Meredith Grey heaved a sigh and leaned her head against the side of the tub, carefully tracing the drain with her foot. Derek was due back from work in less than an hour, and while she didn't have time to actually take a bath, she could certainly sit clothed in the bath. She stared toward the marble countertop directly across the room, with a slightly weary look on her face. The numbness in her bottom was silently telling her that she would need to get out of the Jacuzzi tub sometime soon, and she gingerly shifted. Wincing against the pins and needles, she tugged herself up and out of the tub, walking with a slight limp across the cool tile floor.
With one last backward glance toward the counter, she turned and padded into the bedroom, grabbing one of Derek's sweatshirts. It was June, but the central air conditioning had apparently been cranked up and Meredith was freezing. Maybe I'll make Derek lunch as a surprise, she mused as she trotted down the stairs and into the spacious kitchen. She certainly couldn't cook, but grilled cheese was not entirely considered cooking. Especially with the help of the grilled cheese maker that he had been so kind to buy her, for the days he was not home to cook for her.
As Meredith was busy 'cooking' in their kitchen, Derek was turning his Pilot onto the long, gravel driveway toward their home. He had gotten out of his only surgery of the day earlier than he had expected, and was excited to get home to his wife. Although he had to go back in for another surgery later, he was glad to have at least a few hours. They had been busy lately, and hadn't had much time to themselves. Today, though, was a rare day off for her, and an easier day for him. He hit the remote to the garage door, and carefully pulled into his spot, hopping out and hurrying into the house.
The first thing he smelled was the scent of something cooking. With Meredith home alone, that was never a good sign, but he was slightly relieved that he could not smell anything burning. He gently set his bag on the floor in the back hall and made his way toward the kitchen, where he could see her busy at work. Her back was to him, and there was bread spread all along the counter, along with plates and a tub of margarine. He leaned against the doorframe and grinned as she gingerly lifted the top of the grilled cheese maker and pulled a sandwich out, quickly dropping it onto a nearby plate and shaking her hand.
She had crossed the spacious kitchen and placed two plates on the table, where there was already a pitcher of pink lemonade. As she spun around to grab napkins, she noticed him, and her hand flew to her throat. "Derek! You scared me!"
Derek laughed and crossed the room, gathering her into his arms. She gave him a tight hug, and then pressed a soft kiss to his lips, smiling against them. "I'm glad you're home. I made us lunch," she said, turning in his arms to gesture toward the table. He laughed again.
"I can see that. Should I be nervous?"
Meredith swatted at his arm. "There isn't a way I can mess up a grilled cheese, Derek. Especially with a machine that has a timer on it."
He nuzzled her neck, eliciting a sigh from her. "Unless you don't hear the timer…" He began to plant small kisses along her neck, working his way down her shoulder.
She squirmed slightly against him. "Derek…" she warned. Pretty soon, she wouldn't be able to resist him. And she had to resist him long enough to eat the lunch she had spent so long preparing.
But as quickly as he had appeared behind her, he was gone. She blinked, and he was already seated at the table, with a sandwich in his hand. As she took her seat across from him, he winked at her. "How was your day?" he asked, reaching for his glass.
If he only knew how loaded that question was. Well, he would know. Very soon.
"It was good. I suppose. I slept in, took a shower. Then I sat in the bathtub." She took a bite of her sandwich and shrugged.
He tilted his head to the side and gave her a questioning glance. "You sat in the tub?"
"Yes. I was thinking."
"In the tub."
"Yes. In the tub. Why, is that weird?"
He hid a smile. "It's not weird. I was just curious why you were, that's all. You were in the tub with your clothes on?"
She sighed. "Yes, Derek, with my clothes on. I just wanted to sit in it. I like the tub. I like when we're both in the tub, actually."
Another laugh. His eyes crinkled as he grinned across the table at her. "Okay, you like the tub. I like the tub, too. And when we're both in it. And thank you for making lunch, it was delicious."
Meredith rolled her eyes. "You have to say that. Cause otherwise you think I'll feel bad. But really, fact is, I can't cook without a machine to help me. And that's okay." She took a sip of her lemonade, and then stood to clear their plates. As she crossed the room toward the dishwasher, she heard Derek get up and walk over to the island in the center of the room.
"How was your day?" she asked him over her shoulder, loading the dishwasher. After turning it on, she walked up behind him and slid her arms around his waist, leaning against his back. He was sorting through the pile of mail, tossing bills into one pile and catalogs into another.
"Good, especially now that I'm home. I only had one surgery…and it went better than I'd expected, so I was able to get out earlier. And now, we have awhile to do absolutely nothing, I don't have to go back in until five." He set down the last envelope and turned around in her arms, sliding his own arms around her to hold her close. He buried his face in her hair and breathed in deeply, any bit of anxiety leaving him as he stood in his kitchen holding Meredith.
As she sighed against his chest, he smiled and pressed a kiss to her forehead. She tilted her face up to face him, and he pressed a soft kiss to her lips. She smiled. "Care to finish what you started before lunch, Dr. Shepherd?"
He grinned, and lifted her easily, starting toward the stairs. "Most certainly, Dr. Shepherd."
Derek hurried down the stairs, straightening his collar as he went. Meredith was in the kitchen and turned as he entered, offering him a smile. They'd spent the last few hours in their bedroom, and he was running a little later than he should have been to get back to the hospital. He crossed the room and gave her a quick kiss.
"I made you some coffee to go, I figured you'd need it. Might be tired and all… " she trailed off with a gleam in her eye.
Derek groaned. "Don't remind me…or I might not make it to the hospital at all."
He gratefully accepted the travel mug from her, immediately noticing it was new. "Did you buy me a new mug, too?" He asked, surprised.
She suddenly looked very nervous, and began to stammer. "Well…you see…I saw it, and thought that it would be handy, being travel and all, and it was nice, and it had a nice saying, and I thought I should pick it up, cause your old one is well, old--"
He cut her rambling off with a quick kiss. "Thank you very much. I love it."
Meredith looked slightly dumbfounded. For a brainsurgeon, she thought, he could be awfully dense. "Um…Derek…did you look at it?"
He tilted his head. He hadn't really thought to read it, and now felt a little guilty. She had looked very pleased with her gift. "Relax, Mer, I'm sure I'll love it. I love anything you give me." He smiled, and held it up for inspection.
#1 Dad.
He was confused. Why had she given him a #1 Dad mug? Unless she had bought the wrong thing…or…
"Mer?"
She gave him a nervous smile. "Derek…we're pregnant."
Well, there you go. I don't own anything in reference to Grey's, or anything else I might reference. Like Honda Pilots. Seriously. Thanks for reading!