GREY'S ANATOMY "Takin' Care of Business" Written by Alanna Vopni December 12, 2006
GREY S ANATOMY Takin Care of Business TEASER FADE IN: MUSIC BEGINS AS: INT. S HOUSE KITCHEN NIGHT It is painfully early in the morning and Meredith shuffles in wearing pajamas. Her eyes are barely open as she flicks on the lights but they open wide when she sees Izzie sitting at the table. Izzie is dressed as if she s been up for hours or never been to bed. Meredith looks at Izzie but Izzie doesn t move, she simply stares straight ahead. Meredith walks past her and grabs a mug from the cupboards and pours herself a cup of coffee. (V.O.) Free will. Two four letter words. George walks in already dressed for the day. He nods at Meredith then sees Izzie and makes a beeline for her. He enfolds Izzie in a big hug from behind. (V.O.) (CONT D) When we re little and all our decisions are being made for us we long for the day when we ll have the freedom to make all our own choices. Meredith watches George hold Izzie for several moments until Izzie finally reaches up with one hand and clasps Georges arm. Meredith picks up her coffee and walks out of the room. INT. BURKE S APARTMENT BEDROOM - NIGHT Cristina wakes up. Burke lays beside her with his right arm resting on top of her. Cristina smiles. Burke is still fast asleep. Burke s hand starts to tremor.
2. (V.O.) We just know that when that day comes we ll know exactly what to do... Cristina puts her hand over top of Burke s as if to still it but instead gently shifts his arm off her and slips out of bed. She walks toward the bathroom. (V.O.) (CONT D)... But decisions are simple when other people make them for you. They have a way of getting complicated when you have to make them for yourself. Burke wakes and watches her walk away. He rolls over. INT. SEATTLE GRACE HOSPITAL LOCKER ROOM MORNING Meredith sits on the bench putting on her shoes. Cristina pulls her scrub shirt over her head. Alex stands in the background slowly putting his scrubs on. Izzie hasn t moved. CRISTINA What s she been doing? George walks in and grabs his white doctor s coat out of his locker. George storms out. That s just it -- when I say she hasn t moved, I mean she literally hasn t moved. She s just staring. CRISTINA Really? So she s totally lost the plot. GEORGE Izzie s going to be fine! You two should be more supportive.
3. CRISTINA What s wrong with Bambi this morning? Cristina pulls on her shoes. I can t talk to her. I just don t know what to say so I generally avoid her. Does that make me evil? CRISTINA No, it makes you me. Cristina walks out of the locker room. (V.O.) Because the thing that no one ever tells you is free will doesn't mean you magically know exactly what to do but making a decision to do something despite knowing that you have no idea what you should do. Meredith turns around to close her locker door and sees Alex standing there. He looks at her and then leaves. INT. HALLWAY DAY Meredith rushes out of the locker room. She looks up to see Izzie wandering down the corridor. Meredith takes a step forward and then stops. She watches Izzie disappear. Meredith moves forward down the hallway in the opposite direction. INT. 2ND FLOOR LOBBY - MORNING Meredith rounds a corner and runs right into Derek. (V.O.) And then once you've got that down you realize it's not even that simple because there's an unseen hand playing in our lives that we have no control over called fate. I didn t expect to run into you quite so soon. I ve got to get to-
4. (smiling) I was sure you d be avoiding me for at least a few days. How can you do that? What? (pointing at his smile) That. Because I ve come to a decision. (beat) Do you want to know what it is? No! Meredith starts to step around him but he moves to stand in her way. She exhales and slumps her shoulders. Ah, c mon. If you d come to a decision I d want to know what it was. Well, I haven t. I m not asking for one. But aren t you the least bit curious what mine is? Meredith clearly is interested. She walks away. I ve got to get to the morning meeting. (calling after her) That s okay. I ve got surgery anyway...
5. He turns and starts to walk away but then turns back. (CONT D) (calling after her)... And I can wait. INT. 2ND FLOOR LOBBY OVERLOOK - CONTINUOUS Addison stands at the railing in the hallway above watching Derek walk away. (V.O.) And oddly enough fate is another four letter word. It seems to have a way of making things happen that you had specifically taken great pains not to have happen. INT. HOSPITAL CORRIDOR - MORNING Bailey stands in front of Cristina, George, and Alex as Meredith walks up to them. Thanks for taking the time out of your day to join us, Grey. As I was telling your fellow interns. You re going to have someone else s boots to lick for a while. Callie appears down the hall. She and George notice each other at the same time. Callie looks at him expectantly. George s face is unreadable. (CONT D) Dr. Hahn, from Mercy West Hospital will be taking over Dr. Burke s cases until he recovers. Who wants to be the first? Cristina and Alex s hands shoot up followed closely behind by Meredith s. George is still intent on Callie who is now turning and walking back the way she came. (CONT D) Karev put your hand down. You know where you are. ALEX Gyno squad.
6. Exactly. Yang, you re with Hahn. Grey you re on trauma. Scurry. All the interns scatter, except George who watches Meredith, Cristina and Alex disappear in different directions. (CONT D) And O Malley you re working with me. Go familiarize yourself with the chart for the patient in room 224. George nods his head and dashes off. INT. OFFICE BEHIND NURSE S STATION - DAY Bailey walks into the office past Izzie who sits on the chair in front of the desk. Izzie stares into the corner away from Bailey who sits down behind the desk. Thanks for coming in, Dr. Stevens. IZZIE Just Izzie. (beat) I m a visitor, remember. Bailey s eyes open wider. Look Stevens, no matter how much you try to disappear you re never going to be able to escape yourself. Izzie turns and stares at Bailey. (CONT D) The only way you re going to get through this is to be a doctor. IZZIE I don t think I can do it anymore. You can. IZZIE What if I m not up to it.
7. You may not get the resources until you need them, but you will get them. Izzie clasps her hands in her lap. (CONT D) Here s what you re going to do today, you re going to dress in your scrubs, you re going to be with me and O Malley, and you re just going to get through the day. Izzie and Bailey stare at each other for a moment and then Izzie nods. INT. TRAUMA - DAY Meredith enters just as EDDIE WILLIAMS (29) is being wheeled in from the ambulance. And ER Doctor and several nurses attend him. Eddie wears a finely tailored suit. His neck and head are braced on a board and there s blood all over his face. Even through all the blood it s easy to see that he s quite good-looking. Meredith stops a nurse. Page Dr. Shepherd. The nurse nods and trots off. Meredith approaches Eddie. (CONT D) What were you up to today, Mr..? Eddie looks up to see her and smiles a smile of recognition -- he knows her. EDDIE Williams, Eddie Williams. Derek enters the room and stops. Hello, Mr... Williams. I m- EDDIE Meredith Grey. I would know you anywhere.
8. Meredith looks more closely at this man as if going through the snapshots of all the guys she s ever slept with. Meredith turns and sees Derek standing behind her. Off their moment... TO BLACK: END OF TEASER