Never Expect The Unexpected: MERDER AU

Chapter 33: I Have A Thing For Ferry Boats

"Crap!"

"Crap indeed." Derek responded through shut teeth, pulling her into an on-call room."

"I can explain." Meredith looked up at him guiltily.

"Can you? You can explain why I went to sleep with you laying on my chest and woke up to an empty house?"

"I...was going to call."

"But you didn't. You give me some crap about not calling you back, not coming home and then you leave in the middle of the night, sounds hypocritical don't you think? " he scolded.

"Technically I didn't leave until the morning."

"That's not the point Meredith!" Derek shook his head and clenched his jaw.

"Calm down, I needed to check in on a patient, that's all."

"That's all?"

"That's what I said isn't it?

"It had nothing to do with earlier?" He crossed his arms and referred to their unspoken conversation between closed doors.

"I just told you I had to check on a patient."

"Right."

"Yeah, right. What is your problem anyways? You're not my dad, you're not my brother, and you're not my boyfriend."

"Well that's a good thing because if I were it would be illegal to have sex with you."

"I'm pretty sure boyfriends have sex with their partners." Meredith played dumb and he clenched his jaw tighter at her making light of things.

"Meredith," Derek exhaled and held her hands in his, "look, when you're living with someone you can't just up and leave in the middle of the night. Leave a note or call when you get the chance, but you can't just leave." His voice softened and he examined her face while holding her fingertips in his palms.

"I never said you moving in was permanent."

"Meredith!" Derek threw his hands up and scoffed.

"Sorry! Sorry I'm...I'll have an intern keep an eye on my patient. You and I can...do whatever it is you do for fun. Deal?" This was her way of apologizing without actually having to say the words.

"...Fine." Derek was reluctant, but he gave in.

***

After Meredith assigned Dr. Herrera to her post-op patient she met Derek in the lobby, still wearing her scrubs.

"Aren't you going to change?" Derek looked her up and down as she made her way over to him.

"You're wearing the same khakis that you wore yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that. I don't think you have any room to talk." Meredith scrutinized his outfit and it made him frown.

"I have multiple pairs."

"Sure." Meredith pulled on his collar before leading him out of the hospital.

"Where are we going? A chess tournament?"

"Would you quit it with the chess." Derek grunted while opening his door and getting into the car.

"You love chess."

"Yeah, but I don't like listening to you make fun of it." Once he saw that her seatbelt was fastened he pulled out of the driveway.

"Aw, am I hurting your feelings?" She mocked, poking at his side until it was clear that he was irritated.

"Are you done?" Derek glared at her from the corner of his eyes.