Meredith Grey has finally decided that she no longer needs therapy because she's doing good.  They're doing good - her and Derek Shepard - they are happy.  They are moving in together.  Back at home, Derek starts to measure out space, the space in the roommates rooms, planning what changes need to be made. Obviously Izzie Stevens and Alex Karev are caught off guard as he announces that they must move out because he is moving in.  When Meredith catches wind of it all, she is totally blown away with the idea and has no idea how to approach this issue. 

So, as always, she seeks Cristina for advice.  Cristina in her eagerness to be "supportive" tells Meredith she needs to kick the roommates out (taking Derek's side).  Amidst the chatter, Meredith's new patient, who has cancer is listening in on the drama to make the most of her grim visit there.  The initial scans show that the patient's cancer has metastasized and she must go in for surgery to have it removed.  Somehow knowing that the patient needs someone to "feel normal" with, Meredith continues to discuss her issues.  When she and Bailey finally get the patient into surgery, things start rather routinely.  Miranda Bailey is over-exaggerating her teaching to make it clear that she is teaching her interns as plainly as possible.  Things appear to be going well, but then Bailey stops talking and just stares at the body in front of her when it is suddenly obvious that something is not right. Back in the patient's room Bailey informs the young girl that the cancer has spread further than they originally thought.  They were unable to operate and they can no longer try to remove the cancer.  The patient's only option is to continue chemo.  Meredith stays behind, silent, though the patient tries to change the subject asking about the roommate drama.

Isobel Stevens in the locker room with Cristina Yang, shares chips  in exchange for chocolate.  She tells Cristina that although she isn't her "person" and the two haven't always seen eye-to-eye, she found a really great apartment.  She hands Cristina the ad to check it out.  Cristina takes the ad and says she'll think about it.  Cristina, then, storms into the office of the therapist.  "You must be Cristina," and though for a second, she is stunned that Meredith has mentioned her in therapy, she procedes to insist that the therapy be continued for Meredith.  Cristina explains that Derek doesn't get her and is making huge mistakes in asking Meredith to kick out the roommates and how the two are never going to make it, anyways.  After a moment, the therapist looks at her and says, "It must be hard to lose Meredith."  "You're a terrible shrink," announces Cristina as she leaves the room.

Meredith goes back to see her dying patient still quiet and ready to listen to her.  The patient again tries to guess what Meredith will do in her situation guessing she'll break up with Derek and let a good guy slip away throwing him back into the dating pool.  "It's not fair, it's not fair, it's not. . ." and finally the patient has accepted the difficult situation she herself is in.  Meredith runs into the therapist in the elevator and distressingly asks why such horrible things happen all around her.  How can she be happy in a world where such horrible things happen.  The therapist explains that it's not about being happy, it's about feeling horrible in those cases and knowing that life goes on that makes things better.  

At Joe's after work, Izzie approaches Cristina with Callie for her answer about the apartment.  Cristina thanks her for the apartment idea, tells her it is great and she and Callie appreciate that she helped them find a new place.  Izzie is beside herself that she actually has to explain to Cristina that she was intending to share it with Cristina, not giving it to her.  Cristina says, "What, I already put down a deposit?" and Izzie storms away.  

Meredith finds a teary-eyed Izzie on the porch.  Izzie says she doesn't have anyone, btu sees Alex appear as he returns home for the evening.  Meredith finally gets up the courage to approach Derek about the living situation.  "They're my family."  She spews off about how they are family and he can't just kick them out or expect her to and despite all her ranting, Derek calmly says, "okay."  Meredith realizes that it is "okay," she talked to him about it, he accepted it and he still loves her even.  Derek explains, "Okay, I'd like to talk about it again when you're ready, but okay."

more from this episode. . .