Chapter 41: Derek's First Day Back
The next morning Meredith wakes up early - after having spent a restless night tossing and turning. She goes to the kitchen and makes a simple breakfast for her and Derek to share. Cereal, toast, fresh fruit and coffee. She puts it all on a tray and takes it to her husband in bed. She kisses him awake and he grins at her. "Good morning."
"Good morning, Dr. Shepherd." she replies and puts a cup of coffee into his hand.
After taking a careful but long drink Derek jokingly says, "I must've done something right."
Meredith giggles and placing her hand on his cheek replies, "Too many things to list."
"You're nervous about today." Derek states.
"Yes, but I know you'll be fine."
"I will," he agrees with a nod of his hand. He hands her his coffee cup and says, "Come here."
After placing the coffee back on the tray Meredith snuggles into Derek's open arms. He hugs her tightly to him and plays with her hair. She tilts her head up and he leans down to kiss her on the lips. It's a sweet and gentle exploration. Meredith bites his bottom lip and he groans. When she puts her hands under his tee shirt and rakes her nails down his chest he asks, "Do we have time?"
"Yes," she giggles, and he immediately pulls his shirt over his head and she replaces her hands with her tongue. Derek reaches down to pull Meredith's tee shirt off of her, as well. He rolls so she's beneath him and then cups one soft breast in his hand. He flicks and rolls the nipple between his thumb and forefinger until it's a hard-little nub and she's tingling with lovely sensation. He replaces his fingers with his mouth, and she moans and arches into him. He pays the other nipple the same attention as she pushes his sleep pants and boxers off to explore his exquisite nakedness with eager hands. They love one another in a very leisurely fashion. Reveling in the fact that they so intuitively love. Afterward, they eat the breakfast Meredith had brought in - even the now soggy cereal - laughing and talking.
"That was a great way to deal with the nerves," Meredith giggles and then takes a sip of juice.
"The best way." Derek agrees.
They shower, get dressed for the day and go to the hospital. As they're walking up to the hospital Meredith hears Derek take a deep breath. She takes his hand in hers and laces their fingers together. She doesn't say anything but squeezes his hand tightly in hers. Derek lets out his breath slowly. Then, still holding his wife's hand, he states, "I'm good, let's go in."
Derek's brain feels like mush. How could he possibly have forgotten the drudgery and boredom of paperwork? Granted, he doesn't actually have to fill the offending paperwork out. He does, however, have to answer a million-and-one questions from the HR assistant: Full name, birth date, social security number, etc. He has to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from asking if she needs his blood type, too. He does ask, "Isn't all of this information in my file? I did work here for many years."
"Yes," the woman answers slowly - making Derek's spine stiffen in further irritation. "However, it's been many years since you've worked for Seattle Grace so your file needs updating."
"Well," Derek replies with a humorless smile, "while some things certainly have changed in my life - my name and birth date have not."
"Dr. Shepherd -"
"May I have the paperwork?" Derek asks, getting up from the chair and holding his hand out.
"This information is confidential -" she begins, and he cuts her off again.
"Since I'm an adult in my 30's I know who to trust with my confidential information. The papers, please?"
Seeing the furious and insulted look on his face, the woman hands Derek the papers and keeps her mouth shut as he leaves her office.
Out in the hallway, Derek stops and takes a deep breath. Why the hell did he let that condescending woman get to him? He was going to have to deal with attitudes just like hers until he was able to prove himself again. It pissed him off and insulted him, but he'd better get a handle on it fast if he wanted this to work out. "Damn it," he grumbles. He knows he needs help and doesn't like it one bit, but the trade-off is being involved in the medical world again. And being around Meredith more. He's going to have to swallow some of his stubborn pride. He's not willing to go back into the HR office though, so he calls Bailey.
He fills her in on what has occurred, and she comes to meet him.
Derek and Bailey quickly complete the paperwork. Before taking it back to the HR office Bailey says, "You know you're going to have to suck this up and deal."
"I know," he admits. "I've already beat myself up over getting mad about this."
"And you didn't call your wife because you don't want her to worry that you had a bad start on your first day back."
"Exactly," Derek grins.
"Stubborn, jackass male," Bailey states while shaking her head.
"You sound like Meredith." Derek laughs.
"Who do you think taught her?" Bailey asks and Derek laughs in response. "Come on," she says, "let's turn in your papers so we can get on with the business of saving lives."
"Okay." Derek agrees. Bailey waits for him in the hall outside the HR office. When he comes out, she says, "The Chief has implemented a somewhat new policy. While doing a surgery in the gallery OR the surgeon has to talk through the majority of the procedure. We have to teach as well as show the people watching from above. Meredith is doing surgery in there right now. Do you want to go listen?"
Derek grins like it's Christmas morning and replies, "Absolutely."
"I thought you might," Bailey answers with a smile of her own. "Come on," she says and puts her hand lightly on his arm to discreetly lead the way.
Meredith was on a surgical high. Higher than usual, actually. Her surgery had gone amazingly well. Which was a blessing for the obvious reasons but also because she'd been incredibly nervous knowing that Derek was listening from the gallery. She'd been doing the surgery and talking to teach through it when she got the pleasant, tingling sensation she always felt on the back of her neck when Derek was near. So, she'd glanced up into the gallery and sure enough - there he was. Dr. Derek Shepherd - world-renown Neurosurgeon. That alone filled her with pride and the aforementioned nerves. It was her heart that filled with pleasure, love and lust for the man who was her husband and the love of her life.
Meredith was keenly aware of the fact that Derek was present for the rest of her surgery. She didn't let the knowledge divert her from giving her patient the best of her ability, though.
Once the surgery was complete Meredith quickly put her surgical gloves and other protective wear into the bin and scrubbed-out. On her way up the stairs to the gallery, she passed two straggling interns that she exchanged greetings with. Then she went and sat in the empty chair next to Derek. He turned to face her as he took her hand and laced their fingers together.
"You're an absolutely amazing surgeon," he said in greeting.
"Thank you." Meredith replies as a grin spreads across her face and pride fills her chest. "I was hoping to impress you."
"You knew I was here?"
"Yes."
"It's an interesting sensation - the tingling awareness."
"You get that, too?" she asks, surprise clearly evident in her voice.
"Yes," he chuckles. "When Bailey told me, you were in here and talking through the surgery - I couldn't pass up the chance to hear you at work. You really are amazing, Mer. You're patient, speak clearly and conscientious about teaching your audience. I like how you included Dr. Parker in your surgery."
"Thank you," Meredith whispers around the lump in her throat. "I wasn't aware of this until I looked up here and saw you - but I really want you to be proud of me as a surgeon. I guess that goes back to my admiration of your work before I even knew who you were."
"Okay," Derek grins. "I'm quite impressed with and proud of you, Dr. Shepherd."
Meredith gives a little giggle and then leans up to place her lips upon her husband's for a tiny sweet kiss.
Derek groans in the back of his throat. As she's about to pull away he puts his hands on the back of Meredith's head to hold her in place. Then he deepens the kiss. He glides the tip of his tongue along his wife's lips and slides into her mouth when she gives a little gasp of pleasure. He kisses her slow and sensually until she moans and presses her body to his. Then he breaks the kiss and smiles at her disappointed sound. "We're making-out in the gallery," he reminds her.
Meredith sighs and says, "You turn my brain to mush."
"Good, we're even," he laughs and pulls her to her feet with him. "Let's go check on your patient."
"Okay," she agrees with a grin as the descend the stairs hand in hand.
