lock.[i] Derek didn't like him on principle. Nobodywas good enough for Meredith.[/i] Derek stood up and pulled some bills out of his pocket.

Derek said to his date a little angrily, "You ready to go?"

She said, "Sure. Your place or mine?"

He glanced back over at Meredith's table. "Yours."

Meredith wistfully watched Derek and his date leave in a hurry. She stood up and told Jaake, "I am ready. Let's get out of here. See ya tomorrow Cris."

"Bye Mer." Cristina watched as they left and drained her drink. She thought to [i]herself, be careful Mer. I don't think you know what you want.