Seven Thousand Hours

Chapter 8| Resignation

"Dr Webber, could I speak with you please?" Derek called after Richard down the corridor. Richard rolled his eyes. "Make it quick, Shepherd." He grumbled, clearly still annoyed by him and Meredith.

"I'd like to tender my resignation as Head of Neurosurgery at Seattle Grace." He blurted out calmly yet quickly. Richard's head shot up. "You'd like to do what?!" He began shouting but Derek just sighed.

"I'd like to step down as Head of Neuro-" Derek started but was cut off. "I heard you, Shepherd! Why the damn hell would you take the job if you had no plans of staying!" Richard shouted, catching peoples attention. Derek lead them into his office. "I want me an Amy to switch positions. She's an excellent surgeon and an even better sister. She deserves this role. I don't have the time to lead it properly. I need to just be an attending" Derek handed him a document before Richard glanced over it.

"You're mentoring Meredith Grey? Is this what it's all about!" Richard flung the paper across the room. "I know there's a history there Richa-" Derek interrupted but Richard stopped him "A history! Of course there's a damn history! All her mom ever wanted was for her to go into General! I had an affair for years and let her down so the least I could do was get her daughter in Gen-" Richard paced the room but Derek interrupted. "Richard, this isn't something I should know. That's Meredith's story to tell, not yours. I am simply wanting to show the world her already incredible talents in neuro and that's what she wants. Rather than making her mother happy, why not make Meredith happy. She wants neuro, she's always wanted neuro. Let me give that to her, please" Derek's expression softened. Richard shook his head.

"I will continue to pay you both but I want nothing to do with this. I don't want to see you, I don't want any hassle, Meredith Grey is not my responsibility. When she fails, and she will, that's on her. Im only doing this for the upstanding of this hospital, you hear me? So when you two are done with this mentoring crap, you're both out on your ass and no longer welcome in this hospital. You won't have a job to come back to"

"Good thing she's an exceptional neurosurgeon and doesn't deserve this place" Derek said before walking out and slamming the door.

Nothing about that conversation sat well with him. The way he blurted out Meredith's private life, telling her she would fail, the wishing for her to fail. Maybe it was good they didn't have a job to come back to after her boards, because who would want a boss like that?

"Dr Shepherd, hey, how did speaking with Richard go?" Meredith ran to catch up with him. "Not great but I got the go ahead so that's what matters" Derek said as they walked to his office. "He didn't say anything about me, did he?" Meredith picked at her fingers before Derek placed a hand on her shoulder. "I don't want to lie to you, he did, about your mom. But if you don't want to talk about it, then we don't have to. If you do, then talk to me anytime. He shouldn't have told me.  He certainly isn't happy with us" Derek said as she leaned back in her chair. "No?" Derek shook his head. "Apparently we don't have jobs by the end of your residency"

Meredith looked up, before she started laughing. "He'll change his mind" Meredith laughed as she leaned back and closed her eyes. "When do we start then?" Meredith asked. "How about tomorrow evening? Have the day off, get some rest, and then we can get into it."

Later that night, Meredith decided to go to the bar to with her friends and enjoy her last night of freedom. Although it was a sacrifice she wanted to take, it was still incredibly daunting.

"Guys, I have something to tell you." Meredith said as she started picking her nails. They all turned to her. "I'm going to be specialising in neuro. Dr Shepherd is taking me under his wing for the next year and I'll be sitting my boards with you guys" Meredith smiled happily.

"Oh my god, Mer, that's great!" George exclaimed as he stood up and hugged her. Meredith nodded as Alex patted her back. "McAss is mentoring you?" Cristina asked. "He's not an ass. And I can't complain when he's about to give me 7000 hours of his time" Meredith laughed but George spat his drink everywhere.

"7000 hours!" They all exclaimed, making Meredith laugh. "That's what I need for neuro. But it's fine, I'll make it work. I'll probably be living in the hospital so Alex I'm naming you and Iz chief carer of the house. I should be home Sundays but we will see how it goes" Meredith explains.

"Oh you and McHotty are so going to be doing it in an on-call room by the end of the week" Cristina laughed, Meredith did not. "No, I've never thought about him like that. And McHotty? Seriously!" Meredith groaned as she took a shot. Izzie shook her head. "Hmm no, how about McDreamy?" She said. "What do you mean McDreamy?" Meredith exclaimed, Izzie just laughed. "He may be McMiserable but he's still a hot, hot man. And he's giving you all his time! McDreamy suits him." Izzie smiled as Meredith suddenly was imagining him shirtless.

"Look, I haven't thought about him like that. And anyway, we're going to be way to busy with work. And I don't see him like that. So drop it before you even start." Meredith groaned as she took a shot of tequila.

Cristina signed a 5 and a 0 to signal a $50 bet that she'd sleep with him. Alex just laughed. "Mer, at least you're going to be a neurosurgeon like you've always wanted. That's what matters and don't let him get in the way of that" Alex held her shoulder encouragingly.

"Thanks guys. I'm terrified, because what if I can't do it?" Mer began to panic and pick her fingers. "Don't worry about it, you'll make it work" George smiled at her. Meredith just nodded.

Did she have any idea on what she was truly getting herself into?