The Seventh Sense is Love

Moving Forward

"Really?" she asks, giggling and literally feeling the weight of her awful day lift away.

"Yes," Derek laughs, "I really do love you."

"That's amazing," Meredith laughs again, hugging him tightly, "because I love you too, but I was afraid to tell you because I thought maybe you didn't love me and if I told you I'd freak you out, but Lexie and Molly said..."

Derek stops her ramble by kissing her. He kisses her for a long time - until she goes soft and pliant in his arms. He kisses her until he can barely breathe and assuming she's almost out of air too, he breaks the kiss. She sighs happily, he chuckles and says, "Now say that again - without all the adorable, nervous rambling."

Merdith smacks him In the arm but says, "I love you, Derek."

"I love you, Meredith." He hugs her again and says, "I can feel you smiling."

"I am. I just had the most awful day. A really, atrociously awful day that I have no real desire to talk about, but now..." she sighs and leans up to kiss him again. "Tonight is a really great night. A freezing cold night. So I want to crawl under a bunch of blankets with you and eat cheesecake. Okay?"

Derek laughs but agrees to her plan. Cheesecake and cuddling under blankets with Meredith. It sounds perfect to him.
*

'How's Brandon?"

"I broke it of with him," Cristina answers and takes a drink of her beer.

"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't know," Meredith states. "You seem all right."

"I'm great," Cristina laughs. "It was a couple of weeks ago. I felt sad about it for a few days but never devastated or heart broken. That's telling, huh?"

"Yeah, it tells me you did the right thing by ending it and not marrying him."

"The funny thing is - Brandon didn't seem too upset by it. In fact, he seemed kind of relieved."

"Really?"

"Really. So, how are things going with Derek?"

"Great," Meredith answers as a glowing smile spreads across her face.
"Does he know you love him yet?"

"Yes," Meredith answers. "Remember a few weeks ago when I lost two patients in one day."

"Yeah."

"When I went home that night Derek was there waiting for me with cheesecake. We told each other that night."

"Nice way to turn a crap day around," Cristina states.

"Yes, very nice."

"Not that it's really any of my business, but why doesn't Derek ever come here and have a drink with us?"

"Oh, umm..." Meredith hesitates and starts picking at the label on her beer bottle. "He can't really come here. Well, I suppose he can but I don't think he'd feel comfortable here."

"Is he an alcoholic?" Cristina questions

"What?" Meredith gives a small laugh. "No, he's not an alcoholic, Cristina."

Cristina looks at Meredith curiously, waiting for her to continue. Meredith sighs and says, "Derek is blind."

Cristina laughs until she realizes Meredith isn't laughing with her. "Oh crap," she says, "you aren't kidding."

"No, I'm not kidding. Derek really is blind. And to be honest, I've never asked him to meet me here because I can't imagine that he'd be comfortable in this environment."

"I guess he wouldn't," Cristina agrees. Then asks, "Why haven't you told me? Does he not want anyone to know?"

"It's not something you really blurt out. And Derek... he's private about it, but he's not trying to keep it a secret."