Whatever It Takes

And suddenly I become a part of your past..
I'm becoming the part that don't last, I'm losing you and its effortless.
--The Fray



Meredith stood on the overpass looking down at the busy nurses station and waiting room below... her body hung heavily over the railing with a lot on her mind...

She tiredly reached up and removed her scrub cap letting her long blonde hair fall around her shoulders...

"You have that 'I just lost a patient' look." She heard beside her and turned her head to see a familiar friend walking up to her with a look of concern...

"Maybe." She mumbled...

"What happened." He asked... she let out a sigh and shook her head..

"Nothing." She mumbled "It was a complicated surgery... but it couldn't have gone more perfect... the patient.. she's resting comfortably in recovery."

"So what's with the look?" Mark asked confused...

"I don't think Derek and I can be friends." She said sadly...

"Well." Mark replied with a sigh "Have to admit I was a little shocked that you were going to be friends... but then again you and Derek have always been... you and Derek."

"Things changed Mark... we're just not the same people anymore... and I'm just... I don't know if I have what it takes to try."

"You know." Mark sighed as he leaned on the railing next to her "I know its hard, and if you don't want to... no one can make you, and no one can blame you... you've been through a hell of a lot and you get credit just for breathing in and out..."

"But..." Meredith mumbled knowing it was coming...

"But." Mark said with a small smile "Derek is trying too... he's had to adjust here too... he's adjusting to a new city, a new job, adjusting to the fact that he doesn't have a wife anymore, and adjusting to the fact that you are seeing someone else... its hard on a guy and... Derek is Derek... he puts his foot in his mouth a lot... but he's Derek... and he's trying... and just for the sake of argument... maybe he just needs a little slack."

"I don't know Mark."

"What's the worst that could happen?" he smirked "Maybe he'll even hang himself with that slack."

Meredith let out a giggle and shook her head when something down in the waiting room caught her eye... she stood up and turned starting down the hallway...

"I gotta go." She mumbled as she took off...

She took the elevator down to the lobby and walked out to the waiting room toward a familiar looking man, one that she spoke to earlier that day.. one that she didn't expect to see...

"Mr. Kelley?" she asked as she approached him... he looked up at her with a lot on his mind "You came back."

"Yeah." He said with a hint of a smile... "How is Gracie?"

"She made it." She said with a smile "She's in recovery but you can see her first thing tomorrow."

"Thank you." He said with a relieved smile "I think I'll just wait here until she's ready."

"Ok." Meredith said with a nod and started to walk off but stopped and turned around "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure." He said looking up at her...

"Why did you come back?" she asked "I mean after all you said, after how much she hurt you... you are here."

He looked up at her and offered her a soft smile as a few years glistened in his eyes and let out a soft breath...

"Because." He said softly "Gracie can test me to my limits, she hurts me.. she drives me crazy, and she makes me feel so uncomfortable... but as uncomfortable as she makes me feel, living life without her in it... its even more uncomfortable."