New Beginnings

Chapter 4

Derek couldn't remember the last time he had been home, he had felt like weeks. The hospital had been hectic, with car crashes, building collapses and many other disasters had taken place, meaning the hospital had owned him. But now, as he all out fell out of his car, he dragged his tired body up the stairs, desperate for a shower and then to collapse in bed.

As he hadn't been home in a few days, it meant he hadn't seen Meredith and she had constantly been on his mind. He just needed to know she was alright. Stepping up to his door, he hesitated before turning and reaching up to knock on Meredith's door. Smiling as she opened the door, paint decorating her face, hair and clothes.

"Hey Derek." She exclaimed happily, a paintbrush grasped in her hand.

"Is any of that paint actually on the wall?" Derek asked shaking his head, watching as he looked down at herself, biting her lower lip. He then frowned to himself. "Meredith, why are you painting? You know the paint fumes are no good for you or the baby."

"Well what else am I meant to do, I have 3 months until she is here and it could be sooner knowing my luck. So I need everything ready, it's not like I have anyone to help me do it!" Meredith exclaimed, crossing her arms across her chest.

"I told you I'd help you out if you need it, not my fault you're too stubborn to ask for it." Derek shrugged his shoulders, watching as her frown deepened on her face.

"Ass!" She shouted as she slammed the door in his face. That had not gone how he expected it to. Taking a deep breath in, he turned and decided to head home, to tired to argue.

As he placed his key in his door, he heard the creak of Meredith's door opened and he turned to face her, a guilty look on her face.

"Sorry for snapping." She said as she opened her door fully, come to stand opposite him. "It's been a long and stressful day." She shrugged, her eyes looking sad and dull.

"Do you want to talk about?" Derek offered as he pointed to his apartment. "I'm about to do myself some food, we can talk, or just watch a film, relax. Up to you." He asked innocently.

"Yeah, that would be nice. To have some proper company." She looked down at her outfit. "Let me just go and shower, then I'll be over. Is that alright?" She asked.

"Of course. I'll leave the door open, so just knock and walk in when you're ready. I'll get the dinner on." He smiled at her, watching as she nodded her head and turned back into apartment, shutting the door gently this time.

Walking into his apartment, he threw his bag and coat down on the nearest chair, rolling his sleeves up as he headed over to the sink. Quickly, he washed his hands before heading over to pull some chicken and vegetables from the fridge. It wasn't very often that he got to cook, but he loved when he did, he preferred it even more when he had someone to cook for.

Getting lost in his cooking, he didn't hear the knocking of the door, until Meredith walked in and spoke up.

"Hmm, something smells amazing, wow." She smiled, as she walked into his apartment and joined him in the kitchen.

Derek looked at Meredith, her now wet hair falling over her shoulders, her face more relaxed now as she was dressed down in some tracksuit bottoms and a tight fitting vest top, slippers on her feet. He chuckled to himself before turning back to his food.

"It's just something quick, chicken, vegetables and some rice if you liked. Or pasta. What does baby fancy tonight?" Derek asked kind heartedly before throwing in some more seasoning.

"Pasta is good." Meredith smiled, for the first time in a long time, genuinely smiled. No one had cared for her or her baby this much before, this was all new to her.

"Pasta it is then." He reached up and grabbed the pasta, dropping a healthy amount into the boiling water. "Take a seat, can I get you a drink?" He asked as he pointed to one of the stalls.

"Water is good, thank you." She smiled as she watched him move round the kitchen, grabbing her fresh glass of water before placing it down in front of her. "Thanks." She took a sip of her water. "I've just realised, I'm going to owe you another favour as you're cooking for me, after I said I'd cook for you." She shook her head, laughing.

Derek laughed, as he drained the pasta over the sink before grabbing two plates of the cupboard.

"Right, you can cook me dinner after I've finished decorating that nursery for you, then we will be even." He plated up the food, dropping it in front of her. "Eat up, it's good and you don't want it to get cold." He said as he took a seat next to her, digging into his dinner.

Meredith stared at this stranger. As that's what Derek was, she hadn't even known him a week, yet he had done more for her in a few days then some people had done for her in years.

They quietly ate their dinner, before clearing everything away and finally taking a seat on Derek's sofa.

"Why are you doing all of this for me Derek?" Meredith asked, curious for his generosity. Her hands rubbed at her stomach as he daughter directed a quick kick to her bladder.

"Meredith." Derek took a seat next to her, turning to face her. "Pregnancy is hard enough as it is, let alone doing it all alone. I have 4 sisters and I'd like to think there would be someone out there to look after them if they needed it, so that's what I'm doing. If I'm being too much then tell me and I'll happily back off but I'm here for you. That's what friends do." He smiled at her, taking her hand in his and squeezing it.

"Sorry." Tears sprung to her eyes as she wiped them away quickly. "It's the hormones." She laughed as Derek joined in.

"Of course." Derek rolled his eyes, knowing it was much more then that. He frowned as she winced, frowning down at her stomach.

"Ugh, that one hurt." She winced, rubbing at her stomach as her daughter moved round. "Do you want to?" She asked pointing at her stomach.

"Can I?" Derek asked, wanting to be sure that she was allowing him. Feeling the baby kick has already been his favourite thing when his sisters were pregnant, sad and jealous that he would probably never get to experience feeling his own baby kick.

"Sure, here." She reached out and grabbed his hand, patiently waiting for a kick. When she finally felt one, she turned and watched as Derek's eyes lit up. "Pretty amazing right." Meredith asked.

"Yeah, yeah." Derek whispered as both his hands now rested on her bump. He kept them for a few minutes before finally pulling away, not wanting Meredith to feel uncomfortable. "Thank you for that, I needed that today. It's been a while since I've felt that, my sisters, one of them is usually always pregnant but it's been a while." A warm smile of his face.

"Of course, she's saying thank you for the amazing food and looking after her mommy." Meredith turned and smiled at Derek, their eyes glistening as they stared at one another.

This was all so new to them, having a friendship form so quickly but they wouldn't have it any other way. Derek was going to be there for Meredith and her child, whether she liked it or not sometimes, everyone deserved someone. He would be that someone.