Stitches of Survival

Don't Let's Start

Chapter Forty-Five: Don't Let's Start

*~*~*~*

"Beth! Hey, wait up!" Derek called after me, making me stop on my way to check on one of my patients. "What are you and Mark doing for dinner tomorrow night?"

"Our, uh, days should be pretty cut and dry tomorrow so we were thinking about taking Joel out to dinner," I told him. "Just spend some time together outside of the house, why?"

"How would you guys like to spend some time out of the house in my house?" He suggested, only causing my brows to furrow together in confusion. 

"What did you do?" I questioned him.

"I invited Pierce and Webber over for dinner," he informed me, causing my eyes to widen. Everyone in the hospital knew about the tension that was going on between Meredith, Pierce, and Webber since it had come out that Ellis Grey and Webber were Pierce's birth parents. While Meredith was slowly starting to handle the news of her new sister better, Pierce was still furious that Webber had gone so long without telling her that he was her father. 

"Are you trying to throw the most awkward dinner party?" I raised a brow at him. "What use would Mark I even be if we were there?"

"Aren't you friends with Pierce?" He asked.

"I wouldn't say we're friends, I've just worked on a few cases with her," I shook my head. "I mean, I'm still trying to get used to the fact that Cristina's not here anymore, just like everyone else."

"Still, you're a friendly face," he explained. "You and Mark are our family anyways, and this is a family dinner. You guys belong there."

"No, we're not a part of this genetic twister," I shook my head.

"Beth!" We both looked over to find April hurrying towards us, her face nearly as red as her hair. "Do you have plans tonight?"

"Well," I began.

"My mom's in town and she's insisting that you join her, Jackson, and I for dinner tonight," she didn't bother to let me finish before she started to explain the situation, speaking a mile a minute. "She wants to get to know the family, and since you're Jackson's sister... Anyways, can you make it tonight? Please?"

"I can't. I actually promised Derek and Meredith that Mark and I would join them for their dinner from hell," I told her, omitting the part about the diner actually being tomorrow night. "Try and ease the tension between Webber and Pierce. I'm sorry."

"It's fine, I'll just tell her you'll meet the next time she's in town," April waved it off before hurrying off again, leaving Derek and I alone.

"Don't," I warned him, able to feel his gaze burning into the side of my head.

"You're still not talking to Jackson?" He asked anyway. 

"I don't want to talk about this," I shook my head.

"How long has it been?" He pressed. "Three months, at least, right?"

"I just agreed to go to this stupid dinner," I reminded him. "Are you really going to try and talk me out of going so I can play nice with my brother instead?"

"I'll see you later," he nodded, dropping the topic entirely.

*~*~*~*

"So, let me get this straight," Mark cleared his throat the next morning as we each had a cup of coffee in one of the break rooms before we went to check up on our patients. "Meredith agreed to have Pierce over for dinner with her and Derek?"