invisible string

year 26

Everyone had told him he could do this, so he shouldn't be nervous. Why hadn't he done this before? Years, she had been his world for the past twenty six years, why hadn't he ever thought to take her out on a date? She was the most beautiful woman alive, and even a chance of being with her had to be worth it. And everyone he asked about it, had told him she would say yes, that she felt the same about him. Which he took with a grain of salt because Derek was pretty sure that no one had ever felt this way about anyone before.

Meredith Grey was perfect. Well maybe not perfect because she was incredibly stubborn and had a tendency to be a little closed off to people but that just made him love her more. Love. He was in love. Derek had no idea when this had happened but he had the sneaking feeling it was a lot longer ago than he knew. How had he been so stupid to marry another woman when Meredith was right there? Derek was so infatuated with her that at this point he thought that he would rather be alone forever than try to be with anyone else.

He didn't know if Meredith would say yes. No one actually ever knew what was going on in Meredith's head. She was complicated to say the least. It was one of the things he loved about her. And he had no idea what would happen to them if she said no. They've been so close and pretty much co-dependent since he could remember, not that Meredith would admit needing anyone. But he was pretty sure she needed him, like he needed her. He didn't want to put her in position where she thought she might lose him, but he couldn't not do anything about his feelings for her anymore. He had always had some sort of feelings for her since he was in high school, but he always put it off because he didn't want to risk their relationship. But he couldn't do that anymore, all he wanted to do was love her. And she deserved for someone to love her.

He didn't know if she was ready for him to love her so he was just going to offer her a date. Take it slow, even though he had every intention of loving her for the rest of his life. He was still baffled at the thought that he was ever willing to marry someone else. Meredith was right once again, he is an idiot.

So date. He just had to go up to her and ask her on a date. It wasn't a big deal. He had asked girls out before, granted he never had liked a girl anywhere close to as much as he liked Meredith. But it was the same concept. 'Meredith would you like to go out on a date with me' was all he had to say. She could say yes or no and that would be it. Either way he would continue loving her. Just one answer would mean that he would be happy and in love for the rest of his life and the other would mean he would be miserable and pining for the rest of his life. But he wasn't going to think about that.

"Hi Meredith." He said with what he could only assume was a joker smile on his face. He had to act normal, this was just a question.

"What's wrong?" Meredith frowned at him.

"I- Nothing's wrong. Why would you think something is wrong?" He asked even though he knew he looked insane.

"Well you look like you just killed a bunch of puppies and are trying to convince the police you have no idea what happened." She said with a straight face.

"What?" he laughed. "Why would I be smiling if I just killed a bunch of puppies?"

"Exactly. The police wouldn't assume that someone who just killed a bunch of puppies would be smiling." She said.

"So wouldn't anyone who was smiling look like they just killed puppies and are hiding it from the police?" He asked. This was not where he thought the conversation would go when he planned it.

"No that's saved for people wearing the creepy huge fake smile that you have on your face." She corrected.

"Meredithwillyougoonadatewithme." He blurted quickly. Smooth, he was very smooth.

"What?" She asked with wide eyes.

He took a deep breath, slower this time. "Meredith, will you go on a date with me?" He asked probably a little too slowly.

"Wha- um seriously?" She asked. From his experiences in high school, this was not going well.

"yep." He managed to get out. She was going to say no. This was bad, why did he have to do this again?

"You want to go on a date with me?" She asked slowly.

"I do." He choked out. It was too late to turn back now.

"Seriously?" She asked again. Oh god.

"I- yea. You can say no, cause I'll get it. We've been whatever for so long and we will still be whatever but I just thought- maybe-"

"Yes." She breathed.

"Yes?" He asked.

"Yes." She confirmed.

"Seriously?" He asked.

"This conversation is seriously a clusterfuck." She said.

"It really is. But just to get this clear, you are agreeing to go on a date with me?" He asked.

"Yes, but if you ask me one more time the answer is going to change." She said.

"Okay no more asking." He said shaking his head. "I just-"

"Big." She smiled.

"Really big." He grinned back at her.