more than anything

coming home

Finally her flight landed in Seattle, she walked off  the plane and into baggage claim. She rolled her suitcase to the exit, surprised when she was met by Derek, "what are you doing here?" she asked surprised, "picking you up" he smiled, taking her bag and wheeling it to the door. "Thank you, but you really didn't need too" she smiled politely.

They got into his car and he started to drive, "so tell me about Italy" he asked her, "it was gorgeous, it was warm, sunny and it was nice to be somewhere it doesn't rain all the time" she replied. "Good i'm glad you had a nice time" he smiled.

They made small talk until he pulled into the driveway and took her bags in. He carried her suitcase up to her room, "thank you, i'm just going to unpack, and then Cristina is coming for dinner" she told him, "have fun, i' going to have dinner with my mom, who i haven't spoken too since the wedding" he seemed tense, "i hope it goes well, you deserve better" she reassured him, "thanks" he left the room.

She finished unpacking and got into the shower, thinking about the events of the week. She was so exhausted she almost fell asleep, but she needed to finish washing the 'plane' smell off of her".

She left the bathroom, only wearing a towel, "Mer did i leave my..." he walked in, not bothering to knock, "Derek!" she gasped, "shit sorry" he turned around, "its fine" she huffed annoyed, "what are you looking for?" she asked, "just my phone, i think i left it in here earlier" he said, "im sorry, i thought you were-" he stuttered, "its okay, just knock please" she started to laugh, he joined her.

Once she was in sweats and her hair was out her face she walked downstairs, at the same time Cristina waltzed into the house, "woah you look like crap" she exclaimed, "gee, thank you, i feel like it too" Meredith mumbled, getting out a mug, "would you like some tea" she offered jokingly to Cristina, "maybe something a little stronger, preferably alcoholic" she opened the drinks cabinet, "so tell me about italy, meet any hot guys?" Cristina sat, "just one, the other guy didn't have condoms, so we just... you know" she replied awkwardly, "you went to a country of hot men and only slept with 1 guy?" she asked surprised, Meredith nodded, walking into the living room to sit on the couch, "where's Derek?" Cristina wondered, "dinner with his mother" meredith responded, "have you done him yet?" Cristina questioned, "why is it all about sex with you, and no Derek and i are just friends, besides he just split up with Addison like a week ago" Meredith explained, "but do you want to?" Cristina pestered her for answers, "friends, just friends!" Meredith told her.

Derek had finally finished telling his mother the full story, she was minutely sympathetic, she claimed she knew she wasn't 'the one' all along. "Okay mom thanks for this but i am worn out and i want to go to bed" he walked her outside, "where are you staying?" she asked him, "a friends" he replied, just thinking about her brought a smile to his face, "which friend" she questioned, "you don't know her, her name is Meredith" he answered, "your not sleeping with her are you?" she looked at him sternly, "no, defiantly not, we're only friends" he told her, she nodded before getting in her car, "goodnight Derek, i love you" she closed the door.

And with that, he drove home, tired from all the questions he was asked.

Cristina heard a car pull into the driveway, Meredith was fast asleep next to her on the sofa, after watching some baking show. Derek walked in and noticed she was asleep, "how long has she been snoring down there?" he asked Cristina, "a little while, she had a long flight she's just tired" she got up to put cups in the sink.

Derek picked her up, trying carefully not to wake her, he carried her upstairs and placed her gently in her bed, covering her with blankets and closing the door softly. He walked back downstairs, "when you too get together, don't hurt her" Cristina told him, "Meredith and i really are..." he said before she interrupted, "just friends, right we'll just know she's not had it easy when it's come to relationships, so please treat her well and don't break her" she spoke, "i would never try and hurt her, she's... she's Meredith" he smiled, "right i don't give a crap about your lovey dovey feelings for my best friend, but if you hurt her, i'll hurt you, in a way no man would ever want to be hurt" she threatened before walking out the front door.

He cringed at the last part, he was slightly afraid of her, but he appreciated she was looking out for her. It broke his heart to hear she'd had a bad time with previous relationships, he only wanted to see her happy. He was pissed that anyone would ever hurt her.

The next morning he went downstairs to find Meredith eating cereal from the box, "very sophisticated" he said sarcastically, she giggled in return, a sound that made his heart melt. He would do anything to hear her giggle and see her smile. Whenever she smiled, her eyes would light up, she was truly gorgeous. "How did i get to bed?" she asked him, "i carried you" he smiled, "well i hope i wasn't too heavy" she smiled back, "you weigh practically nothing, don't worry" he continued making coffee. "So what are your plans today?" he asked her, "i'm going into the office to meet a new client" she told him, "are you going away again?" he asked, slightly saddened by the thought of not seeing her everyday, "no they leave a half hour away, i won't have to travel for this project" she explained.

They talked until Meredith went to change for work. A little while later she came downstairs in trousers and a blouse, it wasn't buttoned to the top so it showed a generous amount of cleavage, he wondered if maybe she liked the client, or someone at work, but dismissed the thought before he drove himself crazy.

"I'll see you later" she smiled walked out the front door. Everything she did made him smile, she was perfect.