"I just want to know where you got the tickets," Andrew sighed as he and Meredith walked into her house nearly a month later.

"Look, if you don't want to come, then just tell me," Meredith sighed. "I'll bring Lexie, she's always wanted to go to Europe."

"Meredith," Andrew sighed. "I want to go with you. There's nothing that I'd want more. I just want to know where you got the tickets."

"Don't worry about it," she smiled, tugging on his hand and smiling softly. "You know... Europe is a very romantic continent."

"It is," Andrew smiled, his hands landing on her hips.

"So maybe we should…practice," Meredith breathed against his lips. "You know, for Europe."

"Practice sounds good," Andrew smiled.

"Come on," she giggled, pulling him up the stairs.

"Meredith," Andrew sighed as he followed her into her bedroom. "Are you sure about this?"

She wanted to say no. She wanted to tell him that she really couldn't imagine anyone besides Derek inside of her anymore, both emotionally and physically. But instead, she faked a smile and nodded, reaching for the hem of his sweater. "I'm sure," she breathed.

"Good," Andrew nodded, reaching for the hem of her sweater and quickly pulling it over her head. "Mmmm," he murmured as he pressed his lips against the skin around her bra.

Meredith tilted her head back, trying to allow herself to feel aroused as Andrew gently lowered her onto the bed, hovering over her. She could remember sex with Derek so clearly, and it was nothing like this. Derek was careful, he was slow and gentle, and Andrew…he was taking his time, but his touch wasn't nearly as pleasing as Derek's hand been.

She smiled up at Andrew as she pressed her lips to his, gently pushing him off of her. "I want to see you," she whispered, watching as he stood and reached for his belt.

Meredith leaned back against the pillows, hoping that she'd become more aroused at the sight of Andrew naked in front of her. As soon as his pants were discarded to the floor, however, she felt all her hopes disappear. Apparently she'd been spoiled with Derek's size.

Andrew grinned as he climbed back onto the bed. "Now it's your turn," he murmured as he reached behind her to unhook her bra.

"Hmm," Meredith swallowed hard as he moved the bra to the floor and reached eagerly for the button on her jeans.

"Meredith," he breathed, looking down at her as he pushed her pants aside. "You're beautiful."

"Thanks," she breathed, pulling him down to her. "You can…"

Andrew smiled slightly as he moved down her body. "Foreplay, Mer," he breathed.

"Foreplay," Meredith nodded. "Right." Except now, all she could think about was the fact that she couldn't wait for this to be over. Andrew, apparently didn't feel the same way as he kissed the skin around her belly button. "Please," she whispered, bringing his lips back to hers and squeezing her eyes closed tightly.

"Someone's impatient," Andrew whispered, running himself along her center. "Are you ready?"

"Please," Meredith whispered. Please, just get this over with.

"Oh," Andrew gasped as he slid slowly into her, causing Meredith to shift uncomfortably beneath him. Wrong, this was all wrong.

"Oh yes," Andrew moaned, and Meredith bit her lower lip, trying not to cry out in pain. Maybe it would help if she closed her eyes and pretended it was Derek making love to her.

Yes, that would work, she felt her body relaxing at the mere thought. It was Derek who was buried deep inside of her, it was Derek who was running a hand along her side, Derek pressing a kiss to her collarbone, and Derek who was bringing her leg to wrap around Derek's waist. Derek. She was with Derek.

"Oh," she moaned, her back arching as she imagined the feeling of Derek inside of her. "Yes."

"You like that?" Andrew murmured, and she shook her head.

"No…no talking," she breathed.

Andrew's only response was to reach between them to pinch her nipple gently.

"Yes," Meredith moaned. "Oh….Derek, yes. Right there, yes! Derek…."

Andrew froze, staring down at her, and when his movements stopped, Meredith opened her eyes and frowned up at him. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"You just said Derek's name," Andrew said, rolling off of her and staring at her suspiciously.

"What?" Meredith frowned, sitting up and holding the sheet to her chest. "That's ridiculous."

"You did," Andrew frowned. "You were imagining Derek while I was making love to you."

"I wasn't…I just…" Meredith sighed as she stared up at him. "Come on, let's just try again."

Andrew laughed snidely as he reached for his pants. "You're kidding," he said. "I'm not going to be some kind of…replacement for Derek Shepherd."

"You're not a replacement," Meredith shook her head.

"Oh, so you just thought I would love hearing you scream another man's name while we're in bed?" Andrew snapped.

"No, I…" Meredith shook her head. "Derek was just the first guy I'd been with since college, and it was…I really loved him."

"And you don't love me," Andrew stated.

"I don't know if I love you," Meredith whispered.

"Meredith," Andrew sighed as he pulled his shirt over his head. "I think you just found your answer."

"Andrew, I'm sorry," Meredith sighed. "I wasn't…I didn't mean to…"

"Meredith, you're a great girl," Andrew sighed, sitting down beside her on the bed. "And we could really have a serious future. If you weren't still in love with Derek."

"I'm not…"

"You are," Andrew nodded. "I don't know what the hell happened between the two of you, but you obviously still love him. And he still loves you."

"He doesn't," Meredith shook her head. "And I…I don't."

"You're going to need to sound a lot more convincing than that if you're planning on leading other guys on," Andrew said softly.

"Andrew," Meredith breathed. "Please, don't do this."

"I'm not trying to hurt you," Andrew said. "But I can't be a replacement for another man."

Meredith inhaled sharply as she watched him leave thee room, listening to his footsteps retreat down the steps, the front door opening and closely softly.

"Great," she muttered, throwing herself back against the pillows before she reached for her robe, moving towards the door. She'd just made her life into an even bigger life, and she wasn't sure what to do now.

"Hey Mer," Lexie frowned as her sister walked into the kitchen. "Andrew just stormed out of here. Weird, because I'm pretty sure you guys just had sex."

"We didn't have sex," Meredith sighed as she reached into the fridge for a bottle of water. "Or we did, but…not really."

"How do you not really have sex?" Lexie asked.

Meredith glanced at her sister for a moment before she sighed. "I said Derek's name," she said.

Lexie choked on her water for a moment before she stared at Meredith in shock. "You called him Derek?" she repeated.

"Yes," Meredith groaned, burying her face in her hands. "Lex, what the hell is wrong with me? I've got an amazing, perfect man in bed with me, and I have to pretend that he's my ex-boyfriend to feel anything at all."

"Maybe it's because you know that Derek didn't really do anything wrong," Lexie suggested. "And you know you didn't really want to end things with him."

"I'm going to bed," Meredith sighed. "If Andrew calls…let me know."

"I doubt he'll be calling," Lexie laughed as she watched Meredith walk out of the room.

"Not funny!" Meredith called over her shoulder.

Lexie smiled as she waited to hear Meredith's bedroom door close before she reached for the phone, dialing excitedly and waiting for someone to pick up. "Hey, it's Lex," she said. "She's ready. It's go time."

XXXXX

Addison snapped her phone shut and smiled smugly at Derek. "Alright, it's time," she said.

"Time?" Derek repeated, looking up from his textbook.

"For our plan of attack," Addison said. "It's time to act."

"What exactly are we attacking?" Derek asked.

"We're not attacking anything," Addison rolled her eyes. "We're getting you and Meredith back together."

"You said that a month ago."

"A month ago she was dating someone else," Addison replied.

"She's still dating someone," Derek murmured.

"Not according to my spies," Addison shook her head. "I'm on top of this Derek. Are you ready for phase one?"

"Spies?" Derek repeated.

"Would you keep up?" Addison rolled her eyes. "I've been working on this for a month. I've got several scenarios, one of which is bound to work."

"I'm not sure I like the sound of this."

"Fine, do it yourself," Addison shrugged as she stood.

"No!" Derek cried. "I want…I want to hear phase one."

"Good," Addison smiled as she sat down. "Mark."

"What?"

"I'm sending Mark to talk to her."

"How is that fool proof?" Derek asked.

"Because he's the same as her," Addison said. "They have the same shitty parents, the same insecurities…he gets why she's scared to love you."

"I don't even want to know how you know this much about Mark," Derek rolled his eyes. "And that sounds like a horrible plan."

"You know, I'm getting the feeling that you don't want my help," Addison stated.

"Fine," Derek shrugged. "What happens after Mark talks to her?"

"Then I pretend to be your girlfriend."

"What?" Derek asked. "No. No way."

"Come on, Derek, do you trust me?"

"I'm beginning to doubt it."

"She thinks we're dating," Addison said. "And if she sees it for herself, she'll get jealous."

"And that's good because…"

"Because then she'll realize how much she loves you," Addison smiled. "It'll work, Derek, I promise."

Derek sighed as he looked up at the ceiling. "Can't I just go over there and tell her I love her?" he asked.

"Derek, I'm a girl. Trust me on this." Addison said. "And Meredith needs to realize this on her own. With nudges in the right direction from various people. But if you show up there, she's going to get upset and emotional, and there's no way she'll ever even think about getting back together with you."

Derek sighed. "I'll never understand how the female mind works," he sighed.

Addison smiled, but she leaned over the back of the couch and yelled for Mark, who came stumbling out of his room, squinting in the light of the living room.

"What the hell is going on?" he asked. "It's the middle of the night."

"It's nine thirty," Addison replied. "And we're putting the plan in action."

"Now?" Mark frowned. "Can't it wait until morning."

"No," Addison replied. "Do it now."

"What makes you think that you can boss me around?" Mark asked.

Addison simply raised her eyebrows, and Mark nodded. "Going," he said, turning back to his room.

"Thank you," Addison called sweetly over her shoulder. She turned back to Derek with a smug smile on her face.

"Are you sleeping with Mark?" Derek asked.

"That," Addison sighed. "Is none of your business."

"I think it is," Derek smirked. "I'm not sure if I'm okay with my girlfriend sleeping with other men."

"Shut up," Addison said, throwing an empty soda bottle at him.

"Alright, I'm on my way," Mark groaned. "But I'm not doing it because I want to. Or because I think it will work."

"Just go," Addison rolled her eyes. "I'll owe you one."

"Several," Mark corrected. "Wherever I want. Whenever I want."

"Okay, disturbing images," Derek groaned.

"Just because you're not getting any, Shep, it doesn't mean that the rest of us are holding out too," Mark shrugged.

"Leave, Mark," Addison rolled her eyes.

"Fine," Mark sighed, grabbing his coat and slamming the door closed behind him.

"You really think this is going to work?" Derek asked doubtfully, turning back to Addison.

"She loves you, Derek," Addison said. "And you love her. You've just got to realize that she needs to be fought for. She's skittish, but you need to be willing to fight for her. That's where I come in."

"I can't believe you," Derek sighed. "There aren't many women like you out there, Addison."

"I know," she smiled. "That's what makes me so lovable."

Derek laughed. "Well see how lovable you are when this whole plan pans out," he said. "It better work."

"It'll work," Addison smiled. "Trust, Derek. Just learn to trust."