It was four hours before the beginning of 2006 and Derek was waiting towards the back of the Hospital's Christmas Party. The huge event was always held on New Years Eve after Christmas, as pre-Christmas was a busy time for anyone in the health profession, but by the time New Years had rolled around people tended to settle. The party was being held in one of the closed wards of the hospital, it had been emptied and done up with an elegant theme of gold stars.
Derek's eyes were trapped as he could not wait to see what Meredith looked like in the dress he had given her for Christmas. His family had gone home on the 27th and since then they had all settled back into their usual routine of work, rest and play.
At her insistence they had decided to arrive separately and he was growing impatient as she was now…17minutes late, he thought looking at his watch.
"Waiting for someone in particular?" questioned a brunette nurse
"Huh?" queried Derek looking up, "What makes you say that Tania?"
"Just the fact that you have been checking your watch at a growing rate for the last twenty minutes or so" she teased
"...oh no no-just a long day that's all" he answered smiling back at her
"So there's no one special?" she asked
"Not that I know of" he lied, feeling her step closer to him
"So does that mean I can have the first dance?"
"Sure" he answered, subconsciously stepping back from her "lets just wait until some other people start dancing-you know how the rumor mill works around here" he said, touching her arm as they walked towards the bar
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"Why's he talking to her?" Meredith questioned immediately as they turned into the doorway of the party
"Who?" Izzie questioned, already knowing the answer
"Derek…he is talking to that nurse with long brown curly hair" she answered, turning to face Izzie and indicating over her shoulder
"Probably talking to her about a surgery or something…don't stress…even though no one knows it-he is here with you" she reassured her friend, before leading her towards a table as she watched Derek lead the brunette towards the bar.
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Everyone seemed to be having a lovely evening, dancing and drinking the night away; although Meredith's nerves where still running as she sat watching Derek out of the corner of her eye, she had seen him lead the nurse, who Izzie had found out was called Tania, onto the dance floor-why was he doing that, she asked herself he doesn't dance in public.
She then watched as he asked Izzie to dance, then another nurse, then a pediatrics surgeon, then Christina, he didn't seem to be missing a single opportunity to be on the dance floor. Izzie had told her not too stress and George had offered to have a word with him but she had told each of them she had no idea what they were talking about and kept a smile, no matter how fake, plastered on her face for the rest of the evening. If he could be having this sort of a good time it front of her, she thought, I won't let him think I'm not enjoying myself.
It was when she saw him taking the floor with Tania again as a slow song played, that she finally had had enough, she abruptly stood up and left the room. Telling herself to get some fresh air and calm down before going back inside. She walked the deserted halls of the hospital, as the music died behind her, upon finding a wall inlet that was a comfortable seat she eased herself up onto it and rested her head back against the wall, shutting her eyes and trying to forget about the world. She was so deep in her own little world she did not hear the foot steps approaching minutes later, however her eyes shot open as a pair of hands landed on her knees.
"Hey beautiful" Derek smiled
She grimaced in reply, holding her legs tightly together as his hands tried to ease them apart in a bid to get closer to her.
"What's wrong?" he questioned in a dumbfounded voice
"You!" she whispered forcefully
"What did I do" he defended
"If you like her that much why don't you just go be with her?" she said, her voice cracking towards the end
"What?" he questioned, beginning to look concerned
"You hate dancing but you have danced with everybody" she continued, crossing her arms across her chest "and with her twice" she said, her voice growing stronger but remaining in a hoarse whisper
Derek gave her one of his 'McDreamy' looks and slid his hands around behind her "What are you on about silly?" he asked, smiling and dipping his eyes to catch hers
"You told me that you never dance in public, but you haven't missed a song since I got here and you have danced with her twice" she said in an almost inaudible voice, staring at her hands to avoid his eyes.
"Jealous?" he teased, placing a soft hand under her chin and lifting her face to his "I haven't missed a dance since you got here, so I would be able to dance with you without anyone getting suspicious, seen we are a secret" he smiled, feeling her body ease beneath his touch "and" he continued "I was talking to her when you arrived, because she noticed me staring at my watch every two minutes and said it looked as if I was waiting for someone special. Then she asked me to dance"
"Why did you dance with her again then?" she asked, trying to remain defensive
"Because she caught me as I was walking towards you"
"Sure" she retaliated, unable to stop the forgiveness seeping into her voice
"I was coming back from the DJ where I had requested a song" he said
"Really" she smiled as her body further relaxed "What song"
"Well since we don't have a song yet I asked for something slow and romantic" he answered, stepping into the space created between her legs "I don't know what he put on because I was searching for a certain someone who was walking out of the room" he smiled, leaning into kiss her lightly on the lips
"Sorry" she breathed when their lips parted "and yes" she added, eyes still closed
"Yes-what?" he questioned looking at her with wide eyes
"Yes-I was jealous" she admitted
"Good" he smiled "Because I was jealous as hell when you were dancing with all the other interns and all I wanted to do was put my hands on your wiggling waist"
It was her turn to smile and pull him into a long passionate kiss "So Dr Sheppard" she smiled "How do you like my dress"
"Hmmm" he replied stepping back from her and letting his eyes wander up and down her small frame, as she watched him carefully "yes" he grinned, stepping back towards her and wrapping his arms around her back as she lay her head on his shoulder, "but I think I'd like it better like this though" he said as his fingers walked the dress up her legs, letting it bunch on top of her thighs
"Really and why's that?" she questioned before pulling his lips to hers
"Because then it's easier to do this" he said as his fingers slid further up her dress
"Uh-huh" she answered, waiting for him to discover her little secret; she knew he had when his eyes lit up
"That is so hot" he breathed into her ear, when he found she didn't have any underwear on
"You like" she smiled, as his fingers danced
"Yes" he grinned "But you are going to drive me crazy all night, knowing you are naked under there. In fact you already are" he added, moving slightly so she could feel his growing erection.
She crossed her legs behind him pulling him closer and groaned into the chest of his jacket as his fingers brushed her clit. "Derek" she pleaded, when she was able
"I like being the only one who knows" he continued, keeping his voice low and husky-knowing she loved it "Reminds me your mine" he said dipping his lips to her left collar bone
"Your not the only one" she ground out as she lent back against the wall, giving him more access
"What!" he replied, his fingers freezing
"Uh!" she exhaled when his fingers stopped "Don't worry, its not like that" she continued "Don't stop…it's just that Izzie said you could see the line"
"Izzie knows" he replied, his fingers starting slowly again
"Derek" she pleaded "Faster…yeah I had to ask her opinion after Nikki told me not to wear any"
"My sister knows" he exclaimed, the shock causing him to tense his fingers quickly
She breathed heavily into his shoulder as the effects of her orgasm spread throughout her body, the unexpected tensing of his fingers had tipped her over the edge and she had gripped Derek in an attempt to control her body. When her breathing had returned to a normal rate she answered slowly "Hmm, she called the other day to tell me to be careful with underwear, because it shows easily through this material"
"I don't know what's more disturbing" he said slowly kissing her forehead "the fact my little sister is giving my girlfriend underwear advice or that we were talking about her when you came"
"Because it had absolutely nothing to do with the man standing in front of me, or his fingers inside me" she pouted at him
He just smiled in return, leaning in and kissing her lips as his hands rested on her knees
Both of them jumped when they heard someone clear their voice down the hall. When their eyes focused on the figure in the dark they stumbled for words.
"Chief" Derek exclaimed, being the first to recover "How long have you been standing there…What are you doing here?" he questioned as the chief stepped slowly towards them
"Long enough to see you kiss your intern" he stated, looking between Derek and Meredith
"Uh-uh" Derek stuttered, trying to think up a convincing lie, as he backed away from Meredith, taking his hand off her knee
But she was too quick for him, she took his hand in hers and slipped out of the inlet and onto her feet to face the chief "Derek and I are dating" she stated in a confident tone
"You are…are you?" the chief asked, looking back at Derek, who was looking at Meredith in astonishment
"I thought we you didn't want to tell him" Derek said, forgetting the chief was standing in front of them
"I changed my mind" she smiled
"When" he asked, still ignoring the chief's presence
"When I got jealous and didn't want to see you with anyone else" she answered, turning to face him slightly
He could only grin in response before lightly touching his lips to hers, he pulled away however when the chief cleared his throat once more. "Sorry" he said honestly, looking at his friend "I wanted to tell you, but Meredith wanted to keep it a secret-after everything that happened and with Christina and Burke…" he trailed off
"It's ok Derek" Webber interrupted "I've been seeing the signs for a while" he continued, looking between the guilty looking couple "Now I don't mind if you want to advertise the fact you are a couple but I expect you both to report to my office tomorrow morning, Meredith you at seven and Derek you at half past. Now both of you get back to the party for the cup ceremony-you have twenty minutes" he ordered offering them a brief smile before turning on his heel and heading back towards the party.
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"You sure about this?" Derek questioned, squeezing Meredith's hand
"Yes" she smiled, "I want everyone to know you belong to me and anyway Webber is as bigger gossip as the nurses so everyone will know by tomorrow night anyway. I'd rather it be apart of hospital knowledge rather than gossip and speculation" she said turning to him "and this way everyone will see that I'm in love with you" she smiled touching his face
"And that I'm in love with you" he replied, returning the smile and bending to kiss her lips. "Ready?" he questioned
"Ready" she smiled, as they turned the corner into the make-shift ball room still holding hands. He led her directly to the dance floor where they danced, her head on his shoulder, his arms firmly around her waist, his face bent to her hair; when the song ended they retreated to a table where Izzie and Christina where seated, as the number of eyes on the grew.
"Ok…if this is you two being discrete-it ain't working" Izzie whispered to Meredith as they sat down close to each other
"We aren't trying anymore" Meredith smiled as Derek covered her hand in his
"You mean you aren't being all secretive and you didn't let me break the news to the nurses!" Izzie mocked
Meredith just smiled in response, then seeing George heading back to the table as Webber called the party to attention, and knowing she was in his seat, she silently stood and moved to perch on Derek's knee, pretending not to notice the jaw dropping effect her actions had on the rest of the staff group.
As Derek pulled her closer to him, crossing his hands on her lap as she lent against his chest, he whispered "You're enjoying this aren't you" into her ear
"Every second" she smiled, as he turned her head and kissed her lightly on the nose.
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A/N
Hope everyone liked it! Thanks for all the brilliant reviews and comments-you make my day when ever I get one and it gets me thinking more about what to put in the next chapter-so keep them coming.
Love getting people's ideas for upcoming chapters especially as I usually only have one or two plans for the future. Laughed soooo hard when someone suggested this plot (which I was already set on) but only with the situations in reverse (D getting jealous instead of M). Please let me know of any idea's you have as I'm running dry as to where to take them after the rest of the party and their respective meetings with Webber-which I have planned for the next chapter.
Thanks again for reading-I really do value your opinions!
Mwa