Two days. Meredith had two days left to study her brains out for the big intern test. So far she was pretty confident in herself. She could do this...she could ace the test but she still needed to study. And to study she needed a quiet place where she could think and let all this stuff sink into her brain.

Meredith searched everywhere in the hospital, all her favourite spots but they were all occupied. Izzie and George were studying in the tunnels. Alex was in the locker room and Cristina was in 'really old guy's' room so there was no place for Meredith to study by herself. Lugging her books around with her under her arm, she passed by the door to Gallery 1. Vacant...here was her spot to study.

Shutting the door behind her, she plopped herself down into a chair in the front row and tossed her text books to the chair beside her. The surgery below was almost finished and once the OR was empty, she'd be truly alone.

Grabbing the top text book and her highlighter, Meredith drew her legs up and planted them on the sill of the window and propped her book in her lap. Totally engrossed in the causes and symptoms of subdurel haematomas , Meredith didn't hear the soft click of the door closing and the lock engaging.

Derek had spotted Meredith alone in the gallery when he had glanced up at the OR clock as he finished closing on his patient. Who could mistake those honey blonde tresses in the window for anyone but Meredith. She had left the trailer in a hurry the night before. He'd been an ass and he knew it. They had had the most amazing, mind-blowing sex and then he had told her that he didn't know if he wanted to keep breathing for her. Dumb Shepherd, really, really dumb. She was the love of his life and he just had to say that...pretty stupid for a brain surgeon. So he was officially an ass and he had to apologize which was why he had rushed in the scrub room and hurried to the gallery in hopes that she would still be there, alone.

Leaning against the door frame, Derek watched her study, the cap of her highlighter stuck between her teeth as she concentrated on the text. She didn't have a clue that he was there. Quietly he made his way to the seat in the row directly behind her and leaning forward he placed a soft kiss on the nape of her slender neck beside her tousselled ponytail.

With a jerk of her head, she spit the highlighter cap across the room and turned to face him.

"Derek Shepherd! You scared the crap out of me!" Meredith swatted at him with her free hand.

"Ow...ow...okay, I'm sorry!" Derek raised his arms in front of his face in defence, a sly smile on his face.

"You should be!" she scolded, "I'm trying to study."

Clambering over the back of the seat beside her, he lowered his tall frame next to her. Tilting his head slightly he gazed into her emerald eyes. "I'm really sorry Meredith."

I know you think you're all alone

I haven't been there when you've needed me

I didn't deserve the love you gave

But now I'm telling you I'm here if you need a friend

"So you said. Now let me study." She retorted as she repositioned her book on her lap, scanning the pages for answers.

"Meredith..." He gently cupped her chin in the palm of his hand, his thumb softly caressing her cheek as he forced her to look into his eyes. "No...not for that. For last night. I...I was an ass. I love you. I don't know what made me say that last night. Too much stuff...but I didn't really mean it."

Give me your pain

Give me your anger

Let me be your rock

I can be the pillar of strength that you need

I'll help you keep it all together

It's better late than never

Lay your world on me

I can take the weight"Derek..." Meredith started.

"No...let me finish. So much has happened...and I was tired. You died, Meredith. You gave up and I couldn't handle that. That fact that you would even consider giving up...that what we have was worth so little that you gave up."

Don't let it twist you up inside

Time never fails to make the heartache stop

You've got to let those feelings go

I'll give you everything I can if you say the word

"But I came back Derek. I came back for you." Meredith answered with trembling lips, tiny drops of moisture stinging her eyes yearning to fall.

"I know that now...and I'm sorry...I'm sooooo sorry." Derek pulled Meredith tight into his embrace, the soft pad of his thumb wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes and his lips whispering a soft kiss to her brow.

Give me your pain

Give me your anger

Let me be your rock

I can be the pillar of strength that you need

I'll help you keep it all together

It's better late than never

Lay your world on me

I can take the weightDrawing her lips to meet his he whispered, "I love you Meredith Grey"

Pressing her rosy lips to his she replied, "I love you too, Derek Shepherd."

The urging of his tongue traced the outline of her sweet lips before begging entrance to the moist cavern where their tongues duelled for supremacy. Breaking the kiss, his tongue traversed a trail to the pink shell of her ear, outlining it before sucking the soft lobe between his lips as his fingers played with the hem of her top, slowly raising it higher. "I need you Meredith."

Placing her hands over his, she helped him raise her scrub shirt and pulled it over her head, dropping it to the floor leaving her full breasts naked to his gaze. His blue eyes darkened to smoky sapphire as his lips wandered to a pert, pink nipple, his tongue circling the tightened bud before drawing it into his warm mouth.

A tiny moan escaped from her as she entangled her fingers in his ebony curls, holding him tight to her breast. His fingers toyed with the other nipple, kneading it between his strong fingers before capturing it between his teeth, nipping it lightly.

We all laugh and we all cry

We all hurt the same inside

We all fall down and we lose faith

in who we really are

But if we bend instead of break

The choice for us is to make it together

Lay your world on me

"You're so beautiful Mer." Derek voiced huskily as he swept her text books to the floor and lowered her gently over the seat beside her, his fingers tangled in the string of her scrub pants, loosening them and pulling them down over her slender hips till they pooled at her feet before tossing them to join the top on the floor. Pulling his own shirt off and tossing it aside, he lowered himself between her silky thighs and placed a tender kiss to the scant bit of cloth at the delta of her thighs. "Soooo wet," he exclaimed as he hooked his pinkies into the side of the satiny panties and removed them leaving her lithe body exposed to his gaze. His eyes darkened to an even deeper blue as she slowly spread her legs apart and reached down to touch herself.

A low growl broke from Derek as he watched her pleasure herself as his tongue fought to join her. Gently he kissed her nether lips as his tongue darted in and out of her glistening core. Her body trembled with the first ripples of her orgasm, his tongue keeping perfect time with each stroke of her finger.

"Derrrrreek!" She shouted as the dam of her climax broke over her, her body shuddering and shaking, her hand fisted in his curls, tugging roughly as his tongue lapped up her juices.

"I need to be inside you now!" Derek exclaimed as he rose loosening his scrub pants and pulling them down with his boxers, his hard cock springing to attention as he flicked them off his feet.

"I need you too," Meredith replied sultrily, grasping his hands and pulling to rest his muscular frame on top of hers wrapping her legs over his as his steeled length dipped into her tight warmth.

Moans of pleasure escaped from both of them as their bodies were joined together as one, rocking in the age old rhythm of love. Their lips crashed together still wet with the remnants of Meredith's last orgasm as their tongues danced and darted across pearly teeth and rosy gums. Thrust after thrust of his hardened cock drove into her wetness bringing her closer to the ultimate pinnacle and waves of pleasure washed over her as her walls pulsed and squeezed around him. Unable to hold back any longer, Derek yelled his release as he shot all he had deep inside of her trembling warmth, her tight sheath milking him of every last drop as he collapsed to her waiting arms, totally sated. Fighting to catch their breath, they laid there, lost in the moment of contentment.

I'll help you keep it all together

It's better late than never

Lay your world on me

Lay your world on me

Lay your world on me

I can take the weight

Song lyrics used are: Lay Your World On Me by: (surprise, surprise) Ozzy Osbourne