I haven't had a chance to thank everyone personally, but as always, you all are amazing. Thanks for all the love and support! We are finally at Christmas! Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 11

He hadn't seen her coming until he had plowed into her with his Christmas ham. She had grabbed onto him for support as he tried to pick up her purse. "Sorry."

"Hey," she said softly. There was an enthusiastic tone in her voice that sounded happy to see him.

"Hi," he said with a smile. Everything is an opportunity, he thought. "Uh, I…I was just leaving and looks like you are too. Do you want to take our hams out for a drink?"

Her giggle was everything. "That sounds amazing, but I have to get home because it's Christmas Eve. I have to put the kids to bed so that Santa can come."

He nodded. "Right. Soon though?" He reached out and tapped her hand, his brow furrowed

"Yes," she said, locking eyes with him. Then she said in a whisper, "Yeah." He nodded, not losing eye contact. Then he started to walk away when she stopped him by saying, "Oh, you know, actually the Karevs are having a very classy New Year's Eve party." She winked at her sarcasm.

He smiled at her joke and her proposal. "I'll be there." He walked away before she had time to change her mind. After all these months of secretly pining, after weeks of asking her out, she had finally said yes. And she only had a week to find a way out of it.

As he walked towards the parking lot, seeds of doubt crept in. What if this was like Thanksgiving? There had been a lot of mooning across the table and flirtation but she hadn't given any indication to anyone in the room that they were more than just coworkers. He couldn't fault her for that. They hadn't actually gone on a date yet. They had zero obligations to each other.

But he was getting tired of all the time they were wasting. The back and forth flirtation was a lot of fun but he had already wasted four months by not telling her how he felt and now she had spent two months deciding how she felt about his confession. Between the two of them, they could have spent the last six months together, getting to know each other and instead they had waffled. He knew what he wanted and whom he wanted it with and he was ready for the rest of his life to start.

But he couldn't tell her that. She was skittish enough as it was. If she knew how deeply he felt for her, she'd run for the hills. He knew if they could just get out of this hospital together, she would finally be ready to tell him how she felt.

So he just had to get to New Year's Eve.

...

She had surprised herself by being that forward in front of her closest friends. But Alex knew that she had met someone so it wouldn't be that big of a shock surely. Maybe it would get Jo off her back about Link.

And DeLuca had asked her with such confidence, such boyish innocence like there was nothing wrong with this man asking this woman out for a drink in front of God and everyone, that it gave her confidence too.

She had finally said yes to a date with DeLuca. More than that, she had even been the one to ask him out. As she tucked her kids into bed for Christmas Eve, she started to realize the implications.

This was going to be a first date, their first time to really get to know each other, outside of the hospital. First dates were almost always awkward and they were going to have theirs on an incredibly romantic holiday in front of all of their family, friends, and coworkers.

What was she thinking?

But as she snuck downstairs to prepare Santa's gifts, she kept seeing that face he gave her. Soon though? He was so damn attractive and so attracted to her. Of course she had been sucked in. She took a breath and told herself she was being silly. Once they were out together, all of her doubts would be gone.

So she just had to get to New Year's Eve.

…

The next day had been a Christmas miracle. DeLuca had been there to watch their patient Natasha wake up. Her fiancée Garrett was uncontrollably happy. Their outpouring of love bolstered DeLuca. Sometimes, things do turn out okay.

The next day, an army of doctors was in Natasha's room to review her case. As they dispersed, he witnessed Link try to flirt with Meredith. Feeling an opportunity to be cocky, he strode up next to her and asked, "When are you going to stop stringing him along?"

She paused, her hair in a sassy ponytail. She gave him a knowing look as if to call him out on his machismo. "Excuse me?"

He wasn't ready to let it go. "You heard me. Link. He likes you and you keep giving him false hope."

"Who says it's false?" she seemed shocked at his bluntness but there was an underlying current of flirtation and attraction, even when they argued.

His eyebrows shot up and his voice went down even deeper and cockier. He turned his head and said, "Oh, please. We both know it is."

She tried to match his cockiness with a smile. "Do we?"

His frustration bubbled over so much that English words couldn't explain how he felt. In Italian he said, "Look, I'm getting tired of wasting time not being with you." He looked out through the hallway, away from her as he waited a few pauses for her to translate what he said.

"Andrew," she said in a sharp tone. She only ever used his first name when she was trying to get him to stop whatever he was trying to talk her into.

He stopped and turned to face her. "New Year's Eve," he said, pointing at her, his brows raised. "Is that a date? Or is that like, 'Oh, come to this party and we'll make eyes at each other over the punch but I'm not really brave enough to talk to you'?"

There was a competitive spark in her eye now that excited him. He had released the beast. Her ponytail swung as she said, "I've been called a lot of things. 'Not brave enough' isn't one of them."

He smiled, his eyes warming to her now. She didn't realize how much he loved the fire in her. He cocked his head to the side and waited patiently. She just stared at him so he cocked his head to the other side.

Her voice became high pitched and she said, "Fine, it's a date!"

He walked away without a reaction, hoping it would drive her crazy. Then he waited thirty seconds, banking on her watching him leave. He cocked his elbow in the universal sign of victory, knowing it would make her smile.

As much as he wanted to, he stayed cocky and didn't turn around to see her reaction.

It was official. He had a date with Meredith Grey.

…

A few days later, Meredith was sitting in a break room alone, typing an email to Cristina, but really, she was thinking about DeLuca. He had gotten so cocky so quickly. His cockiness didn't make her uncomfortable. It was why he was so cocky.

He was the first man since Derek that knew what she wanted before she was ready to admit it. And the only one besides Alex that was willing to call her on it. Considering they really hadn't known each other for that long, his intimacy startled her.

How did Andrew DeLuca sneak into her heart and head so far so fast? That wasn't a difficult question to answer, even though she didn't want to ask it. He challenged her. He supported her. He made her feel like a badass doctor but also like a beautiful woman. Most importantly, he made her feel again.

She liked it. It scared the hell out of her.

She was deep in these thoughts when she heard, "Hey, you." Her head whipped up and she saw DeLuca approaching her with two cups of coffee. He handed her one as he sat down at the table next to her.

"Thank you," she said. "How are you?"

"Not good," he said, shaking his head. He was frowning.

Her heart sank and she had a pit in her stomach. "What's wrong?"

He looked pained, his eyes squinted. He put his hand over his chest as he said, "You see, since you made it official that New Year's Eve is a date..."

His words drifted off and she could feel the blood draining from her face. What was he trying to say?

His face still serious, he looked into her blue eyes and said, "…I have spent the last three days wondering what you're going to wear." He bent forward towards her, his eyes wide and soulful. "It's been torture really."

She smiled and looked down at her laptop. Then she composed herself and looked up at him. "I am a serious doctor and mother of three," she said with feigned scolding. "I don't have time to worry about what I look like."

He returned her teasing with feigned seriousness. Nodding, he said, "Right, right. I'm sorry about that." Then he gave her side eye and a devilish smile. "You're also a total knockout. No matter what you're wearing?"

She was afraid she was blushing. Chuckling, she asked, "Then why do you care what I'm wearing."

His eyebrows rose. "Well, that's what's driving me crazy. I keep picturing you in that dress you wore to the Karevs' wedding and it's kept me distracted all week." His eyes hazed over as he waved his hands to make the motion of Mer in the dress.

Her mouth opened but words didn't come out. He had that affect on her a lot. Shaking her head, she said, "I can't wear a best man's dress to a New Year's party."

He laughed. "Fine. Can you at least give me a hint so I don't accidentally kill a patient from being so distracted?"

"Okay," she said, rolling her eyes. She leaned forward and in a breathy, flirty voice, she said, "It's purple. And long." She leaned in even closer and whispered, "And low cut."

"Dear God," he muttered. He leaned back and looked away, muttering in Italian that she couldn't understand.

But she got the gist. She smiled. Someone walked into the room and headed for the coffee pot. Meredith sat up straight and started typing again on her laptop. In a professional tone, she said, "Is that all you needed, Dr. DeLuca?"

Clearing his throat, he said, "I think that covers it, Dr. Grey. Thank you." He stood up and headed towards the door. He turned back to look at her one last time and caught her watching him. His eyes flitted over to the doctor at the coffee pot who was oblivious. Then he looked back at Meredith and winked at her. She gave him a death stare back as she was afraid they would get caught.

But as he left the room and she stared blankly at the screen, she smiled widely. Now it was her turn to be distracted.

TBC