Title:Holding On

Rating: T+

Summery: AU, Dr. Meredith Grey is ready for a change, and she's jumping into her new life with both hands. Derek Shepherd is in for a quite a shock.

Authors Note: This is my second fan-fiction and I'm very excited! This story is of course discounting last Thursday's promo. This is how I will like the show to go. If this strike hurries up and ends.

Disclaimer: I don't own the show. I wish I did because then Meredith and Derek would still be season one happy.

Chapter One

She could do this. It wouldn't be that hard. All she had to do was take a deep breath and just walk up to him. It would be like picking up some guy at the ball. Except it wasn't like that at all. This one moment meant everything. It was different then the dead mommy, the family issues, and the dieing thing. This was her whole life. This was her happy ever after and she was going to take it with both hands, and just leap. She felt like she was going to be sick. But there he was talking to Mark. She could do this pull him into an on-call room, but he'd probably think it was about sex. Not that it wasn't about sex. Because she and Derek, or Mr. Incredible, as Cristina called him, were very good at sex. It was everything else that got screwy; they needed to find a balance. They could be happy because she did not want to be dark and twisty Meredith Grey forever.

"Were you planning on standing there all day?" Derek questioned her stopping in front of her. She didn't know that he had stopped whatever it was he was doing or the fact that he had walked over to her. She was nervous again that sick feeling that normally came from to much drinking,

"Um no." She muttered, "I was planning on coming over but I um Hi Mark didn't see you there." She chirped at the man that came to stand next to Derek.

"Grey." Mark acknowledged, "I'll see you later at Joe's right man?"

"Yeah sure." Derek said as Mark walked away before turning back to Meredith. She was all twitchy and rambling. He couldn't help but be intrigued on what got her into this state. Because he wasn't certain he had seen her this way in a while.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go out on a date." Meredith said in rush of words that Derek had to strain to get it all. She'd asked him out. He was certain that she had asked him out,

"What did you say?" He asked her again just to clarifier.

"Tomorrow or whenever we can go out to dinner." She asked again looking up at him. Her green eyes filled with nervousness. He smiled before he nodded.

"I'd love to go out with you tomorrow Mer." He told her smiling his McDreamy smile.

"Okay so good." She sighed in relief about to say something else when her pager started to beep, "It's the pit." She said looking down, "Will talk later?"

"Definitely." He told her watching her walk away.

"So you asked McDreamy out?" Cristina questioned as she sat down next to Meredith at lunch.

"How do you know that?" Meredith asked looking up confused.

"Next time you plan a date. Don't do it so close to the nurse's station." Cristina suggested digging into her salad.

"I just can't watch him go out on another date." Meredith said softly, "I can't loses him and it's time I take more steps."

"Okay." Cristina told her, "I need to get a good surgery. I can't be in the pit another day."

"Maybe Hahn will let you in today?" Meredith said happy for the change of topic.

"Yeah maybe. If she's not to busy with Barbie!" Cristina sneered, "I'm a hardcore cardio surgeon and so what if Izzie sticks stupid bird pictures up. That doesn't mean I'm not a great surgeon."

"No it doesn't you are a great surgeon. You two just have different styles."

"Exactly. I should go right up to Hahn and tell her. She's a smart woman, she should be able to recognize talent and…" Cristina pushed away from the table, "I'm going to go do it." Meredith watched as Cristina left a bemused smile on her face.

"Hi." Meredith looked over surprised when Derek came at sat down beside her, "Is this seat taken?" He asked her before seating down.

"That wasn't really a question." Meredith said with a soft laugh, "Any interesting surgeries?" Meredith asked him.

"Not really." Derek told her, "But I did however get an interesting invite from a pretty blonde."

"Oh really?" Meredith laughed, "Should I be jealous?"

"She's everything I always wanted." Derek told her taking a bite of her salad. Leaving Meredith a little speechless.

"How do you do that?" Meredith asked him, "Always know when to the say right thing?"

"The only boy in the family. A lot of romantic comedy's' growing up."

"So it's all artificial. One day I'll wake up and you'll be a regular guy?"

"Not in this lifetime." Derek told her taking her hand, "Everything I've said to you Meredith I've meant it. Your it for me and I want it all with you, and you making this step I don't take it lightly."

"Thanks." Meredith said clearing her thought, "So any thoughts to what you want to do tonight?"

"You asked me out. Your suppose to make the plans." Derek told her.

"Oh um…" She trailed and watched as Derek laughed.

"Don't worry about it." Derek told her, "I'll have it covered just be ready by eight?"

"Okay." Meredith said getting up taking her tray, "Thanks a lot Derek I'll see you later."

"Later Mer." Derek said squeezing her hand before she walked away from the cafeteria.

There was no reason for her to be nervous. They'd seen each other naked; they even lived together for a while. She could do this. She could go on a date with Derek Shepherd. She just had to keep remaining herself that this was a good thing. That this was an all-to-important step to moving forward and coming to terms with the past.

"Mer!" Alex called knocking on the door, "Derek's here, and wow you look hot." Alex said looking at her.

"Thanks Alex." Meredith said looking back at the mirror, "This is good for a first date right?"

"What do I look like a chick?" Alex questioned her and then shook his head at her look, "I said you look hot didn't I?" He replied moving to follow her downstairs.

"Wow." Derek said as he watched her walking down the stairs.

He was nervous he didn't think that he would be nervous but he was. This was there first date. It was more like there third first date but this time would be different. This time they knew exactly what they were fighting for.

"Thanks." Meredith said with a smile as he helped her put on her coat, "Where are you taking me?" She questioned him standing in front of him.

"That's a surprise."

"I hate surprises Derek." Meredith told him with a whine.

"I know, but this is a good surprise. I promise."

"You'll have her back at a reasonable hour?" Alex questioned coming into the foyer.

"Alex!" Meredith exclaimed, "Let's go Derek." Meredith said with a sigh tugging him out the door and to his awaiting car. Tonight she was certain was going to be interesting.

Author Note 2: This is a sort of sequel to my past one-shot 'He Has Sad Eyes,' and if you read it's just about Rose's (Derek's suppose 'love interest') thoughts. I don't really know if the girl Derek is seen with in the promo is Rose or not, but for the purpose of this story it is and Meredith does see them together. This is just basically what I would like to see happen between Derek and Meredith in the upcoming season that is if this strike ends soon. I should have more up in the next few days or so.

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