Chapter 11 – Kiss the girl

Life seemed to settle smoothly for Derek in Seattle. After nearly 4 months, he couldn't brag he was the new head of neurosurgery, but he was satisfied to have performed some complex and successful surgeries. Besides that, he also could team up with Meredith and he enjoyed that the most.

His relationship with Daniel had grown, too. It wasn't Damon that Daniel was looking for first in the morning, anymore. Damon was still his best friend, but Derek was his father and they seemed to share the same hobbies.

This morning started with Derek and Daniel only, because Meredith had to go to the hospital very early and Damon couldn't get up so early. After breakfast, Derek helped Daniel get dressed and then they left together to the daycare and hospital.

"Dad!" Daniel shouted at him from the backseats, his hands tightly pressed against his ears. "Daddy! Dad!" he shouted, trying to make himself heard through the loud music.

Tapping his fingers against the steering wheel and singing along with the song, Derek didn't hear him right away; just when he glanced through the rear-view mirror. He turned the music lower and looked back at him.

"Dad! Daddy!" just then Daniel was calling him again.

"Did you just call me 'dad'?" Derek chuckled, surprised.

"I don't like the music!" Daniel shouted, still holding his ears covered.

"I turned the volume lower!" Derek shouted back and laughed. "In case you didn't notice," he added slower.

Exhausted from all the shouting, Daniel let his arms relax beside his body and he sighed with relief.

"And I thought we liked The Clash," Derek said.

Daniel shook his head. "I don't," he answered. "They suck."

"What did you just say?" Derek demanded. He had started to get used to Daniel's each new surprising word, but this one was a little too surprising. "Who taught you that word?" he asked him.

"Cristina doesn't like it," Daniel explained.

"Oh, so it was Cristina that taught you the word. I should have known," he muttered under his breath. Derek stopped at the red light and turned to look at his son. "And did you just call me 'dad'?"

Daniel seemed to be thinking sincerely about that. He ran his hands over his face and brushed the hair away. Then he nodded. "Cristina says I am big boy now. I need a dad."

Derek was staring at Daniel now. Two nights ago, he and Meredith went out and Cristina had to stay and babysit Daniel for the night, therefore he shouldn't have been surprised with what Daniel was saying.

"You can call me 'dad'," he wanted to make sure Daniel knew exactly who his father was.

"I know," Daniel nodded convincingly.

A honk made Derek notice the green light. He shifted in his chair and started the car.

"Daddy?" Daniel asked, from the backseats.

"Yes?"

"I want a car."

Derek smiled to himself. "This is not the proper manner to ask your parent for a new toy, but we'll stop by the store in one of these days and we'll choose a new model."

Daniel grinned. "I want to drive. Can I drive with you, daddy?"

"Do you want to drive a big car? Like this one?" Derek asked, amused.

"Yes!" Daniel beamed. "Damon says you are going to buy me a car."

"He did not!" Derek growled. He slowed down and glanced back at his son and could not believe how convinced he looked. "I am sure he was just joking. You're too little to have a car."

"But..." Daniel stuttered, not prepared for this 'no'.

"He was. Honestly," Derek tried to convince him. "Besides, while you still have 'mommy' and 'daddy' in your vocabulary, you're too little to even think about driving one. Of course, Damon had to come with a bright idea. Anything just to stay your favorite," Derek was no longer talking to his son. Though it was hard to admit, sometimes he liked Damon, but there were other times, like when Damon was talking with Daniel about life, when he would give anything just to have him out of their lives. "Does your mother know about this?"

No answer came from Daniel and as Derek looked in the rear-view mirror, he saw him glaring out his window. It happened that he and Meredith had a few disagreements and Daniel assisted on some of them, of course, taking his mother's side. He didn't like when his father was raising his voice to his mother.

Derek sighed and calmed down. "Did you tell her about your new wish?" Derek asked him, in a softer voice and even trying to sound amused. He saw Daniel shaking his head. "What if she says no?" Derek asked, curious. "Would you give up just like that?"

Daniel looked up at his father, confused. "Uh..."

As Daniel seemed to have trouble answering, Derek glanced at him, again. He was pleasantly surprised to find that look on his face which was asking for his support. Derek chuckled. "We'll talk about this."

"Daddy?" Daniel asked after a short while of silence.

"Yes?"

"Are you boss with mommy?"

"What?" Derek started to laugh, confused with what Daniel was trying to ask.

"Mommy is the boss. Right?"

Derek couldn't stop laughing. "Umm... kind of. I mean, I am mommy's boss at work, but at home... I guess she's the boss."

"And my boss is?"

Derek shook his head, smiling. "You don't have a boss, because you're too little to have one. But you have both parents and you have to listen to both of them."

"And Damon..." Daniel needed to ask. "And Cristina."

"Yeah..." Derek rolled his eyes.

Soon he pulled the car in the parking lot. He helped Daniel out of the car and took his bagpack. While Derek zipped his jacket and arranged the bagpack on his shoulders, Daniel was looking at the car, admiring it. Derek chuckled and ruffled his hair.

Daniel smiled and took his hand, walking together to the hospital.

"There will a race on TV this weekend," Derek told Daniel. "Make time so we can watch it together."

Daniel grinned up at him, thrilled with the idea.

As they stepped into the lobby, Daniel pulled his hand from Derek's and ran off. Derek wanted to shout and stop him, but then he saw Damon.

"How did you get here before us?" Derek asked. "You were sleeping."

"No, I wasn't," Damon smirked. "I didn't sleep home," he explained.

"Do you live here in the hospital now? Because you're here most of the time."

Damon just smiled. "Danny, I came to pick you up for a short trip through town. What do you say?" he asked the boy.

"Yes!" Daniel beamed.

"Wait! Wait!" Derek stopped him. "What do you mean you came to pick him up? Why? And where are you taking him?"

Daniel checked his watch. "I don't really have that much time to stay and explain. Meredith knows I am taking him." He picked Daniel into his arms and told him, "Tell Daddy goodbye."

"Bye!" Daniel waved, smiling.

Derek opened his mouth to protest, but Damon was walking through the doors, already. His hands clutched into fists. He turned to the elevators and stopped at the floor he thought he might find Meredith.

He found her, indeed, at the nurses' station, with Cristina.

"Are you serious?" his voice trembled with anger as he tried to keep his voice down.

Meredith looked up from the chart, surprised. "Good morning to you, too," she smiled.

"Damon just took Daniel. Out of my hands. And he left. Without any explanation."

Meredith smiled and shook her head. "I know. He came and asked permission."

"He didn't ask for my permission," Derek retorted.

"Derek," Meredith sighed. "He was in a hurry," she tried to excuse Damon.

"At 7 o'clock in the morning?"

"Derek,"

"Don't do it. I thought we talked about this."

"And he listened. This is different."

"How come?" Derek asked sarcastically.

She sighed and scrambled into the chart, muttering. "He's moving out."

"What?" Both Cristina and Derek asked.

Meredith looked at each of them. "His sister is moving in Seattle, so he's going to live with her. She's coming next week and so he took Danny to explain him the situation. And he came this early because he needs to leave later for a lawsuit in New York."

"When did he get a sister?" Cristina asked. "And why all of a sudden?"

Derek and Meredith turned and looked at Cristina, as there was something in her voice that sounded like panic.

"Do you have a crush on him?" Derek asked, joking.

Cristina stared at him for a moment and then smiled. "I was just asking. Did you know he has a sister?" she asked Meredith.

Meredith had to admit, she didn't.

"Do we know anything about this man, who just came and took your son?" she asked then.

"I have to agree with her on this," Derek stated.

Meredith looked at them, trying not to freak out, because a little they did manage to scare her. "I might not know everything about him, but try raising a child by yourself and then ask again." She shut the chart and put it behind the counter, then she walked away.

"You might want to fix this," Cristina muttered to Derek.

Derek looked at her. "You were on call last night, weren't you?"

"Why do you care?"

"And he slept here."

"Who?"

Derek just smiled at her and then walked away, to go and talk to Meredith. They were a couple now, but they weren't a perfect one. They still had issues they had to work on and communication and Derek's jealousy on Damon were some of them.

"Mer," he caught up with her when she stepped into the elevator.

"Derek," she pressed the button for her floor and then turned to Derek. "I am having a good morning. I saved two women, without much trouble, and now I am going to lay down because in a short while I have to be in the OR. So please, don't ruin my morning."

"I am sorry," he took her hand.

"You should be happy with the news."

"But you're not."

"Does it matter?"

Derek sighed and pulled her into his arms. "It matters to me."

She gave up on her anger and put her arms around him. "I am so tired. You have no idea how exhausting it is to be in the middle of 3 men." She pulled away, holding his hand. "Actually, with 3 boys, because neither you nor Damon are much older than Daniel." She took a deep breath and asked, "Ok. What's the problem now? What did Damon do?"

Derek looked at her, amused. She seemed to be a mommy with everyone, all the time. "It's nothing."

Meredith lifted her brow, knowing them better.

"He and Cristina spend too much time together and too much with Daniel," Derek started off. "They teamed up in bed and now they have to team up against me."

"Who teamed up in bed?" Meredith interrupted.

Derek narrowed his eyes. "Didn't you assist to her reaction?"

"Damon and Cristina?" Meredith made a face. "No! They don't like each other."

Derek shrugged his shoulders. "It seems to me that they do like. Or at least they get along pretty well. This considering how Cristina thinks Daniel is a big boy now and he can learn bad words and how Damon considers him old enough to ask me to buy him a car and drive."

Meredith had stopped and turned to look at him. "What?"

"You heard me. Now Daniel wants a car, because Damon told him I would buy him one. Oh and Cristina can't tell Daniel which music he likes and which he doesn't. That's up to his choice."

Meredith rolled her eyes and started walking again.

"Oh, don't tell me this isn't serious," Derek growled. "He wants to drive a car, Mer! And he's not even 4, yet. As for the music and other things he likes, he needs to figure which are those things. We don't have to influence him."

Meredith headed to an on call room, entered in and closed the door. Derek stopped in front of the door and sighed. He opened it and walked in. Meredith had laid onto the bed, already.

"You asked," he apologized.

Meredith smiled and turned onto one side. "I am sure Damon wasn't talking about a real car. And if he was, then he wasn't talking about one, right now."

"That's what Danny understood."

"And the problem with the music? Is it because he doesn't like The Clash anymore? Derek, his tastes change every week. Oh and I should point out, that you put this music and made him listen, so of course, he learned a few words and likes the songs. Don't you ever get tired of a song?"

Derek walked up to her bed and lay down with her. She turned around and spooned into his arms.

"Don't you have work to do?" she asked.

"Not for the next 5 minutes," he kissed the back of her neck.

"Good," she relaxed, cuddling into his arms. "You're so silly, Derek."

"I prefer to take that as a compliment," Derek mused.

She answered with a giggle.

"I think I will buy Danny a car, tough. For his birthday. You know, one those mini cars that he could drive in the backyard. What do you think?"

"I think that's a bad idea and I don't agree," she answered straight.

"He's not old enough," Derek agreed. "You're the best mother in the world, Mer."

"I know," she answered smugly. She rolled onto her back and looked at Derek. "And you're the worst father in the world, sometimes" she stated straightly. "And I mean it."

Derek sighed and nodded sadly. "At least, it's sometimes."

"Maybe now that Damon will be out of the house, you'll do better."

He just smiled and stroked her cheek.

"We don't have much left from our 5 minutes," she smiled.

"We still have a minute or two for a few kisses," he leaned in, kissing her softly.

"And a bit of touching," she ran her fingers along his arm.

"And a bit of touching," he shivered, laying onto his back, with Meredith moving on top of him.

"Hey! Meredith! Wait up!"

Meredith stopped and turned around, surprised to hear Cristina shouting after her. "Look who decided to come out of her hiding place." She folded her arms across her chest and waited for her friend to catch up her breath.

"Yeah... well..." Cristina shrugged her shoulders, panting.

"You've been avoiding me all day and now your running after me."

"Ok. So... what now?"

Meredith eyed her friend, closely. "Neither of you said anything. My best friends."

Cristina looked at her shoes, guilty, and just glanced at her friend.

"How long?" Meredith asked.

"A few times. A couple of times," Cristina stuttered. "It's been a while. But nothing serious. Nothing to worth ... detailing to our friends."

"Friend," Meredith corrected her. "Not worth it?"

"The sex? Totally worth it, but the confessions... you know. It wasn't serious. I mean it."

"You seemed pretty affected this morning when I mentioned that Damon was moving," she pointed out.

"I know," Cristina sighed. "That was pathetic of me. I might have one of those stupid 'he's leaving, I'm losing him. Omg, I am in love with him' -moments."

Meredith checked her watch. It was the evening of her work day and she had talked to Derek to head home earlier today. She was on her way to the daycare, but she was also interested in hearing more about the Cristina and Damon thing.

"I need to pick Danny from the daycare, so talk as you walk," she asked her friend.

"What else do you want me to say? There isn't anything interesting, really. I mean, I don't know what to say."

Meredith glanced at her friend and sighed. "Then I don't know what to ask."

They stepped into the elevator and after a few minutes, while none of them spoke a word, Meredith said, "You didn't like him."

"I didn't," Cristina admitted. "Here's the secret, though. The sparks? Insanely sexy."

Meredith glanced at her and started to laugh.

"What?"

"Nothing. It's just... I need to take a picture of you two. What you're saying sounds unbelievable to me."

"You think I am lying?" Cristina frowned. "I don't need to lie. You can ask him when he gets back. And if he denies, I will torture him until he admits it. And he doesn't stand the torture," she added, wriggling her brows.

"Ok. I want details, but from that topic. So not appealing."

"It would appeal you," Cristina stated. "How is it going with Derek? Is he still pissed?"

"We had sex after that, so we're good now. He's good now. At least until Damon returns home. I hope he will have better feelings toward Damon, now that he's moving out."

"What I said this morning about Damon..." Cristina started off. "He's great with Danny, because he's natural with him. He doesn't try hard as Derek does."

Meredith couldn't agree more. "Derek needs to relax." She sighed as they stopped in front of the classroom. "I bet he's cranky. He hasn't seen me today and Derek didn't have time to come down and see him."

"He's such a mommy's boy," Cristina rolled her eyes, smiling.

"I know," Meredith giggled. "How cute is that?" Meredith stopped before pushing the door open and stopped Cristina, too. "Oh, and don't teach Danny bad words."

"I am not!"

"Something you taught him because Derek was very pissed about it," Meredith warned him.

"Ugh..." Cristina groaned, rolling her eyes. "Derek needs to get laid. Oh, wait! He does get laid. Then he needs help."

"I was just saying."

They walked into the classroom and Meredith expected to spot her son immediately. There were 3 boys on a table, other group of 4 in a corner and few others spread separately.

"Do you see Danny anywhere?" she asked Cristina.

Cristina was closely scanning the room, too. "No," she answered, confused.

"Mommy!"

In that moment, a pair of little arms wrapped around Meredith's legs.

Meredith looked down and almost didn't recognize her son.

"What happened with him?" Cristina questioned, staring down at Daniel.

Meredith knelt down at Daniel's level. "What happened to your hair?"

"I cut it," Daniel smiled shyly.

"You did?"

"Uh-huh," he nodded. "And Damon cut it, too. I look pretty now?"

Meredith laughed and pulled him into her arms. "You looked pretty before, too, but yes, you look pretty now."

"He has eyes!" Cristina exclaimed, laughing. "And a forehead!"

Meredith glared up at her friend.

"He looks adorable." His teacher came to them.

"He does," Meredith smiled at her.

"Is that mousse in his hair?" Cristina asked.

"Who fixed his hair, took care of everything," the teacher nodded.

Meredith ran her fingers over his short spikes and giggled. She had such a handsome son. "Do you like it?"

"Yes," Daniel answered.

"Bye Danny!" a little girl waved at him, standing before her table.

While his teacher went to bring his stuff, Daniel ran to that girl. Meredith and Cristina watched him gently holding her arms and kissing her on the cheek.

Meredith's mouth fell open.

"It's been like this all day," the teacher told them. "He has a great success with his new haircut."

"Really?" Meredith laughed, surprised.

"Why is that boy kissing my daughter?"

They turned as a man had just walked in.

Meredith and Cristina smiled at each other, while Daniel ran to them. Cristina picked him up and Meredith took his things.

"Because he's cute," she said as she walked past that girl's father.

"He has his father's charm," Cristina stated.

"Doesn't he?" Meredith laughed. "Do I have charm at all? Did he get any from me?"

"No," her friend answered frankly. "Not at all." She put Daniel down and gave his hand to Meredith. "Enjoy your evening with your boys."

"Yours will come soon," Meredith teased.

Cristina just waved her hand as she walked away.

"Did Damon tell you that he's going to move?" Meredith asked her son, while heading to the lobby, where Derek was waiting for them.

"Uh-huh," he nodded.

Meredith looked down at him, confused. He didn't seem affected at all by that thought, and she hoped he wasn't confused about what that meant.

"And are you ok?"

Daniel looked up at her and nodded. "Yes, mommy."

Meredith decided to leave this for later. Right now she was tired and her head was full.

"His hair," Derek noticed as they got closer.

"Cute, isn't it?" Meredith giggled.

"Very handsome," Derek picked up his son into his arms. "Who took care of his new look?"

Meredith just smiled at him.

"Oh," Derek nodded and smiled. "It's ok. He looks ok," he acted as if he wasn't impressed. "Did he tell him?"

"Yes. Let's see how it goes when that moment will come."

That was one of Derek's favorite evenings; when he was with his family only, eating dinner, talking about their day and just be together.

"Shouldn't we... uh..." Meredith moaned as Derek's lips lowered down her neck. "Check on Danny."

"Right away," he grinned as he picked her up and set her on the edge of the sink.

Meredith laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck. "You give words a new mean."

"Just this time," he grinned against her lips, nipping her bottom lip.

Meredith pulled back, holding herself on Derek's shoulders. "This reminds me of the times we started dating. We could have sex whenever and wherever."

"Those were fun days. Not that these are boring, because they're not. But I miss those days. I..."

She put a finger on his lips and kissed him. "One of us needs to go and check on Danny."

"I am going."

"And I will be there in a minute."

He picked her into his arms and got her off the sink, kissing her before letting her go.

Upstairs, Daniel was laying onto his stomach, drawing on a piece of paper. "What you're doing, buddy?" he asked, walking up to his bed.

Startled by his quiet appearance, Daniel gasped and put his hands over the paper.

Derek chuckled and lay down across from him, closely looking at Daniel's paper. "What are you drawing there?" he asked, curious.

"Nothing," Daniel mumbled.

"What is it?" Derek became more curious.

Daniel whimpered and stood up to take his drawing and leave, but in that moment, Derek took advantage and stole the paper.

"Mommy!" Daniel started to cry.

Derek gave it back quickly, surprised with his reaction. "There you go. I didn't mean to upset you."

Upset now, Daniel was careless with the paper, so Derek could title his head and try to figure why Daniel was hiding that drawing. Daniel wasn't quite an artist.

"What's going on here?" Meredith demanded, showing up in the doorway.

Daniel just glanced at her, pouted and Derek smiled innocently.

"He's hiding something," he told her.

"Why are you nosy, Derek?" Meredith scolded. She walked in and came to the bed. "What's that, Danny?" she softly asked her son.

"Why am I nosy, Derek," Derek mocked her, laughing.

Meredith giggled and threw a pillow in him.

Daniel was sitting on the bed now, with the paper on his legs, watching them.

"Are we disturbing?" Meredith asked him.

Daniel just shrugged his shoulders.

"Do you need help with whatever you're doing?" Derek asked and Daniel shook his head.

The boy sighed and put the paper aside. "I want to draw something."

"What did you draw there?" Derek asked him.

Daniel smiled shyly, "For Sarah."

Derek looked up at Meredith, who started to laugh.

"I forgot to tell you," she grinned at Derek. "He kissed a girl today."

"What?" Derek started to laugh and ruffled Danny's hair.

The boy whimpered and slapped his hand away. He didn't seem to appreciate all the laughing around him. He threw the paper aside and crawled out of the bed.

"Aww..." Meredith picked him up and put him back on the bed. "I am sorry. We weren't making fun of you. You're just so cute."

Daniel fidgeted and stepped away from his mother, sitting in a corner of the bed.

"You don't have to feel embarrassed," Derek told him. "It was nice what you did. Look at this," he said and at the same time, he pulled Meredith down next to him. He planted a kiss on her cheek, making her giggle. "See how they smile after you kiss them?" he wanted to show to his son. "What's her name again?"

"Sarah," Daniel muttered.

"I'll help you right her name on the paper. This will impress her. Ok?"

Daniel smiled at his father and nodded.

"Even better," Derek came up with an idea. "We'll draw together. You for your girl and me for mine."

Daniel looked at him, questioning, "For mommy?"

Meredith and Derek started to laugh. "Yes. She's my girl, isn't she?"

Daniel nodded. He climbed off the bed and went to bring more papers and more crayons, everything they needed to make art for their girls.

"Isn't he too little to be preoccupied with girls?" Meredith asked, a little worried. It was cute what Derek and Daniel were doing, but Meredith wasn't sure if that was right.

Derek smiled knowingly. "You might know everything about what he likes to play, eat and other stuff, but with the girls is different. I got this," he reassured her.

"Ok," Meredith giggled. "Don't keep him up too late. I am going to take a bath and I don't want to freeze in the bathtub."

Derek kissed her on the cheek. "I won't forget about you."

"I hope," she smiled and kissed him back. She got up from the bed, while Derek and Daniel were making themselves comfortable next to each other.

"Danny?" Meredith stopped in the doorway and looked at her son. "Isn't he the best Daddy?"

Meredith smiled at Derek as she asked that and saw a big grin lighting up his face.

"Yes," Daniel answered right away.

Pulling Daniel into his arms, Derek mouthed a 'Thank you' at Meredith. Maybe she didn't mean it for real, this morning when she called him the worst daddy.

"You're not that bad," she told him, as if she had read his mind.