Author's Note: Another semi-filler chapter. I actually am getting somewhere though, I promise! Hint: remember in the crossover with Private Practice when Addison and Derek were in surgery together, and they were reminiscing over a past Thanksgiving? Yup. That's all I'm saying. Anyway, thanks for all the reviews, and keep them coming!
Disclaimer: Shonda Rhimes owns it all.
Derek looked around the office in exasperation. It was a few days before Thanksgiving, and he was getting ready to go home, to finally spend some much-needed quality time with his wife. He continued looking around the room. Where was she? He needed some last-minute labs before he could return home. I swear to God, when she gets back, I'm gonna wring her-
"Dr. Shepherd!" Meredith cried, running into the room. "I-have...your...labs," she panted, out of breath.
Derek examined her. She had been his intern for the past two weeks. He had started paying a lot more attention to her, and had come to realize some things. For starters, he was under the impression that he made her very nervous. The stuttering when she was talking to him had mostly disappeared, but every once in a while, it would surface again. Also, whenever he was doing charts and would look up to see what she was doing, she would look away pointedly, and Derek could swear she was blushing. He tried to be compassionate to her; after all, she was just trying to learn. However, he would not let her silly little schoolgirl crush get in the way of teaching her. She was smart, and he would not let this immature little thing get in the way of expanding her intelligence.
"Thank you," he said, taking the labs. "Well Dr. Grey, that's all. Have a nice Thanksgiving."
"You too. Are you and Addison, uh, doing anything special?"
Ah, that was the other thing. She always asked about his and Addison's plans. It irked him beyond belief.
"Yes, we're going over my mother's house. And then we're taking an extended weekend off together. What are you doing?" he asked, uninterested but wanting to change the subject.
"Oh. It's just me and George and Izzie and Alex and Cristina at the house. Izzie's cooking, Alex and Cristina are bringing the alcohol, George is hunting the turkey and I...I'm just kinda...there."
Derek was about to say something when Addison walked in, briefcase in hand. "Ready to go?" she asked Derek.
Derek smiled, relieved at his wife's rescue. "Yeah. Let's go."
Addison looked at Meredith. "Have a nice Thanksgiving, Grey," she said with a smile.
Meredith looked taken aback. "Uh, you too, Dr. Shepherd."
Addison slipped her arm under Derek's, and the two of them walked out together, with Meredith watching them.
"How's she doing, Derek?" Addison asked him.
"Richard was right. She is promising." And he left it at that. He didn't really want to tell her that Meredith had an obvious crush on him. Not that it mattered, since Derek had eyes only for Addison. But he still didn't want to tell her.
Addison leaned her head against his shoulder. "I'm glad we're spending the whole weekend together. I've missed you."
"Me too, Addie," Derek said truthfully. Lately he had felt so distant from her. Whenever he got home late, she was usually sleeping, and vice versa. They rarely had lunch together anymore, and hadn't been to Joe's in forever. His main concern was now focused on teaching Meredith. Meredith...she seemed so sad and lonely. But she had friends. But she seemed like she needed something more...
Derek shook his head. Erasing all thoughts of Meredith from his mind, he walked out of Seattle Grace with his wife by his side to enjoy the weekend together.