Jump Then Fall

51.

Derek felt horrible, as horrible as it was possible to feel on Christmas Eve. He had missed the entire day, all of the traditions that he had with his family, he had missed all of it. What had begun as just a quick stop at the hospital to check on a patient had turned into an emergency surgery and a few other consultations and before he knew it, it was the evening. The only thing he had going for him was that he had been able to pick up Trevor's video game and a few extra gifts for the kids and something else for Meredith, trying to make up for yet another screw up.

"Hey...I'm home." Derek breathed, standing in the doorway of the master bedroom for a few moments before putting down his shopping bags and walking over to the bed, sitting down on the edge next to Meredith who was already in her pajamas, reading a book.

"Hi."

"I'm sorry." He sighed. "I know you're mad at me...you have every reason to be. I should have found someone who was working to take care of this for me...I shouldn't have left."

"I'm not mad.....I'm not. I'm in Whoville." Meredith grinned.

"You're what?"

"I'm in Whoville." She kept smiling, putting her book down on the table next to the bed.

"Oh..." Derek chuckled, leaning forward and kissing her. "Okay..."

"Whoville." She whispered against his lips.

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't be." She kissed him, before pulling her lips away.

"Because you're in Whoville."

"I helped set up the tables with the kids for everyone coming over tomorrow...watched Christmas movies and then took pictures of them in their pajamas then put them to bed."

"That's why I love you."

"It is?"

"One of the reasons."

"And Leighton only cried once."

"You must be amazing." Derek smiled, leaning forward and kissing her again.

"Merry Christmas Eve."

"I got the gifts."

"Good."

"And something for you." He whispered.

"Something for me?" She rubbed his arm.

"Uh huh." Derek reached down into one of the shopping bags.

"Can I have it now?"

"You can." He laughed, handing her the smaller bag.

"I wrapped and put all of your presents under the tree....well then there are more when you know who comes." Meredith giggled, holding the bag.

"Who is only coming if someone stays in their bed." Derek laughed.

"That's what she cried over....she stayed in bed twenty minutes then wanted out of bed."

"But you managed to get her to stay there."

"I may have fallen asleep for twenty minutes with her." Meredith kissed him again before opening the gift.

"Hmm...whatever it takes." He laughed, watching her pull the gift from the bag.

"Derek...." Her face went soft as she ran her hands over a frame. Derek had taken a picture of her with the kids at the mall the day they had seen Santa and gotten their picture taken. Meredith swallowed a lump in her throat as she looked at the picture. Trevor was standing to her left as she kneeled behind Leighton who was smiling and looking up at the Christmas decorations.