Confide in Me

Chapter 13

Meredith had stayed in bed until Derek came to wake her for dinner, not even realising she had fallen asleep until she was startled awake by his hand on her shoulder. He'd held her for a few minutes, whispered a few comforting words in her ear and made sure she was okay before they headed downstairs, where Maddie had already begun eating her pasta.

They'd spent the evening together, the three of them, watching whatever movie Maddie desired. She had snuggled between the two of them on the couch before eventually falling asleep halfway through Frozen 2, her head in Meredith's lap.

"Doing this, spending the evening together with both of you, I never thought it would be the best way to spend my time," Meredith said with a quiet laugh, her fingers embedded in Maddie's curls.

"I can imagine us doing this for years to come, until she's decided she's too old to spend time with us," Derek chuckled.

"She's going to be a force to be reckoned with when she's a teenager," Meredith said, grinning over at him.

"As long as you're around, I'm sure we'll be okay," he grinned back before his features dropped into that of concern. "Maddie's question earlier... did that upset you?"

"It didn't upset me, that's not," she shook her head and pressed her lips together, finding the right words. "I want to be her mom, more than anything. Up until now it didn't seem like something she would want, or that would happen, but now it feels more real, you know? And I forget, sometimes, I hate that I forget I am a mom."

A tear slid down her cheek and he reached over to cup her cheek, wiping the lone tear with his thumb. "You are, and no one can take that away. I know you're going to be an amazing mother to Maddie, because you already are an amazing mother."

"Thank you," her voice left on a breath, another tear escaping that he caught with his thumb. "I'm so glad that we met, even the way we did."

"I'll never forget the kiss of the stranger in the woods," he said with a smirk on the corner of his lips. "I don't regret a single moment, except maybe being worried about telling you about Maddie."

"No, don't regret that," she shook her head. "I understand why you did, you had to protect her. I don't resent you for not telling me so you shouldn't resent the fact that you didn't."

"I love you," he said, his smirk shifting into a smile. "Always. I'm never going to stop loving you."

"You sound very sure about that," she quirked an eyebrow.

"I am very sure about that," he chuckled. "I'm pretty sure it was love at first sight."

"I love you," she laughed, shaking her head. "We should get Maddie into bed."

"I'll take her up, are you wanting to head to bed?"

"Not yet," she shook her head. "Are you? I was thinking we could stay up for a bit longer, watch something that isn't singing cartoons dancing over the screen."

"Okay," he said. He carefully lifted a sleeping Maddie up into his arms, her head falling on his shoulder but not waking. "Pick something to watch and I'll be down in a minute."

****

Meredith had no idea what was playing on the tv, but Derek's head was nestled on her abdomen and her fingers were tangled in his hair. She was sure he had fallen asleep with her other hand in his grasp, so much that she jumped slightly when he spoke.

"Is this comfortable for you?" His head tilted to look at her.

"Yeah," she grinned down at him. "I like playing with your hair, it's so soft."

"You're sending me to sleep doing that," his body shook slightly with a laugh.

"Maybe you should get some sleep, you were up far too early this morning, leaving me cold in bed," she said with a prolonged sigh.

"I'm sorry, baby," he chuckled, bringing her hand to his lips with a soft kiss. "I have the day off tomorrow, though."

"It's a shame Maddie has school, it would've been nice to spend the whole day together with both of you," Meredith said.

"We can do something when we pick her up," Derek promised, kissing her inner wrist gently. "And we can spend the rest of the time we have together, just me and you, in bed."

The grin on his lips screamed mischief and she couldn't help but grin back. He shuffled up the couch until he was hovering over her and caught her in a kiss. She moaned at the brush of his tongue and parted her lips for him. Her legs secured themselves either side of him and he pressed down against her.

He withdrew slightly, resting his forehead on hers and cupping her cheek in his hand. "Are you sure you're okay? After earlier?"

"I feel okay now, it comes and goes in waves," she said, brushing her nose against his. "I have you, and Maddie, and that helps. And as much as I hate to admit it so does the therapy."

"Good," he murmured and pressed his lips to her again. "I'll always be here, whatever you need."

"I know, same here," she grinned softly.

His kiss deepened and she threaded her fingers into his hair, urging him closer to her. Her ankles crossed over the back of his thighs, and a groan vibrated through him when his hips ground down against her.

"I love you,' he whispered into her mouth.

"I love you, more than you could ever know," she said to him.