Echoes of Resilience

49

"Do you guys want to go down the street and get lunch? It probably wouldn't be a bad idea to get out of the courthouse for a little while." Arizona suggested.

"That would mean having to get through the wall of reporters that are outside and I really don't know if I can do that again." Meredith groaned and hid her face in Addison's neck. "They have so many questions but I have no answers."

"I know we just met so I'm sorry if I'm out of line saying this, but you can't starve yourself or stay in here and hide just because the reporters are assholes." Alex said gently. "There's enough of us to form a wall around you to protect you from them and if needed I am not opposed to punching them or throwing their cameras to the ground." He smiled at Meredith when she poked her head up. "What do you say?"

"Cristina's wrong about you." Meredith hummed as she stood up. "She told me that you were a meathead, but you very clearly have both a heart and feelings." She giggled. "I say lunch with a side of you beating up reporters sounds great."

"He is a meathead, I promise." Cristina chuckled as she stood up and took Teddy's hand. "Right babe?" She glanced up at the blonde with a smirk.

"Oh I am not getting involved." Teddy laughed. "Come on, you need to eat too."

"Karev is not that bad. He can be a bit of a meathead sometimes, but he means well." Arizona chimed in. "What do you think Addie?"

"I think we should stop talking about him like he's not here." Addison snorted. "Sorry Karev, they're a bit uncivilized."

"It's okay, so am I." Alex smiled. The group exited the courthouse, forming a barricade around Meredith and Cristina as reporters flocked over to them.

"Cristina! Is it true that you were sexually involved with Preston Burke and that's why he killed Izzie Stevens?" One reporter shouted as Cristina grasped Teddy's hand tightly. "Have you talked to the defendant since he was arrested?"

"Meredith! Do you have anything to say about the accusations that you and Cristina worked together to frame Preston Burke?" Another reporter yelled as they tried to break through the barrier to get to Meredith, only to be shoved back by Alex.

"As if it's not bad enough that we're having to be witnesses in a murder trial we can't even get lunch without you assholes demanding that Meredith and Cristina answer questions!" Alex barked, anger clear on his face. "We are all going through hell! Two people were murdered. That is why we are here. We are here because two innocent people were murdered but all you care about are getting views and making money! If you want to cheapen the reason why we are all here, leave us out of it!" He guided the group through the mass of reporters, finally making it down the street to a small diner.

"Alex," Cristina whispered once they were seated and had ordered their food. Alex looked up, caught slightly off guard by the softness on the usually stoic brunette's face. "Thank you."

"Seriously Alex, you didn't have to say what you did, but thank you." Meredith agreed.

"When I got to the courthouse this morning, they tried talking to me but it was nothing like the circus when they saw the two of you." Alex sighed. "Neither one of you deserve to be bombarded like that and I just couldn't stay quiet." The group got quiet when the waiter came with their food, none of them were particularly hungry but they new that they had to eat.

"I wonder who they're going to call after lunch." Addison hummed as she took a tentative bite of a French fry, a smile tugging at her lips as she saw Meredith's mouth and chin covered in mustard and grease from her burger. She picked up a napkin and carefully wiped the blonde's face, sweetly pecking her on the lips, suppressing a chuckle when the younger woman broke into a blush. "You are adorable, sweet girl. Absolutely adorable."