Disclaimer: I own NOTHING!

AN: Yeah, I was thinking about keeping the Addison thing going, mainly for the reasons you said and because as much as I hate Mer and Derek's relationship being interrupted by her and all the chaos….I would like to write about it. I have plans for the next few chapters and they should be interesting. But again, ideas are welcome. Thanks to all who have reviewed, greatly appreciated.

"If I tell you that you look nice, will you start screaming at me? Because I was really hoping not to make a scene," Derek said doing that half smile thing he does so well.

"I won't make a scene." Meredith said.

"Well in that case, you look beautiful." Meredith smiled and could feel herself blush a little. Maybe this whole dating thing will be worth it.

"We should do this more often," he spoke.

"Somehow, I'm not so sure of that." She replied.

"But you seem to be having a good time, you're smiling, you look like you are enjoying yourself."

"Well."

"And you gave in."

"I didn't give in!"

"Oh, you totally gave in."

"Okay, so maybe I did totally give in, but I am an intern, and we work hundred hour weeks and maybe I don't have the time to do the whole dating thing!"

"You love being an intern. You wouldn't want it any other way. Oh, and about the whole no time thing….make time. I'd like to think I'm worth it," He said to her flashing his custom McDreamy smile.

Meredith sighed feeling rather defeated. He is right and I am wrong and we are both much too stubborn to be in a relationship together! She began focusing on the food in front of her rather than the guy. The food was great. Derek had managed to take her to a nice restaurant without it seeming too formal. She looked up at him and of course he was already looking back; half ignoring his food.

"What?" she asked him hoping to catch him off guard as he oh so often does to her.

"Oh, nothing, just…."

"Just what?" she asked him wanting him to tell to her.

"It's just…..wow. You can really eat a steak…I mean, more than half of it is already gone."

Meredith blushed slightly setting down her fork. "Oh, sorry," she said softly rather to her plate than to her date.

"Don't be," he said reassuringly. "I think it's cute."

Now Meredith really blushed. He's a brain surgeon. It would be so much easier if he had no game and were some moron with no brains. But he's got a way with words and he's definitely got the looks going for him. She thought to herself.

"So how is your mother?" he asked trying to make small talk not knowing that the matters of her mother were anything but small talk. Meredith shifted uncomfortably in her seat. The smile had disappeared from her face.

"Um….she's fine," Meredith told him. Derek looked unconvinced.

"Meredith," he said softly, his voice full of concern. He could tell something wasn't right.

"She's fine," she spoke back. Both were silent. She was avoiding his eyes. She didn't want a breakdown; especially not tonight. She didn't want him to get the best of her. She looked up at him against her own warnings. He looked so caring; his kind eyes searched hers for a trace of anything he could hold onto.

"Let's just leave it at that," she added.

"Okay," he said quietly.

He wants too much from me. He's not just in this for sex. He wants more than that. He wants more than I'm willing to give.

Silence. He wasn't prying; he wasn't trying to get her to talk. This silence was driving her insane. She couldn't think of how to change the subject, and he wasn't talking! Why wasn't he talking?!

"Please, just don't," she stated.

"Don't what?" he asked her.

"Don't make me do the thing," she said as though it were obvious.

"What thing?"

"The thing where I open up to you and spill all my feelings and talk about my personal life and get all emotional and you come save me because I'm the damsel in distress."

Derek opened his mouth so speak when suddenly Meredith's phone rang cutting into their conversation. Meredith reached into her bag and took it out. The caller ID said that it was George.

"Hello?" Meredith spoke into the phone.

"Meredith, it's George. Me and Izzie are on call tonight so we won't be home tonight."

"Oh, okay. Thanks for telling me George."

"Yeah, bye Meredith."

"Bye."

"What was that about?" Derek asked as Meredith put her cell phone back in her bag. He noticed she looked a bit saddened and disappointed by the call.

"Oh, nothing. He just wanted to let me know that him and Izzie won't be home tonight."

"Oh." Derek said pondering why this might bother her. He thought he might take a guess.

"Come home with me or I'll come home with you…just enjoy each other's company. You don't really want to go home to an empty house, do you?"

"Derek," Meredith protested. He looked into her eyes as though he expected to find the answer to his offer there. She sighed loudly not trying to hide her frustration with him. He laughed his nervous laugh 'I want to win this' type of laugh.

"Ice cream," he said laughing again.

"Ice cream?" she asked wondering what he was talking about.

"I have ice cream. Do you like ice cream? Of course you like ice cream. You can come over and eat ice cream."

"Ice cream?" she asked him again.

"Oh come on. What woman can resist a man with ice cream?" he asked laughing at himself slightly.

"Or if you wanted to spend the night at your house, we could stop at the store…..and buy ice cream."

He paused his ranting to wait for her to react. He was hoping she would say yes. He didn't want the night to end. Meredith pushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"Okay, we can go to my house for the night and get ice cream on the way," she said smiling. Derek smiled back at her happy with her choice.

Suddenly his hand shot up in the air and he began waving at the waiter. "Check please," he said. "Thank you." They paid and walked out to his car.

As they were driving, Derek asked her where would be a good place to stop for ice cream. She told him that there was a good corner store to stop by on his next left. They pulled into the parking lot and walked inside. They walked over to the frozen goods section.

"What kind do you like?" he asked Meredith.

"Cookie dough," she answered.

"Cookie dough it is then," he replied reaching for the carton of ice cream.

Meredith stayed standing there in the cookie dough isle as Derek went up to pay for it; she watched him. She smiled to herself. He's a good guy. I deserve him. I do.

"Ready to go?" he asked her offering his hand.

"Yeah," she said walking up to him and taking hold of his hand.

"I just don't get how you cannot own any movies! Any!" Derek said in disbelief.

"Well I don't. The only videos I own are of my mother performing surgeries," she replied.

"Well why don't we watch them?" he asked her.

"I just don't want to," she stated simply.

He knew something was wrong. All night, she had been avoiding anything that related to her mother in any way; but he didn't press the issue.

"At least we have ice cream," she said happily as she dug into the carton full of ice cream with her giant spoon.

"Yes, but no chocolate syrup. You have barely any food, no chocolate syrup; all I found was about every existing baking ingredient. Do you bake?"

"No. Izzie bakes."

"Oh. When does Izzie have time to bake?"

"No clue," Meredith answered.

"So," Derek said trying to start a conversation.

"So," Meredith replied.

"Tell me a story."

"Story time is it?" she asked him, as if he were a child.

"Yes," he said grinning. "So what is the craziest thing you have ever done?"

"Hmmm…." Meredith pondered. She tilted her head to the side and squinted her eyes a bit. Suddenly she looked at Derek with a grin on her face.

"What?" he asked curious to hear what she had to say.

"I can't tell you. I won't tell you. It involves me at a party with much too much tequila in my system."

"Oh, now I have to hear the story."

"No! You would never let me live it down."

"Aww," he pouted. "Please?"

"Fine," she paused. "But then you have to tell me the most preposterous ridiculous thing you have ever done!"

"Okay okay. Now tell me."

"Okay, so I was eighteen and I was at a party, and obviously drunk. Not that I remember that night so well, but apparently I got up on one of the tables and began singing 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star'. At least that is what my friend Mary said I did. And for whatever reason, I felt the need to attempt a stage dive. I'm not sure if you can call it a stage dive considering I jumped off of the table into the crowd," Meredith reasoned practically.

Derek laughed. "Did anyone catch you?"

"I was told that two buff guys caught me and tried to take me home with them, but Mary stopped them and brought me home….where I proceeded to puke my brains out for the next six hours."

He laughed again, clearly amused at Meredith's story.

"Now tell me your story," she said. His laughing stopped then and there. He let out a deep breath.

"I was eighteen too, and well…." He paused. Meredith nodded him encouraging him to continue. "And I slathered butter all over myself and went streaking through the woods," he said. "…..In broad daylight." He added.

Meredith smirked and tried to hold back her giggles. He waited for her to say something.

"And may I ask, why you would do such a thing?" she inquired.

"It was a dare!" he said as though it explained everything.

"A dare?" she asked.

"Yes, a dare."

"And you did this while sober?" she asked in between laughs.

"Yes!" he stammered.

"So Mr. Streaking in Broad Daylight Guy, what shall we do now?" she asked him.

"I don't know, what do you want to do?" he asked her hoping she had a suggestion.

"I don't care," she said while yawning. "How about you tell me another story?" she asked while resting her head on the back of the couch. She closed her eyes and waited to hear his voice.

"Okay," he said looking at her. He smiled. "Once upon a time, there was a blonde girl who met this man with some really great hair," he started.

"Mm," was the only reply he got from a very sleepy Meredith.

"The girl was very bossy but also very attractive. He fell in love with her, as she did him." He looked over at the woman sitting next to him. Her breathing was steady and had a rhythm. He took a blanket and covered her up careful not to disturb her.

"And they lived happily ever after," he finished as he kissed her forehead and turned out the light.

AN: What did you think? And the ending? I really liked the whole "You're my knight in shining whatever" thing so I thought I would end it like this. Good? Bad?