Homeplot: On a Jet Plane

[missingthekeep]

Sean's not sure what to think. Since waking up in their Washington hotel room yet again that morning, he's been in a perpetual state of unease that has nothing to do with the absolute reaming that is no doubt in store for him in London. He's half-tempted to suggest just going on the lam with Meredith for however much longer this lasts, but for now, he spends his time fidgeting in his cramped economy seat on the plane (maybe he'd been on something of a spending spree, but the tickets had been booked on their behalf), playing with a tiny, empty scotch bottle.

"Least all yer paperwork went through without a hitch," he says, looking over at Meredith with a cheerfulness that, vague unease aside, remains pretty genuine after the events of the last day. Maybe they should have gone back by now, maybe there's more to this than they initially thought, but whatever they're facing, they're still facing it together.

Comments

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

"I do it all the time," Sean points out, making a slight show of pulling the bottle back but still letting her take it easily. "Here, I do, anyhow. An' at least that way we'd match."

[drownondryland]

Meredith taps him on the head with it. "I don't want to match," she says, smiling as she shakes her head at him. "I like my name. And I'm not you, playing someone else all the time."

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

"What's wrong wi' matchin'?" Sean asks, looking slightly put out for a moment, although that's got more to do with her tapping him with the bottle than anything else.

[drownondryland]

"Nothing is wrong with it," Meredith says, shrugging. "It's... just not me." Just because it works for nearly every other woman she knows doesn't mean it works for her. She's never entirely understood the urge to change names anyway.

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

"Oh," Sean says, and this time he doesn't have the excuse of the bottle to explain away his slight pout. "Well... have ye e'er really thought about it?"

[drownondryland]

"Changing my name?" Meredith's shoulders lift, not quite a shrug. "It's not like I have anything against your name, I like your name, I just... like my name. At the very least, if we ever get back home for real, I'd want to do my work and my research under it. It's... me."

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

"It'd still be you either way," Sean says mildly, not wanting to make a big deal out of this when she obviously isn't. "Marryin' a person isnae the same as... playin' someone else."

[drownondryland]

"I know," Meredith says quickly. It isn't the life she ever envisioned for herself, at least before him, but that doesn't mean it isn't her. She twists the ring around her finger, shaking her head. "I know it's not. And I, I know it would be, it's just... strange for me. You don't have to get used to a new name, I... I don't know."

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

"Strange c'n be good," Sean feels compelled to point out, since there's almost no part of the past few days that doesn't fit that description in some capacity. "I mean, there's lots o' things t'be gettin' used to, on both our parts."

[drownondryland]

Meredith hesitates, watching him. It's one thing to cave on the dress, the ring, all of that. She isn't sure about this one at all. If it really matters to him, she knows she'll at least be tempted to give in, but she's still a Grey. "What about both names?" she suggests. "A, a hyphenate. Grey-Cassidy, that's not bad. Doctor Grey-Cassidy." Actually, it's kind of a mouthful, now she's said it, but she could live with that.

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

"Kind of a mouthful, innit?" Sean asks, quirking an eyebrow. Still, it's something, and he doesn't want act otherwise. The problem is that this isn't a conversation he's ever really anticipated having, and he's really not sure how he's supposed to be going about it. "But no, nae bad."

[drownondryland]

"It kind of is," Meredith admits, pouting a little at having to do so. It's usually part of getting married, she knows, but it doesn't have to be. She just doesn't know how to explain it so it makes sense to him. She sighs. "Let me think about it. Maybe it'll grow on me. But no one is calling me Mrs. whatever."

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

Sean can't help but grin at that, even with the slightly perplexing nature of the discussion. "Perish the thought," he assures her as he tries to take the bottle back, an oddly hopeful look coming over him. "Still, ye've got t'admit, Dr. Cassidy's got a pretty nice ring to't."

[drownondryland]

Meredith hands him his bottle back, sighing again. "It does," she says, "I admit it. But you aren't going to get me to go all gooey and girly by putting our names together." She glances away, trying it out. "Meredith Cassidy. I don't know. I'll think about it."

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

"All I c'n ask," Sean says, leaning forward to try and catch her gaze again. "An' d'ye really think we'd be at a point to discuss this if'n I wanted someone gooey an' girly?"

[drownondryland]

Meredith starts to smile in spite of herself. "No," she admits, turning and kissing him. "You'd have to find someone else and I'm not giving this ring back." Actually, she's sort of starting to get used to it. She would be if she could stop fidgeting with it, anyway.

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

"Smart woman," Sean quietly laughs, reaching out to cover her hand with his own. "But since I'm nae findin' anyone else, the point seems moot."

[drownondryland]

"Entirely," Meredith agrees. Leaning her head on his shoulder, she shakes it. "I will wear the dress, though. If we can find one that isn't hideous." She's not holding her breath on that front, though.

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

"Yeah?" Sean asks, visibly buoyed by this. "Well, that box does seem ta cooperate when it comes ta special occasions, aye? An' I'm sure there are plenty o' folk 'round there who c'n put somethin' together if nae. That's great, Meredith."

[drownondryland]

Meredith laughs, brow raising, though she's pleased he is. "Is it?" she asks. "I guess so. We'll see. If I can't find anything I actually like, I'm wearing whatever I can find that's half-decent, so you better hope it's on your side."

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

Sean just shrugs the matter off, entirely unconcerned. "I've got faith," he says simply, threading his fingers through hers. "In spades, these days, as a point o' fact."

[drownondryland]

"We'll see," Meredith says anyway, tipping her head up and kissing his neck. At least she can commit to some compromise that makes him happy. "Everyone else seems to manage, I guess I probably will, too."

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

"There's no prob'ly about it," Sean says, letting his eyes drift shut for a few contended moments. "I'm sure ye'll acquit yerself jus' foine."

[drownondryland]

"Oh, thank you for the vote of confidence," laughs Meredith. "I'd better merit a whole lot better than just fine on my own freaking wedding day. At least from you." And as much as she loves her friends, she honestly doesn't care if anyone else is there anyway, though she suspects he'll disagree there, too.

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

"Now, I dinnae want ye upstagin' me too much," Sean teases, wanting to keep her laughing in spite of the odd look they get from their fellow passengers. "'Sides, aren't ye the one always tellin' me how biased I am when it comes t'ye? Ye know ye're always brilliant t'me."