Disclaimer: I don't own a thing.


Adulthood is hard, life wouldn't be life with out difficulty... but once in a while those perks we all live for come along...

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP

Meredith groaned as she slammed her fist onto the alarm clock.

I hate you.

She thought glaring at the red numbers.

"I hate you," she said allowed. She really did.

"Hate is a strong word,"

Meredith turned and looked at Derek. His eyes still closed but a smiled was on his lips.

"I hate you," she told him rolling away preparing to get up and start her day.

"Hey," he laughed grabbing her and pulling her back.

"No," she giggled as she pushed away.

"You have surgery and I have rounds,"

"Surgery isn't till ten," he replied

"Well, rounds are at seven. I have an hour to get ready and get there,"

"Ten minutes," was the sleepy reply

"Nope," Meredith quickly got up and ran to her chair putting her robe on.

Derek groaned and threw a pillow at her.

Meredith smiled at him,

"I am taking a shower," she said slowly and slowly walked out of the room and across the hall to the bathroom laughing as she heard Derek trip over the sheets on the floor and run after her.

I love those perks.


"It was nice being able to sleep while it lasted," George said as Izzie walked into the kitchen grabbing a cupcake and a mug.

"Yeah, shut up and pour the coffee," she responded.

As George poured her the coffee Derek and Meredith entered the room,

Looking up Izzie huffed in disgust,

"At least warn us," she said taking a drink of her coffee.

Meredith ignored her as Derek smiled at her and walked towards the cupboard.

"We threw the Musli out after... well you know," George mumbled as he walked passed him.

Meredith reaching into the fridge and pulled out cold meatloaf.

Derek, Izzie, and George turned to look at her as she ripped the foil off and took a bite.

"What?" she asked

All three grimaced.

"Mere, that's even nasty on my scale," Izzie said turning away and shuddering.

"Disgusting," George said walking over to the table to pick up his coffee.

Derek just shook his head as he passed her and poured himself a cup of orange juice.

"That smells," Izzie said walking towards the pan of meatloaf and throwing it into the trash can.

"Hey!" Meredith cried.

"No meatloaf for dinner," Derek said as he put his glass in the sink.

Crap. I forgot about that. Meredith thought.

"Oh yeah, what time again? I need to tell Alex," Izzie asked slipping on her coat.

"Seven," Derek replied grabbing his brief case and leading them out the door.

Izzie and George got into his car while Meredith and Derek got into Derek's.

"See ya in a few," Meredith said as she got into the car.


"You've ruined my life," Christina said as she dropped her bag next to Meredith and began to change into her scrubs.

"Why now?" Meredith asked tying her shoes.

"Burke is all excited now for tonight, he thinks it's great that we are coming over to "our" friend's house for dinner as a couple and all. Like us living together and the whole love thing wasn't enough," Christina spat out irritated.

"It wasn't my idea, it was Derek's" Meredith replied shrugging her shoulders.

Izzie came over,

"Speaking of, I'm happy for you Mere, I really am but when you guys are going to have sex do me a favor and turn the other way and go to his place,"

"His sister is at his place," Meredith replied.

"Sex eh? Doesn't take you long," Christina raised her eyebrows.

"I was drunk," Meredith answered

"You're going to have to start coming up with better excuses Meredith," Christina replied laughing as Izzie grinned.


"What time tonight?" Alex asked Izzie as she approached him at the nurse's station.

"Seven." She replied looking over his shoulder at the chart he was writing in.

"Cool, you wanna drive with me?" He asked still not looking up.

"Sure, George gets off the same time Meredith and Christina do so he will probably take them over.

"Great see you at six thirty," Alex looked up and smiled before walking away.

Izzie watched his retreating back with a small smile before turning on her heel and walking in the other direction.


Meredith walked into the open elevator preoccupied as she dug through her purse trying to find her cell phone. George and Christina were waiting for her in the lobby.

"I haven't seen you all day," the familiar voice made her head shoot up. She gave a small smile.

"What are you doing? Aren't you supposed to be in surgery?" She asked

Derek smiled,

"Had to push it back, the one this morning went well though," he said moving closer to her.

Meredith looked over at him,

"Good,"

"Yeah, so I get off in an hour, I'll go pick Delaney up and then I'll be over. You think you can wait that long to see me?" He asked cockily.

Meredith scoffed,

"I know I can,"

Derek laughed before turning her towards him and kissing her deeply.

Meredith broke the kiss and shook her head,

"No way, we HAVE to stop this elevator thing," she smiled

"No we don't I like the elevator thing," was his reply.

"Last time we did the elevator thing we got caught," Meredith rebutted.

"So," Derek stepped closer again.

Meredith giggled and stepped away just in time for the doors to open revealing the lobby.

Stepping out she turned around to see him standing alone smiling after her,

"See you in two hours," she kept smiling all the way out the door and up until she encountered George and Christina.

"What?" George asked pointing to her smile.

"Nothing," she giggled.

"Oh God." Christina rolled her eyes as she got into George's car.


"Do you even know how to do this?" Christina asked from her seat on the counter as she took a swig of her beer.

"It can't be hard, all you have to do is follow the directions," Meredith replied looking over her shoulder at her mother's cookbook. When she had found it in the cupboard it had never been used. Her mother never really cooked when she was home.

"Wouldn't it have been easier if you just ordered take out?" Christina complained again.

"Look minestrone and lasagna shouldn't be hard!" Meredith exclaimed

Christina sniggered,

"And will you do your job?" Meredith chastised her.

Christina sighed and jumped down from the counter and began to toss the salad.

George came into the room.

"Hey it actually smells good in here," he exclaimed ignoring the threatening look he received from Meredith.

Opening the oven he peered in,

"And that actually looks like lasagna!"

Meredith sighed as she looked into the pot of soup.

"George taste this, does it taste right?" She asked taking a spoon full of liquid towards him.

He looked apprehensive at first backing away.

"Just do it!" Christina barked frustrated at the scene in front of her.

George glared at her and took the spoon and put it in his mouth.

"It tastes fine," he said surprising not only Meredith but himself as well.

Christina looked at the clock on the wall. 6:30.

"Crap, I have to go pick up Burke, Meredith let me use your car," she moved away from the salad and walked over to Meredith's keys.

Meredith and George waved her goodbye as she left the kitchen and out the door.

Sighing Meredith turned to George,

"I'm going to go change. The soup is simmering, in five minutes take it off and in ten take the lasagna out. Don't screw it up," she pointed at George who nodded as she backed out of the kitchen and up the stairs.


"Hurry up!" Izzie laughed as she and Alex sprinted across the parking lot trying to get to his car as ran poured down on them.

Alex laughed as he ran after her.

"Shit!" He exclaimed as he dropped his keys in a puddle.

Izzie laughed and stopped running. She was already soaked; there was no use in trying to stay dry.

"I can't find them!" Alex cried out. The rain was loud as it hit the cars in the lot.

Izzie laughed as she walked back to him and got down on her knees to look for the keys.

Both feeling around the ground blinded by the intensity of the rain, they reached the same spot both clasping on the keys, there hands meeting.

"Found them," Alex whispered as he slowly took the keys form Izzie's hand.

Izzie smiled sheepishly.

Denny had died almost three weeks ago, was she moving too fast with Alex? Wouldn't Denny want her to be happy? Yes. He would.

Alex leaned towards her smiling as well.

Both still on their knees behind his car the moved closer as the rain pounded down on them.

Before Izzie knew it Alex was kissing her. It felt right. She hadn't felt completely right in a long time.

This felt right.

The two continued to kiss until a clap of thunder startled them both apart.

Giggling Izzie looked at him.

"Look at us," she laughed.

Alex laughed with her. Helping her up, he kissed her forehead as he helped her in the car. Walking towards his door all he could do was smile.

He had never been one for commitment and feelings but with Izzie he was mush and for the first time in his life he was feeling, truly feeling.


Meredith paced the kitchen. She was wearing jeans and a purple sweater, casual yet nice.

Reaching up to the cabinet she pulled out eight bowls, eight salad plates, and eight dinner plates.

She made sure the silver wear was all set yet once again. She was nervous.

Meredith's pace was interrupted though when the front door opened.

Peering out of the kitchen she saw Christina and Burke walk in.

"Hey," she called.

Christina dropped her jacket in the living room and walked into the kitchen, Burke followed her.

"Dr. Burke! It's so good to see you. How are you feeling?" Meredith asked.

"Meredith please, call me Preston. I'm feeling fine, I will be back to work soon," he smiled at her.

"That's great," Meredith said handing him a beer.

Just then George came into the room,

"O'Malley," Burke acknowledged him.

"Sir! How are you, would you like to go into the living room?" George led the other man into the other room.

Christina jumped up on the counter,

"Can you see what I mean now with the whole Preston thing? What the hell!" She exclaimed popping off the cap of her beer and taking a drink.

Meredith smiled and started to set the table.

Five minutes later Derek and Delaney knocked on the door.

George answered it and immediately smiled when he saw Derek's younger daughter.

"Dr. Shepard, Delaney," he said taking both their coats.

Derek walking into the kitchen while Delaney stayed back as George started conversation with her.

"Smells great," he said coming up next to Meredith.

"Oh God," Christina rolled her eyes and jumped off the counter and walked out of the room.

Derek looked at Meredith in question.

"She's a little edgy right now," Meredith answered as she ladled soup into bowls.

"Anything I can do?" He asked.

Meredith smiled and motioned to the salad Christina was supposed to be putting onto plates.

Ten minutes later the table was set and Alex and Izzie were still MIA.

"Where are they?" George asked as he took his seat next to Delaney. He never was one to be forward with woman but there was something about this one. She was fantastic in every way.

Not thirty seconds later the front door opened and in walked a soaking Alex and Izzie laughing loudly.

Walking into the kitchen their laughter stopped abruptly as they saw everyone seated.

"Sorry we're late," Izzie smiled as they took seats next to each other at the table.

"Um, ok lets go ahead and start I guess," Meredith said awkwardly. She had never held a dinner party before.

The conversation was light throughout dinner.

Meredith looked on at her friends as they laughed and talked smiling at them. Sure this wasn't her ideal setting (it wasn't Christina's either, it had taken four bottles of beer for her to loosen up) but she was enjoying the time she had, she secretly thanked Derek for asking her to do this and thanked herself for being too chicken to say no.

Derek noticed her smile and smiled back taking her hand in his.


At 12:30 Derek stood and stretched. We should get going; Dee has to be at the airport by seven tomorrow morning.

George shot up to go get their things.

At the door George handed Delaney a piece of paper. Derek observed the action and looked over to Meredith who shrugged both oblivious to Christina giggling behind them.

Derek shook his head and leaned over to Meredith kissing her on the cheek and then turned to question his youngest sister as Meredith shut the door.

"WOO HOO O'MALLEY!" Alex exclaimed and then received a smack in the stomach from Izzie.

George just smiled and walked passed him and back into the kitchen.

"We should go too," Burke said taking Christina's hand as he led her to the door.

"Thanks for a great evening Meredith," he said as they walked out the door.

"Thank you for coming," she replied.

After they had left she leaned against the door. She had done it. She had hosted a dinner at her home with her boyfriend, that was weird to say, her best friend's boyfriend, her best friend and three of her closest friends. Not to mention her boyfriends sister who she enjoyed thoroughly. She had done it.

She and Derek were moving along one hurdle (social appearances and interaction) behind them.


A/N: Sorry for the delay this chapter was hard for me for some reason. Any way I'm really looking forward to the next few, they will be fun to write. Any way thanks so much for all the great reviews it's so wonderful to hear from you guys! Thanks for all the support!

-Loti