what i'm here for

Chapter 42: Touchdown!

For the second time in two days, Meredith awoke to the sounds of small feet speeding past the door of the unfamiliar room. Although, there seemed to be more feet involved in the small stampede than the previous morning. She breathed happily as the warmth of Derek's grasp around her middle seeped into her consciousness. She smiled happily at the deep, even breathing she could feel emanating from the strong chest pressed flush against her back. He was definitely not awake before her this morning.

A glance towards the large window beside the bed showed her hints of sunlight streaming through the curtains. It was well into the morning hours. They should get up soon and join the fray of Thanksgiving preparation she had been warned about the previous evening. But she was hesitant to leave the warm and fuzzy feelings of absolute...perfection just yet. The previous few days had been a whirlwind of emotion; from extreme anxiety and terror to comfortable happiness and, for the first time in her life, a sense of belonging. He had promised her a lifetime. He had promised her a family. And he had promised her happiness.

And he had delivered.

It wasn't that she hadn't believed him. They had been working on the trust thing, and she found herself relying on him and trusting him to be there more and more with each passing month. It was amazing what some consistency in her life had finally allowed her to do. But when he had promised her a place in his family... she hadn't expected this. She had expected being accepted as Derek's girlfriend, and maybe one day more, but this was... She hadn't expected to be accepted as a person. They actually liked her. They were interested in her. They wanted her. Her. Meredith. No one had ever wanted her before. No one. Not even the people who were supposed to want her. But one fateful evening, sixteen months prior, a cocky, handsome man with a dreamy smile and a red shirt decided he wanted her for the night. And even though she had long since promised herself no more random one night stands, she had been unable to resist his charm. Just this last time, she had told herself. And the following morning, even though the obvious effects of the alcohol had worn off, the handsome man from the bar still smiled at her with the same dreamy smile from the night before.

And it turned out he hadn't just wanted her for one night. And it hadn't just been about the chase. And he hadn't wanted her as a just a friend. He wanted her as a partner. He wanted her forever. And now, his family wanted her. And not just because she was Derek's girlfriend. They actually wanted her for her.

And that was freaking amazing.

She sighed happily and revelled in the feeling of being in his arms. It was a good feeling; to be wanted. Derek shifted slightly, burying his face into the back of her neck and closing his hand around her fingers, almost as if he was unconsciously reminding her just how much he wanted her. And even though she knew there was no way he knew what she was thinking, it made her smile anyway. Because even in his sleep, he wanted her.

Derek shifted again, his legs pulling away from the backs of her knees as they stretched downward, the front of his shins brushing along the backs of her heels. He sighed against her and pushed his right leg between hers, and hooked his ankle over her foot before settling. She smiled to herself as his breathing slowly became shallow and less regular.

"Morning," he eventually muttered groggily into the back of her neck.

"Morning," she whispered back.

He tilted his head slightly, so that his chin pointed up from the base of her neck instead of right into her smooth skin. "How long have you been awake?"

"Not long."

He snorted at the role reversal, but didn't comment. "Sleep good?"

She smiled and pressed herself into his body. "Wonderfully. You?"