I Wanna Be Yours

"Chapter 26"

The bed is warm and cozy, the covers wrapped around her and Derek, making this bed into a cocoon. She never wants to leave this.

Meredith squints at the gray light outside, her eyes begging to stay closed, but then she smiles at the unruly head of dark hair beside her in bed. Derek is still fast asleep, his arm slung around her like a dead weight, and nothing could be better than this.

She spent the night, again. After she first babysat David, it stopped being weird to stay overnight and it turned into more of an excuse to try to learn how to make pancakes in the morning, so here she is, right beside Derek in his bed, and they were too exhausted to even have sex the night before. She's pretty sure this is the first time she actually slept-slept with someone on purpose. It's so surreal, she just wants to close her eyes and enjoy it a bit more.

"Merry Christmas!" It's a quiet squeak that wakes her up completely. When she opens her eyes again, David's blue ones are staring back at her. His hair is a mess, and so is his pajamas, but he looks adorable.

"Hey, David. Merry Christmas!"

"Was Daddy good for your sleepover? Did he tell you fun stories? He always tells funny stories when we have sleepovers! Were you good and went to bed so Santa could come?" David blurts, and Meredith's eyes widen.

It is undoubtedly the first time David has caught them together. He has seen her in the morning, but never in Derek's bed. No wonder he has questions. Yet, she'll let Derek breach this topic. It's way too early for this, anyways, and it's Christmas. This can be her gift for today.

"Daddy was the best sleepover buddy, I promise."

"Good!" David's smile is so wide it must hurt. "I gotted you up first 'cause I wanna s'prise Daddy and tickle him awake, but I need help. He likes to sneak away." David's not-so-low whisper is very serious, bringing a smile on Meredith's face as she watches the boy stare down his sleeping father.

"Hop on, then," she murmurs, wrapping David into her arms for a moment and lifting him up on the bed. It never ceases to amaze her the leaps he made when it comes to human contact.

Since Derek figured out the burrito hugs and she has assisted to some of his therapy sessions, touching and holding David is no longer a feat. Obviously, she can't sneak up on him, but if he's expecting the contact she no longer has to restrain herself. It fills her heart with warmth. She considers this one of her best Christmas gifts.

"Kay, so I tickle Daddy first," David whispers with a giggle.

Meredith lets him climb over her and slam on Derek. Derek groans, but manages to keep his eyes closed.

"Merry Christmas!" David squeals, then tickles Derek's neck, then under his armpits, as best as David can manage.

It takes only a few seconds before Derek is tickling David back, his eyes still closed as the boy giggles his way through the awakening tricks.

"I got you, Daddy!" David laughs, still tickling.

The tickling slowly turns into a soft, loose embrace. Derek kisses David's forehead, before he lets the boy rest over his chest, David's ear right over Derek's heart. It's the same spot Meredith likes to rest on whenever Derek is holding her, and it warms her to know how comforting that can be for both of them.

"Merry Christmas, David," Derek murmurs, his voice rough with sleep and muffled by David's hair.

"Presents, Daddy?" David says after a second, his head popping up to meet Derek's gaze. Derek smiles softly and lets him go, clearly seeing how much energy he already has this early in the morning.