Chapter 11

Hold on, we're going home

I got my eyes on you
You're everything that I see
I want your high love and emotion
endlessly
I can't get over you
You left your mark on me
I want your high love and emotion
endlessly

So just hold on – we're going home

Even if he had known Meredith for some months now, Derek was pretty sure he was discovering the real her just there in Los Angeles. Probably because they had spent their time in Seattle running around each other, harassing and avoiding each other. Their relationship was a newborn, but now, together all day, he was starting to really get to know her.

"You have to teach me," she had whispered the night of her arrival, and since that he had spent every moment of the following ten days trying to get her comfortable with a relationship. What had left him slightly puzzled anyway, was how much he himself was enjoying… everything.

The next morning, as soon as he had opened his eyes, he had been extremely amazed on seeing a naked, warm, little body curled up against his chest, her blond locks tickling his chin, her legs tangled with his, her bony arms around his mid-section. Who could have told? Meredith Grey was indeed a cuddly person. Or at least she was a cuddly person with the man she loved, and it was everything Derek cared about. He held her tighter, slightly terrified that she would panic as soon as she woke up. She had never been in a relationship and he got every fear she had. But at the same time, he was getting more and more addicted to… her. Addicted to her. Simple as that. He was starting to know her scent and the curves of her body.

What he couldn't imagine was how many things about her he didn't know, yet.

She actually snored. She snored pretty loud and he wasn't sure how he had managed not to realize it the few times they had slept together at the trailer. Seattle seemed so far away right now, it seemed like their situation in their city had anything to do with the couple lying naked in a bed in Los Angeles.

When she stopped snoring he knew she was awake. He held his breath and tightened the grip around her waist, spreading kisses along her neck and shoulder.

She moaned and hid her face against his chest, angrily kicking the blanket with one of her feet.

"Good morning, Mer," he whispered against her skin.

"No," she replied and he laughed softly.

"How come, no?"

"Don't wanna up," she replied in a confused mess of sounds, trying to curl up even more against him. "'M sleeping," she insisted, sighing contently.

"It's almost ten," he explained softly, caressing her hip.

"Don't care."

"I think Addie's making pancakes."

Her eyes flashed open, Derek smiling immediately at the green eyes which always made his chest feel tighter.

"I'm hungry," she nodded, and Derek grinned: "I was sure you would be. Would you like to wish me a good morning, now?"

"Good morning," she giggled but rolled her eyes. She leaned over to kiss his lips and when he tried to deepen it she pouted: "Morning breath."

"Sorry," he breathed, and he was so lost in her eyes he probably hadn't even heard what she had said. "Want me to go brush my teeth?"

She shook her head and leaned over again, capturing his mouth with hers. She didn't care. She kissed him softly but deeply, her arms going around his neck as he held her at the waist.

"Mer…" he breathed softly, kissing her with even more passion as his hand found the sweet curve of her breast. "I love you."

"I love you too," she assured him, smiling a little. She was about to straddle him, when they were interrupted by a vigorous bang on the door.

Derek groaned, refusing to leave her lips, but they heard Amelia's voice: "Guys, good morning!"

Derek reached for a pair of slacks and threw a tee to Meredith, then yelled to Amelia: "Come in."

Amelia was grinning widely at the door, dressed in a pair of shorts and a tank top, barefoot, her hair up in a bun, her face free from make-up.

"You don't have pants on," she pointed to her friend.

"She didn't have a shirt on either until you knocked," Derek grinned, his arms still around Meredith, cuddling with her.

"Too much information," Amelia breathed, her mouth deforming to express her disgust. "I don't wanna think about my brother and my best friend doing… that first thing in the morning."

"You already said that once," Meredith remembered giggling softly, her head resting on Derek's shoulder. She felt warm and safe and she was sure she had never felt this way before, anywhere, with anyone. She was pretty sure she would spend all her life being happy, if she would be able to keep this feeling.

"I'm sure you must be worried about Addie throwing a tantrum when she'll hear you call Mer your best friend," Derek commented, stroking Meredith's back. He never wanted to lose contact with her, like he was afraid she would freak out and disappear as soon as his hand would leave her skin.

"You're annoying," Amelia groaned. "Mer is the only one who actually can stand you."

"She better be," Derek grinned, his eyes finding hers as his thumb stroked her cheek.

"You make me feel like vomiting," Amelia declared. "Stop with the eye sex and come downstairs. Addie made pancakes and Mark brought donuts."

"They're a strange couple," Meredith giggled, getting out of bed and reaching for her pants.

"You are a strange couple!" Amelia laughed. "And you turn completely giggly around my brother. Cristina Yang would say you've gone soft."

"I am not," Meredith replied, straightening her back. "I'm not soft, take it back!"

"You are, you definitely are!" Amelia laughed softly, stepping back of the room.

"Am not!" Meredith retorted jumping off bed.

"Are too!" and Amelia ran downstairs.

"Are not!" Derek heard his girlfriend say as she threw on a pair of his boxers and ran after Amelia. He laughed, still amazed by her, his gaze looking around the room where her presence was ever so strong: she made a mess in every room she occupied, clearly, and even if he should hate it – he was kind of a freak – he loved the concrete proof of her being in his life, in his room, in his bed.

He ran downstairs greeted by the sight of Meredith, still in boxers and t-shirt, sitting on a chair on the porch, in front of her a plate full of pancakes, while she sipped coffee and grinned widely at something Mark was saying.

No one of his previous girlfriends had liked them, ever – they always thought Mark was a pervert, Amelia way too judgmental and Addison's stunning appearance usually scared them. But Meredith was none of that: she genuinely enjoyed Mark's jokes, she had a way with Amelia and he knew she had always been enamored with Addison. Suddenly, he thought of how great it would be to have her in his and Amelia's childhood home, playing with their nieces and nephews, meeting their other sisters and most of all, their mom. He was sure Kath, Nancy and Lizzie would love her. At least he hoped so, since he knew for sure he wanted to have Meredith Grey around for the rest of his life.

The only problem was how to ask her. Meredith was still fragile and unsure and the whole meeting the mom thing will probably freak her out, possibly even with how it went when he was him, meeting her mom. Not that he cared about Ellis: he would just shake her for how he treated Meredith, but he was completely indifferent to how that woman will probably be his mother-in-law, someday. He just wished she could soften a little toward Meredith. She was such a great girl, so hardcore and talented, sweet and smart… and her mother was simply missing it all. It drove him nuts.

He went out on the porch and sat down next to Meredith, wishing good morning to everyone. Meredith just flushed him a smile and kept on eating.

"Your girlfriend eats like a horse, Shep," Mark stated, and Meredith gasped, her mouth full of pancakes.

"I know," Derek grinned, an arm going around Meredith's waist. "I keep on wondering how she manages to stay so tiny."

"You should know," Amelia muttered. "I spent another night up."

"Oh, Amy, sorry," Meredith breathed, her cheeks immediately on fire. Derek knew he would be as embarrassed, but he could just manage to grin, remembering that thing she had done with her legs…

"Look how he grins," Mark commented, gently touching Addison's arm to catch her attention. "Grey has skills."

"Mark, please!" Addison exclaimed, her hand hitting the back of his head.

"Can't say he's wrong," Derek smirked, and Meredith hit his arm: "Shut up, idiot! You're not supposed to give them hints about our sex life."

"No more of what you two do with your moans and your screams," Amelia added, gesturing to Addison to hand her the juice.

"Derek will keep it down, I promise," Meredith grinned.

"Meredith will too," Derek added, avoiding Meredith's hand, ready to make contact with his arm again.

"Feel free to keep the screwing," Mark said. "Having sex is just healthy."

"Not down the hall from my room when my boyfriend is in Seattle!" Amelia snapped.

"Big brother right here!"

"Oh, Der," Meredith breathed, gripping his hand. "Leave her alone. You know she has sex, she's an adult."

"Amelia and Meredith probably are the same age," Addison suggested.

"I'm one year older," Amelia groaned.

"Grey's Shep's girlfriend, Amy's our little sis," Mark groaned. "I don't know her boyfriend but I already don't like him."

"You shouldn't," Meredith told him, attaching her fourth pancake. "Owen is a great guy."

"He really is," Derek confirmed. "A great doctor, too. We're in good terms but our sis forbade me to mention their relationship at all. She lives in denial."

"I don't live in denial," Amelia hissed. "Mer, Addie, my brothers are two idiots, can we go watch some TV?"

They did so, leaving Derek and Mark to clean the kitchen, the porch and to talk. For the entire morning, every time Derek casually walked by the living room to go to the bathroom or so, he found them curled up on the big, blue leather sofas, laughing hard at some "chick show" Mark swear he would never watch. He practically kicked Addie out of the armchair around lunch time, swearing that he would rather divorce her than miss the baseball game. Addison, probably in a rare diplomatic moment, rolled her eyes and asked Amelia to help her in the kitchen. Derek looked at his girlfriend – he didn't really wanted to miss the game but he doubted she would like it. And from what she had told him, she avoided kitchen for dear life so he doubted either she would go chatting with the girl. But when he looked at her, starting to feel slightly frustrated, he saw her on the couch, her long legs folded under her butt, grinning at the screen.

"Can I have a beer, too, Sloan?" she asked sweetly, looking at Mark's bottle.

"Do you watch sport?" Mark retorted, puzzled, handing her his own beer.

"Yeah. I prefer basketball but baseball works, too."

Derek sat next to her, completely amazed, and she casually leaned back to rest her back against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing the skin of her shoulder the t-shirt didn't cover.

"Shep, please, can you wait five minutes to fuck her? We're having a conversation, here."

"You never, ever had a conversation with any of my girlfriend, before."

"That was before you brought home one with a brain."

"Speaking of girls with a brain – while you watch TV with mine, I'm gonna steal yours for something," Derek announced, kissing Meredith's head quickly. He made his way to the kitchen, where he found Addison and Amelia trying to fix something for lunch.

"I offer to cook if you give me an advice," he asked, grinning widely. No way these two would say no – they hated to cook.

"Anything," Addison assured, stepping back from the kitchen counter. "I hate cooking, I swear. I could live on take-away."

"So would Meredith," Amelia commented. "I swear, there isn't night at home where she wouldn't suggest to order in. Usually pizza."

"Speaking of Meredith," Addison said, sitting at the table and grabbing a bottle of wine. "I have the feeling she's going to be the subject of the conversation."

"Derbear can just speak about Mer," Amelia grinned.

"Thanks, Amy, how nice from you," Derek replied, rolling his eyes. "Anyway, yes, it's about her. I want to bring her home to meet mom."

"What?!" Addison and Amelia exclaimed together, Addison almost dropping on the floor the glass of wine. "You never bring girls home," Amelia pointed out.

"I probably never have been in love before Mer," he suggested. "This is serious, and definitely going somewhere. I – I think I wanna marry her."

"Oh gosh," Addison breathed. She knew Derek was in love with Meredith but they had been dating for what, a month?

"I always knew you would," Amelia grinned. "She's perfect for you."

"Meredith is a lovely girl," Addison commented. "But you've been dating her for a month."

"I knew when I met her in Los Angeles that she was the one. I'm sure of it, I'm done. I want to take her home, I want to introduce her to mom and the girls, and I'm considering asking her to move in with me."

"In the trailer?" Addison asked, raising an eyebrow. "Derek, you know I love you…"

"But?"

"But you don't actually have the conditions to ask her to move in. You live in a trailer."

"And I'll move out if she asks you to move in with us. Sorry, bro," Amelia smiled.

"I'll build a house. Now I know what I'm gonna do with that land. I want a house with her, and a dog, and… little Merediths running around."

"We lost him," Mark declared, entering the kitchen.

"Where's Mer?" Amelia asked.

"Down on the beach, on the phone – with her mom, I think."

"Meredith is talking to Ellis?" Derek frowned.

"That's her mom, Shep," Mark rolled his eyes, looking at his brother like he was insane.

Derek ran out of the kitchen, and Mark looked at his wife and his sister, puzzled: "He's being an idiot."

"More: he wants to asks her to move in," Addison explained. "Where, I wonder. He lives in a box… They would spend their days on top of each other."

"Considering last night's concert I think they would like it," Mark smirked.

"Hello?"

"Meredith."

"Mother?"

"Hello."

"Uhm. Hello to you too. How are you?"

"Fine, thank you. I have a liver transplant in fifteen and I figured I'd say hi."

"Oh. It's ok."

"And you? Is everything going well?"

"Yes, yes. I'm in Los Angeles, I took a week off and I'm… I don't know, vacation time, I think. I don't do this often."

"Never ever done it."

"Oh – well…"

"Sorry, I swear I didn't meant to judge. Are you enjoying yourself?"

"Pretty much. It's nice and… Nice. Yeah."

"Are you with Derek?"

"Do you remember his name?"

"He's the most promising neurosurgeon of the country. I always remember good doctor's names,… Meri."

"Meri?"

"Yes. It's your name."

"I guess it is."

"So, Derek?"

"Yes, he's… he's here with me. We're with his sister, Mark Sloan and Addison Montgomery. They're practically his family."

"I met Dr. Montgomery at a conference, last year. She's a lovely lady and an excellent doctor, from what I've heard."

"She's amazing."

"Anyway, I called even to tell you Richard asked me over for a consult, the next week. I wanted to know if you would like to spend time together and, of course, scrub in with me."

"Time together. Scrub in with you."

"Yes, that's what I've said. What do you think? It's an intestine transplant. I always find it interesting. Richard said he couldn't do it, probably he's too busy being Chief. The other general, Dr. Bailey - I think that's her name, is too involved with her research project. I told Richard to ask you but he said you've never done one before."

"That's correct. Just liver and kidneys. I tried once, with Bailey – I was still doing my residency but when we opened up the organ was almost entirely necrotic and that was nothing we could have done."

"It's terrible."

"Yeah, it is."

"So? Do you want to do this with me? I would even love to properly being introduced to Derek."

"Uh. Okay. I think it could be arranged. And I'll clear my schedule for your transplant."

"Our transplant. Anyway, I have to scrub in, now. It was lovely talking to you. I'll call again."

"Good luck on your surgery – oh, well, you probably don't need luck."

"A little bit of luck is always useful. Have a nice day, Meri."

"You too… Mom."

Calling to say hi. Asking about her life without pointing out how she was unfocused. Chatting pointlessly. Speaking well of her friends and especially of Derek. Asking to being introduced, to spend time together. Telling Richard to give her a surgery and then do it herself – she had never scrub in with her mother, she had always said Meredith would kill the patient without even cut. Calling her Meri.

Her mother had gone crazy.

Derek found her like that, sitting on the sand, her phone in her hand, looking at the ocean.

"Mer?" he asked softly, sitting next to her. She smiled at him and Derek took her in his arms.

"Are you ok?" he asked as she rested his head on his shoulder, her face hidden against his neck.

"Mmh. I think so. Except my mom is probably going to dying soon."

She told him quickly about the phone call – Derek had heard and witnessed enough to know how strange it was. But when Meredith stopped talking, she found herself more buried in his arms, while he laughed contently, kissing her face repeatedly.

Meredith thought it was a strange day, indeed. But for now, she just wanted to be happy.

They were going home – actually, really going home.

Back to Seattle, where life always seemed a little harder, to Meredith.

Everything felt bigger – her mom, her baggage. Even her work, as much as she loved it. Everything felt like a weight resting on her shoulders. Usually, thinking about a relaxing night with pizza, tequila and crappy TV-shows would have helped, but the guy sitting next to her, his hand laced with hers, had completely ruined her. Probably Amelia – sitting next to Derek, asleep – had been right: she had gone soft. And giggly. Around Derek, she seemed to always want to giggle.

Truth was, she was happy. Plain and simple. For the first time in her life, still with the need to go to therapy to deal with all the crap of her child, her avoiding tendencies and stuff, Meredith Grey was completely and totally happy. Nothing mattered anymore: not her friends, not the day off, neither being an amazing surgeon. She had become one of those women she had always hated – she had new dreams, now, and all her happiness depended on the guy sitting next to her.

She squeezed his hand, and when Derek looked to her, smiling, she simply blurted out: "We should get married."

You are free to die... :D I just wanna hear you screaming! ;)

thanks to my lovely Vero for being the beta of this story 3