The Seventh Sense is Love

Intensifying Feelings

Meredith falls onto the little bed in the on call room - expecting to fall asleep immediately. Ten minutes later she sighs loudly, adjusts the pillow and rolls to her side. She is too exhausted to risk driving herself home but her mind isn't allowing her to sleep.

Meredith closes her eyes and allows her mind to wander to thoughts of Derek. It has been seven hours since she left his house so abruptly. She'd gone straight into surgery when she arrived at the hospital. Her patient was okay and it appears that he is going to make it. Since the emergency surgery, one thing after another had needed her attention and now she's been awake for thirty-six hours straight. She has the next thirty hours off - and she has to be at Laura's birthday party in five hours so she really needs some sleep first. The thing is she keeps feeling Derek's touch on her hair. She has already admitted to herself that she is very attracted to him but she is amazed at how comfortable she has become with him in such a tiny amount of time. It's true that she likes his sense of humor, his intelligence and his confident arrogance. And obviously she's physically attracted to him - she remembers their hot and heavy makeout session. It's Derek's acceptance of his own vulnerability that really reaches inside Meredith and touches her heart - making her feel things she can't define. When he'd run his hand down her hair the night before and really examined it through touch she had felt close to tears. It had felt like an important moment to her.

She wants to call and talk to Derek but it's too early in the morning. She sets the alarm on her phone to go off in four hours then closes her eyes again. Finally, she feels herself drifting toward sleep.
*

Mark Sloan looks at the man who has been his best friend for nearly all his life and wonders what is going on with him. This man fishing with him is relaxed in a way he hasn't been for far too long. Finally Mark says to Derek, "You seem different this morning."

"Different?" Derek asks, laughing.

"Yes, different," Mark says, sounding a little embarrassed. "Don't make me sound like an ass doing psycho-babble. Just tell me what's up with you."

Derek grins in his friend's direction and states, "I had a date last night."

Mark's head jerks in Derek's direction. He knows that having a date is a big thing for Derek. He keeps the surprise out of his voice as he says, "Yeah right, I didn't set you up with anyone."

"I don't recall ever needing your assistance with women," Derek laughs.

"Oh yeah? What about Carly Bishop?"

"I said 'women,' not my first crush in sixth grade."

"You still needed my help with her. I asked her to the movies for you," Mark insistes.

"True," Derek states, "but I seem to recall that you liked her best friend Denise Branson and I asked her out for you."

"That's true," Mark laughs. "So who was your date?"

"Actually," Derek grins, "she knows you."

"Really?" Mark asks, intrigued and puzzled at the same time.

"Yeah, she works at the hospital. I met her a couple of weeks ago when I went for my meeting with Richard. Meredith came here for dinner last night."

"Meredith?" Mark asks in surprise. "Grey? You met Meredith Grey at the hospital? And she agreed to come here for a date with you?"

Derek reels in his line, sets his fishing pole on the ground and turns to Mark with a frown on his face. He sounds irritated when he states, "You don't have to sound so surprised. Unless she's one of your conquests." The last statement makes Derek's stomach twist in a knot.