"So when's Derek going to make us dinner?" Lexie asked as she and Meredith walked up and down the aisles of the grocery store.

"How about....never?" Meredith asked as she looked down at the list Derek had given her. The list she had been given very strict instructions not to stray from at all.

"But he's coming over to our house," Lexie insisted. "Shouldn't we be allowed to eat whatever he makes?"

"No," Meredith replied. "Look at this. He wrote 'Lettuce. A full head, not the prepackaged salads you think count as lettuce.' Seriously. Just because I can't cook he thinks I can't grocery shop either. The man's an idiot."

Lexie giggled. "He loves you," she said. "He's just teasing you. It's sweet."

"I know," Meredith sighed as she pulled a head of lettuce off the shelf. "He's pretty amazing."

Lexie smiled. "So I talked to Dad today," she said casually.

"Lexie, he's not my dad and you know it," Meredith sighed as she reached for a bottle of salad dressing.

"I know," Lexie sighed. "But he wanted me to ask you to Thanksgiving."

"Thanksgiving's three weeks away," Meredith rolled her eyes.

"I know," Lexie said. "But it's just that last year you sat at home and ate pizza by yourself. And Mom and Dad weren't exactly happy when they found out about that. Especially since you did the same thing at Christmas."

"It's not a big deal," Meredith shrugged. "I hate holidays anyways."

"You're an elementary school teacher," Lexie pointed out. "How could you possibly hate holidays?"

"I like Halloween," Meredith suggested.

"You like Halloween because you slept with Derek on Halloween," Lexie said.

Meredith paused for a moment, staring at her sister before she pushed the shopping cart forward. "That's not the point."

"Okay, what is the point?" Lexie asked, moving to catch up with her.

"The point is…okay, I don't know what the point is," Meredith sighed. "But I'm not going to your dad's for Thanksgiving."

"Fine," Lexie sighed. "But if you change your mind…"

"I'm not going to change my…Derek?" Meredith frowned as she saw her boyfriend moving towards her.

"Hey," he said, leaning forward to kiss her gently before he took her hand. "Hi Lexie."

"What are you doing here?" Meredith asked.

"I have big news," Derek smiled. "I knew you were here and I didn't want to wait to tell you."

"Okay," she said slowly. "What is it?"

"I was just offered a position as an intern at Seattle Grace," Derek said with a grin. "Which means I won't be leaving after I graduate."

"Oh," Meredith blinked, nodding in surprise. She hadn't even thought of the fact that he might have been leaving Seattle the next year. "That's…great."

"That's really great," Derek nodded.

"Wait a minute," Lexie frowned. "You were offered an internship? Seattle Grace is the best hospital on the west coast. Getting an internship there is really competitive, and some of the best doctors in the country weren't accepted there."

"I know," Derek smirked. "But when you don't get a single point taken off on your boards and you perfect your clinicals…hospitals want you."

"You…got perfect scores on your boards?" Lexie asked with wide eyes. "That's… amazing."

"I know," Derek laughed.

"Oh God," Meredith rolled her eyes. "Don't inflate his ego even more."

"But…you're totally going to have to help me when I have to take the boards," Lexie said.

"You don't need his help," Meredith rolled her eyes. "You and your stupid photographic memory."

"Wow," Derek raised his eyebrows. "Someone's in a mood."

"Sorry," Meredith sighed. "I was just…I didn't even realize that you were even thinking about leaving the city. And I'm really glad that you're staying because we can stay together. And Lexie was talking about her dad, and I had a student throw up all over the floor of the classroom today. So it was just a long day."

"Hmmm," Derek nodded. "Well, I do believe that I owe you a dinner. And since you had a bad day, I'll pamper you all night."

Meredith smiled softly as she tilted her head into his. "Thank you," she whispered.

"My pleasure," Derek murmured. He turned to look at the cart and nodded in approval. "Good job, Mer."

"I can grocery shop," Meredith rolled her eyes as she pushed the cart towards the check out.

Derek smiled as he helped her begin to unload the groceries onto the belt. "This wasn't on my list," he said as he held up a can of whipped cream.

"I know," Meredith murmured, sliding closer to him. "I figured we could use it for… desert."

"Oh," Derek breathed as he swallowed hard and nodded. "Okay."

Meredith giggled as Lexie blushed furiously from beside her. "Meredith," she whispered. "We're in public."

"I know but it's fun," Meredith giggled. "Look at how red his face is."

"Okay, that's just…disturbing," Lexie shook her head.

Before any of them could say anything else, a voice from behind them said, "Derek? Is that you?"

All three of them turned, and Derek's eyes widened. "Rose," he said.

"Hi," she smiled awkwardly, her eyes falling to Meredith and Lexie for a moment before she turned back to Derek. "It's good to see you."

"You too," Derek smiled softly. "How's life at the hospital?"

"It's good," she smiled. "I um…I know this is awkward, but I just saw you and wanted to say hi, but…yeah. So hi."

Derek smiled as he nodded to her. "Um…This is Meredith and Lexie," he said, wondering whether it was spiteful to tell Rose that Meredith was his girlfriend. "Mer, Lexie, this is Rose."

"Rose," Meredith nodded, a slight smile spreading across her face. "It's nice to meet you."

"You too," Rose nodded slightly. "Look, I'm going to go, but…it was good to see you."

"Thanks," Derek smiled. "You too."

Rose smiled as she turned to walk away, and Meredith turned to look at Derek with raised eyebrows. "So that's the ex, huh?" she asked.

"You dated her?" Lexie asked.

Derek laughed as he reached for Meredith's hand. "She's nice," he said. "Not as nice as my amazing new girlfriend, but…she's part of my past." He ducked his head close to Meredith as he asked softly. "You okay?"

"Yeah," she smiled. "I'm fine. Let's just…pay and go home so we can eat. I'm starving."

"I'll drive your car home," Lexie offered, reaching for Meredith's keys. "You ride with Derek."

"Thanks Lexie," Meredith said as she handed her keys over. "We'll see you at home in a few minutes."

Derek looked at Meredith closely as she opened her wallet and slid her credit card machine as the cashier loaded their groceries into paper bags. "Mer," he said. "What's wrong?"

"I'm fine," she said. "Really, just a long day."

"Okay," Derek smiled softly, reaching for her hand. "I owe you a massage tonight."

Meredith smiled as she looked up at him. "Thank you," she whispered, glad that she at least had him after a long day.

XXXXX

"So you mentioned something about your dad?" Derek asked as he watched Meredith devour a piece of chocolate cake.

"I don't have a dad," Meredith shook her head. "Lexie has a dad."

"Okay," Derek nodded, leaning back in his chair and looking at her closely. "What about Lexie's dad?"

"He wants me to come over for Thanksgiving," Meredith sighed.

Derek frowned. He'd never really realized that his girlfriend didn't have anywhere to go on holidays. He hated that. "And you're not going?" he asked.

Meredith sighed as she set her fork down and leaned closer to him, taking his hand in hers. "Derek, look," she said softly. "I know that you have an amazing family. But you don't understand what it's like to have a dad who abandoned you when you were five, only to reach out to you again through your long lost sister you didn't know existed until you were twenty two. And you can't even imagine what it's like to have a mother that's so disappointed with you that she pays off your boyfriends to leave you and writes you out of her life when you decide to be a teacher instead of a doctor. So I know that you love me and you want what's best for me. But this…you'll never understand it."

Derek frowned as he looked at her, hating the fact that she had had so much negativity in her past. "Meredith," he said softly. "I know that I'm not going to understand what it's like to grow up with a shitty past like that. I hate that you had to experience that. And more than that…I hate that you're alone during the holidays."

Meredith shrugged as she moved to take their plates to the sink, leaning against the counter for a moment. "It's fine," she shrugged. "I hate holidays anyway."

"Meredith…." Derek breathed, standing to pull her into his arms. "You can't hate the holidays."

"I can," she nodded. "And it's not like I can go to your house, Derek. What would it be like for Meg to have her teacher at Grandma and Grandpa's house for Christmas?"

"I know," Derek sighed. "But…I don't know how to fix this, Mer. I'm supposed to be helping you to have a better life, and…I can't even help you be happy during the holidays."

Meredith smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him softly. "Thank you, Derek," she whispered. "I love you."

"I love you too," Derek whispered, sensing her desire to change the subject.

"I have to wake up early for school," Meredith whispered as she pressed her forehead against his.

"Is that a hint for me to leave?" Derek asked.

"Well, I was actually going for an invitation to stay," Meredith whispered.

"Oh, well…" Derek smiled. "A man can't turn down an offer like that."

"Good," Meredith smiled, tugging on his hand as her hands played over the hem of her sweater. "There might be a reward in there for you somewhere," she said as she pulled her sweater over her head and dropped it onto the floor.

Derek smiled as he scooped her into her arms and carried her towards the stairs. Meredith giggled loudly as she wrapped her legs around his waist, grinding her hips gently against his. "Don't drop me," she murmured in his ear, nibbling gently on his neck.

"God Mer," Derek breathed, pausing in the hall to press her against the wall, kissing her passionately as her fingers moved to the buttons of his shirt, gently trailing her fingers over the soft hair that was exposed on his chest at each release of the button.

"We need…" Meredith whispered as Derek's lips moved to her neck. "Derek, we need bed…my room…"

"Right," Derek swallowed hard, grabbing her thighs to wrap around his waist again as he stumbled back to her room, slamming the door behind them.

"Derek," Meredith breathed as he threw her onto the bed and climbed on top of her.

"I want you," Derek breathed, reaching around to unclasp her bra and drop it to the floor beside the bed. "God, Mer…you're so amazing."

Meredith sighed as she pushed his button down over his shoulders. "I need you," she whispered. "Derek…I need you inside me."

"Hmmm," Derek sighed, moving his lips down to her breasts. "Patience….Miss Grey."

Meredith arched her back as his lips moved to her stomach, planting gentle kisses around her belly button. "Derek," she whispered. "Please…"

"What do you want?" he murmured as he reached out to unbutton her pants.

"You," she whispered. "I…I want it hard. And fast."

Derek smiled as he pulled her pants down, her underwear quickly following. "I can do that," he nodded as he reached for his own pants. He quickly discarded them and climbed back onto the bed, taking in Meredith's flushed body, her chest rising and falling quickly as her skin took on a pink glow. "God, Mer," he whispered, his hand moving to his own erection. "You're so gorgeous."

"Derek," she panted, pulling him down to her and wrapping her legs around his waist. "Now. Please."

Derek nodded as he thrust into her quickly, causing her to arch her back and moan loudly.

"Derek," she breathed, feeling a warm heat rush through her body as his body moved quickly over her. "Oh my God…."

"Meredith…" Derek moaned as her nails clawed into his back. "Mer…"

Meredith sighed as she leaned her head back into the pillows, allowing Derek to have room to press his lips against her neck as he gripped her hips tightly. This was different from a couple nights. This sex was hot and passionate, and as Derek pounded himself into her, she found herself experiencing a new level of pleasure that she knew she'd never felt before.

"God, Derek," she groaned as she gripped his shoulders tightly, knowing that she was probably going to leave scratches. Her body began to tremble with the anticipation of her orgasm, and she tightened her legs around him. "Der…."

"Meredith," he moaned, bucking his hips as he tried to move again. "I need…I'm so close."

"Come," she demanded, releasing him and rising her hips to meet his. "Come for me, Derek."

Derek moaned loudly as he thrust hard into a couple more times, sighing in relief as he felt her muscles tighten around him. "Meredith," he breathed as he collapsed beside her on the bed.

"Wow," Meredith whispered, a hand reaching out to stroke his hair. "Derek…wow."

"That was…best…ever."

Meredith smiled as she cuddled into him, their sweaty limbs tangling together. "Definitely the best ever."

"I can stay right?" Derek whispered against her hair.

"Never move," Meredith shook her head against his chest. "Never ever moving."

"You have to work," Derek laughed. "And I have class."

"Fine," Meredith sighed. "No moving til morning."

"I can handle that," Derek whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I love you, Meredith Grey."

"And I love you, Derek Shepherd."