"Are you sure…no turning back after I put them in here…they might never leave" Meredith taunted, an armful of clothes hovering above a shelf in what was soon to be their trailer.
"Meredith! Stop being ridiculous and put the clothes away-I am absolutely positive I want to move in with you and want you to move in with me" he grinned, watching as she finally dropped the clothes onto the empty shelf "I like how that looks" he contemplated
"My clothes next to yours, you next to me" she finished
"Oh, speaking of you next to me I have a house warming gift for you" he said darting out to the car
"Derek…" she wined "I thought we agreed no presents"
"I know but I couldn't resist" he grinned handing a small bag "Open it" he urged as she peeked inside
"Oh you are so sweet" she cooed as her eyes caught sight of two beautifully framed pictures of them.
"This one" he said. pointing to the one Izzie had taken when they first got together with the two of them on the couch asleep "Is for here" indicating a hook on the wall "and thins one" he continued, showing her the photo of the time when he had tried to take a picture of them outside his trailer "Is for at your house" he grinned
"Our house" she reminded him, smiling as she pushed him back onto the bed and collapsed on top of him.
------------------------
Later that day George was watching Derek fuss over the placement of everything in the marquee they had hired for the party "Man you are worse than Izzie!" he exclaimed
"I just want everything to go perfectly" he grinned "It's our first party together"
"Not counting our house warming and the hospital Christmas party" replied Izzie sarcastically
"Technically it's our first" injected Meredith
"Because I didn't quite make it inside at your house warming" Derek added, winking at Meredith "and we were only together for half of the hospitals Christmas party"
"Also" added Meredith "He can be a bit of a control freak"
"I am not" defended Derek
"Its ok sweetie" she continued "Not in a bad way, you're the same way now as you are when you're in the OR"
"But it's not bad?" he checked looking at her with concern "Nothing that's going to make you move out" he asked cautiously
"Now who is being ridiculous" she scoffed "It is one of the things I love about you" she said pulling him in for a kiss "Besides I'm not moving out after the house warming present I found" she grinned against his lips
"Ooh I like the sound of that" he replied, wrapping his arms around her and picking her up, kissing her deeply.
"Ok cut the mushiness" interrupted Izzie, then turning to George she asked "Because she is half moving out does that mean we get to see half as much of them macking each other"
"I doubt it" he grumbled, seeing Derek pull Meredith back into his arms-teasing their friends
------------------------
Later that evening…
"So I forgot to ask where exactly are we?" Izzie questioned Meredith as they got out of the car and headed over to where Derek was standing with the first of their guests
"Seattle" Meredith replied with a glint in her eye, smiling as Derek slipped his arm around her waist
"No I mean whose land are we on?" a frustrated Izzie replied
"Oh…just a friends" smiled Derek, squeezing Meredith a little tighter. Then changing the subject he continued, "I knew it was a bad idea letting you girls go home to get changed"
"Hey 'neat casual'is a hard thing for a girl to achieve Mr. all I have to wear is jeans, a decent shirt and a nice jacket" scoffed Izzie, indicating her nice black pants and white baby doll top "not to mention hair and makeup as well"
"It didn't help that she walked out wearing nearly the exact same outfit as Mer" George added "You missed out on the decision of firstly, who was going to change and secondly what they were then going to wear"
"Who won?" asked Derek, looking between each of them
"I did!" grinned Meredith "Pulled rank, my party, I get to wear what I want" she continued "plus half my clothes are at yours so I don't have as much to choose from"
"Hey why are you complaining about being late?" Izzie asked turning to George "I do distinctly remember Meredith and I were waiting for you and Carly to…uh…compose yourselves"
"Thanks Izzie, really tactful" Muttered George, stalking off to find his date "I just love living with two women" he added when Izzie and Meredith's laughter could be heard from across the room.
-----------------------------
"I thought this was suppose to be a house warming" sneered Bailey in her usual tone
"It is" smiled Derek
"Well I'm guessing you two aren't shacking up in a big white tent" Bailey replied, indicating the marquee they were in
"No" he continued "But we are moving in together in both of our homes" he stated, then seeing her curious glance he continued "Neither of us wanted to sell our home so we are living in both half of the time and we are having the party in a marquee because last time Meredith's house got trashed and my home is to small"
"Hmmm…I remember the last party a little two well" grimaced Bailey before turning around to find her husband
Derek just laughed, remembering how Bailey had caught he and Meredith half naked making out in his car.
"What are you laughing at?" Meredith asked as she wrapped her arms around his waist
"Something Bailey said" he replied, before leading her to the dance floor
Everybody spent most of the evening dancing, eating, drinking and generally having a good time. Derek made a quick speech thanking everyone for coming, and as a great majority of the people were staff, he thanked them for also being very understanding and lenient when it came to his and Meredith's relationship, distinctively raising his glass to Webber.
As he hugged Meredith's good friend, Rachel goodbye his mind wandered back to Meredith, although having enjoyed the party he was desperate to walk her home and snuggle into bed with her; when she broke his thoughts "So how are you to getting home?"
"Huh" he smiled, not quite knowing what she was getting at
"Well we are the last people to leave and ours is the only car here…so how do you two plan on getting back? Need a lift?"
"We are going to walk" Smiled Meredith, letting herself under Derek's jacket to keep warm.
"You are crazy…You'll freeze" replied her husband
"Oh it's not that far" smiled Derek nodding towards the faint light of the trailer
"You mean this is where you live Derek?" squealed Rachel
"No…this is where we live" he smiled, wrapping his coat more firmly around Meredith
"Man you two have it made" smiled Rachel as she got into the car "House near town and a weekend get away-I'm jealous" she scoffed
"Like you can talk" called Meredith as their car pulled out of the makeshift parking lot.
------------------------
Meredith yawned and collapsed onto the bed as soon as they walked into the trailer, exhausted from the long day and starting to feel the effects of her various alcoholic beverages throughout the party. Derek soon followed her onto the bed and they helped each other undress before wriggling under the covers; her back to his chest, head resting on his arm while the other draped at her side. They were both nearly asleep when she sat up "I totally forgot about your present" she said nudging him
"Hmm…" he replied, trying in vein to wrestle the beginnings of sleep from his body "Don't worry about it…we can do it in the morning" he mumbled, attempting to pull her back down
"No it will only take a second" she replied, trying to wake him up
"Hey! I'm not that quick!" he defended
"What?…Not that! I actually got you something" she replied hitting him lightly on the arm before jumping out of bed "Come on…put this on" she said throwing him his robe. He just groaned when it hit him in the head and tried to pull himself up.
With a little more coaxing from her they were finally standing at the door of the trailer "Mer it's freezing out there" he protested
"Oh stop whining you big baby" she replied pushing him out the door and flicking on the decking light
"Oh my god!" he cried "How did you do this…I mean when?" he stammered when he saw the present. Somehow she had managed to get a large free-standing bath onto his decking without him realizing. It had a historical look to it, with its tiny gold feet and clean white curves.
"It's amazing how unobservant you are when you are in a rush" she smiled as he ran over to examine her gift. "I'm still waiting to get the plumbing done but after that it will work just like a normal indoor one"
"You are the sweetest!" he smiled kissing her "I can't believe you remembered" he gushed, referring to his comment made months ago about how good it would be to have a bath at home to sit in, when they were lounging against each other in hers after a very taxing surgery.
"Well I was thinking a nice bottle of wine, some good music, a sunset…what could be better"
"Some good company" he smirked into her ear
"Oh I think that could be arranged" she yawned
When she finally ushered him back inside she mumbled "Happy house warming roomie" as they regained their original position under the sheets, him holding her just a little closer than before.
------------------------
He watched her sleeping form the next morning, it was still dark but he could just see the faint outlines of her curves. She was on her side facing him, legs curled tightly beneath her, one arm hidden under the pillow while the other lay softly over his stomach. Knowing he wouldn't fall back to sleep he eased himself out from under her, freezing mid-motion when she stirred, only continuing when she settled.
An idea popping into his head as he ran the hot tap in the bathroom and looked out over his land; silently he slipped outside to find what he needed.
Ten minutes later he was attempting to wake her, but when she refused to budge he whipped the sheets off her warm body, slipped his arms beneath her and picked her up.
"Derek what on earth are you doing?" she asked trying to get him to put her down
"Just wait" he answered, stepping over the hose and following it out the door
"Derek!" she squealed "Its freezing! Haven't you noticed I'm naked!"
"I noticed" he smiled eyes twinkling, stepping out onto the decking "So am I"
She looked at him curiously, one eyebrow raised, until he stepped into the bath of deliciously hot water. Suddenly it all made sense.
"Hmm this is nice" she smiled, slipping further into the water against his chest
"I thought it was just slightly reminiscent of our fresh start together" he smiled, fiddling with her hair "Just slightly bigger and with a better view" he joked
"All it needs" she started
"Is a cup of coffee" he finished, reaching over the side and handing her a mug-full of steaming hot coffee and taking the other for himself
"Your perfect, you know" she smiled, moving to sit at the other end of the tub and sip her coffee.
"No…I just know you don't function without your morning coffee" he smiled, his toe tickling the side of her breast
"And I know you" she smiled, leaning her head back against the rim, watching him as he watched her.