She sat on the edge of her bed, having got in from the hospital just five minutes prior. She looked around the room, her lips pressed together. It just didn't feel like home. The apartment was beautiful, high ceilings, tall windows, and an amazing view. But she didn't want to be here.

They only had half a year to go. Six months of their fellowships, and then they would be together again, permanently. She needed it to be sooner. She needed him here, for days like this, when she became overwhelmed, and it all became too much. When the deaths started to affect her the most. When her favourite patient didn't make it – the smart young girl, who reminded her so much of herself, who had arrested that morning and had been unrevivable.

She'd already broken down on the phone to Derek after it had happened, completely offloading on him. They hadn't been able to stay on the phone for long, and the short call hadn't been enough to help. But she didn't want to be a burden. He had enough on his plate.

She took a few deep breaths. She didn't want to bother him again. His dad had been back in for scans and tests, his health status unknown, the whole family terrified his cancer was back. He had enough on his plate. He didn't need to worry about her as well.

Part of her wanted to get the next flight out to LA. She'd been given the next two days off, having been over her work hours and needing to take annual leave before the end of her fellowship. She needed it. She needed to regroup, ground herself. There was no point trying to work in such a high pace environment on minimal energy, physical and mental.

A knock on the front door distracted her from her thoughts. She hadn't been expecting anyone. Anyone she may have an acquaintance with was working – and she didn't remember giving them her address. And she hadn't even bothered to order dinner yet, with her having no food in.

She sighed, shrugging to herself as she stood up, wrapping a blanket around herself, even though she was still in her work clothes. Upon opening the door, she was stunned and elated at the same time. It took her a second, grinning at the man in front of her – the one person she needed.

"What are you doing here?" She breathed, eventually.

"Making sure you're okay," he grinned back at her.

"But… you're here, two weeks early, how…" she frowned, confused.

"I made it work. You needed me. Can I come in?" he chuckled softly.

"Yeah, yeah," she breathed as she moved to the side to let him in, closing the door behind him, "I'm just… you're here."

"I'm here," he grinned softly.

He pulled her into a hug, and she returned it immediately. She buried her face against his neck as she breathed him in, feeling a weight unload from her chest just from his touch. Her arms tightened around him, as though she were clinging on for dear life.

"I didn't realise how much I needed this hug," she murmured.

"I've got you," he whispered, his lips touching against the top of her head.

"I was about to make dinner, or order dinner depending on what I've got left in," she said as she looked up at him again, still not believing her eye.

"I brought dinner," he grinned softly, picking up the bag he'd put down on the floor that she hadn't even registered, "Italian food, ice cream, and tequila."

"You're literally perfection," she grinned back at him, moving on to her tip toes to kiss him quickly.

"I mean… if you say so," he chuckled, kissing her again.

"How long are you staying for?" she asked, leading the way through into her small kitchen.

"I have to head back tomorrow afternoon, it's all the time I could get off," he told her as he got plates out.

"We can reheat this pasta, right?" she turned to look at him after putting the ice cream in the freezer.

"Why? It should still be warm," he frowned slightly, going to take the takeout boxes out of the bag.

"Because…" she walked backwards out of the kitchen as she pulled her jumper off and he watched curiously, following, "I missed you. A lot."

"You did, did you?" he smirked slightly, following her through to the bedroom.

"I really did, and my hunger isn't for food right now," she bit her lip as she pushed down her jeans and stepped out of them, left only in her underwear.

"I don't think mine is either," he murmured as he stepped toward her, his hands moving over her sides, "You are gorgeous."

"You say that every time I get naked," she smirked, her fingers unbuttoning his shirt.

"That's because it's true," he chuckled as he pressed his lips to hers, shrugging off his shirt.

"You've been working out…" she observed, murmuring between kisses as her fingers drifted over his more rigid abdomen.

"I had a lot of pent-up frustration to work through," he whispered against her skin as his lips moved down her neck.

"And what might you be frustrated about?" She moaned ever so slightly as he nipped at her neck, her hands moving to unfasten his jeans.

"Someone keeps sending me pictures of their new underwear," he murmured, his hands moving over her ass.

"Who? Your side piece?" She pouted playfully as his lips moved back up her neck.

"You know exactly who," he groaned slightly, pressing his lips to hers again as he tightened his grip on her ass, pulling her against him.

She pressed her lips back to his with passionate kisses, her fingers tangling into his curls as she pulled herself up closer against him. He moved his hands under her thighs as he lifted her up, moving them over to the bed. She moved her hips against his slowly, moaning between kisses as he lowered them, not letting go of her.

"I love you," she murmured softly, her lips touching his shoulder as his fingers traced her bare back.

"I love you too," he whispered, his fingers moving to play with her hair.

"Thank you, for coming here," her lips moved over his collarbone as she spoke, "I didn't want to ask… I almost got on a plane myself."

"Good thing you didn't, that would've been annoying," he chuckled softly.

"Oh, God, yeah," she laughed softly, lifting her lips to his for a moment.

"Do you want to talk about earlier?" He murmured as she nestled her head against his neck again, tangling herself around him.

"I think everything just became a lot," she sighed, reaching for the blankets.

"And you ignored it? Let it build up?"

"Yeah," she mumbled, hiding against him.

"You know you can talk to me about anything, Mer," he sighed softly, kissing the top of her head.

"I know, but you have things, and you have family stuff, I didn't want to bother you."

"Meredith… you are my family," his hand cupped her cheek so that she would look up at him, "I'm here for you, always."

"I just didn't want to add more stress to you, and it didn't even seem that important."

"You are important to me, even if there's other stuff going on, I care about you, I don't want you to be hurting," he sighed softly, touching his lips to her forehead, "I know physically I'm not always there, but all you have to do is call, or message… and it's only six more months now."

"I feel like the next six months are going to drag," she groaned softly, pressing soft kisses to his jaw.

"I think they'll fly by, and we'll be together before you know it," he chuckled, running his fingers through her hair.

"I can't wait to wake up next to you everyday, go to sleep next to you every night…"

"Spend our days off in bed together, take proper vacations, go grocery shopping," he added, his arm squeezing around her middle slightly, "We can finally start planning our wedding."

"You mean we can't just go down to city hall?" she grinned softly, glancing up at him.

"I really don't see us getting away with that," he laughed.

"What do you want to do then?" she asked, sliding her hand toward his to play with his fingers.

"I thought the bride made all the decisions," he murmured.

"This bride wants to go to city hall," she laughed softly.

"We can still do something small; I just think my parents want to be there, see their only boy get married and all that," he sighed dramatically.

"We'll just have to keep thinking then," she rolled her eyes.

"I can't wait to spend the rest of my life watching you roll your eyes at me," he grinned, his hand taking her left hand to kiss her finger just by the engagement ring.

"You deserve it!" she laughed, unable to resist grinning back at him, "I just want your massages, all the time. At least once a day."

"Nice to know what I'm good for," he murmured, moving them so that they lay side by side, his hand resting on her waist, "Have you thought anymore about where you want to go after your fellowship?"

"I feel like I'm the only one making that decision, it's hardly fair. You'll just go where I want to go, it should be a compromise, what works best for both of us," she sighed, meeting his eyes.

"We've gone over this. You're more specialised than I am, I can find an attending neurosurgeon job anywhere," he shrugged, "And you know I'd go wherever you go."

"I want you to weigh in on it too, what if I choose somewhere with a humid climate and it ruins your hair?" she raised an eyebrow at him, "This decision isn't just about where we work, this is the rest of our lives, and there's so much to take into account."

"I mean… the only thing I can really think of is that my family is in New York, so it would be nice to stay near New York, maybe. But that also isn't a deciding factor," he said, kissing her quickly.

"Thank you," she murmured, kissing him back.

"And I really would follow you anywhere, Mer. If you decided you wanted to go to Europe, or if you wanted to stay in New York, I'll be there with you, always."

"I know you would, and that means the world to me, I just don't want you to have to settle somewhere you hate, or where you couldn't advance your own career."

"If you choose somewhere, and I have any opposition, I'll let you know. How does that sound?"

"That sounds reasonable, as long as you don't hold back. Be honest with me."

"I'm always honest with you," he chuckled.

"You know what I mean, don't go along with somewhere I suggest just to make me happy, because you being unhappy would not make me happy."

"I know, don't worry, we'll figure something out soon. Have you had any offers so far?"

"A couple," she shrugged with a sigh, "I keep meaning to forward them on to you, I haven't even properly looked at them myself. A few on the East Coast, one in Canada I think."

"I've had a couple too, we should make a list or something," he suggested, his fingers trailing up and down her side slowly, causing a pleasurable shiver to run down her spine.

"Right now? Or like, later…" she murmured, her leg moving over his as she bit her lip slightly.

"Later, definitely later," he breathed as their lips pressed together, a sudden shift in the energy between them pulling them close against each other.

The future was unknown, but she knew he'd always be there. She couldn't wait for this to always be their nights together, crawling into bed after a hard day and tangling up with each other. He was her everything and she knew she just couldn't live without him. They just needed to get through these final six months and then they could finally start their lives together.

I got issues, but you got them too,
So give them all to me, and I'll give mine to you.