chapter eleven

deny, deny, deny.season two, episodes four and five.

author's note — so way back when i started this fic, i gave george's heart in the elevator plot line to cassie, which looking back is dumb and i hate it, so feel free to just like skip this chapter lmao

she approached the bar to grab a drink. As she was waiting, she spotted Bailey, and decided to go over and say hello. "Hey, how are you, Dr. Bailey?"

"Cassie," Bailey nodded in greeting. "I'm fine, tired. How are you?"

Cassie smiled, glad her resident actually her as a person; she always was a people pleaser. "I'm good, I actually—"

"Meredith kissed me," Derek interrupted, squeezing himself between them without warning. "Addison kissed me. My wife and my girlfriend kissed me on the same day."

"I'm sorry, ?" Cassie laughed in shock.

"Joe, do I look friendly to you?" Bailey asked Joe as he handed Cassie a shot of tequila.

"Oh, you're a tiny little kitten of joy and love," he responded, earning himself a look. "What? He saved my life."

"His first mistake," she rolled her eyes."McDreamy, go sit by someone who cares."

Derek scoffed, before pointing at his sister. "Cassie cares."

"Does she?" Cassie piped up, causing him to raise his eyebrows at her in betrayal. "Look, Derek, I love you, but you need to stop complaining and get your shit together."

"What she said," Bailey said, high-fiving her intern from his other side.

"Everything's gonna be fine," he shook his head, ignoring them. "Addison will go back to New York, Meredith and I will start over, and everything's gonna be fine. Right?"

Bailey shook her head at him as Cassie took her shot. "You're damn stupid."

☆

"Cristina Yang, post-op day 3from a unilateral salpingectomy," Cassie presented the next day during rounds, trying not to laugh at the dirty looks her friend was sending her mother.

Cristina cut in, "And ready to get back to work."

"Is she?" Cristina's mother piped up.

Cassie looked to Bailey in question. "She's taking solids and her pain is controlled with oral meds."

"See? I'm ready," Cristina insisted.

"Didn't the nurse say this morning you had a fever?" her mom asked her.

"Mother!"

Bailey raised her eyebrows. "Cristina, did you have a fever?"

"Temp spiked to 101 last night. Big deal."

"She worked 2 shifts last month with a 102 degree flu," Cassie defended.

Cristina pointed at her person with gratitude. "Yes, exactly, Cass, thank you."

Bailey rolled her eyes. "And we appreciate your dedication, but you're staying in bed until it normalizes."

Her mother sighed, "I keep telling her there's more to life than surgery and career."

"Mother, go upholster something," Cristina retorted, causing Cassie to laugh under her breath.

"Look, I need you to relax, shut up and get better. You're a patient this week so you can be a doctor next week. Understand?"

They all moved to leave, but Cristina pulled Meredith and Cassie back by their arms. "Mer, Cass, you leave me alone with her. I'm flying over the cuckoo's nest here. You have to save me," she begged.

"You need time to heal," Meredith sighed.

"I'm healed," Cristina called after her as Meredith walked out of the room. "I'm healed!"

Seeing the hopeful look on her face, Cassie sent her an apologetic one of her own. "Sorry, but I agree. I'll bring you some jello."

"Fine," she huffed. "But not the green. The green sucks."

☆

After rounding on a few more patients, Bailey sent Cassie to cover the ER. As she was walking towards the elevator, she stopped as Derek approached nervously.

"Hey Der," she smiled, giving him a side hug.

"Hey," he replied, seeming like he wanted to tell her something, but was a bit hesitant.

Cassie studied his demeanor for a short moment. "Okay, out with it."

Derek sighed at her intuitiveness. "Addison, uh, she gave me divorce papers."

"Fuck," she cursed, grabbing the papers from his hand and reading them over. "I mean, that's great, but like, ."

"Yeah, pretty much," he nodded.

"Are you going to sign them?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"?"

"Yes?" he repeated, beginning to question the truth behind his answer. "You don't think that I will, do you?"