Izzie opens the door to the Chief's office (or maybe a conference room) and lets Meredith in. The Chief tells Izzie that she can leave, and she quietly tells Meredith that they'll be outside. Meredith: "You don't have to." Izzie: "Shut up." Hey, that was a flash of original old school Izzie. I miss her. Meredith stands there and clears her throat while the Chief stares at her. She defensively tells him that she doesn't need a lecture. He interrupts her and tells her that the exam is sitting on the table, along with the stuff she needs to complete the exam (pencils, water, etc.). He tells her that he'll send a proctor in, and "I'll come back in a few hours and check on you." Since the test is only two hours long, I hope he'll find an empty room when he comes back. Meredith looks to be near tears as she tells him, "You are not my father." Richard: "I know that." Meredith wipes a tear off her cheek. The Chief waits a second, and then puts his arm around her shoulder and pulls her in for a hug. And Meredith finally lets her guard down and really starts to cry.

Derek walks down the hall with a chart, and sees Meredith sitting in the room taking the test. And then he sees the other interns sitting on a stairwell waiting for her to finish. And he looks troubled. I'm starting to hate this guy. Just a few episodes ago he told her that he couldn't breathe for her, which I think communicated fairly strongly that he didn't want her to rely on him for everything. And now she's standing on her own feet and letting her friends help her when she needs it, and he acts all disappointed that she doesn't want him to be her savior. His hair is not pretty enough to make up for him being such an inconsistent prick.

On the stairs, Alex notes that at least test day is almost over. Cristina: "Speak for yourself. I'm getting married tomorrow." Izzie looks over at George, who is studiously ignoring her.

It's Joe's. Addison walks up to a table at which Derek, Burke, and Mark are seated. She asks them if this is the big bachelor party they invited her to, and tells them that she's not going to strip for them. Derek and Mark tell her that they've both seen it already. So I guess that means they know what they're missing. Poor bastards. Burke notes that he hasn't seen her goodies, but she just offers to buy the first round instead. Mark goes with her to help with the drinks. Derek asks Burke if Cristina's written her vows; he has no idea. Burke asks Derek how Meredith is doing; he has no idea. Of course, he would have had some idea if he had joined her damn friends and waited for her to finish the test like a good boyfriend. Fucker. Derek asks, "It shouldn't be this difficult, should it?" As long as you're being written by Shonda and Company, I'm afraid it will be. Burke thinks that as long as he makes it to the top of the mountain, it will all have been worth it.