Author's Note: Canon is not followed here. So the quadrangle exists pre-show but Mer/Mark and Derek/Addy start to the show married. Meredith's drive not to be under her mother's shadow means she is in her last year of residency.

Chapter One: The McDream team

Derek and Meredith were buzzing. Their clinical trial had worked, they now had the proof. Riding the high, they grabbed champagne intending to head towards Derek townhouse. They knew their other half's would be there as well. There was nothing like toasting success with your loved ones. It added 'spice' to their celebration.

Derek opened the door and froze. His brain kicked in, wanting to protect Meredith. He hugged her close to his chest. "Don't look. It won't help."

Derek wished he hadn't seen it. There were no words to watch your wife rutting with another man on your goddamn stairs. The best part, or, was it the worst part? The man was his best friend.

His mood soured, "We'll leave you to finish?"

The gasp from Mere' told him she knew just what was going on. He knew she would as she was too damn smart. They knew they'd just seen their personal lives crash and burn. Meredith pulled away, needing to say her bit. She walked straight up to her cheating husband. "Hey, sweetie."

Mark looked terrified. Derek had seen deer less scared when a car was upon them. Mark wasn't stupid, Meredith could and would skin him alive. It wasn't like she didn't have a justifiable reason. Addison was her best friend, just as much as Mark was his best friend. Meredith sauntered ever closer, looking serene. Derek knew that was Meredith at her most dangerous. He watched her thumb hook inside her hand. Oh boy, Derek was going to enjoy this.

Addison cried out in shock as Mark landed back in her lap. He was clutching his bruised jaw. "Mere' we need to talk."

Derek heard the hollow chuckle and winced. He hadn't heard that darker tone since college. Not since Meredith had found some happiness with Mark. If Mark was responsible for sending her back to her dark and twisty place - He would punch him out.

"No, Mark what I need is to drink Tequila and not see you in like ... Forever, yeah that works."

Her piece said, she grabbed Derek's hand and headed for the nearest bar.

That was how Derek found himself in a dive bar, drinking his sorrows away. He didn't get how this could have happened. What did he do wrong? Was Addison that unhappy?

He was one-half of the Manhattan dream team. His peers recognised him as the best neurosurgeon in the US. They had all been surprised at him taking a work partner. Meredith Grey was vastly recognised as a genius who was as adept at neurology as she was plastics. He'd be a fool not to collaborate and a strong friendship had grown as a result.

Neither said a word, just took another shot of tequila. The liquor was flowing, when Derek confessed. "I loved her ... I can't face being here."

Mere swallowed her own shot. She may be small and petite but she could still drink a quarterback under the table, "Me either, so let's go."

Derek's amusement grew as he could tell she was serious. He was curious, "Where?"

The plan was forming in her head, "Well, first of all, a hotel room. We need to sober up and I imagine Dad would be more than happy to have the New York dream working for him."

Derek smirked, "You mean he wants to keep an eye on his baby girl."

Mere giggled, "Oh yeah, on the plus side ... He'll probably get Mark with a great right hook."

The chief's secretary watched as a bemused Dr Bailey walked through Webber's door. The woman was a legendary character in the hospital, only a resident yet everyone feared her. Still, it wasn't as strange as her boss's behaviour today. He'd gone from quiet, calm anger with his first phone call. To sitting back and chuckling with manic glee with his second call.

Bailey just raised one eyebrow, "So it is true then?"

Webber had an innocent look as he replied, "Is what true?"

Bailey smirked, "A friend at Mercy West said their chief was bitching for hours that you've stolen Grey and Sheppard from New York."

Webber greatly respected his resident, "Yep I did. Their best friends and are having a few marital problems so my little girl wants to come home."

Bailey chuckled, "Nepotism in reverse. It will be good for the hospital they make a good team and she can help fix cooper's screw ups in Plastics."

Webber smiled, "Do I hear grudging respect?"

Bailey just smirked, "Hey, she's as hard on interns as I am."

The interns Izzy, Christina, George and Alex had made it through their first week. They were all a little amazed they'd survived. Christina plonked herself down, "Okay, anyone knows what'sn up with the Nazi? She seems almost happy."

Izzy smirked, "It's coz there is the new neuro head and Chief resident are starting tomorrow."

Alex looked up in surprise, "Who?"

Izzy stretched this out. She liked to revel in being the queen of gossip, "The New York dream team decided to come here."

This is about to make life very interesting.

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Edit: 1/8/2016