Meredith did her best to avoid Derek the next day. After seeing him with Addison the last thing she wanted to do was see him and start crying. Meredith wasn't normally an overly emotional person, except when it came to Derek.

She remembered Addison from her dream, she also remembered that when given the chance Derek wanted to give his marriage another chance before coming back to Meredith. She couldn't sit and wait around, not again. As much as she wanted the life she had dreamt the two of them having, it was easier for her to back down than stand around and wait to be hurt.

Derek had tried to come up to her a couple times that day, each time Meredith muttered some excuse and walked away. Derek would always watch her walk away, confused. What had he done? He wondered if she had talked to Addison or if she had seen the two of them the day before. If only Meredith had stayed long enough for Derek to explain why his ex-wife was at Seattle Grace.

"Bailey." Derek called down the hall, trotting to catch up to her.

"What do you want Shepherd?" Bailey asked.

"I need Grey on my service today."

"No."

"No?"

"N. O. Have you not heard the word before, Dr. Shepherd?"

"I have, I'm just confused as to why I'm hearing it now."

"I know all about you and Dr. Grey. She's a damn intern and you're her damn attending!"

"What? Where did you hear that?"

"I'm Bailey, I know everything that happens in this hospital, even if I don't want to."

"This is for purely professional reasons."

"Why do I feel like you're lying to me?" Bailey asked.

"Is that a yes?" Derek smirked.

"If I hear anymore about the two of you so help me I will make both your lives a living hell!" Bailey said before walking away to greet her interns, eagerly awaiting their tasks for the day. "Grey! You're with Shepherd."

"Oh, um, actually I was wondering if I could be on Burke's service for the day." Meredith said.

"Did you just ask me to do you a favor, Dr. Grey?"

"Um, no?"

"So you're happy to be on Dr. Shepherd's service today?"

"Yes, Dr. Bailey." Meredith forced a smile as she replied.

The scrub room was silent as Meredith and Derek scrubbed out of surgery. The rest of the staff had long gone and they were the only remaining too.

"You did good today Meredith." Derek said.

"Thank you, Dr. Shepherd." Meredith replied coldly, not bothering to look at him.

"Mer?" Derek began, placing his hand on her shoulder causing her to jump.

"I have charts." Meredith said and exited the scrub room, Derek following suit.

"Meredith!" Derek called, causing the few people who were in the hall to turn and look at the two of them. Meredith froze and turned around.

"I get it okay, you don't have to say anything. I know that given the choice you'd pick her over me so just stop making this harder than it needs to be. Okay?" Meredith told him on the verge of tears.

"Who?" Derek asked confused.

"Please don't do that Derek." Meredith begged, tears beginning to fill her eyes.

"Come with me." Derek sighed and pulled her into an on-call room.

Derek sat Meredith on one of the beds and knelt before her so the two were eye to eye.

"Now, tell me who you were talking about." Derek said, calmly.

"Addison."

"Addison? How do you know Addison."

"I just, I do okay. It's not important. I know that given the choice you'd go back to her instead of being with me. I was just trying to make it easier for the both of us." Meredith sobbed.

"Mer." Derek chuckled. "Addison and I have been divorced for almost 3 years. Given the choice there's no doubt in my mind it would be you. I pick you, I choose you, I love you. I do love you Meredith. I want nothing more than to love you." Derek told her, wiping the tears away that fell down her face.

"Really?" Meredith asked, as she began to cry again only this time it was tears of joy.

"Really." Derek smiled and kissed her.

A/N: I know some of y'all have been saying the reviews aren't posting. I just want to let you know that whether or not they post on here I still get the review as an email and I appreciate all of you taking the time to read and review this! If anyone has suggestions of what they'd like to see happen let me know :)/strong/em/p