[Kate Austen]

Okidoki, jetzt geht's auch so...

Et Voilá. [Extra Large]

“Get ready, we’re going shopping.” Cristina peeked into Meredith’s room and wrinkled her forehead when she saw her laying outstretched on her queen-size bed, eyes closed and not showing the slightest inclination to get up. “Now!”

“Huh?” Meredith rubbed her nose and looked up at Cristina who had started to riffle through her wardrobe, looking for clothes.

“You. Me. Izzie. The Mall. Now.” For some reason, Cristina seemed to be a little irritated. She handed Meredith a lavender blue top and simple jeans. “Here, put these on.”

Meredith took the clothes and narrowed her eyes sceptically. “But you hate the Mall.”

“Well, this is me being supportive.” she replied impatiently. “You suck when you have a crush on someone.”

Meredith was about to strip her top off her head but stopped at the second. “I do not ha…-“

“”Yeah, whatever.” Cristina pushed her out off the room and down the stairs to the hall where Izzie was already waiting, raring to go. She eyed Meredith from tip to toe and wrinkled her nose.

“Mer, you should do something with your hair. Seriously.” She held up a loose strand. “It’s all messed up. You look like Cristina.” She tried to straighten Meredith’s hair with her palm but she ducked her head.

“What the hell is wrong with you guys?”

“Nothing.” Cristina said quickly and narrowed her eyes at Izzie.

Izzie opened her mouth to say something, looked at Cristina and changed her mind. “Nothing.” she answered instead, grinning like a Cheshire Cat. “Just happy to go to the Mall, you know. I looove the Mall.” To emphasize her statement, she cheerfully hopped up and down on her feet like a child, causing Cristina to roll her eyes.
Meredith looked at her, raising an eyebrow.

“Hey, I’m just being supportive.” she shrugged and headed out off the door.

17 minutes and 53 seconds later they arrived at WestfieldCenturyCityShopping Center at Santa Monica Blvd. Meredith locked her silver BMW and they rushed towards the entrance with childlike excitement.
When they stepped through the doorway, Meredith could hardly believe her eyes. The first floor was almost deserted; merely here and there they saw someone looking at a shop window or running up and down on the escalators. This was odd. Usually at that time, the place was overcrowded with all those shopaholics, carrying countless shopping bags of Macy’s or Bloomingdale’s or Tiffany & Co, Mom’s with strollers and bunches of teenagers.
It was like entering a ghost town. Creepy.

Meredith pushed up her sunglasses and tugged at Izzie’s arm. “What does this mean?” she whispered.

Before Izzie could answer that, someone tapped Meredith on the shoulder, causing her to spin around.

“Uhm… excuse me, may I have an autograph, please?” A cute little girl, maybe at the age of six, looked at her with huge brown eyes. She blushed when Meredith smiled at her and looked bashfully at her feet.

“Sure sweetie, what’s your name?” Meredith kneeled down and took the piece of paper and the pen the girl handed her with shaking hands.

“Abbey.” she answered in a low voice, now grinning shyly at her.

“Oh, that’s an adorable name.” Meredith winked at her and gave her the signed paper back. “So are you’re here with your mommy or daddy?” she asked the girl whose face now glowed for joy.

“Yes, my mommy’s waiting over there.” She turned around and waved at a blonde tall woman, maybe 30, who was standing slightly away. Now, she slowly walked up to them, smiling apologetically at Meredith.

“I’m sorry, I hope my daughter didn’t bother you. I told her not to…-“

“Oh no, it’s okay.” Meredith put her off. “She was very polite.”

“This was such an exciting day for her.” The woman laid an arm around her daughter’s shoulders and pulled her close. “First she met Derek Shepherd, now you…”

Meredith’s eyes widened at the sound of the name. “Pardon me?”

The woman looked a little confused and darted a glance at Izzie and Cristina who both just smirked to each other. “Uhm… Derek Shepherd… he and the band are having an autograph session on the third floor.” She pointed at a poster at one of the windows which announced said event.

Meredith swallowed. It finally sunk in. Her so-called friends had planned this. Meanly… cruelly… behind her back… planned this.
She decided, fo now, to push this dirty trick to the back of her mind and smiled at Abbey and her mother. “I see… Derek Shepherd, huh?” With a twinkle in her eyes, she glanced at the girl whose eyes in turn began to shine immediately.

“Uhumm! I have a crush on him!” she said proudly.


Meredith giggled. “I’ve heard he tends to have that affect on girls.”

“You should get an autograph too.” Abbey babbled nonstop. “He’s very cute, you know.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard about that too.” She darted a glance at Izzie and Cristina who in chorus shrugged their shoulders and then turned her gaze back to the little girl. “Anyway… I think we should go now.” She leaned down to give Abbey a hug and shook hands with her mother. “It was nice to meet you. Take care, Abbey.” She waved at them once more and then turned on her heel, heading towards the escalator.

“Hey, where you’re going missy?” Izzie yelled after her.

She looked back over her shoulder. “Getting my autograph, silly head!” she yelled back.

“Wait,” Cristina frowned, “no yelling? No crying? Nothing of the things you usually do when you’re… pissed off?”

Meredith shrugged. “Nope.” She stepped onto the moving stairs. “Plus, who says I’m pissed off?”

Izzie and Cristina both were standing at the bottom of the escalator, gazing after Meredith, open-mouthed and speechless, until Cristina found her words again.

“Okay, right now,” she whispered, “she’s scaring the shit out off me.”