Bright and Shiny

Chapter 197

"I can't believe we're back to this again." Meredith pouted as she sipped her Starbucks hot chocolate as Derek drove the dark and misty roads of Seattle for their first day back at work. They both had an early morning shift. Derek knew he was going to up to his neck in backed up department head paperwork.

"This meaning work?" He teased as he grabbed his coffee from the cup holder and took a sip of the steaming liquid. He knew he was going to need this and then some today, so he let Meredith order him a Venti.

"Yes work, although I'm excited to get back to cutting. Do you think Bailey would even let me in on a surgery today?"

"I doubt it. I don't even think I'm going to get to do a surgery today and I'm the head of Neurosurgery." Derek groaned, silently hoping that Meredith was on his service today because she'd be able to help him with his paperwork while no other intern would be able to.

"You can just pencil one in for yourself."

"I won't be able to do anything until I sign off on all the charts I missed, get briefed by all the case loads, read all the staff and department head memos, do all the schedules, shall I continue?" He groaned again and she wrinkled her noise in not liking what his day was going to amount to.

"No, but I will help you if you need it." She smiled at him sweetly knowing that she could help him with all his paperwork so he wouldn't have so much on his plate and he could get done faster.

"What about wanting a surgery?" He asked in awe at how lucky he was to have a selfless wife like he did.

"That can wait, helping you get all caught up is more important to me. I don't want you here all night signing and reading files."

"Thank you." He whispered to her as he put his coffee cup back in its cup holder and reached over the console to take her hand gently in his. "I'll make it up to you, the best neuro case we get after all the paper work is down is all yours." He told her as her eyes lit up.

"Special treatment Dr. Shepherd?" Meredith laughed.

"I won't tell the head of Neuro if you don't." He winked.

"You're the one that has to get Bailey to put me on your service though." She smirked thinking he'd forgot about her chief resident. Derek's smile didn't falter lightly before saying, "I'm her boss. She has to do what I say."

"Ok Dr. Shepherd." She laughed as they reached the parking lot and he pulled into his designated parking spot a few minutes before they were due to enter back into the looming building ahead of them. Sitting in the still dark dewy morning they sipped on their Starbucks in comfortable silence together before getting out and walking into the building together hand in hand.