Chapter 37: Twenty Questions

Derek couldn't believe he had just told her he was falling in love with her, but he knew this is what this was. He hadn't planned on saying it, but it spilled out of him. He went from being insanely jealous, to proving to both of them who she belonged with, to telling her something very serious. He had a feeling this was going to be a long night filled with many emotions but right now, he needed to keep the conversation light and airy until they got back to the island. Derek kept his eyes intently on hers wondering what was going on in her head.

She chewed on her bottom lip. She knew how she felt, there was no doubt in her mind, "Derek… I…"

Derek interrupted her, "You know what… we have a long night ahead of us." He smirked and tucked in a stray strand of hair behind her ear before continuing, "Let's get dressed, get back to the house, and do this again."

Meredith smiled although she had things she wanted to say. She figured maybe it should just wait for now, "As long as you feed me eventually." She smirked.

"Damn woman… we just left dinner." Derek laughed trying to help her gather her clothes.

"Yeah, but I am working up an appetite for sure." She put on her bra that Derek had handed her.

"I think we can make arrangements for you to be fed. Let's get going." Derek beamed a smile at her, helping her to the passenger side of the car.

Meredith started giggling slightly.

"What?" Derek asked curiously.

"My pants. They ripped down the leg."

"Was it worth it?" Derek laughed watching her fiddle with the rip as he was pulling on his boxers and jeans. His shirt never actually came off.

She looked at him with a devious smile, "You will be paying… for it."

"I hope you are right about that." He started the Hummer back up chuckling a bit, shifting into drive. Derek wanted to put that empty hand on her thigh, but thought it would be best for them to make small talk back to the island.

"What is your favorite breakfast food?" Derek asked wanting to learn things about her.

"What?"

"You heard me, favorite breakfast food." Derek let out a few laughs.

"Is this twenty questions now?" Meredith wasn't sure what to think about this.

"It can be what you want it to be. However, I need to know what you want me to make you in the morning for breakfast. Twenty questions sounds good. We take turns asking questions while we drive the 20 minutes back to the island." Derek explained.

Meredith couldn't believe he wanted to know the little stuff much less cook breakfast for her. He really was in this more than just the sex. She never has found that… in any man. "Pizza."

"That isn't a breakfast… a good day starts with a good breakfast."

"Says who?" Meredith amusingly asked.

"Me… I say it and I will not be cooking you pizza in the morning. So, what will it be?" Derek became more fascinated with this woman sitting beside him by the second.

"You don't have to… um… I mean… I won't be staying all night." Meredith nervously replied.

Derek hoped she would stay the night. He couldn't help but be disappointed, but he couldn't show her that. "Oh. Well, for the future then. Tell me… what will it be?"

"Waffles… I like waffles with the good stuff on it."

"I can do waffles; I even have fruit to go on top for the good stuff. I have a waffle maker and all."

Meredith laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"First of all, you are a boy, and you have a waffle maker. Secondly, good stuff… isn't fruit. Good stuff is that strawberry stuff with all the syrup and sugar with the strawberries, whipped cream, covered with some chocolate sauce. That is the good stuff."

Derek couldn't help but shake his head in amusement, "Where do you put all of that?"

Meredith shrugged, "It is the best though."

"I am sure it is. Like I said, a good day starts with a good breakfast."

"That is a good breakfast… tastes delicious." She licked her lips.

"So, your turn, question." Derek replied enjoying this casual conversation they were having that a real and normal couple would.

"Hmmm… What is the last book you read?"

"The Appeal by John Grisham."

"Ah, a Grisham fan."

"Yeah, you know how it is, we read a lot on deployments and things, so I read whatever is around. It was one of those types of things. I do enjoy the law books." Derek said casually.

"Okay, so who are some of your favorite authors then?" Meredith asked curiously.

"It is my turn for a question." Derek chuckled, "But, some of my favorites are David Baldacci, James Patterson, Ayn Rand, and most of the classics like Fitzgerald, Salinger, Hemingway, Steinbeck, Thoreau. You know, I read any book that looks half decent. I will pick up anything on the boat to read, to pass time. What about you? Do you read?" Derek said amusingly.

"Smart ass… yes, I read. I actually have a guilty pleasure right now that is a little pathetic, but I can't get enough of them." She blushed slightly.

Derek looked over at her… how beautiful she looked sitting there with almost a kid like expression on her face, "What is your guilty pleasure?"

"There are these books about vampires and vampires and the human world. It is actually set up here in Washington. It is just… I am in love with a vampire." She laughed sheepishly.

Derek just busted out laughing. He had no clue she was this girl… that would read this shit, "You… you read romance novels?"

"I am a woman you know." She mocked.

"Yes, I am very well aware of that. But, you… I never thought you would read… romance stories. You are all tough and hard… really you are nothing but a ball full of love and romance." He quickly stopped laughing realizing this is a layer to Meredith. She wanted the romance… the love, but she kept up the hard edge. He understood her need to be closed off, but he hoped she would one day completely let down her guard with him.

"Yeah, well, don't go ruining my reputation. It isn't something I tell people." Meredith rolled her eyes, finding her hand on his thigh like it was something normal that they do all the time. She looked down at it, "Sorry." She whispered moving her hand.

"No." He said and grabbed it quickly, "I like it… if you are okay with it."

Meredith contemplated, "Yeah. I am."

"So, Meredith Grey… queen of the romance novel." He laughed breaking up the serious moment. There would be time for that later in the night.

"Yeah, we are all closet queens of the romance novels. It is kind of funny. Not all of us are in the closet though. I bet Stevens reads them all and talks about them while we are on detachments and deployment. People like Montgomery and I… we read them, but we "find" them lying around in our offices or in common areas and we would NEVER dare to talk about them." Meredith explained thinking about how stupid it really was, but it was all about image as a hard-core female officer who was a bad ass pilot.

"Women… strange creatures really." He laughed with her resting his hand on top of hers on his thigh.

"Seriously?" She looked at him.

"Oh yes, seriously."

"But men couldn't live without us." She laughed with him truly finding herself having a good time.

Derek shook his head in agreement. "Very true, very true."

After a few seconds, Meredith realized they were pulling into Oak Harbor, "We are almost there."

"We are." Derek repeated.

Meredith opened her mouth to speak, then again before finally saying, "This was... everything… it was really nice."

"I want to know you, Meredith. That is all… trying to get to know you… the real you."

"I want you to know the real me as much as I want to know the real you." Meredith looked at him with her hand still resting underneath his on his thigh.

"You will… know me." He then lowered the sound of his voice, "Every inch of me tonight."

Meredith felt her stomach flutter, anticipating what the night would bring. Thankful it had worked out the way it had with them leaving together earlier than anticipated. "Every inch."

The forces were going full force tonight… magnetizing them together in this moment in time.