Perfect strangers

Chapter 15

Derek didn't know why he was here but he just knew he had to see Meredith. After speaking to Mark, he just had to see her and make sure she was alright. Now here he was, standing at her front door with a box of chocolates, a tub of strawberry ice cream and a small bunch of flowers. He reached up and knocked the door with his free hand and waited.

It seemed like hours had passed before the door finally creaked open and he was met with Meredith's exhausted eyes.

"Hey." Derek said softly as he smiled at her.

"Derek." Meredith pulled the door open and wrapped her arms tight around herself. "Why are you doing here?"

"I thought we could talk." He shrugged his shoulders. "I've brought gifts." He said holding up his arms.

Meredith smiled at his effort as she moved aside and let Derek walk in. She couldn't help but smile at how comfortable she felt at having Derek back in her home. It's like he belonged there with her.

"Mer, you coming?" Derek stood waiting for her at the doorway for the kitchen with a soft smile on his face.

"Yeah." She smiled back at her before following him into the kitchen.

They walked into the kitchen together before Derek placed the bag down and moved to sit down. He watched as Meredith took the flowers into her hands and immediately began preparing the flowers before placing them into a vase.

"They're beautiful." Meredith smiled as placed the vase on the window ledge before wrapping her arms around herself.

"Do you want me to put the ice cream into the freezer?" Derek asked before moving to out into the freezer as she nodded her head. "Hey." He turned to her as he realised how close they were standing to one another.

"Hey." Meredith refused to let her eyes met his because she knew she would get lost in them and would want to fall into his arms.

"Look, you're probably wondering why I'm here." He said reaching out to tuck the hair behind her ear. "I'm worried about you, we all are."

"I'm fine." Meredith simply replied.

"I didn't believe that line when we was together and I still don't believe it now. Look, I dropped the case, passed it on to one of my partners." He watched as she finally lifted her head up and let her eyes meet hers.

"You did?" Meredith asked softly.

"I did. It took me a while to realise but it wasn't worth it if I meant that I couldn't be with you. You mean more to me then any job could. I miss you, I miss us." He reached his hand up before slowly lowering it back to her side.

"Derek, don't say things you don't mean. I just..." Derek stepped forward and placed his hands on her cheeks, silencing her.

"Meredith, listen to me when I say this, you...I want a future with you. So this case, it will last a few weeks but then it's done but I still wouldn't have you. You are what I want, please..." Derek wiped away the tear that had started to stream down her face as she listened to his words.

Without saying a word, Meredith walked forward and pressed her lips to his softly, she let her body to fall into his as their arms wrapped around one another tightly. They finally pulled apart and rested her head against one another's as they smiled softly at each other.

"I can't forgive you." Meredith reached up and brushed the curls off his forehead and watched as his face dropped. "But I can learn to trust you and forgive you once again. I've been miserable Derek, I hate to admit but before I met you, I was comfortable being on my own, I had my job. It was enough. But being with you, it taught me that there was more to life, you saved me from myself and being without you, it was horrible..." Meredith shook her head. "Plus I can't sleep without you now so."

Derek laughed and watched as Meredith joined in and he reached up to brush her hair out of her face.

"I promise that I will make you trust me again, I'm sorry Mer, I really am. If I could go back..."

"But you can't." Meredith interrupted him. "It's just part of our journey, you always say that if it was easy then it wouldn't be worth it. We are both very stubborn people and this was a really shit time in our lives but we can get through this." She reached down and linked her fingers with his. "Together."

"Together." He squeezed her hand as they continued to smile at one another.

They continued to stand their with their hands interlocked and their bodies pressed together tightly.

"Can we have ice cream now?" Meredith asked as her eyes lit up.

"Sure." Derek laughed and shook his head. "You go and put a film once, I will grab you the ice cream." He squeezed her hand once more before watching her walk into the living room.

He moved to the freezer and grabbed the ice cream before moving to grab a spoon and headed into the living room.

"Here you go." He held out the ice cream to her as she curled up on the sofa and wrapped a blanket around herself.

"Thank you." Meredith reached out and took the ice cream into her hands, immediately pulling the lid off and digging the spoon in before holding it up to her mouth and sighing as the ice cream went down smoothly.

"I should get going. I'll call you." He leaned down and kissed the top of her head and watched as her eyes went wide as he stepped back. Derek turned and started heading for the front door before being stopped by Meredith grabbing his arm.

"Stay, please." Meredith pleaded with him as she kept a tight grip on his arm.

"Are you sure?" He watched as she nodded her head before he finally moved to remove his coat before sitting down next to her and his arm immediately went round her shoulder.

At being back in his arms, she moved into his side closer as continued to eat her ice cream before offering some towards Derek.

"Oh that's so sweet." Derek pulled a face as the tartness of the strawberry ice cream reached his taste buds.

"Sorry forgot you was a health freak." Meredith mocked him as she smirked towards him, raising her eyebrows at him before turning her attention back to the tv in front of them.

Derek couldn't get rid of the smile on his face as he squeezed her into him tighter, never wanting to let her go. He had come so close to losing her that he didn't think he would ever get the opportunity to hold her in his arms ever again.

Right then in that moment in was confirmed to the both of them that they truly were in love with one another but both of them were too afraid to admit in case the other one didn't say it back. If only they knew...