Seattle – 1994
I nervously wrung my hands as I waited for someone to open the Grey's door. Why I was so nervous was beyond me, this was Meredith. Meredith who I've known since I was a little kid, the girl I pushed on the swing, the girl I rode the ski lift with, the girl I cheered on at track meets. But lately, things were different. She was…she was Meredith and she was gorgeous and funny and….and I wanted her. Really wanted her, but, but loved…yikes?! I love her!? I loved her enough to want to be with her however she would let me.
"Derek? Derek?" The voice or Marika, Meredith's nanny turned housekeeper jarred me out of my thoughts.
"Hi Marika," I managed to stutter.
"Come in, Sir. Ms. Grey will be down in just a moment."
I nodded my head as I glanced around the house. The foyer and the downstairs looked spotless, it was hard to believe that anyone, much less a teenage girl lived there. I thought back to my house, where five teenagers lived, and how lived in and loved it felt, I felt bad for Mer, her house seemed so, cold.
Before I had time to think of anything else, a creak from the staircase caught my attention and I looked up just in time to watch Meredith descend them. She…she took my breath away. She wore a gorgeous two-piece white gown. It was an A-line chiffon white skirt that shimmered as she stepped, paired with a strapless top that had a silver beaded design. Two inches of her perfect stomach were exposed, save for the transparent piece of material that covered it. On her feet were a pair of silver wedges. She was…she was perfect…amazing…gorgeous.
"Hi Derek," she said once she reached the bottom of the stairs. "This is for you," she told me as she handed me a boutonniere.
"Thanks." I managed to get out as her hands reached for my jacket, pinning the flower on. "This is for you," I told her once she was done, taking the little flower I had brought her out of its case.
"Thank you," she said with an innocent smile, holding out her wrist so I could slide it on. I couldn't help but wish it were a ring I was sliding on a certain finger on a certain hand. But for now, I would take whatever I could get of her.
"Ready?" I asked her. I really wanted a picture, but didn't want to push the issue, as I knew Dr. Grey wasn't here to do the dotting mom thing, and that had to be killing Meredith.
"Ready," she said, smiling up at me.
"Just a minute you two," we heard from behind us. "Just one picture," Marika said, pushing us together.
When I wrapped my arms around Meredith and felt hers do the same, I was in heaven. And I was so glad Marika was here, even if Dr. Grey wasn't. At least Meredith had two of us that cared.
"Thanks Marika," Meredith said, taking my hand as we turned for the door.
"Have fun tonight kids." Marika said with a smile.
Later that night, holding her in my arms as we danced together, I didn't think life could get more perfect.
"Are you having fun?" Meredith asked, looking up at me.
"I am," I told her smiling.
"Good." She replied, smiling back at me. "Dinner was fun," she continued. "I'm glad we decided to go with Mark and Jess. Mark's hilarious."
"That he is. Sorry you didn't get to see Addison."
"Eh, she'll be over later, and lately, there's only so much I can take of her. Jess seemed pretty cool, she mentioned hanging out this weekend. That would be fun, I need more friends."
"Just don't dye your hair pink again," I told her, twirling a soft tendril around my fingers. "It's much prettier this way."
She giggled, "That was merely for my mother's benefit. To piss her off."
"Did it work?"
"Might have," she replied, "if she was home long enough to notice," she finished softly.
I pulled her closer to me with the intent of apologizing, but before I could open my mouth Addison and her date of the moment were slamming into us.
"Mer!" she yelled.
"Hey, Addie," Mer said, sounding somewhat disappointed that our moment had been broken.
"Mer, this is Matt." She said, gesturing to the boy she was dancing with.
"Matt?" Mer said, "What happened to Kyle?"
"He's an ass. So now I'm with Matt."
"Oh…right," Mer told her, as if Addison made perfect sense.
"We're still on for tonight? Right?"
Meredith looked at me and then at Addison, then back again before sighing. "Yeah, we're still on."
"Don't sound so excited. Don't worry, Mer, you'll still get to have sex."
"Addison," she groaned, turning bright red.
"Come on," I said, "Let's go get a drink."
"I…I'm so sorry Derek. She…I don't know. And I…I.." I silenced her with a finger to her lips.
"It's ok Mer. It's Addison. She's being….Addison."
I handed Meredith a glass of punch and poured one for myself, we stood together and enjoyed them, just chatting and enjoying each other's company.
"Last dance," I said once she had visibly relaxed, "want to get one more in?" I asked her, hoping she would say yes, I really just wanted an excuse to hold her.
"Ok," she said, taking my hand and leading me to the dance floor.
"Tonight was amazing," Meredith said from her living room floor, where she had been laying for the past hour.
"It only gets more amazing later on." Addison replied from her position on the floor next to Mer.
Meredith just ignored Addison's comment, as she had been all night. I wanted to ask Addison when Meredith's dating life became her business, but not wanting to stir up trouble, I bit my tongue. Meredith's party had turned out as small as she wanted, just her and I and Addison and Matt, John, Tom….exactly who she was with was beyond me and since he was passed out on the couch, it didn't matter. And finally Mark and Jess, our dinner partners.
"Mark," Jess said quietly, "We should get going, I have to be home soon."
"Ok my dear," Mark said, taking her hand as he stood up from the couch. "We're going to take off guys. And Mer, you're right, tonight was amazing."
Meredith moved to get up and let them out, but I stopped her. "You stay here," I told her, "I'll let them out."
"Thanks Der," she said with a smile.
"Der?" I heard Addison mutter. "You are so going to get with him, aren't you? It's prom and he's hot…" her voice trailed off in drunken slur.
"Addie," I heard Meredith say back, "it's not all about that. I…we…"
"You want him to take you upstairs, don't you? Don't deny it." Was the first thing I heard as I came back in after seeing Jess and Mark off.
"Addie, please," Mer begged, I could tell she was uncomfortable.
"Come on," I said, gently taking hold of her hand and pulling her to her feet, "Let's go upstairs."
She turned to look at me, eyes wide with shock, but I dragged her anyway. Once I had her on the stairs, it dawned on me why she had looked so scared. I looked back at her to see her biting her lip and what looked like a tear making its way down her cheek.
"Oh Mer," I said, pulling her into a hug as we reached the top of the stairs. "I would never hurt you," I told her, brushing the lone tear away with my thumb. "Or force you to do anything you didn't want."
Her eyes met mine and she slowly nodded her head. "Sorry, I just…upstairs…and prom and Addie, and…yeah…" She rambled, her voice trailing off.
"Addie's been obnoxious all night, I thought you could use a break. That's why I brought you up here. We can talk or sleep or you can sleep and I can leave or…."
"You're rambling. That's my thing," she told me as I looked at her sheepishly. "Come on," she said, taking my hand, "we can go talk or something."
"Thank you." She said once we were both situated on her bed, both laying against the abundance of pillows gracing the bed.
"What for?" I asked, taking in her after prom look, sweats and a t-shirt, and her hair had long since come down, but I still thought she was absolutely gorgeous.
"For tonight, for Prom, for dinner, for getting me away from Addison. I'm sorry she's been…her all night."
"Anytime," I told her, tilting my head and flashing her a smile. "And I hope you know that I meant what I said before." She only looked at me questioningly. "That I would never hurt you, ever. And I would never force you to do anything you weren't ready for."
"Thank you." She said as her eyes filled with tears.
"Mer? Are you ok? Did…did something happen?" I gulped at the thought, and prayed that nothing had.
"No, no, nothing like that," she said, "That…that was just the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me."
I smiled at her, and wanted to tell her that she deserved to hear nice things like that all the time and that anyone she's dating should care that much about her, but she bit her lip as a few pieces of hair fell into her face. Then, before I could stop it, my hand was reaching over to tuck a stray piece of hair behind her ear. She smiled at me softly and I couldn't wait anymore. I had to kiss her. I leaned in a little closer to her and paused with my lips hovering just above hers. I felt her soft breath on my lips just before I covered her lips with mine.
And that is when I lost all sense of reality. I felt like the world was spinning, like when I was a kid and would put my arms out, lean my head back, and spin around as fast as I could, I really didn't think anything could feel better. Until I felt her tongue slide into my mouth and touch mine. Then, then time seemed to stop.
"Wow…" she uttered as we pulled away.
"Yeah," I barely managed. "Mer?" I asked softly, sitting up and running a nervous hand through my hair. "Will you….I mean, I know we're leaving for college soon….but would you want to…will you…will you go out with me?" I finally finished rambling.
"Are you asking me to be your girlfriend?" she asked. I nodded my head. "Ok," she said with a small smile.
Once she said that, I let out a breath I hadn't known I was holding, and then I leaned down and kissed her again.
"I should…I should go," I said, once the kiss broke.
"No," she said, laying a hand on my arm. "Stay."
"Ok." I told her as I lied back down pulling her into my arms. I placed a chaste kiss on her forehead as I whispered, "Goodnight Mer."
Cradling her against me as she slept, I realized that life could get more perfect than dancing. This, I thought as I drifted off as well, this was perfection.