A/N: Wow guys! I really wasn't expecting so many people to read my story let alone like it! Thank you for the reviews and follows and favourites and everything! It means a lot.

I also wanted to reply to one of the reviewers asking whether Derek was Aiden's dad. When I was writing it, I honestly didn't even think about it. I guess it just didn't occur to me? And I'm glad you can already see how much Mer likes Derek!

So, I know this is a shorter update but it's just to keep you going until I get the next one ready. Which will hopefully be tomorrow. And I promise it's longer! But for now, enjoy! :)

Disclaimer: I don't own any of Grey's Anatomy. Not the characters. Not the plot. Not anything. But it would be pretty cool if I did.

Derek stared after her, the woman who had captivated him with only her eyes and had had his attention through that entire meeting. No matter what he did, he couldn't draw his eyes away from her until she had slammed the car door shut, firmly blocking her from his view.

"Hey," Mark said, waved his arm in front of his face, "Earth to Derek Shepherd."

"Wha- Mark, hi," he breathed, startled out of his trance.

"What was that? She was totally into you and you completely missed it, too busy dealing with your own breathless state to do anything that even resembled flirting," Mark exclaimed.

"Well I got her number didn't I?" Derek rebutted.

"Yeah, for a game. Not so that you could take her out somewhere," his brother replied, rolling his eyes.

"Why do you even care? I thought you wouldn't want me going after a woman with a kid? And how do you know she's not married?"

"Ok, for one, that kid is in love with you anyway. Number two, you would go for that, but you love kids, and you are already infatuated with her anyway. And number three, did you see a ring?"

"I guess you have a point. But she's a surgeon Mark, they commonly don't wear rings, too much hassle."

"Fine, have it your way, miss out on what most definitely be a good night."

"Mark! I don't want to use her, you can tell she's a nice person, her son is amazing," Derek defended.

"I rest my case, infatuation."

"Whatever," he rolled his eyes, "can we go now? The next game is in a few days and we need to get back to Philadelphia, even if we are flying back out to the West Coast soon."

"Sure, let's go so you can fantasize about your neurosurgeon," Mark laughed.

"Shut up," Derek chuckled.

xxxxx

Meredith was in a daze, she shouldn't be, she really shouldn't be, but she was. The rest of the day had been spent thinking about Derek Shepherd, and being with her son hadn't helped; in normal circumstances he was a Chatty Kathy about hockey anyway, but now it had been ramped up and he kept going on and on about Derek freaking Shepherd, this really wasn't helping. His stupid blue eyes had left her speechless, they were unique and warm in a way that made her want to never look away. Which was why she was watching trashy TV, cradling a glass of wine in her hands right now, not that it was working. She almost gave up to go to bed when her phone rang, 'Derek Shepherd' appearing on the screen.

"Speak of the devil," she muttered, picking it up.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Hi Meredith, it's Derek Shepherd, from earlier," he replied.

She smiled softly at his shyness, "Yeah, I remember."

"I'm sorry if this is a bit late, but we just got back to Philadelphia and I wanted to get you the tickets as soon as possible. The game is on the 9th, so exactly a week from now, but it's an away game at San Jose, I know it's still a long way to go but it's not as bad as coming here," he joked.

Meredith wasn't especially bothered about the distance, provided she could get the day off, but it sounded like she could, "Did you say the 9th?"

"Yeah, why?"

"It's just, that's Aiden's birthday. He'll be thrilled," she grinned.

"Seriously?! That's awesome, I'm glad I can give him a good birthday present, and I can get him some more tickets if he wants to bring his friends along," he offered.

"Really? You don't have to do that. You've done so much already."

"It's fine Mer."

She smiled at him shortening her name, she hated it when other people said it, but it sounded right coming from him.

"You may be attacked by a very eager little 5-year-old on the 9th. Be warned," she giggled.

"I can handle it, all of my sisters have kids and I am apparently a baby whisperer, so I don't see why I can't be a kid whisperer," he chuckled.

"A baby whisperer, huh? How many sisters do you have?"

"A lot. Four. Completely drowned in oestrogen growing up."

"Oh I bet you were," she giggled again.

"Mark made up for it quite a bit with his manwhore antics, but we were still overthrown," he chuckled.

"Manwhore?" she laughed.

"Yeah. Always has been, but my mom tends to put him back into place. She kind of adopted him when we were five. I brought him home once and never looked back."

"That sounds like quite a story."

"Oh, believe me, I could have you sat there all-night listening to stories."

"Really? Tell me one," Meredith found herself saying, eager to find out more about the man who was both an ice-hockey player and a baby whisperer, it intrigued her.

She wanted to find out more about Derek, and more about the attraction she was already feeling deep inside her. Even without him stood in front of her, she could depict the dimpled smile and his bright eyes, and all it did was make her listen more intently.

Several hours later, they were still on the phone, Meredith being lulled to sleep by Derek's soothing voice. She didn't understand how he could be such a calming presence even over the phone, she barely even knew the man, but she hadn't felt this relaxed in months.

"I better go," he sighed, "I have to train early tomorrow."

"Ok, I should probably go too."

"I can't believe we've been talking for over three hours."

"Me neither, I don't think I've ever spoken to someone on the phone for that long before. Oh my God, you're going to have a giant phone bill, I'm sorry, I forced you to tell me those stories and now you have to train when you're tired and I'm sorry," she rambled.

"It's okay Mer," he chuckled, "I wanted to, I would have stopped you hours ago if I didn't want to talk to you."

"Ok, but I still feel bad about the phone bill."

"Don't worry about it, I'm a talented hockey player, I can live with it."

"Cocky," she giggled.

"Still got you to laugh. I do really need to go, I'll see you on the 9th."

"You will, and Aiden, he'll love it."

"Good, I'll see you around Meredith."

"Bye Derek."

She fell against the couch cushions and threw her phone down next to her. Derek was amazing, she could tell that she cared so much about his family, his job, his fans, and he was sure he knew so much more about her than she usually let people know. But he didn't know the dark and twisty, and she wanted to keep it that way. Deciding it was too much bother to walk upstairs, she made herself comfortable against the cushions and spent what remained of the night, thinking about Derek Christopher Shepherd.

xxxxx

Aiden was ecstatic, it was the day before his birthday, and he was going to watch a Flyers game in the front row, after meeting his hero a week or so before. Nathan, Hunter and Ryan were coming with him and Uncle Alex had persuaded Mom to take him, even though Mom didn't seem like he really wanted him to come, but Uncle Alex was cool, so it was fine.

Mom had talked lots with Derek so Aiden knew that everything was ready and nothing could go wrong, but they spoke for hours and it got boring sometimes. But Mom had got him loads of presents for him, she said, but he had to wait until they got back home. But that was fine, cuz he was going to see a Philadelphia Flyers game. And they were definitely going to win, they were only playing the Sharks. Mom said it was better to fly there rather than drive and they were sitting on the plane, several thousand feet up, and he still couldn't sit still. His friends were meeting them there tomorrow, and they were going for pizza afterwards, it was going to be awesome. His friends would be jealous that he knew Derek Shepherd.

"Uncle Alex?" he asked.

"Yeah man?"

"Is the game at one tomorrow?"

"Yeah."

"So, can we go and see Derek before we watch? I can be his mascot," Aiden grinned.

"I don't know man, he might be pretty busy, you know, they have the pre-match warm up and they have a pep talk before that."

"I suppose so," he sighed, he really wanted to see Derek, and Mark, and meet the rest of the team, it would be his dream come true.

"Mom?"

"Yeah sweetie."

"Can we ring Derek before the game?" he asked, and his Mom's face went red, but he didn't know why, Uncle Alex just laughed.

"I, uh, um, we can try Aiden, but he probably has a lot to do."

Aiden sighed again, he got that they thought that Derek wouldn't have time, but he thought that Derek liked him and would want him to be his mascot. But he would have to live with just calling him, only as soon as they got to the hotel, he decided he couldn't wait any longer.

"Mom?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I have your phone?" he asked innocently.

"Sure, here you go Aiden, I've got to sort out our room quickly, I'll be quick. Uncle Alex is next door."

"Kay," he said, taking her phone from her.

He went through the phone contacts and sounded out the words trying to find Derek, after a minute or so he found it.

The phone rang and was picked up within two rings.

"Shepherd," Derek said.

"Derek!"

"Aiden?"

"Yeah! Mom said I could try and call you later because she said you'd be too busy tomorrow. But I couldn't wait, so I took her phone."

He heard Derek laugh over the phone and say, "You know that was very sneaky Aiden Grey. Where is she now?"

"She went to sort out our hotel room, but she went red when I said your name, which I don't get but that might mean that she doesn't want me to call you, but I did it anyway."

"Don't worry bud, your mom going red definitely means she wanted you to call me," he reassured Aiden.

"Oh good," he breathed, "I didn't want to be in trouble for my birthday."

"I don't think that could happen bud, your mom loves you a lot."

"I know," he grinned.

"Good, well, why did you want to call me?"

"I wanted to say good luck for tomorrow. And can I be your mascot?"

"I don't see why not," Derek laughed.

"And can I see you tomorrow before the game? I wanna see the team!" he said excitedly.

"Sorry bud, I don't think I have time before, but you can come to the locker rooms afterwards," he suggested.

"That's so cool! Can my friends come? Or just me and Mom and Alex?"

"It might be best for just you, don't want to crowd or anything. Is Alex your brother?"

"No," Aiden giggled, "he's my uncle. But not my real uncle, he's not Mom's brother, but he's one of my mom's best friends. Aunt Cristina said ice-hockey is boring apart from the blood, so she didn't want to come."

"Well if I ever meet your Aunt Cristina, I'll make sure to correct her."

"Thanks," Aiden giggled again, "Hockey is the best sport in the world."

"You're not wrong there, bud. I have to go now, we're in San Jose but we've got to do a short training session. But I'll see you tomorrow," Derek said.

"Bye Derek," Aiden said, then hung up. He was going to see the whole Flyers team tomorrow. Or at least as much as he could, he probably wouldn't be allowed it the actual locker rooms, Mom definitely wouldn't be.

At that moment, Mom walked in and sat down next to him.

"Excited for tomorrow sweetie?"

"Definitely. Derek said we can see him tomorrow."

"What? When did he say that?"

"I rang him just now."

"Aiden Daniel Grey," Mom chastised him.

"You said we could! I just did it earlier, and he said we could see him afterwards outside the locker room," Aiden tried to make up for it.

"Hmmm," Mom said, she seemed spectacle, no, sceptical, "Fine."

"Yes! Thanks Mom. I'm sorry I didn't ask first."

"Well at least you recognize your mistakes."

Aiden grinned cheekily at his Mom, before they went for dinner downstairs with Alex.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this one. I just thought I'd show Aiden's already apparent enthusiasm as well as how Meredith and Derek get along so well. And again, if you liked this update, stay tuned for more. :)