Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Rating: K

Summary: MerDer…Um Derek goes on a date and its not very good. I got the idea from talking with my friend Emily about the line in next week's preview "The more available he becomes, the more I push him away" and we took it to mean the more available he becomes to other women. While talking to Emily I constructed this fic and then wrote it. Enjoy. Thanks to Kristi for the beta 

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Meredith was working with Lexie and had heard all she wanted to hear about Derek going on a date. Apparently he asked someone out that he met at the store or whatever. Meredith didn't care where he met this woman but she did care that he was going out with someone else. She hadn't talked to him in a few days and unknowingly started pushing him away.

She was working with Lexie on a cardio case, thankfully, and Lexie had picked up on the 'don't want to talk about Derek's date' vibe and left it alone.

The half sisters were at the nurses' station going over some labs when Derek approached to drop off a chart.

"Hello doctors," he greeted them.

Lexie smiled, "Hi, Dr. Shepherd. How are you?"

"I'm good, thank you. How are you?"

"I'm fine," she replied.

Derek looked at Meredith, "Meredith, how are you?"

"I'm fine," she replied, then looked at Lexie, "We need to check on the patient."

Lexie nodded and they headed off. Once they were down the hall enough that Derek wouldn't see them talking.

"We don't have to check on our patient yet," Lexie said.

Meredith shook her head, "No, not yet. I just…he's going on a date and I can't deal with it…the more available he becomes, the more I push him away."

Lexie smiled nervously, "I want to help you but I have no idea what to say in this situation."

"You don't have to say anything…just if he talks to us make up an excuse," Meredith told her, "I can't deal with it today."

Lexie nodded.

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Derek dropped his date off at her house and headed back to the trailer. The date had gone well but he kept comparing her to Meredith, in his head, and Meredith came out on top each time.

He got to the trailer and lay down, thinking not of the date but of Meredith. He hadn't had an actual conversation with her in almost a week and every time he said hi to her she would say hi back then leave to do something. Especially today and Lexie would help her in the escaping.

Suddenly, it came to him. Meredith was distancing herself from him. She was pulling back from him because he was dating while waiting. He reached for his phone to call her then realized she probably wouldn't answer. The best way to talk to her was to go to her house.

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Derek knocked on the door and Meredith got up from the movie she was watching with Cristina to answer it. She was confused at seeing him here.

"Um, hi," she said.

"Hey," he replied, "I can't do it. The dating."

Not sure what to say, Meredith replied, "I'm working on myself…the stuff."

He smiled, "that's good."

"Yeah," she agreed.

"Did you ever figure out what to do with your mom?" he asked.

"I, uh…washed her down the sink in a scrub room. It's what she would have wanted."

He nodded, "That makes sense. Feeling less freaked out by her now?"

"Very much," she smiled. They both were quiet then she said, "I want those things you want, too. I just need some time. I mean, sure I felt like I wanted to run away but I didn't. That has to count for something," she had drank a little tequila with Cristina and she was a little more out going with her inner thoughts at the moment.

He gave her a McDreamy smile, "You're right and it does. I felt like a complete ass tonight because in my head, I kept comparing her to you and you came out over her each time," he paused, "I learned tonight that its pretty pointless to date someone when you're in love with someone else. And if dating means that you withdraw from me; push me away, I don't want to do it. I think we've worked too hard for that to happen."

Meredith nodded, "So waiting with no dating?"

"Only if I'm dating you," He replied.

She smiled, "I really am working on getting ready."

"I know," he replied with a smile.

"Meredith, stop being McDreamy'ed and let's finish this movie!" Cristina called from inside.

"Just a minute," Meredith called back.

Derek smiled at her, "I'm going to go home and let you get back to your movie."

"Ok," she smiled and before he could move to leave, she leaned in and kissed him.

He returned the kiss instantly. It was romantic, sweet, loving and full of promise and hope. When they pulled apart they simply smiled at one another. Derek went back to his car and Meredith returned to the movie.

This would work. It may take a while but it would work.