How was everyone's holiday? Very enjoyable I hope. Here's another chapter. Not much happens. Just some talk. Meredith needs to hurry up and get better so she can go home. I've got all these ideas for when she gets out, and none left for while she's in. Hopefully the two weeks or whatever will magically 'speed' by in the next chapter. I love being an author. You have the magic of time. Like these past 9 chapters have all been in the same day, but in the next chapter a whole two weeks will go by as quick as a sentence.

Enjoy the chapter. Very romantic I think…

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Before he could say anything back to her, his cell phone began to ring again.

"Not again..."

"Who is it?" she asked as he stood up and pulled it out of his pocket.

"Addison," he said, looking at the display

"Oh."

It was obvious she had forgotten about Addison.

"Hello?" he answered.

"Derek, I'm on my way to Seattle."

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"No. No you're not. You are not coming to Seattle."

"My finger is hovering over the purchase button as we speak."

"Why? Why would you do that Addison?"

"Because Derek. Because I love you. I love you more than that Pop-Tart ever will. We have something. We have—"

"Did you just call Meredith a Pop-Tart?"

Meredith giggled. "She called me a Pop-Tart? Seriously?" she mouthed to Derek. He nodded, almost laughing about it.

"What does it matter what I call her?" Addison's voice came angrily through the line. "We—You have a life in Manhattan. A life that certainly does not, nor will ever include that little—"

"Let me stop you right there Addi," Derek interrupted her, "I am not leaving. I gave our marriage a chance. And what happened when I came back? Nothing. Nothing happened. I want you to sign the papers Addison."

"It's going to take a lot more than your girlfriend's little proclamation of love and you asking me to make me sign the papers. I won last time, didn't I? And wasn't that even after she made that heart breaking speech to you? I swear to you, you'll be back in Manhattan soon." She slammed the phone down, and Derek shoved his in his pocket.

'Oh God, why'd she bring up Meredith's speech?'

"So… that sounded pleasant," Meredith said quietly.

'Her or me.' Meredith's voice echoed in his head.

"Oh yeah. She's just… not ready to accept that we should have ended it before it began."

'And I'm sure she's really great.'

"Did she really call me a Pop-Tart?"

'But Derek… I love you…'

He nodded. "When I talked to her earlier, she called you quite a few other names too."

'In a really, really big … pretend to like your taste in music,'

"Oh really? Like what?"

'Let you eat the last piece of cheesecake,'

"Let me think… I believe she called you my tutti frutti girlfriend…"

'Hold a radio over my head outside your window…'

"Your tutti frutti girlfriend?" she snorted.

'Unfortunate way that makes me hate you, love you.'

She started to laugh softly and Derek watched her. He loved the way her eyes kind of squinched up when she laughed. The way the sun shone on her hair, making it seem almost translucent.

'So pick me.'

Derek sat back down next to her and lightly kissed her lips. She smiled as he pulled away. "What's wrong with me Mer? Why the hell did I fuck up so badly?" he said suddenly, a tear running down his cheek.

'Choose me.'

"You didn't fuck up Derek," she said as he started to break down. "You just—you just needed some time. And you needed to get away. Maybe we were moving too fast. Maybe I was just a rebound." He shook his head.

'Love me.'

"No Mer. You weren't a rebound. I do love you. I love you so much it hurts. I pick you. I choose you Meredith."

"What?"

He sniffed hard. "You… you needed me. You needed me more than Addison needed me, and I just left. I left you waiting at the bar. I left you waiting in Seattle. And I left you waiting for the last piece of cheesecake, and for me to hold the radio."

Meredith leaned back against the pillow. "I can't believe you remember that."

"Let me make it up to you. Please?"

"Derek that's okay it was four years ago…"

"No! No it's not okay. I'm going to make it up to you. I have to make it up to you," he said as he laid next to her. She took his hand and intertwined her fingers through his.

"Do you promise?" she asked.

"I promise."

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And as for my promise, I promise to update fast. We all want Meredith home. She's quite boring just laying in a bed…