Hey guys! Sorry for not updating in like…five or six months. I've been busy with college and exams and all the wonderful crap. (: But…thanks to SeriouslyMcDreaming for messaging me not just once but twice to get me to update and write, now I have a chapter for you. And it'll be a festive one!

Here we go!

Chapter 11

It was mid December now, and all the students and teachers at Seattle Grace High school were ready for Christmas break. Meredith and Derek's relationship was going great and they practically lived together, but nothing was official. Some nights were spent apart, but not many. They were in love and they were both happy with where things were at the moment.

Derek knows he wants to marry Meredith and that she is the love of his life, but he is taking things slow and waiting for her to adjust to the idea more. He knows she's never had a serious relationship like the one they currently have and he doesn't want to push her too much. He wants a forever with her, and he's willing to wait for that time.

Meredith was sitting in her classroom during her planning period and felt excited for the holiday. Normally, she avoided the holiday and tried to act like it was some other day. But this year she had Derek and her sister to celebrate with. Izzie was going to make a big dinner on Christmas Eve and they were all going to get together and enjoy the holiday. Then, Christmas day she was spending it with Derek and they were going to have Lexie and Mark over later that evening for dinner.

She was sitting at her computer thinking of all the things she needed to do before Christmas when Derek came in her room.

"Hey, what are you doing in here?" she asked.

"Came to visit." Derek answered before walking behind her desk and placing a kiss on the top of her head.

"You have a class…"

"Yeah, but they're busy watching a movie on animals in the sea and the environment they live in." Derek answered looking at her with a smile.

"You're such a great teacher. Showing them all those videos and skipping out on them while they watch it and you come in here to flirt with your girlfriend. If Richard knew just how awesome a teacher you really are, then maybe he'd make you teacher of the year." Meredith joked.

"Haha, so funny Mer, I took the time out of my busy day and scheduled a visit with you and this is how you repay me?" he asked jokingly.

"I guess so," Meredith smiled.

"You're a brat."

"You love me,"

"I do, I love you very much." Derek smiled, leaning in to Meredith before placing a tender kiss on her lips.

Meredith kissed Derek back but had to lightly push him away when he tried to make the kiss more passionate.

"Der, we're in my classroom. We can't keep doing this, a student could walk in, or another teacher, or Richard."

"Richard already knows, so does most of the staff."

"Yes, but that doesn't mean we need to go around showing PDA to all of them."

"I know, just sometimes I can't resist. You're so beautiful, Mer." Derek told her lovingly while caressing her face.

"Thank you, Der. What do you want to do for dinner tonight?"

"Doesn't matter to me. I can cook or we can go out. You pick."

"How about we get take out from that Italian restaurant?"

"That sounds good. We'll pick it up after we pick out a Christmas tree." Derek responded.

"Christmas tree?"

"Yeah, we're going to decorate, aren't we?" Derek asked.

"What place are we decorating? Mine or yours?" Meredith asked.

"Well…I thought yours since that's where we spend most of our time and since that's where we'll be Christmas Eve and Christmas day, but if you don't want one in your house we can decorate mine."

"You mean your tiny trailer?" Meredith asked with a giggle.

"Hey now! It's a nice trailer! And I don't have to make payments on it since it sits on my land. And since I'm not there that much, it doesn't matter."

"We can decorate at my house, Derek; I was just teasing about the trailer."

"I know, because I know you love that trailer."

"I don't mind the trailer, but I love the land." Meredith told him.

"I'm glad." Derek was very glad to hear that, considering he hoped to someday build a home with her on that land.

"You better get back to your class, they might miss you." Meredith teased.

"Uh, fine. I'll be back when school is over." Derek told her, giving her a light kiss before leaving her room.

He got back to the classroom and saw half of his class taking notes on the video, and the other half either sleeping, or doing some other school work. He chuckled to himself before returning to his desk to catch up on some grading and his emails.

The movie came to an end and he turned it off and turned to his class.

"Alright guys, I hope you took notes because there will be a quiz over the video tomorrow, make sure you study." He told them as the bell rang and they began to gather their things and leave.

"Mr. Shepherd," he heard one of his students say.

"Yes, Samantha?" Derek asked, noticing his student Samantha was there. She was a nice girl, quiet. She kept to herself and didn't talk much to the other students, and she seemed to be a good student.

"I've been having some trouble understanding this lesson. Is there any way you could help me with it, or something I could do?" she asked, fidgeting with her clothing and biting her lip.

"Well, you can try the study reviews in the book, or get help from the tutoring center after school. I know Mrs. Mull runs it and she'd be more than willing to help, or get another student to help."

"I don't want a student to help. I went there for help in my anatomy class, and I didn't feel comfortable with another student helping. I asked Miss. Grey to help me with her class and she helped me. But, I can try the review, I guess." Samantha answered.

"Miss. Grey helped you before?"

"She still does sometimes; I just don't get science very well."

"How about this, you try the review in the book, study the video notes, and see if that helps you with the quiz tomorrow, if not then I'll help you after school some days. Miss. Grey can also help you with anatomy on those days if you need." Derek told the young girl. Something didn't set right with him about her.

"Alright, I'll try it. Thank you, Mr. Shepherd." Samantha said before turning to her things, gathering them, and then leaving.

The rest of the day went well and fast and Derek returned to Meredith's room after the students had left and he'd gathered the rest of the things he needed to grade.

"Hey, I'm almost done and then we can go." Meredith said with a smile.

"Sounds good. Hey, I need to ask you about a student." Derek said, sitting on top of one of the tables in front of Meredith's desk.

"Ok, who?"

"Samantha Sheldon."

"What about her?"

"Have you been tutoring her, or helping her with anatomy?" Derek asked.

"Yeah, I help her during my planning period when she needs it. She's a nice girl. Quiet, reserved and doesn't talk much with students, but she's a nice girl."

"Do you know any more of her story?"

"Uhm, not really. Her parents didn't come to conferences or open house, but she's a smart girl, just has a tough time with anatomy. Why?"

"Well, she came and asked me today for help, but she just seemed off and uncomfortable. She's always tugging at her clothes, and biting her lip. When I ask her a question in class she gets all nervous and quieter. I just, I think there's something going on there."

"What do you think it could be?"

"I don't know. Maybe something is going on at home with her parents, or maybe a boyfriend. I don't know. I just have a feeling something isn't right with her."

"I don't know how we'd figure anything out, unless she volunteered the information."

"I know, I offered to help her after school sometime if she didn't do well tomorrow on the quiz."

"That sounds good; she's a good learner when it's one on one."

"Yeah, I told her you could help her with anatomy after school then too if she needed." Derek said.

"Ok, that sounds good. Maybe we can get to know her a little better then too."

"Maybe. I think she'll talk more to you than me though about that stuff."

"Why?"

"Because, Mer, you're a girl. If it's a boyfriend thing then you can help her with it."

"Maybe, I could give advice. But who knows what's going on."

"True. We don't know her full story yet. Are you ready to go?"

"Yes. I'm actually excited to get a tree now!"

"Have you ever gone and gotten a tree, Mer?" Derek asked her, standing and moving closer to her.

"No, but this year I'm all for trying new things and doing different stuff." Meredith answered.

"Hmmm…good. Let's go." Derek said, kissing her lightly before grabbing her hand and moving towards the door.

Picking out their first tree together, and hopefully the first of many.

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Ok, not much happened…but let me know what you think! And again, sorry for taking so long (: Semester is almost over so hopefully I can write more!