The Seventh Sense is Love

Wanting to Get to Know Each Other

Meredith and Lexie are sitting in the hospital cafeteria having lunch. Meredith knows that Lexie is talking to her and she should be paying attention but she can't seem to focus. Her mind keeps drifting to Derek. Their coffee 'date' had been two days ago. Which means their real date is tomorrow night. She was still surprised that she'd agreed to dinner with him. It wasn't her. Meredith Grey did not date. She didn't have time or want to make time for dating. And yet, she had a date with Derek Shepherd the following evening and she felt like a giddy school girl about it.

"Meredith!" Lexie says loudly.

I'm sorry, Lex," Meredith says after jumping out of her skin and focusing on Lexie again. "I'm distracted and not trying to ignore you."

"Are you still mad that Molly and I made you shop for Laura?" Lexie asks with a sigh.

"No," Meredith answers with an involuntary grin.

"You're smiling... about shopping," Lexie says and narrows her eyes at her sister. "What are you not telling me?"

"Nothing," Meredith answers with a giggle.

"Meredith Grey, you are lying!"

"Okay, you're right," Meredith says with a grin. "I'm not telling you something. And since you and Molly tried to torture me with shopping I'm going to make you wait to know what I'm distracted about."

"That's mean," Lexie says with a gasp.

"And it wasn't mean of you and Molly to force me into a mall?"

"That's different!"

"It's not different at all. Now tell me what you were just saying. I'm paying attention now."

"Will you tell us what's up with you at dinner tonight with Molly?"

"Yes."

"Good. I was complaining to you about Dr. Yang. She rides my ass all the time."

"Lexie, Cristina is your Resident - she's doing her job by riding your ass."

Lexie's mouth falls open in surprise. "You just called Dr. Yang by her first name. You never do that, Meredith. What is going on with you?"

Meredith shrugs and smiles, "Cristina and I are sort of becoming friends. We went to Joe's last week and ate lunch together yesterday. She's sarcastic, funny, smart and a little bitchy. I'm a little sorry I haven't been friendlier over the past couple of years."

"Wow," Lexie states with a small smile. "I'm proud of you for opening up but I feel a little strange about my sister and my resident becoming friends."

"Don't worry Lex," Meredith says with a straight face. "It won't cause a conflict of interest."

"Shut up," Lexie says with a giggle. "So, is your blossoming friendship with Cristina what you're all smiley and distracted about?"

"Nice try," Meredith says with a smile as she thinks of Derek again, "but no. I'm not telling you until dinner with Molly."

"Fine."

The sisters finish their lunch and then go back to work - Lexie to the clinic and Meredith into surgery.
*

"Derek?"

"Yeah?" Derek turns in the direction of his office and his sisters voice.

"Are you actually whistling?"

"Yeah, I guess I am," Derek says with a smile. "Sorry, was it distracting you?"

"No," Kathleen answers. "I'm just surprised to hear it."

"Oh. I guess I haven't been myself for a long time. Thanks for sticking by me even when I've been a complete ass, Kathleen." Derek opens his arms and hears his sister's surprised gasp. He smiles as he listens to her move quickly across the room and into his arms. Derek gives his sister a big hug and kisses her on the forehead and says, "I love you."

"I love you too Derek," Kathleen answers as her voice cracks.

"Are you crying?" Derek asks with a grin on his face.

"Yes, a little, you brat," Kathleen replies. "For the record, you've had every right to be an ass."

"I've had some right," Derek says as he goes to sit on his couch, "but not every right. I should've been a lot nicer to you and David. And Mark, Miranda and Richard, too. You're the ones that stuck by me. Jesus Kathleen, you and David even uprooted your kids and your lives to come out here and help me. Instead of being grateful - I've been a real pain in the ass."

"I won't pretend it's always been easy Derek, but you need us," Kathleen states as she sits next to her brother. "Plus, moving here turned out to be a really good thing for David and I."

"What do you mean?"

Kathleen sighs and then says, "We were having problems and we both believe that moving here to Seattle probably saved our marriage."

"I'm sorry Kathleen - I didn't know..."

"No one did, Derek. I didn't tell you because you had more than enough to adjust to with losing your sight, not being able to work and Addison..."

"I don't want to talk about Addison."

Kathleen sighs again then says, "Are you ever going to talk about her?"

"What's the point?"

"Derek?"

"Kathleen - I'm in a good mood. I really don't want to discuss Addison. Okay?"

"All right," Kathleen agrees with a sigh. Then she carefully asks, "Does your good mood have something to do with possibly going back to work at Seattle Grace?"

"What?" Derek asks - surprise in his voice. "No. I told you that I turned Richard down."

"I'm glad you're happier Derek - but what is going on? You've been increasingly better since..." her voice trails off and she looks at her brother to see him smiling happily. Kathleen asks, "Did you say that you met Meredith the same day you went to meet with Richard?"

"Yes."

"Derek, is Meredith the reason you're whistling?"

"Yep," he says, grinning again. "Meredith and I are having dinner together tomorrow night."

"Really? That's kind of fast."

Derek sighs, "Kathleen, you're my sister and you've been here for me the past few years so I get why you'd say that, but you don't have to worry."

"Of course I'm going to worry. After everything that you've been through..."

"Kath, I like Meredith. She's smart, she's funny, she smells good. I didn't have to grope around for my coffee because she put it directly into my hand without being asked. I want to get to know her. Let that be enough for now and don't worry about me."

Kathleen doesn't reply as she studies her brother. He's very calm but he has the stubborn Shepherd expression on his face. Much the way he had when he decided he wanted to fish because he missed having work to do. He'd been right about that - she could only hope his instincts were right about Meredith. God knows he deserves the happiness.

"Did you just say Meredith smells good?" Kathleen asks with a small laugh.

"Yes," Derek answers with a smile - glad that his sister wasn't going to give him a hard time right now.

Kathleen leans over and kisses her brother on the cheek, gets off the couch and heads toward his kitchen. "I'm done balancing your books. Do you have everything you need to cook tomorrow night or do we need a trip to the grocery store?"

"We need a trip to the store," Derek answers as he gets up to follow his sister - whistling.