A/N: Welcome back! Long time no see, indeed. This chapter was supposed to see the light of day on (or around) Christmas, but well...it's already Mardi Gras, but the chapter is here. I apologize for the lack of updates but moving back to Italy first, then trying to find a job, becoming really busy with a few projects cut down significantly on my free time, so it's a miracle this chapter even exists at this point. The story is NOT abandoned, but it's on the lowest burner settings. Heck, even a Crock Pot story. But stick around, because some mysteries are just about ready to be uncovered!
I hope you will enjoy it!
Chapter 27
The bed is warm and cozy, the covers wrapped around her and Derek, making this bed into a cocoon. She never wants to leave this.
Meredith squints at the gray light outside, her eyes begging to stay closed, but then she smiles at the unruly head of dark hair beside her in bed. Derek is still fast asleep, his arm slung around her like a dead weight, and nothing could be better than this.
She spent the night, again. After she first babysat David, it stopped being weird to stay overnight and it turned into more of an excuse to try to learn how to make pancakes in the morning, so here she is, right beside Derek in his bed, and they were too exhausted to even have sex the night before. She's pretty sure this is the first time she actually slept-slept with someone on purpose. It's so surreal, she just wants to close her eyes and enjoy it a bit more.
"Merry Christmas!" It's a quiet squeak that wakes her up completely. When she opens her eyes again, David's blue ones are staring back at her. His hair is a mess, and so is his pajamas, but he looks adorable.
"Hey, David. Merry Christmas!"
"Was Daddy good for your sleepover? Did he tell you fun stories? He always tells funny stories when we have sleepovers! Were you good and went to bed so Santa could come?" David blurts, and Meredith's eyes widen.
It is undoubtedly the first time David has caught them together. He has seen her in the morning, but never in Derek's bed. No wonder he has questions. Yet, she'll let Derek breach this topic. It's way too early for this, anyways, and it's Christmas. This can be her gift for today.
"Daddy was the best sleepover buddy, I promise."
"Good!" David's smile is so wide it must hurt. "I gotted you up first 'cause I wanna s'prise Daddy and tickle him awake, but I need help. He likes to sneak away." David's not-so-low whisper is very serious, bringing a smile on Meredith's face as she watches the boy stare down his sleeping father.
"Hop on, then," she murmurs, wrapping David into her arms for a moment and lifting him up on the bed. It never ceases to amaze her the leaps he made when it comes to human contact.
Since Derek figured out the burrito hugs and she has assisted to some of his therapy sessions, touching and holding David is no longer a feat. Obviously, she can't sneak up on him, but if he's expecting the contact she no longer has to restrain herself. It fills her heart with warmth. She considers this one of her best Christmas gifts.
"Kay, so I tickle Daddy first," David whispers with a giggle.
Meredith lets him climb over her and slam on Derek. Derek groans, but manages to keep his eyes closed.
"Merry Christmas!" David squeals, then tickles Derek's neck, then under his armpits, as best as David can manage.
It takes only a few seconds before Derek is tickling David back, his eyes still closed as the boy giggles his way through the awakening tricks.
"I got you, Daddy!" David laughs, still tickling.
The tickling slowly turns into a soft, loose embrace. Derek kisses David's forehead, before he lets the boy rest over his chest, David's ear right over Derek's heart. It's the same spot Meredith likes to rest on whenever Derek is holding her, and it warms her to know how comforting that can be for both of them.
"Merry Christmas, David," Derek murmurs, his voice rough with sleep and muffled by David's hair.
"Presents, Daddy?" David says after a second, his head popping up to meet Derek's gaze. Derek smiles softly and lets him go, clearly seeing how much energy he already has this early in the morning.
"We'll be right behind you, Nugget."
David scrambles away, and Derek beckons her to replace him. She lies down in the spot David has vacated, listening to Derek's heartbeat, basking in the warmth of his embrace and relishing the last few moments of quiet for the day.
"Merry Christmas, Mere," he whispers, kissing the top of her head like a breeze.
"Merry Christmas, Derek."
"Can I just tell David that this is my best gift and stay here with you until tomorrow?" His tone is amused, but the sentiment behind it is genuine. Being here is up there with her best gifts ever, too.
She doesn't usually do holidays, but when Derek begged her to stay and witness the hype over Christmas, she gave in. She figured that if this thing between them turned out to be the forever kind of deal, she will have to learn how to do Christmas, and she wants to be good at it. She's not sure how the rest of the day will go, but she wants to learn how to do Christmas the Shepherd way.
"If it gets us out from lunch at your mom's, I'm in," she says, hiding a tiny bit of her fear behind the playful statement. Of course, Derek catches on right away.
"You have nothing to be scared of, Meredith. You know my mom loves you."
"It's the sisters I'm worried about."
"They're fine, most of the time. I'll talk to them," he says, smiling.
She rolls her eyes. "They don't need a pep talk to meet your girlfriend, Derek."
"At times, they do. They love me, they have to listen."
Meredith sighs, wishing that that is really how it will go. It's the first time she finds herself in a somewhat stable relationship, let alone to a point where she's supposed to meet the family, and that doesn't ease her nerves a bit. But for Derek and David, she wants to try. She promised, and she wants to try.
"Okay, time to go," Derek sighs, slowly untangling from her, destroying the cocoon. "Presents await!"
As if on cue, they hear David shout their names from the other room, and Meredith smiles at the excitement of the Shepherd boys over Christmas.
David's eyes are wide and sparkling as he bounces on his heels, too impatient to keep still at the sight of the pile of presents under the twinkling Christmas tree. Meredith is sure she never had this look of wonder and excitement, not after Thatcher walked out on her, nor when her mother was barely home. It got better when Richard became a staple in their lives, but by then the magic had faded. David is full of wonder, and his joy is contagious. Derek is smiling just as brightly.
"Meri! Santa got me so many presents!" David shouts, his grin infectious.
"I can see that," she says, smiling back.
"Here, let's see if they're all for you or Santa left some stuff for us too," Derek says, clearly keeping up the charade.
Yet, there are indeed presents marked with Derek's name, and his stocking is obviously filled. Her heart skips a beat when Derek hands her a different stocking, one she hadn't even seen yet.
"Oh, Meri, Santa found you here! He knew you'd have a sleepover and brought your presents here! Santa is so smart!"
Meredith sends a panicked look to Derek who simply smiles at her.
"I guess so, David," she says, still looking at Derek for help.
"I told you, Santa knows these things," Derek muses.
As David gets busy opening his stocking, Meredith walks next to Derek, and whispers in his ear. "What's all this?"
"This is what Santa does Mer, don't worry. My mom suggested it, so she had a big input of what's in there."
"But I didn't...I haven't…"
"Go with it," Derek says, smiling brightly, then moving closer to David again, helping his son with a particularly stubborn piece of tape.
Meredith stands there with her stocking then, just holding it, wondering what to do while staring at the Shepherd boys, and she feels immensely loved. It's a foreign feeling, that hits her out of the blue, and it warms her from the inside out.
She's not sure what this means, just that it swells up inside her, and she wants to reciprocate this feeling, to put it out in the open, put herself on the line, and see how it will go. She watches Derek and David and she knows, deep in her heart, that this will be the first one of many Christmases they will spend together, and the feeling is overwhelming, in the best of ways.
Derek lets David open the rest of the presents, moving closer to her again.
"Christmas morning has always been special for us, especially after my dad died. Mom didn't have much money to spare for toys, especially with four mouths and Mark to feed, so Christmas was the time to go all out. Santa didn't have a Navy nurse salary. That's why this time of year is so special for me. I'm sorry if the stocking made you uncomfortable, I should have asked."
"No, Derek, this is...I love it."
His smile warms her. "I'm glad."
"I do have a present for you, though," she says, walking to the tree to pick up a square box, wrapped in red paper littered with holly.
"Thank you, Mer."
Derek sits on the couch and Meredith sits next to him. Derek unwraps the paper slowly, carefully pulling out the tape, and she smiles at his habit. She's one of those people that tears the paper and she's done, but Derek is clearly not.
"Oh," he says, as he unwraps the box, and Meredith knows she got the wrong gift just by the tone of his simple utterance.
"Derek, if you hate it, we can change it. Heck, I'll get the money back and you buy whatever you want…"
"No, Mer, no!" he sounds a bit choked up and she's confused.
Derek opens up the box and pulls out the watch she has picked for him. He stares at it, speechless. He's examining every feature, and Meredith is breaking into a cold sweat.
"Derek, I'm serious. I just saw that your watch is a bit scratched and tattered, and every doctor needs a good watch. If you don't want a watch I'll take it back."
"No, Mer, I...there's a story. A story about my dad and a watch. Just...give me a minute."
Meredith knows that Derek avoids talking about his father as much as possible, and the picture is starting to get clearer in her head. Still fuzzy, but she knows Derek is working up the courage, and she respects this.
"Take your time." She looks at David, all focused on exploring a new Lego set, and she knows they can take a minute.
"My mom gave my dad a watch for their tenth anniversary." Derek begins, his voice low and slightly unsteady. "I was around David's age and I remember how much my dad complained that it was too expensive, that he did not deserve such a big gift...but my mom had saved for ten years, and so he finally accepted it." Derek sighs deeply, his tone shifting. "My dad ran a hardware store. When I was twelve I used to spend some of my afternoons in the back of my dad's store to do my homework away from the craziness in the house. That day Amelia was with me, so we were mostly playing instead of doing homework, but she was only five, so that was to be expected."
"Did she go there often?"
"Often enough. But she was the youngest, so she was spoiled." Derek smiles, but it fades quickly. "We were in the back, and Dad was almost ready to close when we heard some loud voices. I peeked and realized they were robbing the store. I told Amy to hide and watched from the crack of the door. I held Amy tightly so she wouldn't make a noise and waited as my dad gave them all the money in the cash register."
"Oh, Derek," Meredith sighs, wondering how scary that must have been. Yet, from his expression, she knows this is not the worst.
"When Dad had given them all the money, they asked for his watch. Mom's watch. And he wouldn't give it up. He told them they could take anything in the store, but they wanted the watch. And he didn't give it up, not even when they shot him."
Derek's eyes are filled with tears, but he's not crying. Meredith reaches for his hand and squeezes it, but she cannot say anything.
"My dad bled out in front of me. I kept hiding with Amelia, covering her mouth and her eyes, worried that they would find us and kill us too. I don't remember much after that, except that I went over to cover the bullet hole and tried to keep Amelia away. I remember being covered in blood, but the rest is only a mix of memories of what people have told me."
"Derek, I had no idea, I'm so sorry." Meredith pulls him into a hug.
"Mer, it's okay. I love your gift, it's just...big."
"I'm glad you shared your story with me. And I'm so sorry about your dad."
"I never talk about this, but I had to tell you, so this is as good of a time as any. It's just...not easy, still. Our dad's murder changed us all, so you need to know. But thank you so much for the watch. It's beautiful, I love it."
"And I love you," she murmurs, swallowing thickly, knowing she cannot take this back, but that it's the only sentiment that can vaguely express what she's feeling right in this second. Derek has a faint smile, even though his eyes are glistening with tears, and she relishes his openness, knowing she has been just as open as him by sharing her feelings.
With a sharp intake of breath, Derek's eyes widen, just like his smile, slowly appearing and widening the corners of his mouth, and his eyes are dancing like David's at the sight of the presents, the sadness forgotten. "Mere," he murmurs, speechless. She put him on an emotional rollercoaster.
"It's...I know we're complicated and kind of new, but..."
Derek doesn't let her finish. "I love you, too."
His smile takes her breath away.
"Thank you. Thank you for loving me. Not many people are actually capable of doing that," she says, lowering her gaze to the ground before he can spot her cheeks heating up.
Instead of replying, Derek pulls her into a firm embrace, then kisses her. It's quick, but full of all the promises love can bring.
"This is the best Christmas present you could possibly give me, you know that, right?" he jokes, but his eyes are wet. She feels like crying out of sheer happiness, too.
"I like to be the best in everything, apparently."
His laughter fills the room, as David reclaims their attention.
"Meri, this is for you. From Santa!" David says, thrusting a box wrapped in red paper and with a fancy gold bow in her hands.
Meredith tries to collect her emotions and tears open the paper, revealing a beautiful scarf.
"It's no watch, but I hope you like it," Derek whispers.
Meredith smiles brightly. "I love it. Thank you, Santa," she teases, lightening up the atmosphere.
"Meri, you open gifts like me!" David, says, excited. "Daddy is always super slow!"
Meredith laughs, as Derek pretends to be offended.
"I enjoy the waiting, David. The anticipation of a surprise," Derek muses, a wide, teasing smile on his lips.
"It's still boring." David laughs, and Meredith with him.
"I never had many presents to open, so when I did, I couldn't wait," Meredith explains, caressing the soft scarf, smiling at David.
"How come?" the boy asks. "Did Santa forget your presents?"
"I think my mom forgot to tell Santa we moved to Boston, so he couldn't find me anymore." She tries not to cringe at the white lie, but David looks heartbroken all the same.
"I gets lots of gifts for my birthday, too. Do you get gifts?"
"Grown-ups don't get many gifts, Davy."
"I know," he sighs, rolling his eyes. "But when you were little like me?"
"No, not really," she says, choosing honesty over a bigger lie. "Birthdays weren't really important in my family, I never celebrated much."
David gasps. "You got no gifts for your birthday?"
Meredith shakes her head. "No, David. No gifts."
David's eyes are so wide, and she shares a look with Derek, who seems just as shocked as his son. Derek is frowning, not plain gawking at her, but they are both very confused by her statement.
"Meri, do you want my Lego set?" David asks, his face serious, his hands holding out the brand new box of Legos he has just unwrapped.
"It's your Lego, David." She smiles.
"But you never gots no gifts. You should get gifts all the time now!"
Meredith's heart melts, she feels tears into her eyes again. "How about a hug? That's the best gift you could give me, Nugget."
David nods seriously, then squeezes her in a burrito hug. "You gets all the hugs now, Meri," he mumbles, his serious voice on.
"Your hugs are always the very best. They make up for all the gifts Santa misplaced, I promise."
"Good!" David grins, giving her one last squeeze. "Daddy, hug Meri, too. She needs extra hugs. And kisses!"
Derek laughs, obliging willingly. Meredith allows herself to melt into Derek's arms, closing her eyes as his warm embrace engulfs her. She feels safe and love and home, and she'd miss all those presents and all those Christmases if they brought her back here.
She's sure she doesn't deserve this, but she's taking it, and taking it in stride.
"I love you," Meredith murmurs into his neck, meaning every syllable.
"I love you, too," Derek murmurs back, tightening his hold for a second before he lets her go.
"See, Meri, all good! Daddy loves you, I love you, you gets all the hugs in the world now!" David exclaims, making Meredith laugh, and hold in her happy tears.
"I love you, too, David," she says, knowing that for once, she's experiencing true, unconditional love. She's not sure if it will last, but she doesn't want to dwell too long on this, she wants to enjoy the moment as it comes.
Meredith revels in that feeling as she watches the Shepherd boys finish unwrapping their presents, content to just be here, with the closest thing she has to her own family, on this chilly Christmas morning.
Spending Christmas morning with Meredith has been the very best present Derek could ask for. Seeing her with David, opening presents, hearing her voice whisper her love, and finally being able to say it himself...nothing could ever top that feeling.
Derek is as jittery as David has been this morning with the presents as he walks beside Meredith on the sidewalk, her hand in his, as they cross the few blocks to his mother's house. David is skipping ahead of them, clearly overexcited for more presents and more sugar, and Derek is content just to enjoy the moment. Right now, he knows this is going to be the first one of many Christmases they will spend like this, and he couldn't receive a better gift than this.
"I love you, no matter what," Derek says, squeezing Meredith's hand a little tighter, glancing at her as she gives him a furtive look.
"Derek," she begins, sighing loudly, but he cuts her off.
"My mom loves you. If anything else fails, stick with her. Or David and the kids. They will adore you, I bet."
She shakes her head, as David glances back to Derek, as if to confirm that the next driveway is the one for his grandmother's house. Derek nods, smiling at his son, who starts running on the wet pavement.
"I'm only good with David, Derek. Not all kids love me. Adults like me even less."
Derek rolls his eyes. "I love you. David loves you. You're very lovable."
That at least makes Meredith crack a smile, even though it's short lived. Derek can hear David ring the doorbell so he stops Meredith for a second, cupping her face with his hands and staring deep into her eyes.
"I'm not going anywhere. Even if they hate you, they can deal with it. David and I love you. My mom adores you. The rest of the family can go to hell, I don't care."
"Derek –" There are tears in her eyes as he leans in and kisses her. Slow, steady, sure; a kiss that is a reminder of everything he has promised. Derek wants her to believe.
"You'll be okay," he says against her lips.
"I'll be okay," she echoes, her turn to kiss him. And maybe she does believe, because when she pulls away, she takes a deep breath then leads him to the door.
At the threshold, Derek can already see his mother standing there, David greeting her with most likely a list of all the presents from Santa. When his mother lifts up her eyes, she's smiling brightly.
"Derek! Meredith! It's so good to see you!"
Derek watches as his mom pulls Meredith in a hug, and his girlfriend melts into her, her fears slowly melting away too. Of course he knows she will still be a bit skittish about being here, jumpy at times, even, but she'll learn to be comfortable with his family, at least that's what his next Christmas wish will be.
"Derek, hi." His mother pulls him in her arms too, waving for David and Meredith to go inside as she squeezes Derek in her arms. "It's so good to see you. You live so close and I barely saw you this week."
"This week was crazy. You know how it gets at Christmas."
"Oh, I know. And I'm glad you and Meredith were able to get away from the hospital. Having the whole family here is my favorite gift, you know that."
Derek grins at the almost guilt trip, squeezing his mother into his arms as well. "Well, Mer is going to be on call for 24 hours starting at noon, so I'm not sure she will be able to actually stay for lunch, but she's here at least, right?"
His mother laughs. "At least she made the effort. That's more than enough."
They walk inside, and as his mother closes the door, the smell of Christmas cookies fills his nostrils, putting a smile on Derek's face. Of course his mom's house smells like a bakery on Christmas Day. And even if it's not the house he grew up in, the smell is still the same.
This house is smaller than the one they had in New York, where his sister Kathleen has moved in, yet his mother was able to give it the same vibe as their childhood home, and not just with the same decorations and furniture, but the utter feeling of home. The first year his mother moved here, Derek was worried Christmas would never be the same again, but even if the venue had moved across the country, the magic is still exactly the same, thanks to his mother.
"So, only Kathleen is here yet, since they're actually staying with me, but Nancy is on her way from the hotel and Lizzie is picking up Amelia from the airport, so it's just a matter of time." His mother is smiling brightly, clearly excited to have everyone under the same roof again.
"Are the kids in the basement?" Derek asks, turning to see David standing right beside Meredith, moving closer to her at his words.
"Robbie and Chris, true to their teenage fashion, still haven't come down, but Abby, Sarah and Emma are playing downstairs." Carolyn turns to David with a knowing glance, and David takes a deep breath.
"Nugget, you can come up anytime if you're tired of playing. It will be time to eat very soon," Derek says, trying to encourage his son, who hides behind Meredith a bit more instead.
David sighs. "Can you come play too, Meri?"
"How about you let your old Nana spend some time with your favorite friend?" Carolyn asks, grinnin at him.
David huffs loudly, making his grandmother laugh. "Fine. But then you have to let her come downstairs."
"I'll get there at some point, David. No worries," Meredith says, her voice soft and reassuring as her usual.
Derek mouths a silent thank you, knowing how much this little effort will ease David's mind. He loves his cousins, but the Shepherds can be overwhelming even in the easiest of circumstances, even though he'll never admit that out loud, especially not to Meredith.
David leaves the adults alone, as they walk to the kitchen and Meredith feels the tension rising as soon as she spots the two people sitting at the kitchen island.
"There's my favorite sister!" Derek says, walking closer to the woman, who Meredith assumes is Kathleen.
"I'm not your favorite, Derek, don't lie. Amelia is your favorite."
Derek laughs, but hugs her. "It's actually you, Kath. Except when you psychoanalyze me, then it's definitely Amy."
Kathleen swats his back playfully, a bright smile on her face, as Derek greets her husband. Meredith makes a mental note that his name is Tom and hopes it won't get lost in the sea of names.
"Kath, this is Meredith, my girlfriend. Meredith, Kathleen, oldest sister," Derek says, beaming as he turns to her.
Meredith stretches out her hand, but she gets pulled into a hug instead.
"Oh, you poor girl, you need a hug for putting up with Derek all day."
Meredith laughs as she pulls away. "I'm staying for David, but don't tell Derek."
"Oh, I already know that," he laughs, as they hear the door open in the foyer, followed by a crescendo of voices.
"The best sisters are here!" a voice booms, before a woman with the same eyes as Derek shows up at the threshold, grabbing both edges of the door and dangling like a teenager.
She looks much younger than Kathleen, and also favors Derek in looks, unlike Kathleen who looks almost exactly like a younger version of Carolyn. There's a gaggle of kids skirting down the hallway, loud voices, shrieks and greetings.
"I hope Nancy is still on her way, then," Kathleen snickers, as both her and Derek come to hug the sister. Meredith believes it's Amelia, but it's confirmed when both siblings use her name.
Lizzie shows up right behind them, replacing Amelia in the hugs.
"Derek, you look strangely relaxed. Internship not tough enough on you?"
"Residency, but yes, it's kicking my ass. Just put up my best doctor mask to hide the sleepless nights I've spent this past week."
Meredith knows how hard he's working and smiles at him.
"Either that or your attendings are too soft."
"Oh, believe me, she's not soft at all," Derek smiles, turning to her and she feels her face heat up. "Liz, Amy, that's Meredith, my girlfriend, and my Neuro attending."
"Wow, you're young!" Amelia says, staring her down.
"Amelia!" Lizzie says, hitting her arm. "I apologize for my little sister. Welcome to the Shepherd Christmas madness. I hope you're on call."
"I actually am," Meredith says, trying to relax, even though her smile feels forced.
"Ma, I'm going downstairs to play with the Wii. Nana says that Aunt Nancy is here, too." A slender, tall teenager with the same hair as Lizzie pops in the door, before he disappears.
"That was Jonas, my oldest," Lizzie says. "Sorry for his stellar manners."
"Liz, Andrew actually called me 'yo, Ma' the other day. He sounds amazingly polite." Kathleen shakes her head, sighing deeply.
"He sounds like Mark," Amelia giggles. "Where's Mark, by the way?"
"He's coming, but without Addison. She had a complicated set of twins to deliver, so I think she's stuck at Grace." Derek pipes in.
"Wait, the Mendoza twins?" Meredith frowns, feeling all eyes on her.
"Yeah. What do you know?"
"They called me up for a consult, but they were born last night. That's why I got home so late." Meredith shrugs, now really feeling judged. She has basically admitted they've been spending a lot of time together. And called Derek's house a home. She's digging her own grave.
"Hey, everyone," another woman, probably Nancy, walks in the room. A chorus of hellos welcomes her, together with a few hugs. Shepherds hug the heck out of people. Meredith can only imagine how left out David must feel every single time.
And it's almost as he hears her, because as soon as her thoughts go to him, she hears his little voice call: "Hey, Meri," before she sees his dark head of hair sneak through the people standing around the room.
"Oh, hi David. Are you having fun downstairs with your cousins?" she asks, hoping he can keep her out of the Shepherd siblings catch-up conversation.
"Can you come and play with me, please?"
Meredith bites her lip, locking eyes with Derek, feeling so bad if she says no again, yet knowing she should stay here and get to know Derek's sisters, even if she would much rather hide in the basement with the kid.
"Buddy, we talked about this, okay? Meredith has to be with the grown-ups for a bit today, remember?" Derek intervenes.
David sighs loudly, staring at his socks. "'Kay."
"David, I promise we'll have lots of time to play when it's just us. Especially now that you're not in school because of the holidays. We'll do something special, don't worry," Meredith says, hoping she sounds genuine.
David hums an agreement, even though it sounds completely fake.
"Can you say hi to your aunts, Davy?" Derek prompts, clearly to take his mind off it.
"Hi," David says, dragging out the vowel and even managing a smile.
The sisters start asking him questions, and there are a few instances when his eyes light up, but David still seems disappointed.
"Derek, maybe I can go down for like...ten minutes," Meredith whispers staring at David.
"No, he will be okay. Maybe he's just a bit overwhelmed and thinks you might bring him extra comfort. Remember Benny told us to try and leave him out of his comfort zone at times?"
"Yes. You're right. He's just breaking my heart."
Derek smiles, coming to stand beside her and rubbing her back. "I know."
"Meri, can I get a burrito hug before I go back down?"
Meredith smiles. "Of course. I would love a burrito hug."
David hugs her tightly, holding on for dear life, and so is Meredith, squeezing him to her chest, trying to engulf as much of his growing body as she can.
"Oh, so good," David murmurs into her neck, his warm breath tickling her. She closes her eyes, relishing the reassurance as much as David, allowing him to decide when to pull away.
David sighs deeply as he detaches, smiling brightly. "I'll go have fun."
"You do that." Meredith smiles at him, watching him disappear downstairs.
"Whoa. That's...whoa." Amelia says, her eyes wide. "David hugs people now?"
"No, he hugs me, Mom, and Meredith. And Benny, his therapist," Derek says. "We're working on this, but he's not there yet."
"Derek, this is huge, though. I'm so happy for you," Kathleen nods, but Derek gives her a look to stop her from giving them her psychologist perspective.
"He trusts me," Meredith says shyly, hoping she can clarify this. "I gave him some stitches when he fell on the coffee table, and I guess he sees me as someone that is not going to hurt him, just like Benny. I'm his best grown-up friend."
"Aw, that's adorable. Derek, David is the most adorable kid ever. I have no idea how he can be yours." Lizzie laughs, releasing some of the tension.
Derek rolls his eyes, clearly ignoring Lizzie. "Pressure relaxes him. We got him a weighted blanket and he sleep so much better now. We're working on him hugging other people, and we'll start with Mark and maybe Addison in the new year, since he sees them fairly often, but Mer is around more than they are, so it's only natural…"
"Are you guys living together?" Nancy asks, a frown on her face. "How long have you know one another?"
"Nancy, really?" Kathleen butts in.
"It's a legitimate question. Mom said something about Derek having a girlfriend, but I didn't think it was this serious."
Derek sighs. "I met her when I started my internship here. Then after David hurt himself and she stitched him up we got to know each other better. She helped me pass my intern exam and she's an exemplary teacher for me and for the other interns and residents."
"Oh, she's your superior? I thought she was a resident like you." Nancy frowns.
"She's the best neurosurgeon at Grace, Nance," Derek says, irritated. "And I'm not the only one saying it, her numbers say it. So, don't even go there."
"I wasn't."
"Oh, you so were," Amelia says, giggling. "This is lovely though, Derek. Your girlfriend can boss you around at work. I need to come and see that, Mr. Control Freak."
"I am not a control freak. I can work under people!" Derek growls, more and more irritated as the teasing escalates.
"Oh, I bet we need to ask Meredith that," Amelia smirks.
"Amelia!" Kathleen intervenes, incredulous, as Amelia laughs at her own joke.
"Meredith is not just my boss, she's my partner and she's my first supporter. But that doesn't mean she favors me in any way. I need to earn every procedure and every surgery, I never got anything just because I'm me. So, please, give Meredith the respect she deserves as your peer."
Meredith stares at the floor, hoping she could disappear, or that she could find a sudden sinkhole and have it swallow her whole. But the way Derek is looking at her, the fire in his eyes, how proud he is of her...It's magical.
"What's going on here?" Carolyn comes in, a frown on her face.
"Nancy was interrogating Meredith and Derek. Nothing new here." Amelia rolls her eyes.
"Children, please, leave each other be. Let's get along for one day, okay? You can fight at Thanksgiving and Easter, but let's be civil at least at Christmas."
A few muttered apologies fill the room, as Derek pulls Meredith close and gives a kiss to her temple.
"I love you," he hums. Meredith doesn't reply, she only squeezes him closer.
"Okay, so Mark is running a bit late because he was waiting for Addison to be done with a case, so we'll just wait a few more minutes for him, then we'll get started. Why don't you guys go sit down and catch up without bloodshed?" Carolyn proposes, rolling her eyes.
Amelia laughs, eagerly heading in the direction of the dining room, as the others follow.
Each person seems to sit wherever they want, and Meredith rolls her eyes when Derek pulls out the chair for her.
"Such a gentleman!" Lizzie teases him, giving a look at her own husband.
"That's young love, honey," he replies.
"You've never been like that," she teases her husband again, and they both laugh.
The tension defleates considerably after Lizzie's joke, and it becomes a convivial, loud conversation between siblings and husbands. When Mark and Addison arrive, it gets even louder, and Meredith is happy Addison sits next to her, so they have at least something in common, and she knows Addison is on her side.
The kids join the table right after all the adults are settled, then they start eating. The food is plentiful and tastes amazing, and the conversation eases even more, just like Meredith's tension. Derek's presence is reassuring next to her, his soft touches to her thigh or her hand, his lingering warmth, the way his eyes twinkle when someone tells a funny joke are all familiar signs that he's having a good time, and it's contagious.
Meredith never thought she could let her guard down all day, and yet, here she is, sharing stories of the hospital and of Derek and David with his sisters and Carolyn, and she feels like she belongs.
"So, Meredith. Why Neurosurgery?" Nancy asks, halfway between impressed and confused as they are cleaning up the plates to make room for dessert.
Meredith learned she's OB/GYN like Addison, and the two of them have held a steady conversation about the Mendoza twins for the past fifteen minutes. Meredith has been bouncing around conversations, mostly listening, and this is the first time someone has addressed her first.
"The accuracy drew me in. The attention to details. How nothing is always black or white in neuro, there are many shades."
"What do you mean?" Lizzie intervenes, clearly curious.
"Is a patient alive but paralyzed a successful surgery? What about a guy without a tumor but with permanent damage from it?" Meredith says.
"Yeah, that's...tough one. That's why I'm a GP, I couldn't do this every day."
"I couldn't do runny noses on a daily basis either," Meredith admits honestly, sharing a smile with Lizzie.
"Yet, you stitched up David without blinking," Nancy rolls her eyes. "Were you already with Derek then?"
Meredith takes a deep breath. "I barely knew Derek. He was my intern, and I knew your mom from when I was a kid. My mother used to work with her."
"Wait, Grey as in Ellis Grey? She's your mom?" Lizzie asks.
"Yes, she's my mother."
"Oh, okay. That's why you can be with Derek without any HR complaints. Now that makes sense," Nancy snickers.
By then, Meredith has had enough. "You know I wanted everything but Derek in my life, right? That I always envisioned my future filled with surgery after surgery, with nothing dragging me down, and conquering the world. Then Derek came and he fucked it all up. Because I love him, and he messes up many things, but he and David brighten up my life in a way that I've never experienced, so yeah, feel free to follow us around the hospital and check how I favor him in every surgery, then we'll talk."
Derek is facing his sister now, glaring at her. "Nancy, really…"
"No, Derek, I can fight my own battles. If she wants to believe you're with me for the surgeries and I'm with you for the thrill, then let her believe it. I fought my whole life to be believed by other people, I'm not going to stop now. Especially not when you are involved. You are way more important than any procedure I fought tooth and nail for, so she can bring it on."
Nancy looks guilty and impressed, and Meredith is glad her pager beeps at her hip, so she can get an out to boil over.
"I have to take this. Clearly, important neurosurgeons get calls at Christmastime."
She picks up the phone and leaves the room, hoping she hasn't messed up the best relationship of her life.
/
"Really, Nancy, really?" Derek bursts.
"That was low, Nance," Amelia says, sharing a look with Derek.
"She's a lovely woman and you diminish her like this?" Lizzie adds, shaking her head.
"You know I've actually read one of her articles?" Kathleen butts in from the other end of the table. "I was looking for a simple one to give to one of my patients who was diagnosed with brain cancer, and she had an amazing one in a brochure that I now pick out for all my patients struggling with cancer. She's definitely a good surgeon, and I don't doubt she's a good teacher…"
"She's an incredible teacher. She's always been amazing, even before I fell in love with her." Derek clarifies. "The surgeon in me was smitten on the first day, and not because she's Meredith and she's the love of my life, but because she's such a graceful, skilled surgeon. So, if you're just opening your mouth to spew nonsense, don't waste your breath."
"The love of your life?" Amelia smiles, clearly trying to shift the conversation to a safer topic, and Derek is grateful.
"Yes, she is. She is amazing, and she loves David, and I think she's it. I'm not sure where this is going, but I know where I want this to go, so you better get used to having Meredith around, Nance."
"Personally, I'm a fan," Lizzie grins, giving him a thumbs up.
Derek is grateful when his mother decides to intrude in, as she comes back with two pie dishes.
"Children, Meredith is a really lovely woman, and you should respect her like any guests. We saw many of Derek's girlfriends who were horrible and never did a third-degree to her like this. So, let's just wait for her then enjoy the dessert, shall we?"
"Okay," Nancy concedes, her eyes trained low on the table.
"Thank you," Derek sighs, watching in the direction where Meredith has disappeared with her phone call. He needs to know she's okay, even though deep down he's aware she's stronger than this, she can totally deal with his sister, yet he wants to make sure she's not dismissing the Shepherds altogether just because of Nancy.
He spots her hanging up, then taking a deep breath, before she walks back in the dining room.
"Do you need to leave, honey?" Carolyn asks, gentle, as she cuts one of the pies in slices.
"No, they just needed a phone consult for an ER patient. They'll monitor her, then keep me updated. If I have to go in it can surely be after I eat some pie," Meredith says, clearly putting up a mask. Derek loves her for this, even though he immediately grabs her hand as she sits down again next to him.
"You okay?" he whispers in her ear.
"I just...I feel fake putting up a mask of niceness when Nancy is not being nice."
"You only have to be yourself, Mere. Nothing more, nothing less. I love you for who you are."
She gives him a soft, twinkling smile. "I know. I'm glad."
She squeezes his hand then asks for a slice of pumpkin pie, as if nothing had happened. Nancy stays out of any conversation with Meredith, but Meredith is then eager to share stories with his other sisters, her body relaxing again the further they dive into their dessert.
It might not have been an ideal Christmas lunch, but Derek is loving it all the same. Because all he ever wanted was to show his family Meredith's true self, and she's bringing in her A game.
Derek feels stuffed after they've finished eating. There's plenty of leftovers, but they've all eaten their weight in food. He's helping his mother clean up, avoiding the living room like the plague, since his sisters have pulled out old picture albums and showing his most embarrassing childhood memories.
Nancy has warmed up to Meredith a bit, even though it will be a process before those two can comfortably feel like family. Yet, Kathleen, Lizzie, and Amelia are curious about everything Meredith, so they're evening out the playing field.
"I'm so glad your sisters have accepted Meredith," his mother says.
"Me, too. I was worried about Nancy, but she seems to have come around a bit. She's at least neutral."
"She always does."
Derek piles the last bunch of forks over plates, as he watches his mother open the warm water to rinse the dishes. She takes a long look at her hands, then turns the water off. She takes off her wedding ring, then her engagement ring, then puts her gold band right where it belongs, handing him her engagement ring.
"Derek, when you were barely a day old, your father made me promise you will get this ring when the right girl came around. I'm sorry he cannot give it to you himself." Her eyes are shining, and Derek feels his emotions rise to the surface as well.
"Do you think she's the one?" Derek asks, his voice slightly choked up.
"Yes. I truly believe so. Do you?"
"I do. But how can you see it?"
"Derek, I've liked Meredith from the moment she gave David stitches. She has compassion, she's kind, and she's funny, as well as firm and gentle. But most importantly, you see things in black and white and she doesn't. You need a spoonful of that, sweetheart. The way you stood up for her, and the way she stood up for you tell me things, so I think it's time you have this."
Derek smiles, pulling his mother into a hug, as he reels in his tears. He can't believe he has found the girl of his dreams, the woman he's going to marry. Yet, he cannot imagine anyone else to spend the rest of his life with but Meredith.
"I'm not sure when I'll give it to her. We haven't even had this conversation, yet."
"No rush, Derek. You'll know when the time is right."
Today has been an emotional rollercoaster, but knowing that at least his mother knows how much he loves Meredith, was worth all the whiplash.
Now, he only has to figure out how to propose to her. And that will be anything but an easy task.
A/N: I hope you enjoyed this belated Christmas chapter. I'm not sure when the next update might be, but I might not juggle this story and BISY and decide to stick with only one and finish it, since both have only a handful of chapters left. OR, I might keep the status quo and keep updating in tandem. It takes me some time, but there will be a new update at some point. Keep the faith!