Easy Silence

39.

"I don't want to watch hockey tonight."

"And I do."

"Why do you get to pick?"

"Because I'm bigger than you."

"Did you seriously just say that?"

"I seriously just said that. Now shush up and watch the game. It's important and I need to pay attention."

"Der...isn't it the two last place teams in the league playing each other?"

"Yes."

"How is that important?"

"Because that guy, he's the star of their team and Ottawa is thinking of trading for him because he doesn't want to be on that team anymore. So I'm watching him."

"Okay...that...that would be important."

"Exactly."

"But...Der.."

"What?"

"Aren't you DVRing it?"

"Maybe."

"Give me that remote."

His girlfriend laughed and moved quickly, grabbing for the remote that he held firmly in his hands, and completely missing when he moved faster than her, stretching his one arm out to keep it out of reach as he wrapped the other arm around her waist, pinning her in place. He tried not to laugh as she squirmed against him, reaching and grabbing but not being able to reach.

"Derek!"

"No," he laughed. "I told you we're watching the game."

"And you're being an ass!"

"See, I was just now thinking of getting you the remote, but that kind of language is not how to win friends and influence people."

"I'm not trying to win friends and whatever, I'm trying to get the remote."

"It also doesn't get you the remote."

"You're such an ass," she laughed, re-launching her campaign to get the remote away from him, springing forward in his grasp, her hand just brushing the remote as he dropped it onto the ground behind the couch.

"Der!"

"Ooops...total mistake," he laughed.

"I'm sure it was," Meredith rolled her eyes, shifting to roll of the couch, but again he moved faster, capturing her waist with his arms. He pulled her back onto the couch and rolled both of them so she was under him, the weight of him pinning her to the couch.

"What are you going to do now?" he smirked.

"I...I'm going to...I...." she frowned.

"That's what I thought," he laughed just as his fingers found the side of her ribs and he tickled her softly, smiling widely as her giggle ripped through the room. He dipped his hands lower, catching just under her ribs as she laughed harder, squirming underneath him as her entire body shook. And then her hands found his ribs and she attempted to tickle him back and he laughed loudly at her weak attempts.

"Der! Stop! You...you have to stop!" she gasped for breath.

"No," he laughed, ignoring her protests as he tickled her harder. This was amazing. Derek couldn't believe how happy he was. His life for so long had felt like something was missing from it, like as much as he had there had been a hole. He had hated his empty home and now he was barely ever there, he was with Meredith. He loved his life with Meredith. He was happy and he loved the way she giggled.