Chapter 2:
A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed my last chapter. This is the next installment. I hope you like it. Please review and let me know what you think.
Big thanks to Kaz for proof reading again.
"I never want to see another balloon as long as I live!" Meredith stated as she burst into a fit of giggles looking over at Addison was almost unrecogniseable under a pile of streamers.
"I hear you. This afternoon has been brutal. I never thought we'd get it finished. In fact I'm sure that if the boys hadn't shown up we would still be decorating this hall" replied Addison
"Are you kidding me Addison? If the boys hadn't shown up we would have been finished by lunchtime!" Meredith replied incredulously. She knew that the boys thought that they were helping to finish the prom decorations, but in actual fact they were more of a hindrance.
Speaking of the boys, where are they? Meredith thought to herself. They were supposed to be taking the ladder back to the janitor's storage room for lock up. A five minute job was taking a lot longer than it should. Oh well, she shrugged, they'll turn up shortly. After all if they didn't get going they wouldn't be ready in time for prom. After all the work that she and Addison had put into decorating the hall, there was no way that they were going to miss their own Senior Prom.
"Do you know where the boys went Addison? They were supposed to be taking the ladder back, but they haven't come back yet" Meredith asked
"Not sure, I saw them go out the back doors with the ladder, I assumed that they took it back." Addison replied in a slightly distracted voice
"Derek! Mark! Where are you?" Meredith yelled out, her voice echoing in the nearly empty hall. "Come on guys, we want to get going. We have a prom to get dressed for and if you don't hurry up we are going to be late!"
"Derek!"
"I'm coming, hold your horses Meri" Derek replied
"OK, hurry up. I want to leave in 5 minutes and if you don't hurry up, I'll leave without you. Seriously!" Looking down at Addison surrounded by streamers, Meredith simply shook her head. Meredith was absolutely bewildered that her so well put together friend could end up in such a mess so easily.
"Need a hand Addi?" Meredith queried barely concealing her amusement.
Looking up at her friend with a wry smile touching lips, Addison replied "That would be great Grey. As long as it's not going to detract from your amusement!"
"OK, come on then" Meredith leaned down and offered Addison her hand to help her off the ground.
"I was trying to save these streamers, but I think that they're done for." Meredith simply nodded in agreement.
Looking up at the sound of approaching footsteps, both girls smiled and chorused in unison "Bout time!"
Walking up and enveloping Meredith in a hug, Derek looked down at her smiling face. "Are you ready to go?"
Smiling up at him, "Absolutely" was her simple reply.
Walking out the door, Derek turned to Mark and Addison while Meredith secured the door. "Meet you here, at 7.30?"
"Sounds good man. See you then" Mark replied
"Bye Meredith" Addison called as Mark led her to the car.
"Bye Addi"
The drive back to Meredith's place passed in relative silence. Looking over at Derek as he concentrated on driving Meredith still couldn't believe that he was hers. She smiled to herself as she recalled the crush that she'd had on him for what seemed like forever. Derek and Mark were best friends, Meredith and Addison were best friends. Mark and Addison had been a couple since junior high. It had taken Derek and Meredith a little longer to get together (pure ignorance on his behalf, she'd always known that he was what she wanted).
Feeling her gaze on him, Derek turned to her and saw that she was smiling. "What are you smiling about Meri?"
"Nothing in particular, I was just thinking about the fact that you took so long to recognise that it was me you wanted and not those other bimbo's that you dated."
"They weren't all bimbo's Meredith!" Derek replied indignantly
"They were too Derek Shepherd. Don't try and deny it. Some of them could barely string a sentence together"
"OK, I'll give you that. Some of them were only a pretty face. And what can I say? It takes some of us a little while longer to appreciate what's right in front of us. But let me tell you, I'm so glad that I've got you now" he said softly as he lifted her hand to gently kiss her palm.
"You are so smooth Derek, sometimes I wonder where you get all these lines from. Not that I'm complaining, as long as I'm the only one that you use them on..."
Pulling into the drive out the front of Meredith's house Derek turned the car off. Twisting in his seat so that he was facing her, he placed both hands on either side of her face. Looking directly into her eyes, he leaned in slowly and placed a tender kiss on her lips.
"Meredith, you are the only girl for me. You are the only one that I have ever loved, and while it may have taken me longer than most to realise that not so small fact, it doesn't detract from the depth of my feelings. I love you, Meredith, only you. Trust me when I say that I have never said those words to another girl."
Slightly taken aback by his declaration, Meredith simply sighed. What do you say to that Meredith?
"I love you too Derek, you know I do. It's just that sometimes I need to pinch myself to make sure that I'm not dreaming all this. My life isn't exactly a walk in the park, and whenever something good happens, well...I guess I just get a little apprehensive. Like I'm waiting for something bad to happen."
Derek knew that Meredith's life with her mother, the "great" Ellis Grey wasn't easy. More often than not she was left to fend for herself as her mother was often too busy at the hospital to be worried about what was going on in her daughter's life. Derek cursed Ellis for making Meredith believe she wasn't worthy of anything good in her life, for making her feel so insecure and lacking in self-confidence.
"Meri, I love you, issues or not. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon, so get used to having me around. I'll be back to pick you up at 7.00pm."
Leaning forward to place a quick kiss on his lips Meredith whispered, "I love you too Derek. See you at 7.00" got out of the car and ran into the house.
Opening the front door and stepping inside Meredith began calling for her mother. "Mom! Mom!" wandering into the kitchen she saw a note propped against the vase on the table.
Meredith, there was an emergency at the hospital. I will try and make it back before you leave for prom.
Mom
Well isn't that typical! Meredith thought in disgust as she made her way to the fridge to get a drink. She couldn't go shopping with me for a prom dress and now she won't see me before I leave. Unbelievable.
Oh well, Meredith thought to herself as she climbed the stairs to her room, Derek at least understands me and loves me for who I am. I am not going to let this affect my night. Right, decision made, let's get ready for prom.
Derek arrived promptly at 7.00. He was never late for anything. He hesitantly rang the doorbell, unsure of whether Ellis would be home or not. Standing there thinking about what he and Meredith were going to be doing after prom, Derek didn't realise that someone had opened the door.
"Derek, are you coming in or are you going to stand there all night?" asked Richard, Meredith's step-father.
"Oh! Sorry Dr Webber, I was a million miles away" came Derek's startled reply.
"No problem son, come in. Meredith will be down shortly" Richard replied leading Derek into the house.
As Derek entered the lounge room, he noticed Ellis seated on the sofa."Good evening Dr Grey. How are you tonight?" he asked nervously.
"Fine, fine. Meredith are you ready? Derek is here" she called out all but dismissing Derek.
"I'll be right there Mom" came the muffled reply.
Derek stood there awkwardly waiting for Meredith to descend the stairs. Ellis had a way of making him nervous without ever actually saying anything. It was a look that she had. I'd hate to be one of her interns, Derek thought to himself.
"Here she is Derek"
Derek turned toward the staircase to watch Meredith descend. As he looked at her his breath caught in his chest. She looked absolutely beautiful. Her hair hung down over her shoulders, slightly curled. She wore a simple black, floor length gown, that had a slightly plunging neckline. As she neared the bottom of the staircase, Derek walked over so that he could greet her. Reaching for her hand he leaned into her slightly and whispered in her ear, "You look absolutely stunning. No-one will hold a candle to you tonight"
Meredith's reply was to just simply smile and say "Thanks, you don't look so bad yourself"
As they turned to leave, Richard says "Drive carefully and have fun. Make sure you look after her Derek"
"I will Dr Webber, don't worry she's in good hands."
On arriving at the hall, Meredith paused before she made to exit the car. Turning to Derek she touched him lightly on the arm.
"Derek, just in case I forget to tell you later...I had a really good time tonight"
Smiling at her and leaning over to touch a light kiss to the tip of her nose Derek replies "Me too Meri"
Walking into the hall, they immediately spotted Mark and Addison standing by the refreshment table. They waved and began to weave their way through the crowd toward them.
As they stood there waiting for Derek and Meredith to make their way over to them, Mark leaned into Addison and said "They are perfect for each other aren't they Addi?"
Nodding her head in agreement, Addison turned to Mark, "Yes they are. I'm glad that Derek finally woke up and saw what was staring him in the face."
"What can I say? The guy can be a little thick at times Addi. Unlike a certain tall, good looking, slightly arrogant guy who knew that he was onto a good thing and was not going to risk it for anything in the world" came the slightly teasing reply.
Addison simply rolled her eyes in reply.
Out on the dance floor, Meredith and Derek were swaying slightly in time to the music.
"Have you had a good time tonight Meri?"
Startled out of her reverie, Meredith looked up at Derek. "Yes Derek, I've had a wonderful time. Everything has gone so smoothly, and Mark and Addi being crowned King and Queen has just topped it all off."
Meredith looked over at her friends, too wrapped up in each other to even notice that people were looking at them.
"Are we going to the party? Or would you rather that we went somewhere else?" Derek enquired while making small circles on her back.
"I want to go home first and get changed out of this dress and then we can go to the party if you like. What would you like to do Derek?"
Looking at her with a devilish grin, Derek replied "I'd rather go elsewhere. Just you and me. I'll take you home though so that you can change. Are you ready to go now? Or do you want to stay a bit longer?"
"I'm ready to go now. My feet are killing me in these heels" was Meredith's immediate reply.
They walked over to Mark and Addison hand in hand. Derek tapped Mark lightly on the shoulder.
"We're going man. Meri's feet are killing her and she want to change out of that dress. We'll see you guys tomorrow, OK?"
"Tomorrow? Aren't you going to the party at Karev's place?" Mark questioned
"Nah, we want to spend some time by ourselves. We'll catch up at the diner tomorrow for pizza or something OK?"
"OK, no worries. See you later then. Don't do anything I wouldn't do." Mark replied teasingly
"No problem. That gives me a lot of leeway then doesn't it?" Derek called over his shoulder as he and Meredith left the hall.
Returning to Meredith's they find the house in darkness. Meredith unlocked the house and they walked through to the kitchen. Once again there is a note on the table informing Meredith that Richard and Ellis are at the hospital and that they will see her tomorrow afternoon.
Upon reading that Derek and Meredith look at each other and as if by unspoken agreement they turn and walk up the stairs to Meredith's bedroom.
A/N: So that was Chapter 2, hope you liked it. Please review and let me know your thoughts.