A/N: After saving 2 patients on the flight, Meredith agrees to spend the weekend with Nathan in a hotel in Sioux Falls. This is set immediately after Season 13 Episode 20.

I do not own Grey's Anatomy or any of its characters.

Enjoy.

"Turbulence. It means anything from a few little bumps to a catastrophic weather system that could knock your flying tin can right out of the air. In surgery, we call it a complication. We've hit a snag, a bump in the road. Turbulence. So, you know, you better buckle up. One of the most unpredictable things about encountering turbulence is its aftermath. Everything's been shaken up. Undone. Turned on its head. So, if you have the choice to avoid the plane crash, do you take it? Do you play it safe? Or do you get on board and take your chances?"

— Meredith Grey

Location: Sioux Falls, SD

It was quite late by the time they got off the plane, briefed the paramedics, and were thanked by the crew. They were loaded into the bus with the other passengers to get to the terminal, met by the customer service manager with their luggage and were escorted them to the arranged car to take them to the Sheraton Sioux Falls. They were met in the lobby and taken directly to the Presidential Suite.

"How did you arrange this?" Meredith asked Nathan as they were left in the suite.

"Me, I did nothing," he said with a smirk, looking around at the suite with the king sized bed and large ensuite.

"Seriously?" she said not believing him.

"Seriously. Its all the airline," he answered. After washing up in the bathroom, he said, "Bath or dinner first?"

"Bubble bath, please. I can't eat like this... I'm covered in blood. But I need to call the kids first," Meredith said looking down at her clothes and hands.

"I'm just going to run to the front desk for a couple of items, and then I'll run a bubble bath. Go call your kids," he said.

Meredith messaged Alex to call her as he was at the house with the kids tonight and she didn't want to wake the kids. She had arranged her normal family of helpers for the kids this weekend, Alex, Maggie, Amy were all taking turns, as well as the hospital daycare. She was so lucky to have her family to look after her kids. Everyone had stepped up to help her, but Alex was her person, her best friend. She knew he'd understand her worry after the flight and would offer reassurance without being too pushy.

AK: Hey Mer, what's up?

MG: A storm detour and medical emergency, so I'm in Sioux Falls. I drained a brain-bleed during the flight.

AK: What? You OK?

MG: Yup. Crazy. Nathan was on the flight so we are at a hotel together. I'm not alone. I'm not drinking.

AK: Riggs?

MG: Yes. I told him about Lexie.

AK: Wish I was there.

MG: I'm fine.

AK: A Mer fine or really fine?

MG: Freaked, but safe. How are the kids?

AK: The kids are asleep, but I'll have them call you tomorrow.

MG: Thanks, Alex. Can you let Maggie and Amelia know? I'll talk to Bailey tomorrow.

AK: Let us know your flight plans for coming home.

MG: Yes, Dad!

Alex was glad that he heard a little bit of teasing by the end of the call, as he knew flying was still difficult for her. Alex sent Meredith pictures from dinner and of her kids sleeping, knowing she'd need to see them. He let Amelia and Maggie know of the situation as they would have the kids the next afternoon and evening. He called Owen to update him as he knew about Meredith's PTSD from flying and asked him to suggest to Riggs about sedation to get Meredith home. Owen said he would contact Riggs and have him broach that with Meredith. Alex also called and left a message with Dr Carr for an appointment for Meredith for the following week. He knew she would be mad with him, but he could take the fall as the bad guy, he was her person. He knew that he'd be a mess while she was flying home too. There were a number of the doctors at Grey-Sloan that still had nightmares from the accident that killed Lexie and Mark, so Alex would make sure they were informed first thing tomorrow. It was easier to be in the know than find out later.

The bubble bath was lovely. Nathan let her climb in a soak and then came in and asked if he could join. He removed his shirt and boxers and slid in behind her wrapping his legs around her hips and leaning her back against his chest. After relaxing for a bit, with his hands exploring her breasts and between her legs. She felt his erection against her hip and turned around to face him and kiss him. Noticing the condoms placed on the back of the tub, she grabbed one sliding it onto his shaft and settled herself down on him riding him. The water was getting cold and they were starting to shiver so Nathan suggested they move to the shower.

"Airplane sex, bathtub sex and now shower sex?" she teased as he climbed out and stepped into the shower to get the water on.

"A good start, don't you think? Car sex, 4 times, airplane sex, bathtub sex, next shower sex," he said reaching out to give her a hand out of the bathtub. Meredith melted into his embrace as she saw the look on his face, he was teasing, but there was definitely a twinkle in his eye. She loved his teasing and flirting.

The steam in the shower warmed them up and Nathan pulled her close, kissing her as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Her hands on his shoulder, his hands on her ass, as they supported her. He slid her down onto him as he pressed her against the wall.

Wrapping themselves in the towels they headed into the room to find clothes. Meredith slid on a nightie and some lacy undies, while Nathan pulled on boxers and a tee. Noticing her lace undies he made a comment that they might not be on for long, but her stomach growled at that moment.

"OK, food first. Let's see what this place has for room service," he said grabbing the room service menu.

"Pizza? Burgers? Anything will do," Meredith says heading to the couch. She sits down on the couch with a bottle of water and curls up in the corner. She was tired but hungry.

"Let's do the pizza. Want beer or wine?" he asks picking up the phone.

"Either is good. Surprise me."

"This whole weekend is a surprise. Here I thought I'd be at a conference listening to speeches and instead we save two lives and are in a 3-star hotel with a great Presidential suite with you."

"I like the tub. When Derek built the lake house the only thing I wanted was a tub that I could have my knees and boobs under the water at the same time," Meredith replied.

"So the bubble bath was a good call. I'll have to remember that. Maybe we can try out the tub again in the morning," he said as there was a knock at the door. He opened the door and our middle of the night snack was delivered. He poured our wine, and brought us both pizza to the couch.

"Mm-mmm, pizza! I try not to order pizza too often, the kids need to eat something other than pizza. Its hard as I don't cook much," Meredith admits as she enjoys the deep dish pizza with so many toppings.

"You don't cook?"

"I can do mac and cheese from a box, bake chicken breasts, and boil pasta. A huge improvement from when I moved back to Seattle. I nearly burned down the house my intern year."

"Wow! You really don't cook. Who cooks for the kids?" Nathan asks, truly intrigued that she didn't cook. He placed his empty plate down and pulled her legs over his lap and started massaging her feet.

"That feels great," she moaned. "Amelia, Maggie, Alex, April, Callie and Arizona are better cooks than I am. Although Jackson will usually order in or have his mom send something over. Jackson and I both grew up with mom's who are famous surgeons."

"So famous surgeons don't cook? How did Grey-Sloan get both Catherine Avery's son and Ellis Grey's daughter?"

"No ours! Jackson came to Seattle Grace-Mercy West in our 3rd year of residency when our two hospitals merged. He was running from Harper. I started at Seattle Grace for my internship. Ellis chose Seattle for a retirement home and I had to move to be near her."

"And Seattle Grace-Mercy West was renamed Grey-Sloan after the accident?"

"Yes."

"So much has happened since you started at Seattle Grace."

"And that wasn't all of it," she said closing the subject, and laid her head back from the long day.

"How about we head to bed?" he asked reading that she was tired, both emotionally and physically after the long day. He placed her feet on the floor, stood up and turned to offer her a hand. They walked into the bedroom and he let her head to the bathroom first. When he got back into the bedroom she was sitting on the edge of the bed, unsure of the next step as they'd shared a bed. She hadn't shared a bed with anyone other than Thorpe or Alex or her kids, since Derek died. Sleeping with Thorpe had been terrifying, as she'd only meant to have sex not wake up next to him. Alex as her best-friend often climbed into the bed to comfort her, totally platonic, as a warm body, a hug, a friend who understood. And well, her kids were her comfort, even if they wiggled and kicked in the middle of the night.

"I haven't done this," she admitted trying not to make eye contact.

"Gone to bed?" he said, not getting what scared her.

"Slept with a man since..." she said as he pulled her into a hug.

"Its OK. We can take this slow. I've got you," he said keeping her pulled close and gently rubbing his hand on her lower back, his other arm around her shoulder. Slowly he was able to get her to lay down and he cuddle in behind her spooning her. He put his arm over her waist holding her gently, his other hand resting on top of her head. And they drifted off to sleep.

A/N: This story is cannon upto Season 13, Episode 20. Although I love MerDer, Meredith deserves to move on with her life. Megan Hunt will not return alive in this story.