Untouchable face

47.

A part of Derek had thought that maybe spending two weeks away from Meredith would change things. Not that he hadn't been desperate to see her again but he had thought that maybe getting out of the habit of seeing her would make things feel different when he finally saw her again. Instead it felt the exact same. Sitting with her and talking made his head suddenly feel a million times clearer. Nothing felt confusing anymore, nothing felt too big. Her giggle was...incredible. Every time she giggled, her eyes sparkled and his body totally relaxed. It was the most incredible thing he had ever experienced.

He had no idea what it was about her that got to him. She wasn't anything to special or different. She was actually everything he wasn't most of the time. She was gorgeous but that wasn't enough to make him feel so much peace around her. It just seemed to happen.

She had met him after therapy with a cup of coffee and a grin, just like she had every day for the last week. Now they were moving towards the elevator, her pace somehow matching his jilted walk. And she was giggling. She giggled a lot around him. He had no idea if she did when she was around other people but he loved it. Usually a girl her age giggling would be a little strange but her giggle was so amazing. It made his stomach do funny things.

"You're getting faster," she smiled.

"You think?"

"A little, yeah."

"Good," he nodded. "I've been working on it."

"Has Aaron said when you'll get the cane?"

"He's hoping sometime next week."

"Derek!"

"What?" he laughed.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah," he grinned.

"That's amazing!" she gasped as she threw her arms around him.

"Mer..." he laughed, wrapping an arm around her.

"That's...do you have any idea how amazing that is?"

"It's pretty amazing," he breathed.

"It's incredible!"

"It is," he grinned.

"That's...it's great progress."

"I know," he nodded. "All thanks to you."

"I didn't...I suctioned a lot."

"You know I wasn't talking about in the OR. How many times have we been over this?"

"I know," she blushed.

"You pushed."

"Because you were so cranky," she rolled her eyes as they stepped onto the elevator.

"I was recovering from major surgery," he rolled his eyes back at her.

"Still cranky."

"Do you call all your patients cranky?"

"Not to their faces."

"So I'm just special."

"Or something," she giggled.

"Good to know."

"What time is Maggie coming?" she sighed, leaning against the wall of the elevator.

"She's not," he shook his head. "Mark's coming and we're going to the office."

"Mark?" she looked up.

"My brother. Did you forget about him? How? Because I'd love to..."

"No," she laughed. "But I wish my sister would."