CODING ━ grey's anatomy

chapter fifty nine

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"You're wearing a turtleneck under your scrubs," Meredith pointed out, raising an eyebrow at Cristina as she approached her with Cassie by her side. "It's ugly. Not as ugly as the fact you hugged him. You hugged him."

"I get it. Hear you. Let's move on," Cristina said nonchalantly.

Meredith gave her a look. "Turtlenecks aren't okay. You're not okay, and your boyfriend's not okay."

"Is your boyfriend okay?" Alex asked her, coming up to the three of them. Cassie simply glanced between them, pausing slightly when Derek was mentioned.

"What?"

"To be cutting into brains today," he clarified. "Is he okay to be back?"

"Yes," Meredith responded, side eye-ing Cassie as she did so. "Of course. Derek is fine."

"I was there for his carnage in the OR, remember?" Alex scoffed. "This isn't just any patient today. This is Izzie."

With that, he walked away, leaving the other two to turn to Cassie with expectant looks.

Cassie raised a brow. "Can I help you?"

"Are you okay?" Meredith wondered. "Ever since you saw Derek you've been a little... I mean, what happened out there?"

Cassie shrugged casually. "He told me how he really feels. That's what happened."

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Cassie sat with Mark at a nurses station, silently enjoying each other's company as they worked. They hadn't spoken much about what happened with Derek, but Cassie knew one thing for sure; she no longer gave a damn what Derek thought about their relationship.

Feeling eyes on her, Cassie moved her gaze upwards, landing on Derek standing only a few feet away. Noticing the way her fists clenched at her sides, Mark looked up as well, a scowl taking over his features as he did so.

Cassie tensed as Derek approached her, his drunken words replaying in her mind on a constant loop.

"Honestly, Cass, had it ever occurred to you that the reason you've never been in a real relationship, is because no one is stupid enough to actually love you?"

Abruptly getting to her feet, Cassie pushed out from the desk, her rolling chair hitting the wall behind her as she passed by Derek without a second glance.

"Cass," he called out, confusion clear in his voice. "Wait, Cass—"

"Shut up," Mark snapped, following after his girlfriend, only to stop right in front of Derek with a dark glare, ignoring the look of puzzlement on his face.

"Mark, I—"

"No," Mark interrupted, his voice low. "I don't know what the hell you did that managed to hurt her so badly, but she refuses tell me, which could only mean one thing. That she's willing to forgive you. And she knows that if she told me, I never would." He narrowed his eyes. "If I were you, I wouldn't push my luck."

Not giving him time to respond, he left, continuing towards the direction Cassie had left. Derek stood alone, frozen in place as he watched them go.