Bad Guys

Friend Date

"Go out with me."

"Like on a-"

"Like on a friend date."

"A friend date?"

"Yea we go out, get dinner, or go to movie or whatever, split the check, and enjoy each other's presences"

Meredith looked at him skeptically.

"And your wife would know about this friend date."

"She will know I am out with a friend."

She raised an eyebrow, "and you will specify which friend?"

"I don't think it should matter to her which friend I am spending time with." He looked at the ground a bit guiltily.

"Oh is that what you think?"

"Tonight? The movies?"

"Fine. There is a theatre that plays old films not too far from here."

"Sounds great. Dinner after?"

"You are pushing it."

"Pushing what?"

"Just so you know. If somehow it comes up, I am not lying to your wife."

"I wouldn't dream of that." 

"I am off at 7, meet in the lobby?"

"Umm. Maybe we could meet at the theatre."

"Derek."

"Meredith."

"This is sketchy."

"It's not sketchy at all. Friends hang out and go to the movies together."

"And refuse to be seen in public together?"

"No. But. I just-"

"It's fine Derek. We can meet at the movies." 

"Hey you're off tonight right?" Cristina asked.

"Um yea." Meredith responded hesitantly. She didn't want to have to explain her friend date with her married boss to her friend.

"Want to go to Joe's?"

"I uh can't" 

"What are you doing?"

"I am hanging out with a friend." 

"You don't have friends that you hang out with."

"Yes I do."

"No. You don't"

"Well. Tonight I am seeing a movie with a friend."

"With who?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Why don't you want to tell me?"

Meredith bit her lip.

"Oh my god." Cristina said as she figured out who she was going out with

Meredith continued to chew her lip.

"You're going out with the married He-Shepherd?"

Meredith nodded.

"Are you sleeping with him??"

"No." She exclaimed not very convincingly.

"Meredith."

"Fine. There was one almost kiss. But he is married and it didn't happen."

Cristina's pager rang and she got up.

"Well. Have fun on your adulterous date."

"It's not adulterous and it's not a date."

"Whatever you say."

That night Meredith was standing in the middle of the movie theatre lobby waiting for her friend. 

He walked up behind her and put his hand gently on her shoulder.

"Hey" He said enthusiastically.

"Hi!" She turned around to see him. "I know we decided that the parameters of the friend date were that we split the check. But I don't think that works for me cause I am on an intern salary and you are the chief of Neuro and movie theatre popcorn is expensive."

He laughed fully. "Sure. Tonight is on me."

She grinned at him.

They walked to the counter and ordered two tickets, then Meredith ordered their movie theatre snacks which consisted of the largest container of popcorn drenched in butter, multiple different boxes of candy, a large milkshake, and to Meredith's dismay, a bottle of water. Derek handed over an alarming amount of money in exchange for the goods.

"You are trying to bleed me dry." Derek said jokingly to Meredith as they walked away. Derek happened to also have his arms full holding all of Meredith's food.

"Hey you offered to pay."

Derek laughed. "No I didn't."

"Oh yea. I forgot about that."

"It's okay. What can I say, I am just a great friend."

Meredith turned to him and smirked. He looked at her and thought that he would spend any amount of money just to see that smile.

They walked into the dark theatre and sat at the middle of the back row. During the movie they joked and laughed loudly. They kept on getting annoyed looks from the other people in the theatre. At one point, they both happened to try to use the arm rest between them at the same time. Both of their arms were resting against the other. Neither of them could see each other's face, which lead to them both staring at the screen with wide smiles.

Derek pulled his arm from the rest and Meredith looked at him disappointedly. He then proceeded to wrap his arm around her shoulders and Meredith's glee returned. She rested her head on Derek's shoulder and cuddled into him.

After the movie finished, they sat still together until the credits played through, the screen went blank, and the lights turned up.

"We should probably leave." Derek whispered.

"Do we have to?" Meredith replied.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I have no idea." Derek replied. He wanted nothing more than to sit there with her for the rest of the night.

Meredith stood up and extended her arm to help Derek get up.

They left the theater and went their separate ways. Derek drove to the house that Addison had picked out for them. He wanted to get a place in nature but she decided on a gated-community suburban neighborhood.

Derek entered their house.

"Hey where were you?"