"Dr. Shepherd!"
Derek bit back a groan as he turned towards where his name was being called. "Alex," he said with a frown. "Do you need a consult?"
"No," Alex shook his head. "I…I need some personal advice. If you have an extra minute."
"Sure," Derek nodded, wondering what in the world the younger man could have to ask him about. "Um…let's go to my office." As Alex fell into step beside him, Derek said, "By the way, you can call me Derek. We were roommates, my daughter is named after your wife. I think we're on a first name basis by now. I actually thought we were years ago."
"Right," Alex nodded. "Derek."
"So what's up?" Derek asked as he ushered Alex into his office and leaned against his desk.
"This might be a little awkward," Alex sighed. "And feel free to say no if it's too awkward, but I was wondering…what kind of wine does Addison like? Red? White? Riesling?"
Derek stared at Alex for a long moment, not having expected such a random and…. Awkward question. "I um…she used to love white wine. Chardonnay. I can't remember the exact name."
"Chardonnay," Alex murmured. "Okay."
"Do you mind if I ask why?" Derek asked, eyebrows raised. He wasn't usually one for gossip, especially since he and Meredith had been the focus of that gossip for the first two years that he had lived in Seattle. But he couldn't help his curiosity at why Alex Karev seemed to be looking for advice on how to win over his ex-wife, and he needed to know how to explain it to his current wife.
"Well…this is the awkward part," Alex sighed. "We're um…well, we're going out tonight and I just wanted to make sure that I got a wine that she liked. It needs to be perfect."
"Out," Derek stated. "Huh."
"You're not mad are you?" Alex frowned. "Because you and she were like…the worst couple ever. And Mer…well, I didn't think you'd care. But I'm sorry if I overstepped a boundary or something…"
"I don't care," Derek sighed. "I'm just wondering what Meredith is going to do to you when she finds out that one of her closest friends is dating her husband's ex wife. Or what she'll do to me if she finds out I know."
Alex frowned for a moment. "She doesn't have so pretty strong fists," he said. "But… Addison makes sense to me. We've…well, we were together for about a second years ago, but now…she's the one who makes things stop. For the first time since Iz…I finally can see myself falling in love again."
Derek smiled as he reached out to clap Alex on the back. "I'm glad for you," he said. "And I'll try to pretend that this place isn't completely messed up. It's hard to keep track sometimes."
Alex laughed slightly as he moved towards the door. "I'm pretty sure this hospital would get number one in the dramatic goings on of its staff," he said. "Thanks, Derek. Hey, Mer," he said, ducking out of the room quickly as Meredith suddenly appeared in the doorway in front of him.
"What was that all about?" Meredith asked as she stepped into his office, depositing a pile of charts on his desk before turning to look at him with expectant eyes. "You don't talk to Alex."
"Nothing," Derek shrugged. "Just…talking to a friend. Neither of us were busy, so we were just…catching up."
Meredith's eyes narrowed. "You and Alex aren't friends," she stated. "You've never even really talked to him."
"Sure we are," Derek said, hoping that she wouldn't notice his voice was about an octave higher than usual.
"You don't have friends."
"Thanks, Mer," Derek rolled his eyes. "It feels good when your wife tells you you're a loser."
"You're not a loser," Meredith rolled her eyes. "Or well…you are but that's not what I meant."
"Is there a point for this verbal abuse?" Derek sighed as he collapsed onto the couch and ran a hand through his hair.
"Yes," Meredith nodded as she came to stand before him with narrowed eyes, her arms crossed over her chest. "That you're amazing husband and father, and a devoted doctor, which means you don't have time for friends."
"I'm friends with Mark."
"He's your brother in law," Meredith rolled her eyes. "Tell me one time that you and Alex have ever hung out. Ever."
"I…we went to Joe's that one time."
"With me," Meredith rolled her eyes. "And you sat on opposite sides of the bar. You kept whispering sexual innuendoes in my ear and Alex hit on anything in a skirt. I don't think that qualifies as the two of you hanging out. More like being in the same place at the same time."
"Fine," Derek rolled his eyes. "He needed some advice. About women."
"And he came to you?" Meredith giggled. "I didn't think Alex was that stupid."
"Is there a reason you're being so abusive to me?"
"I'll stop when you tell me the truth," Meredith giggled as she moved to sit beside him on the couch.
"I am," Derek laughed as he reached out to wrap a strand of her hair around his fingers.
"I'll find out what you're hiding from me, Derek Shepherd," Meredith sighed. "But right now we have bigger problems."
"Such as?"
"Well, your daughter decided that it was up to her to hand out invitations to her birthday party," Meredith sighed. "Not even two and she already is having ragers."
"How the hell did she manage that?" Derek frowned.
"Well, since Daddy told her that she could invite anyone she wanted to her birthday party, Susan paged me and asked if it was true that you said we could have day care at our house on her birthday," Meredith sighed.
Derek sighed as he leaned into his wife. "If she's already pulling stuff like this now, what it's going to be like in a few years?" he asked.
"I don't know, but we're going to find out," Meredith sighed. "We're going to have to talk to her about this."
"She's only two, Mer, she doesn't get it," Derek said. "She still thinks the world revolves around her."
"Well, you're forty four and you still think that the world revolves around you," Meredith said. "And even if she doesn't really get it, she has to start learning the difference between right and wrong at some point. We don't want her to be spoiled."
"It's her birthday," Derek protested.
"Derek, I'm not going to take her party away," Meredith rolled her eyes. "We just need to tell her that she can't invite the entire world to her party."
"You're right," Derek nodded. "We'll talk to her tonight."
"Good," Meredith smiled as she leaned into him. "I just ran into Lex."
"How's she feeling?" Derek asked.
"She just came from her sonogram," Meredith said, her eyes sparkling. "Swear you'll act surprised when Mark tells you?"
"What?" Derek asked.
"She's having a boy," Meredith giggled.
"Oh God," Derek rolled his eyes. "Mark Jr.?"
"She's definitely not naming her baby Mark," Meredith rolled her eyes. "But she did ask me for suggestions."
"I'm pretty sure that we went through every name for a boy when we were trying to name Dan," Derek laughed.
"I know," Meredith sighed. "That was…well, that was a hard pregnancy for all kinds of reasons."
"I know," Derek smiled. "Our next one won't be so hard."
"And it won't be for a long time," Meredith said firmly.
"So you've said," Derek laughed. "But I'm happy for Mark."
"I still can't believe he's going to have a baby," Meredith sighed. "He's…Mark."
"He was always the one who swore he'd never have kids," Derek laughed. "At least not on purpose."
"And you were the one who was dreaming of a family since you were ten," Meredith rolled her eyes.
"There's nothing actually wrong with that," Derek argued. "We have an amazing family."
"I know we do," Meredith smiled. "But…well, I never thought I'd be here, Derek, you know that."
"I know," Derek said, holding her close to him. "But I'm damn glad that you did. And I'm glad you know how much I love you."
"I do," Meredith smiled. "I don't think I would have done the family thing for any other man."
"Hmmm," Derek sighed as he snuggled closer into her.
"You know what we haven't done in awhile?" Meredith whispered.
"What?" Derek asked.
"Cocoon," Meredith sighed. "I miss our cocoon."
"Me too," Derek said. "After Katie's birthday…we'll send the brats to Uncle Mark and Aunt Lexie so we can cocoon for an entire weekend."
"How about we cocoon here?" Meredith whispered.
"We're at work," Derek laughed. "But we can cocoon until we get paged."
"Definitely," Meredith smiled. "And they're not brats."
"I know they're not," Derek laughed. "I love them. Even if they get in the way of the cocoon."
"They can cocoon with us sometimes," Meredith said.
"Yes, but naked cocoons are so much better," Derek pointed out.
Before Meredith could answer, her pager cut through the air and she sighed as she looked down at it. "Bailey," she said. "I'm on a pediatric neurosurgery case with her."
"Go," Derek said, kissing her quickly. "What time are you done?"
"Seven," Meredith sighed.
"I'll take the kids home and we'll have dinner waiting for you when you get home," Derek promised.
"This is why I love you," Meredith smiled, straightening out her scrub top as she leaned down to kiss him one last time. "See you later."
"Bye Mer," Derek laughed as he watched her move out of the room, hoping that she would forget about his interactions with Alex by the time she got home.
XXXXX
"I know you're almost two but even big girls have to go to bed," Derek sighed as he set the third book aside, looking at his daughter who was tucked tightly into bed.
"No bed," Katie frowned.
"How about a compromise?" Derek suggested.
"Coprise?" Katie frowned. "What that?"
"It's where we each do something the other wants," Derek explained. "Like I want you to go to bed. But you don't want to go to sleep."
"Sleep bad," Katie nodded firmly.
"I know," Derek sighed. "So how about I say that you can stay up as late as you want as long as you stay in your bed and are quiet?"
Katie bit her lower lip for a moment, deep in thought before she nodded. "Kay."
"Okay," Derek laughed as he leaned in to hug her tightly. "I love you, sweetheart. I'm going to go make dinner for Mommy okay?"
"Kay," Katie nodded, reaching for her pig and talking quietly to it.
Derek smiled as he turned on her night light and moved towards the door, not surprised to see her already asleep as he turned to look at her from the doorway. His daughter was definitely stubborn like her mother.
He made his way down the stairs, sticking some lasagna and garlic bread into the oven so it would be ready for Meredith when she arrived home any minute. He hadn't seen her after their stolen moment in his office, but she had called to say that her surgery had been successful and she was on her way home. He'd had a nice evening with his kids, playing with Dan and discussing Katie's ever so important second birthday with her before making them dinner and wrestling them both into bed, and now he was looking forward to spending some alone time with his wife, maybe even some cocooning before bed.
"Hey you," Meredith smiled as she walked into the kitchen, tossing her bag on the table before moving to wrap her arms around his waist.
"Welcome home," Derek smiled as he leaned into her arms. "Surgery went well?"
"It did," Meredith nodded. "He'll be fine in a couple weeks."
"It's amazing how fast kids recover from massive brain injuries," Derek sighed.
"Hmmm," Meredith nodded, eagerly taking the plate he offered to her as she sat down on a bar stool and looked at him. "So I heard something interesting today."
"Really?" Derek asked, placing a glass of wine in front of her. "This from the girl who swears she's not a gossip."
"I'm not," Meredith rolled her eyes. "But apparently Addison has some new secret boyfriend."
"Oh," Derek said. "Well, good for her."
"And I think you'll like some of the possible theories," Meredith said.
"Do tell."
"First is the theory that it's not actually a boyfriend and that Addison's hooking up with Callie," Meredith said.
"Hmmm," Derek nodded. "Maybe you should hook up with Callie."
"Excuse me?" Meredith frowned.
"Well, not forever," Derek said. "But…for a night. So I could watch."
"You're an idiot," Meredith rolled her eyes. "Anyways, apparently you and Addison are having an affair now."
"What?"
"That's what Christina heard from Olivia."
"You don't actually believe that, do you?" Derek frowned.
"Of course not," Meredith giggled. "But apparently it's a full circle thing or something."
"That's stupid."
"I know," Meredith sighed. "And there are so many more stories."
"Such as?"
"Well, there's the fact that Owen's cheating on Christina," Meredith recited. "Which is complete crap, because she would just kill him."
"Very true," Derek laughed.
"And then there's this completely crazy possibility that nobody really likes, but…there's a very small chance that she's dating someone who's not connected to Seattle Grace Hospital in any way, shape or form," Meredith giggled.
"What a crazy idea," Derek laughed. "Any other possibilities?"
"Nope," Meredith shook her head. "Or well…one of my interns seems to think she's seeing Alex, which is completely ridiculous. I mean, Alex has only dated one girl since Izzie and he didn't really like her. He was just trying to fill a gap."
"Right," Derek nodded as he sat down beside her. "Alex and Addison…crazy."
"Definitely," Meredith said as she moved to place her plate and wine glass in the dish washer. "Why are you so quiet tonight?"
"I'm not quiet," Derek shook his head. "Just tired."
"Hmm," Meredith smiled, moving to wrap her arms around his neck. "Too tired for a cocoon?"
Derek wrapped his arms around her as well, not saying anything as he considered telling her what Alex had told him in his office earlier that day.
"Okay, seriously, what's going on?" Meredith frowned. "I just offered you sex, and you didn't say a word."
"We can have sex," Derek said, leaning in to kiss her.
"Not until you tell me what the hell is going on with you," Meredith said. "You're not upset that Addison is dating. Did you have a bad surgery or something?"
"It's Alex."
"What?" Meredith frowned. "What's Alex?"
"Addison's secret boyfriend," Derek said. "It's Alex. He needed advice, because he said that she's the first one to make him feel like himself since Izzie died. Alex is falling in love with Addison."
