A/N: I was running out of ideas and didn't want to make this drag on too long and wanted to get to my next major plot development, so this skips forward a bit. There are probably 9 or so chapters left in this story, so it'll be done before next week is over. Sad, I know. Anyway, if you're reading this author's note, you're in the homestretch so you may as well keep reading :) And keep the reviews coming...I love reading them and you guys rock!

The next few months flew by. Meredith ended up spending Thanksgiving with Derek's family at their cabin in Vermont. She met his sisters and their families, and she seemed to fit in perfectly (his youngest sister, Jana, even told Derek that Meredith would make a wonderful addition to the Shepherd family one day). They really appreciated Meredith's sincerity and how down-to-earth she was, unlike Addison who came from a wealthy family in New York and flaunted it—Addison never failed to let anyone know that she was "Old Money." Meredith went back to Boston for Christmas, and Derek went back to New York, but flew out to Boston one weekend to surprise Meredith for New Year's Eve. Meredith barely saw her mother during the break since she was always working, but Meredith enjoyed the peace and quiet, and the alone time with Derek in Boston.

Addison had finally left Derek alone, and was continuing to date and/or sleep with Mark He had slowly begun to forgive Mark when he realized that Mark did have real feelings for Addison (Derek didn't know whether Addison felt the same way, but he didn't really care). Cristina had randomly hooked up with another TA in their organic chem class during a review session during finals week, Preston Burke, and they continued to keep their relationship secret (Cristina still tried to deny there was a relationship, but she was falling for him). George and Olivia were still dating, but it was more of a casual friends with benefits type of thing—they weren't really in a relationship.

When they came back from winter break, Derek was no longer her TA so they were able to be much more open about their relationship. Derek had started his clinical rotation at the University's hospital, so he and Meredith didn't get to spend as much time together as they would have liked to, but their relationship was stronger than ever.

It was now the beginning of February…

Meredith and Cristina were in there dorm room Thursday afternoon going over their organic chemistry homework. "So what are you and Burke doing for Valentine's Day tomorrow?"

"I have no idea. I've never been a real supporter of the holiday, but Burke is Burke and will probably have something planned," Cristina said rolling her eyes. "What about you and McDreamy?"

"He has to work all weekend at the hospital, so I don't know. I think I'm going to surprise him tomorrow night and bring him dinner or something when he has an hour or so free."

"I much rather spend Valentine's Day working at the hospital than eating dinner at some shmancy fancy restaurant—nothing is better than surgery."

"You are a strange girl Cristina Yang…seriously."

Cristina just shrugged.

GAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGA

Meredith awoke early Friday morning to her phone ringing. "Hello?" She answered still half-asleep.

"Good morning beautiful," she heard Derek's voice on the line. "Happy Valentine's Day."

"Happy Valentine's Day to you too, Derek," she said smiling.

"I'm sorry I can't be there with you tonight. It figures they'd put me on the surgical clinicals—the busiest of all of them—during February. Next month I'm on gynecology though, so I shouldn't be nearly as busy."

"Don't worry about it, Derek. Believe me, I understand how crazy hospitals are—especially surgery. There were weeks where I never even saw my mother."

"Well, I don't want to go weeks without seeing you. I have Monday off though, so I say we spend the whole day together."

"It sounds like a plan."

"Excellent. So what are your plans for tonight?"

"Um, I'm not sure. I think one of the frats is having an anti-Valentine's Day party, so maybe that?"

"Alright, well be safe and I love you."

"I love you too." She hung up the phone and smiled at her plan.