Hi guys! Thank you for reading and reviewing! I have also updated my other fic, and am hoping to update it again soon, so please give it a read if you haven't already.

Waking up next to Meredith was the best thing in the world, Derek had concluded over the last two weeks. The first time it had happened, was after her fight with Addison, he'd stirred and woken to the soft smell of lavender around him and her soft breathing. He daren't moved to wake her, but simply held her in his arms until she woke up naturally. She'd scrunched her nose in a way that made her look adorable, and had grinned when he'd suggested making her pancakes for breakfast.

The second time, had been five days ago when they'd been watching some crappy lifetime movie in his room and when he turned around she was out. Luckily she was wearing sweats anyway, so he gently lifted her under the covers and climbed in next to her after getting changed.

A similar thing had happened last night. They'd been watching something and she'd had her head on his shoulder, her body slightly cuddled into him and next thing he knew she was snoring. He pulled the covers up around them and turned out the light before pulling her into their new usual spooning position.

She felt so perfect in his arms, and while he knew they were still only friends, he couldn't help wondering what it would be like waking up to her like this everyday. Before they fell asleep he always placed a soft kiss to her neck, it wasn't much, but he couldn't help it. He knew he was only her best friend, and he would probably never be anything more, but she was so perfect and he loved being this close to her.

She hadn't been out again since the Addison incident, and she had been in his dorm every night. Her confidence had been really dented by that night, and things were still fragile with Cristina. But he could see that she was getting back to her old self, around him anyway. She was still sleeping next to him, her eyelids resting and her snoring soft. He squeezed her a little closer to him, nestling his nose in her hair and smiling when he felt her grip his hand slightly tighter than before.

It was nice to know that she trusted him to be this close to her, they had known each other for almost six months now and he was getting the impression she was letting him in more than most. He leant to press a kiss to her cheek as his bedroom door swung open.

'What the fuck?' he hissed at Mark, trying not to wake Meredith.

'Shhhh.' Mark snapped back, shutting the door behind him. 'You're gonna thank me in a minute.'

'What?'

'Mom's here.'

'What?' he gasped before realising the volume of his voice, turning to Meredith who had moved slightly in his arms.

'Her and Imogen are in there.'

'What?!'

'Surprise college visit.'

'Since when did she do those?'

'Since now. And she was all for coming in here herself to wake you. Said it's ridiculous to still be in bed at 10 am.'

'It's Saturday!'

'She also noted its very unlike you.'

'Urugh.' He groaned, pulling an arm from around Meredith and running his hand through his hair.

'You need to get your ass out there quick.'

'Derekkkkk!' came his sister's voice from the other side of the door, along with a forceful bang, rather than not.

'Oh fuck.'

'Too late.' Sighed Mark.

'Derek get up you lazy bum!'

'Can you go out there please?' said Derek.

'Fine but you know they're going to see Meredith sooner or later.'

'Just go.' He hissed, feeling Meredith begin to wake up next to him, just as Imogen shouted for him again. Mark left and somehow stopped her immediately coming into his room.

'Morning.' He smiled at her, wrapping his arm back around her.

'Morning.' She murmured, turning to face him and burying her head in his chest as she wrapped her arms around his waist.

'I.. er… Mer, my mom's here.' He whispered into her hair, rubbing small circles on her back with his fingers.

'What?' her head snapped up, but she didn't pull away.

'I didn't know, I'm sorry. I… Mark literally just told me they're in the kitchen on a surprise visit.'

'They?'

'Imogen.'

'Oh.' She whispered.

'I'm sorry, Mer… I wasn't expecting it and I know it's awkward….'

'I don't…. I'll just stay here.'

'This isn't about hiding you, Mer. I mean, my mom already knows about you and once we assure them all we do in here is literally sleep everything will be fine.'

'I…. Derek….'

'I mean, Imogen will probably go on but-'

'Derek.' She whispered.

'What?' he breathed, looking down at her.

'Mom's don't like me.' She murmured, not meeting his eye.

'What?' he repeated.

'Moms don't like me, Derek.'

'Don't be daft Mer, of course my mom will like you. What's not to like?' he smiled.

'No, Derek.' She sighed, grasping his shirt in her hand and moving closer to him. 'Mom's don't like me.' She whispered, looking into his eyes, her own pooled with tears.

'What do you mean?' he whispered.

'Derek!' came his sisters voice again from the kitchen.

'One minute!' he yelled before turning back to Meredith and instinctively wrapping his arms tighter around her. 'Mer,' he breathed hugging her closer.

'You don't get it. My mom she….'

'She what?' he prodded gently.

'I'm not good with moms, Derek.'

'I find that hard to believe. You're good with everyone. You're you.'

'No, Derek.' She whimpered.

'Okay, okay.' He soothed. 'I don't…. I have to go out there, Mer. It's up to you if you come with me or not.'

'I… I don't…. I don't…' she trailed off.

'You don't have to if you don't want to. But I'm sure they'd love to meet you. I don't know what your mom's like, Mer. But mine…. She made you cookies, remember?'

'I know.' She whispered, wiping at her eyes. 'I know. I just… I don't know.'

'Stay here.' He murmured, kissing her forehead, and squeezing her to him. 'Stay here and after we leave just let yourself out.'

'Okay.' She whispered. 'Thank you.'

'No problem.' He said, kissing her forehead again before jumping out of bed and pulling off his pyjama bottoms and pulling on the jeans on his chair. 'Call me if you need me, okay?' he said, spraying some cologne before opening the door.

'There you are dear!' said Alison, moving to hug her son. 'Derek, dear, you need a shower.'

'Yes, mom, I know. But I wasn't exactly expecting visitors at this time.' He laughed slightly.

'It's ten in the morning Derek don't be ridiculous.'

'I was sleeping!'

'Derek.' His mom sighed before he felt his sister jump on him.

'Hey.' She said casually into his ear while being wrapped around him.

'Hey.' He laughed. 'You okay?'

'Good.' She shrugged, pulling back. 'You?'

'Good.' He smiled.

'Was expecting more of a royal welcome, but you know.'

'Of course you were.' He rolled his eyes. 'Princess Imogen.'

'This isn't a palace.' Mark laughed.

'It's nice, though boys.' Alison commented. 'A little messy, but its nice.'

'That's all his doing.' Derek groaned.

'Do you want a drink ma?' asked Mark.

'I'll have a glass of water please.' She nodded.

'No problem, Im?'

'Have you got coke?'

'Shep did you only get lemonade when you were out?'

'Yeah, sorry.'

'You okay with lemonade?' Mark turned to Imogen.

'Go on then.' she laughed.

'Sorry it's not a restaurant.' Derek joked as his mom and sister sat down with their drinks.

'Well,' began Alison. 'I think it's a lovely in here for the two of you. Do your friends live in this building too, then? Tim and…. Whats the other one called?'

'Dexter.' Nodded Derek. 'Yeah they live just down the hall.'

'What about Meredith, is her dorm in here too?'

'Oh, no. She lives about ten minutes away.'

'Ah, I see.' She nodded.

'Can we go see your room now?' said Imogen, standing up.

'What? No.' Derek said awkwardly, shaking his head.

'Why not?' his sister pouted.

'Because I said so.' He retorted.

'Derek dear, come on.' Alison sighed. 'Don't be childish.'

'I'm not.' He sighed.

'I only want to see your room.'

'And I said no.'

'I don't get it what have you got in there that we cant see?' she rolled her eyes.

'Nothing.' He sighed. 'But it's my room.'

'Yeah, and I want to see if there are any pictures of me.'

'There aren't.' he shook his head.

'Well that's just rude.' She frowned. 'Why not?'

'Im.' He sighed.

'Please, you two can you just stop.' Sighed Alison. 'Derek let your sister in your room, we haven't travelled all this way for you to be rude.'

'I'm not being rude, Ma. But it's my room.'

'You don't have a problem with me going in it at home.' Imogen shrugged.

'Yes, well, were not at home. Are we?'

'Derek stop being weird.' His sister sighed dramatically.

'I'm not.' He rolled his eyes.

'Yes you are.' She said, walking towards his door.

'Imogen!' he shouted just as she opened the door and walked in. He heard the gasps of both his sister and Meredith before Imogen immediately walked back out, a horrified look on her face. He pushed back his sister before she or his mom could say anything and went into his room, closing the door being him. Meredith was fully under the covers, not even her head poking out.

'Mer?' he asked gently, sitting on the bed.

'Mmmm.' She mumbled, her voice shaky.

'Mer, I'm sorry I didn't mean for her to come in. I tried to stop her.'

'I know. I heard.'

'Are you going to let me see you?'

'Mmmmm.' She mumbled, pulling the covers down from her face, and he could tell she was in the foetal position.

'I'm sorry.' He said, kissing her forehead.

'Not your fault.' She whispered before shutting her eyes. 'Now they hate me.'

'What?'

'Your mom. She hates me.'

'She doesn't.'

'I'm hiding in your bed, Derek.'

'That doesn't mean she hates you. She doesn't even know its you. She probably thinks it's a girl I picked up who hasn't gone home yet.'

'Instead I'm your pathetic best friend who cant sleep on her own any more who hasn't gone home yet.'

'You're having trouble sleeping?' he asked, concerned.

'I cant….' She whispered. 'I cant without you.'

'Oh Mer.'

'I don't… you should go, Derek. They're outside and they want to see you. And they want to see your room, so I should go too but that would mean facing them and-'

'Mer get up and come with me.'

'What? Are you crazy?'

'No. Come with me. We'll explain. They'll love you and then we'll go and get food or whatever it is they want to do.'

'I don't…. family Derek… the mom thing.'

'We can talk about the mom thing tonight if you want? When they've gone?'

'Yeah.' She nodded.

'But Mer, I promise, my mom is nice and she'll love you. But if you're uncomfortable at any point you can leave.'

'Promise?' she breathed.

'Promise.'

'Okay.' She murmured, not moving.

'Want me to give you five minutes or shall I wait here while you freshen up?'

'Wait here.' She said, grasping his hand as he helped her out of bed.

'There you go.' He said, passing her the hair brush he had bought last week in case she ended up staying over. 'It's gross, but you can use my tooth brush?'

'Yes please.' She nodded.

'Okay.'

After she'd brushed her hair back into a ponytail, splashed her face with some cold water and brushed her teeth, she walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

'You're my best friend, Derek.'

'You're mine too.' He breathed. 'You ready?'

'I…yeah.'

'Okay. It's nothing big, I promise. It's only me.' He smiled.

'Okay.'

'Okay.' He said, pushing the door open. 'Mom, Im, this is Mereidth.' She stood awkwardly next to him, her arms wrapped around her waist.

'Meredith?' Alison raised an eyebrow.

'Yeah, she fell asleep on my bed last night watching a movie so I didn't bother waking her.' He explained. 'You want a drink Mer?'

'Water please.' She said quietly.

'No problem.'

'Yeah right.' Scoffed Imogen. 'Fell asleep watching a movie.' She rolled her eyes.

'She did.' Derek frowned.

'Imogen that's enough.' Said Alison.

'I'm just saying.' She shrugged. 'It's pretty weak.'

'They're not sleeping together.' Sighed Mark.

'No… no, definitely…. Definitely not.' Nodded Meredith.

'They're not?' frowned Imogen to Mark, confused.

'No. Trust me. He needs to get laid but he's not getting any from Grey.'

'Mark Jeremy.' Scolded Alison.

'Sorry, Ma.'

'Hmmm.'

'Meredith loved the cookies you sent, Ma.' Smiled Derek, handing the water to Meredith before gesturing at her to sit down.

'Oh, yes. They were lovely Mrs Shepherd thank you.' She smiled nervously.

'Oh you're welcome dear. But please do call me Alison.' Alison smiled warmly at her. 'Derek tells me you have a thing for chocolate cake too?'

'Oh, yes.'

'If I'd have known you'd be joining us I would have brought one.'

'Oh… no… you didn't, you didn't have to do that.'

'I know dear. I would have wanted to though.'

'Oh.'

'So you're Derek's best friend?' questioned Imogen.

'I er…Yeah…' she nodded, looking confused.

'And you're definitely not screwing?'

'Definitely not.' She shook her head.

'She's pretty Der, why haven't you asked her out?' she turned to her brother.

'I swear to God I am going to kill you.' He groaned. 'Meredith is my friend, leave it.'

'Fine.'

'I…er….. Imogen, right?' Meredith said tentatively.

'Oh, so you do talk about us Der.' She smiled sarcastically at her brother. 'Yes, I am Imogen.' She turned back to Meredith.

'Oh she's Imogen alright.' Laughed Mark.

'Shut up.' Imogen rolled her eyes. 'You both know I'm the best one.'

'Oh, I don't know. La gives you a good run for your money.' Mark smirked.

'Shut up.' She pouted.

'So, Ma,' Derek said, turning to his mom after sitting next to Meredith. 'How long do we have the pleasure of your company?'

'Just today and tomorrow. We're staying in a lovely little hotel, aren't we Imogen? We arrived last night and so came here this morning. We were thinking we could maybe go into Boston or something with you today? Or even just Hanover?'

'Either would be great.' He smiled. 'It's really nice to see you.'

'You too, dear. I've missed you. I've missed you both.' She smiled warmly. 'And it's nice to finally meet you, Meredith. We've heard a lot about you.'

'Oh… I….'

'All good, don't worry.' Alison laughed.

'Oh… good.'

'It's okay dear, I know it was unexpected but we really don't bite.' She laughed softly.

'Oh… I… sorry.' Meredith stuttered nervously.

'Mom-'

'Derek.' His mom raised her eyebrow. 'Meredith, we just want to get to know you if you're Derek's friend. It makes you our family. Take Mark as a shining example.'

'Mark?' Meredith said, confused.

'Taken in by the wolf pack.' He laughed.

'Wait… you're not…'

'His brother? Well, not technically.' Mark laughed.

'Oh. Derek… you never… you never said.'

'Sorry, I forget sometimes.' He laughed slightly.

'So you…..' she trailed off.

'I was Derek's best friend, my family were shit, his became mine. Long story short.'

'Oh.' She breathed.

'So, I believe you're doing premed too, Meredith?' Alison continued.

'Oh, yeah, I am.'

'What programme do you think you want to go into?'

'Surgery.' She nodded. 'Surgery.'

'Ah, just like the boys.' Addison nodded.

'Yeah.' She smiled.

'Any idea what kind of surgeon or am I just jumping the gun because these two have their futures mapped out?' she laughed.

'Oh, well… I'm not sure on anything yet but at the minute I'm thinking neuro.'

'Oh, the same as Derek.' She beamed.

'Oh, yeah. We do biology together.'

'I hope you give these men a run for their money.' She winked at her.

'Oh, well I can try.' She smiled, and Derek noticed the tension in her body decrease considerably.

'Derek says you're from Seattle.'

'Oh, yeah.' She nodded.

'Of course she's from Seattle she's Ellis Grey's daughter.' Imogen laughed, not looking up from her mobile phone. 'Lara literally freaked out when you told her.'

'Oh…' Meredith said, her eyes not meeting Derek's.

'It must be quite the pressure, having a mother so successful in the career you're interested in.' Alison nodded.

'Oh… that's…. one way of putting it.' Meredith mumbled.

'She must be very proud of you.'

'Oh…. I… yeah…. Yeah.'

Derek watched as Meredith awkwardly played with her wrists and noted that the mom talk was definitely needed tonight no matter how much she tried to get out of it. There was….. something. Something more to this than he could gather. The whole not going home at Thanksgiving thing, the not spending time together at Christmas thing, the whole freak out this morning.

'You'll be joining us for the day wont you dear?'

'Oh… I…' she stuttered, looking at him desperately.

'It's up to you, Mer.' He said gently. 'You're more than welcome, but don't worry if you're busy.'

'Oh.. I erm… if that's okay… I guess….' She trailed off.

'Of course darling.' Smiled Alison. 'I would love to get to know you.'

'Mom they're not getting married.' Imogen rolled her eyes.

'No, but she's Derek's friend.' Alison frowned. 'Now, shall we head out? It's a lovely day outside.'

'Yeah, just let me get my shoes.' Said Derek standing up.

'Yeah me too.' Said Meredith following him into his room.

'Hey, you don't have to come, you know.' Derek said, sat on his bed once his door was closed.

'What?' she said looking up from the floor where her shoes were. 'Do you not want me to come or something?'

'No, no. God no.' he said seeing the panic in her eyes. 'I'd love for you to come. But I'm just saying, you don't have to. If you don't want to.'

'I…. I wouldn't go as far as want to.' She said quietly, sitting on the bed next to him, putting her left shoe on. 'I think… I think I want to.'

'You sure?'

'Yeah. Yeah.' She nodded. 'I mean… families aren't my strong point but your mom made me cookies. And shes nice. And she made me cookies.'

'Okay.' He smiled warmly at her. 'Are you okay?'

'Yeah.' She nodded.

'Meredith.' He whispered. 'Are you okay?'

'Yeah.' She nodded before meeting his eye. 'No.' she whispered. 'Yeah. I'm…. freaking out slightly…. But I'm fine. I'm okay.'

'You're okay.'

'I'm okay.' She smiled.

'Good.'

They spent the day with his mom, Imogen and Mark. They showed them around campus before walking into Hanover, stopping to get lunch at a café. Meredith had originally said she was ordering salad like Derek and Imogen, until the waitress came over and he ordered her a pizza. She had turned to him with her mouth open in mortification, to which he had simply smirked at her. She ate it all.

They carried on walking through the town, Alison had taken pictures of them all together. They had visited the Hood Museum of Art, which Derek, Meredith and Mark had hated, but Imogen loved and Alison found interesting. They had had a nice day. It had been relatively sunny, and he had seen Meredith and his mom talking while he had been walking around the gallery with Imogen.

Imogen was apparently not seeing the guy she was in the car with, but he didn't really know what to believe. She was also undecided on college, and was missing Olivia. Which he did too. He missed all of his sisters actually. And after her initial annoyingess with Meredith, he had a really nice day with her. She was funny. He'd almost forgotten how funny. And it seemed like she was feeling lonely at home now he, Liv and Mark had all gone to college along with Lara and Claire, leaving her alone with Alison. She had been fifteen when their dad had died, and he couldn't imagine what that was like. Well, he was twenty, but at least he knew what he wanted to do with his life. At least he knew who he was, or at least who he thought he was. Imogen, she still had no idea what she was doing and she only had his mom to talk about it to. Not that his mom wasn't amazing because she was. But she was still grieving her husband of 30 years.

They had laughed a lot on the walk back to Dartmouth, and it had started to rain slightly. Meredith was only in the sweats she had worn and fell asleep in last night. So he shrugged his coat off and wrapped it around her before smiling at her gently. Which didn't go unnoticed by his mom.

Once they were home, Derek made them some pasta with chicken, and Alison and Imogen went home not long after.

'I should go home now too.' Meredith giggled. 'Shower.'

'Yeah, you do smell a bit.' He smirked.

'I do not.' She gasped.

'Whatever.' He laughed.

'Do I really smell?' she said seriously.

'No.'

'You're so annoying.'

'I know.' He grinned.

'Anyway, as I was saying. I should go.'

'I'll come with you.' He said. 'We could watch a movie after you shower?'

'That would be nice.' She smiled.

'It sounds good. Shall I follow you over in about fifteen minutes? I'll bring ice cream? And cookies?'

'That would be even better.' She laughed.

'Okay.' He smiled.

He called at the store on the way to Meredith's building and got her a pint of strawberry ice cream along with some chocolate chip cookies, and some chips and dip. It was fully raining now so he ran to her dorm as fast as he could. He made his way to her room, and smiled when who he assumed was Dan answered the door.

'Hi.'

'Hi.'

'I'm… er Derek, I'm here to see Meredith.'

'Oh, hey. I'm Dan.'

'Hey.' He said, stepping inside as Dan re-joined Sarah on the couch. 'Is Mer in her room?'

'Yeah.' Sarah smiled.

'Thanks.' He smiled, realising their small talk was apparently over, and made his way to Mer's room.

'Oh! Derek!' she gasped as he opened the door on her in only her panties, a towel wrapped around her head.

'Oh! Sorry!' he said, turning around. 'Let… Let me know when I can come in. Sorry….'

'It's okay. Just… just stay there.'

'Staying here.'

'Stay there a bit longer.'

'Staying here.' He nodded.

'Okay. You can come in now.'

'Are you sure?'

'Yep.'

'Hey.' He smiled, blushing slightly as he entered her room to see her sat on her bed in sweat pants and her Grey Dartmouth t-shirt, her hair still in a towel.

'Hey.' She laughed.

'Sorry about that.'

'It's okay.'

'I brought snacks.' He said, holding up his bag.

'This is why I keep you around.' She giggled.

They stuck on a lifetime movie and he joined her on the bed. She had eaten half the ice cream in the first fifteen minutes of whatever film it was they were watching. He was slowly eating a cookie which was nice, but not as nice as his moms.

He'd spent all day with Meredith, and the night before and yet here he was still wanting to spend time with her. He didn't think there was such a thing as spending too much time with Meredith. It felt so natural being with her. And he knew he had to talk to her about the mom thing. She'd seemed to have a good day and she'd even talked to his mom. So it would be right to bring up the mom thing now, right? Right.

'So, did you have a good day?'

'Yeah.' She smiled. 'I did.'

'Better than you thought?'

'Yeah.' She smiled.

'I… You… I'm not going to ask if you want to talk about.' He shook his head. 'I'm just going to talk to you about it because you're you. And you're my best friend and you can trust me. You can trust me, okay?'

'O-kay….'

'It's just…. The mom thing.'

'What?' she almost choked on her ice cream.

'The mom thing. Mer, I know your moms like the most famous surgeon ever and I know she works a lot and I know you have…. A thing about her or whatever. So tell me. About the thing.'

'I don't… Derek I don't talk about my mom.' She shook her head.

'Exactly.'

'Exactly?'

'Exactly. You don't talk about it, and I think you should. Even if it's just to me. You need to get it off your chest. Maybe I can help?'

'Derek.' She shook her head.

'Meredith.' He said, leaning his head close to hers. 'Please.'

She turned to find him a lot closer to her than she expected, her breath almost hitched in her throat. His eyes were so soft, his face was so gentle and she knew if she could trust anyone it was Derek. Derek who held her when she not so accidentally fell asleep in his bed, Derek who made her dinner every night, and brought her strawberry ice cream when she needed it, Derek who always congratulated her on her papers, who knew she hated salad.

'I… I don't…' she breathed, looking into his sincere eyes. 'Your mom's amazing.'

'She is.' He nodded.

'Mine's…. not.' She whispered, looking down again.

'Mer,'

'She… your mom. She said my mom would be proud of me, you know, doing pre med?'

'I remember.'

'She… she's not.'

'What?'

'She'd not proud of me.'

'Mer,' he whispered.

'She…I'm ordinary.'

'What?'

'I'm ordinary, Derek. And I don't have what it takes.' She whimpered, not looking back at him.

'Mer, you're far from ordinary.'

'No, Derek. I'm ordinary. To my mom, I'm ordinary. And I'm not worth being proud of or whatever.'

'Mer, of course you are.'

'I'm not, Derek!' she snapped, turning to him. 'Sorry.' She whispered.

'It's okay. You're not ordinary, Mer.'

'I am.'

'No, you're not.' He said, moving to wipe a tear from down her cheek.

'I am.'

'Meredith. Do you remember the other week when you came home from the party? And I told you all the reasons why you are my best friend?'

'Hmmm.' She nodded, hiccupping slightly.

'They're all examples of why you're not ordinary.' He smiled, moving a hand gently to cup her jaw. 'You're funny, you're kind, you're really, really, smart Mer. You're anything but ordinary.'

'Derek.'

'You are. And your mom's an ass if she cant see that.'

'Derek.'

'I'm serious, Mer. You're amazing, okay? I think you're extraordinary. And I'm proud of you. Really proud of you.'

'Thanks.' She whimpered. 'Can you… will you… stay… tonight?'

'Of course Mer.' He said, pulling her into his arms and leaning them both against the headboard, her face burring in his chest as he ran a hand gently over her hair.

'You know she cheated on my dad.'

'She did?'

'That's why he left. When I was five. She cheated on him with another surgeon.'

'Oh, Mer.'

'You know she once told me she wished she'd never had a child.'

'What?' he whispered in disbelief.

'The guy she cheated on my dad with left her anyway. But she said he wouldn't have if she didn't have a daughter. She wishes she'd never had one.'

'She said that?'

'Uh-huh.'

'Oh Mer.'

'I just…. She doesn't want me and she never wanted me and neither did my dad. No one wants me.'

'I want you.' He whispered, kissing the top of her head and squeezing her tightly.

'Thank you.'

'You don't have to thank me, I didn't do anything…. I just… do.'

'I think you're the first person to ever want me.'

'I wont be the last.'

'Derek.' She whispered, squeezing him. 'I don't…. thank you. Thank you.'

'I-'

'Not for saying it.' She shook her head, pulling back from his chest. 'Thank you, for being such a good friend.'

'Oh.'

'I… you're amazing, Derek.'

'I'm not.' He breathed.

'You are.' She whispered.

'I… I.. you're my best friend, Mer.'

'You're mine too.'

'Come here.' He said, pulling her back down to hug her. She curled into him and he felt her breathing even out and her body relax. He went back to running his fingers through her hair with his left hand.

'Derek…' she eventually whispered.

'Yeah?'

'Promise… I'm dark and twisty. And there's more dark and twisty than what I just told you. But… my point is I'm dark and twisty and-'

'Mer,' he prodded.

'Promise you wont leave?'

'What?'

'You wont… people leave and you're my best friend. You cant leave.'

'Oh. No. I wont leave. Ever. You'll always be my best friend.'

'Always?'

'Always, Mer.'

'Good.' She whispered as he squeezed her to him.

Thank you for reading and please review! X