Never Expect The Unexpected: MERDER AU

Chapter 23

Meredith had never lived by herself before. When she met Amelia she was staying with roommates in Boston who were always around, and never gave her the space that she craved. Now that she finally got the chance to live alone, Derek was there. It had been less than twelve hours since he showed up on her doorstep with boxes and so far it felt like the longest twelve hours of her life. His corny jokes and obvious attempts to make her laugh, succeeding at times, made her want to curl up in a ball on her new bed and sleep until the end of time.

"See that wasn't so bad." Derek was referring to the vegetable curry that he forced her to eat for dinner. The empty fridge and lack of energy to drive made it impossible for her to eat anything else.

"It was. And now I am going to sleep." She got up from the table and headed to her room.

"So am I." He followed behind her and threw his hands up in surrender when she turned to face him with her fists in a bawl.

"No. This is my house now. I get the bed. You can...sleep on the couch." Meredith closed the door before he could speak and held it shut.

"Come on. You're not going to make me sleep on that thing."

"Oh but I am."

"Meredith..."

"Dr. Grey." She corrected him for the millionth time.

"You can have sex with me but you won't sleep with me?"

"Ding ding ding." Meredith's voice sounded through the door and he rolled his eyes, sulking to the couch. "Good night Dr. Shepherd."

She sighed as the warmth from her comforter combined with the fluffy mattress and it sent her into a peaceful haze. Derek on the other hand, couldn't sleep. You would think he'd be used to sleeping in uncomfortable situations; he lived in a trailer for God's sake, but the couch was much too short for his height and Derek was a wild sleeper. If he wasn't trying to stretch his legs then he was being awaken by his body plummeting the ground.

Enough was enough. He wasn't going to take another rub of carpet against his face or a cramp in his calf. Derek grabbed the ratty blanket that she left him with and tiptoed to her room. The door creaked louder then he meant and he watched her stir beneath the covers. His body became light as he held his breath and walked over to the other side of the bed, pulling the comforter up to get underneath it.

Meredith had grown to be a heavy sleeper as a result to her own snoring, but when his body rolled on-top of hers in Derek's attempt to get comfortable her eyes shot open and her hands pushed on his chest.

"What are you doing?" She asked him through half opened eyes.

"Sleeping."

"I thought I said."

"Shh. Just go to sleep." Derek left a kiss on her cheek before she pushed him off and turned around with her back to him. They dozed off immediately and the sounds of her snoring hardly bothered him.

00

Derek woke first and found his arms draped over her body with his hands enveloped in hers, just below her chin. Her breathing caused her body to rise and fall in a rhythm that encouraged him to stay in that position and refrain from waking her.

They stayed that way for a while, Derek resting his head on her shoulder and keeping his eyes closed while he listened to her breathe and her light snores fading into silence until she opened her eyes.

"Morning."

"Mm..." Meredith wiped the sleep from her face and tried to run a hand through her blonde tresses when she realized they were interlocked with his. Her mind rushed back to the night before and she sprung up with wide eyes.