A/N: Hello, readers! I know it's been absurdly long because I remember thinking: "Well, maybe this year I can actually get out a Thanksgiving chapter at Thanksgiving", and then I moved to Chicago and started a Creative Writing class and it all came tumbling down. At least it's not Easter yet, right? But, the chapter is here, so enjoy!

Chapter 25

Thanksgiving Day is an odd day in the Grey household. Since Ellis had always insisted on working holidays to give the chance to other people to celebrate, every holiday celebration has been shifted to a less conspicuous day during the years, especially as Meredith and Maggie got older. For Thanksgiving, breakfast has been chosen as the meal of choice, so that Ellis can go to work after it and work later into the night.

Meredith has started keeping up with the same tradition, especially since she really has nowhere else to be aside from the hospital. This is the first year for Meredith that she actually has someone who wants to celebrate with her. And very adamantly so.

"Meredith, why?"

Meredith sighs, looking at Derek's pleading eyes as he sits on her couch, while she stares at him from her office chair. "I booked my shift last year. I know people want to be home with their families today. I can't find a replacement on such short notice. I'm sorry."

Derek sighs as well. "When will you be done?"

"I have no idea. I usually stay until nine or so. Sometimes I even pick up half of the night shift. That's me, Derek."

Derek shakes his head.

"What do you want me to say? That I'll be home to eat some stupid turkey? Inconvenience someone to actually be there?" Meredith fuels, her eyes flashing with anger.

"I don't know, Meredith. I would want you to care!" Derek blurts before he can catch his tongue. He wants his feelings out in the open, but now he's not so sure it was a good idea.

"You're saying I don't care just because I'm working on Thanksgiving?"

"I'm saying that David has been excited for weeks about sitting next to you at Thanksgiving and now your spot will be empty."

Meredith pinches the bridge of her nose, taking a deep breath. "Get out of my office."

Derek knows he has pushed her. He has used guilt and tossed an unfair card on the table, but he's not lying either. Yes, David will probably understand if she's working, but he sure as hell won't be pleased about it.

Following through with Meredith's request to leave, Derek walks out of her office to change out of his scrubs, before he heads home. He has a long day ahead of him after his night shift, and he wants to get home early enough so he can sleep for a bit before the craziness of Thanksgiving overwhelms the house.

Most of his family is coming to his mother's, and it will be loud and crazy for a while. He's glad that the most traveling he has to do to get to dinner is to walk the two blocks between his apartment and his mother's house. He's still tired and sleepy, but David's chatter keeps him awake enough to walk.

"Daddy, and then we traced our hand with a crayon and we got a turkey!" David explains, showing him the slightly crumpled page with a hand turkey drawn on it.

David is so proud of his turkey he said he'd bring it to Nana's house, and Derek lets him. He has no more fight in him today. He's still a bit out of it after his night shift, and he feels like something is missing from this festivity since Meredith is at work. He can't quite place his feelings, but he knows he feels unsettled.

"The crayon near my hand was a little gross, but in my head I was telling what Benny tells me about crayons being nice and useful and then I made my turkey!"

"Good job, buddy." Derek praises him absentmindedly, feeling suddenly guilty at how little attention he's paying to his son. Meredith might not be here, but David is, and he deserves his full attention.

He tries to turn off Meredith's absence and turn on David's chatter, grateful for one more year with his crazy, lovable son. He wonders if he hasn't appreciated David enough lately, as consumed as he has been with the newness of being with Meredith, and he wants to make up for it.

David doesn't even knock when he arrives in front of his grandmother's door, he simply breezes right in. As Derek expected, the door is always open when his mother is having people over.

"Look at my turkey!" Derek hears David shout, smiling inwardly. If only he could be that happy with only a simple drawing.

"Wow, that surely needs to go next to all the other art your cousins brought!" Carolyn says, as Derek enters the kitchen and sees the paraphernalia of pots and pans and food, all ready to be consumed. "Hey, Derek!"

"Hi, Ma!"

"My goodness, you look wretched!" his mother says, enveloping him in a hug of turkey, mashed potatoes and a faint hint of cinnamon as Derek presses his nose in the crook of her neck.

"I had a short nap before I left the hospital, and then again as we watched a movie with David, but this night shift was something." He sighs loudly, letting go of his mother. "Do you need any help in the kitchen?"

"Nonsense, it's Kathleen's turn. You go catch up with your sisters. They all asked for you."

"I bet," he says, rolling his eyes. Of course they want all the best gossip about Meredith, but he's not in the mood to discuss her today.

The living room of his mother's house is brimming with people. He can hear the children's voices from the basement and from upstairs, probably having split themselves into older and younger ones, but the adults are enough to fill every seat in the room.

David has already disappeared somewhere where other children are, and Derek decides not to worry about him too much. He'll come by himself if he needs him, and his cousins are perfectly capable of dealing with him. In fact, Derek is almost scared of how well he and Liam, Kathleen's last who is exactly David's age, get along.

"The prodigal doctor is here!" Amelia announces, turning a few faces towards him.

"And he looks like shit!" Lizzie comes towards him and pulls him into a hug.

"I come from a night shift. I'm here for the food."

Everyone laughs as they alternate in greeting him. He has missed his sisters dearly, and it's always nice to have them around, especially when it's in small doses like this.

"So, how are you, Derek?" Nancy asks. "You really look worn out."

"Residency is not easy. David is not easy either."

Nancy smiles at his explanation, but it's Kathleen, the usual psychologist, who asks: "How is he doing?"

"He has adjusted to school marvelously. It's definitely something to behold."

"And you've been listening to Vance Joy like I suggested you," Amelia says, butting in.

"Maybe," Derek smirks. "How is Johns Hopkins treating you?"

"Could be worse. I could be the one with tumors."

Derek laughs at Amelia. He has missed her funny, odd personality. Sometimes he can see a lot of her in David, and he's glad David has inherited the funny gene of the family. It makes getting through hard times much more bearable.

As he starts going around the room, Derek asks all the other sisters how they are doing, and they give him brief updates on their families, their different medical specialties, and a quick rundown of how the kids have changed. He gets updates from them often enough, especially through social media, but he's still a big fan of learning news in person. The various husbands pitch in as well, all in all making the wait for dinner fly by.

Derek is always amazed by how effortlessly his mother sets up the dining room and prepares all the food without them noticing. Of course they have tried to help, and only Kathleen was the designated helper this year, which means that anyone else who tried to even grab a napkin was immediately evicted from the kitchen. All the grandchildren were the ones who had to set the table, just to add to Derek's apparent uselessness. Part of him is grateful for the rest and the chatting, though.

The families gather around the table, no difference between children and adults, even though the cousins tend to stick mostly together as an implicit rule. Derek is glad David is still sitting next to him, though.

"Daddy, is Meri coming?"

Derek sighs loudly, having dreaded – and dragged – this moment for as long as possible. "D-Man, I don't think she can make it to dinner today."

"What?!" David frowns. "She's not eating turkey? Is she with her family?"

"She's working today." Derek sighs. "She wants to save all the people who get hurt on Thanksgiving."

"Is that her way to say thanks?"

"Maybe. In a way, yes."

David scrunches up his nose, staring at his plate. "I'm sad she's not here, but I'm happy the hurt people will get the nicest doctor to help."

"Oh, David. You're being really understanding. It's really kind of you to think that." Derek feels like they're treading on very thin ice, but maybe David gets it better than he does.

"Maybe we can bring her some of Nana's turkey. She makes the bestest ever for sure!"

"Maybe," Derek says, a few scenarios starting to spin in his head.

"Derek, who's Meri?" Kathleen asks. She lives in Chicago and it's easy to hide something like Meredith from her. Surely easier than hiding it from Lizzie or Amelia.

"Meri is Daddy's date!" David starts eagerly, turning Nancy's face quickly to him. "Sometimes we all go on dates together, and it's so fun! She's a brain doctor and she did my stitches when I fell on Nana's table. See!" He leans forward towards his aunt Kathleen, showing her his forehead.

Kathleen's eyes widen a bit, as she smiles at David's very faint scar, then turns to Derek. "How long have you been dating her?"

"A few weeks. She met David by chance and they get along really well."

"Does she know the whole story of how you got him?" Lizzie asks.

"Yeah. She thought I was crazy, too."

"Mmm, I think I like her already," Amelia says. "Bring her over for Christmas, will ya? If I bother leaving the hospital, maybe she can too."

Derek rolls his eyes, then glances towards David, who is luckily oblivious to the conversation.

"Is she your boss?" Nancy asks, almost as if she just put together the information when David mentioned Meredith being a brain surgeon.

"Technically, no. My boss is the Chief Resident, not her. But practically, she's above the Chief Resident, so…"

"That's fuc...fudged up, Derek," Nancy says, eyeing him carefully. "Are you taking advantage? Is she taking advantage?"

"That's definitely not why we're dating, Nance. She's amazing, kind, and loyal. I couldn't wish for a better girlfriend."

"Man, you sound really serious about her. That's scary, Derek," Amelia jokes.

"It feels serious. It's not just about me anymore, and these two together are a hoot. We don't know each other all that well just yet, but I want to know her. Hopefully, you can meet her at Christmas."

"Girls, I've met Meredith multiple times and she's a lovely woman. Your brother couldn't do better," Carolyn butts in, making Derek blush slightly.

"Thank you, Mom."

"Mom, where's Markie?"

"He'll come round later, he and Addison are attempting some celebration with her family, but I'm not sure if Mark will come out of that unscathed," Derek says, filling the room with laughter.

"I can't believe Mark and Addison are finally making it somehow official. Mark being a one-woman kind of man seems utopia." Amelia laughs, shaking her head.

"I say it's about time he gives me some grandchildren too. Unless you want to be next, Amy?" Carolyn asks, making Amelia pale.

"Nope. Residency is tough enough as it is. How do you even have time to date, Derek?"

"It helps if your date works with you," Liz adds. "Do you consider a surgery together a date? That could be romantic."

"We take what we can get, Amy. And Lizzie...It's a juggling act, especially when you add David to the equation, but it's worth it. She's worth it."

"Damn, he has it bad," Nancy says, clearly unfiltered after her third glass of wine. The rest of the room laughs again, making Derek blush.

"Okay, let's stop with the teasing Derek time and turn it into teasing someone else time, alright?" Derek jokes but manages to effectively shift the conversation.

Dinner stretches well after sunset, and by the time they are having dessert, Derek knows Meredith's shift is almost over. He keeps glancing at his watch, then sends her a text, wondering if she's staying the night or not.

The fact that she doesn't answer means that she's probably in surgery, and he takes that as a good sign. Maybe he will be able to catch her when she gets out and bring her some turkey, per David's suggestion.

It's six forty-five in the evening by the time Derek and David are able to get away, their stomach full and a canvas bag full of containers with a taste for each leftover item. When they finally make it into the Neuro ward, Derek recognizes Debbie at the main desk and gives her a smile.

"Dr. Grey is in surgery. She might be a while," Debbie says, even before he can ask.

"Oh, thank you. I guess we'll sit there and wait for her, David."

David sighs, suddenly looking very tired. "Daddy, will you read me a book from the shelf?"

Derek smiles. "Go get one."

David walks quietly towards the small bookshelf in the corner of the waiting room, picking out a couple of board books that Derek knows are among his favorites.

They sit on some plushy but not all that comfortable armchairs, David's head leaning down on the armrest of Derek's as Derek finds the most comfortable spot as he starts reading.

His weariness gets to him fast, and even David conks out fast asleep by the end of the first book. Derek decides that there's no better time than now for another nap and, steadying his breathing, falls asleep as well.

Meredith pockets her scrub cap as she stares at her reflection in the glass of the scrub room. This is what she's grateful for, saving lives on holidays. Bringing back grandfathers and mothers and children to their families. It had been a marathon, after the horrible accident on the interstate, but all three passengers of the car were alive and doing surprisingly well.

She is not staying the night at Seattle Grace tonight, she needs sleep. The clock already reads nine thirty-two, she could easily go home now.

Meredith drags her tired self to the nurses' station, smiling at Debbie, asking for all her charts of the day. She needs to know who would look after her patients if she leaves. And it better not be Edwards or one of the brand new interns.

"Dr. Shepherd came around asking for you," Debbie says, interrupting her filing for a moment.

"Thank you, Debbie." Meredith takes a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment, seeking the clarity of darkness. She's not sure if she's happy or not he stopped by, asking for her.

"He's still here," Debbie says, smirking as she points to the waiting room and the only two lumps of people on the chairs. "Happy Thanksgiving. I'm glad you were able to save those people."

"Likewise." Meredith smiles, but it fades slowly.

She signs her charts quickly, then turns to stare at Derek and David. She sees the bag next to them, and she knows why they're here. She cannot ignore them. As uneasy as their last encounter has been, she needs to clear the air between them, make peace. She might be too tired to do it effectively, but she hopes Derek will understand.

Slowly and quietly, she sits down next to Derek, then gently rubs his stubbly cheek. She stamps a lingering kiss there, and Derek's eyes open groggily.

"Hey," she says, smiling gently. Even though they haven't left on the happiest note, she's really happy to see him.

"Hi," he groans, cracking his neck as a smile slowly spreads on his cheek. "What time is it?"

"Almost ten."

"This will not be good for my back," he growls, stretching a bit, careful not to jostle David next to him. The boy is still fast asleep on the armrest, mouth slightly open, hands tucked under him. "Or David. Good thing I'm off tomorrow and he doesn't have school, cause I don't see him going back to sleep after I take him home."

Meredith smiles at the boy, restraining herself from caressing his wild hair. He looks so peaceful, even though he's twisted up like a pretzel in his chair.

"Look in the bag," Derek says, his turn to smile. "It might not be as good as when we got here, but we tried."

Derek hands her the bag and she peeks in, seeing a little pile of containers, a little bag with bread rolls, and even napkins and silverware. She doesn't need to open the lids to figure out what they contain.

"Did you save this stuff for me?" She swallows thickly the lump in her throat, wondering if they actually left an empty seat at their Thanksgiving table.

"My mom makes so much food that we all have our sets of leftovers. I promise, nobody was deprived of anything. We don't look forward to eating turkey until Christmas," he jokes.

Meredith's stomach makes the tiniest growl, reminding her that while in surgery it forgets about everything; when she's done, she needs to recharge.

"Eat, come on!" Derek pokes her playfully, her turn to grin. "I'll be stuffed until tomorrow, anyways."

"I bet."

Meredith grabs one of the bread rolls, slices it open, then fishes around for the sliced turkey. She uses the lid as a plate as she builds her turkey and stuffing sandwich, then lightly microwaves it.

At the first bite, she's in food heaven. Bliss coats her papillary glands as she chews, a moan escaping her lips.

"Shoot, I really missed out, didn't I?"

Derek's response is only a low chuckle. "My mom is an amazing cook, you know that."

"But this is...this is perfect, Derek. Stuffing is my very favorite part of Thanksgiving and this...goodness gracious, I might faint from taste overload."

Derek's eyes shine with pride. "We still use my dad's recipe for the stuffing. He taught my mom the first year they were married, but he was always the one in charge of making it, as he smoked the turkey. Now my mom makes everything but still lets one of us help with the stuffing. This year it was Kathleen's turn, next year is me. Nancy goes for Christmas."

"Wow. Just...wow."

Meredith keeps eating, unable to express with words the amazingness of the sandwich, so she lets her little moans of pleasure speak for her. Derek doesn't seem upset by the lack of conversation anyway.

After she finishes the last morsel, Meredith looks deep into Derek's eyes, feeling that this is when they actually talk about the mid-sized elephant in the room.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there." She closes her eyes, unable to look at him.

Derek sighs. "Meredith, it's okay – "

"I saved a man, his daughter, and granddaughter today. Their car was crushed by a drunk guy driving the wrong way on the interstate. They could have died, but they're all alive. Because I was here. Even if I had been at your dinner, they would have called me. Neurosurgery is me, Derek. Holidays might never come first for me."

"I understand it, I do. But being there and leaving because you need to save lives is different than not showing up at all." Derek's words are carefully chosen, yet his tone betrays the still lingering irritation in him.

"I've never done this before, Derek," Meredith admits.

"What?"

"The whole relationship thing, when it gets to the point that you meet the family. I know your mom already, but family events? I've never been to one that wasn't with my odd family unit."

"We might look scary, but we're not, I promise," Derek says, smiling, his hand reaching out to tuck a piece of her hair behind her ear.

"This year I really couldn't take off, though. Even if I wanted to."

"I know. But you still could have said that you would try to make it, and then you'd show up there instead of me coming here."

"I would not show up at your mom's house at ten in the evening to get food."

Derek chuckles. "She'd be offended if you didn't."

"Still, Derek. I'm not the girl you bring home to meet the family."

"Why?" Derek looks puzzled and Meredith sighs. How he cannot get it is beyond her.

"Look at me. I'm dark and cloudy. Families like bubbly and happy, like your buddy Izzie."

"If David loves you Mer, my family will adore you. David is the toughest judge of character I've ever met, and he's smitten, probably more than me. If you won him over, my family will accept you with open arms."

Meredith shakes her head. "And then what? You come over for dinner at Ellis' house? Golf with Richard? We're messed up. I'm messed up. It cannot end well."

"But how about we try it? Maybe just one sister at a time. You really don't need to meet Nancy." Derek shudders, and his reaction almost amuses Meredith to the point of a smile. Yet, something is still holding her back.

"I don't know…"

"How about my mom only? Just her and her amazing cooking."

"That's not playing fair. After this stuffing is definitely not playing fair."

"I never said I was playing fair." Derek grins. "So Mom and Amelia, then?"

Meredith groans. "Christmas. I will come over, briefly, for Christmas. And then I'll go back to work."

"You can fake a page anytime, Mer. I promise. No judgment. Disappointment, yes, but no judgment. But heck, if it's decidedly bad, I'll even fake-page you to give you an out."

A smile makes its way to her lips. "You'd do that?"

"I'm confident I won't have to. Also, as a heads' up, Christmas means sugared up kids. Thanksgiving would have been much easier."

Meredith lets out a groan that sends Derek into a fit of chuckling. Luckily, David stays asleep.

"You know this doesn't help me think I made the right decision, right?"

Derek smiles widely. "I know," he says, and then he leans over and kisses her. Soft and gentle, his lips brush away the last of her fears, at least for the time being.

As she pulls away, she can taste the pumpkin pie from Derek's lips, and she lets out a smile, looking forward to exploring all the food in her bag.

This Thanksgiving is surely going into her own personal Top Ten ever.

She's definitely grateful for Derek and David this year, no questions asked.

A/N: Weird that I'm craving stuffing right about now? Where do I find it in March? Hopefully, you're in better luck and know where to get some! Thank you for reading, still, and sticking with me, even when it takes me months to get updates out. Running out of pre-written updates is no fun :(