Confide in Me

Chapter 28

Derek had gone into the hospital that morning after dropping Meredith off back home, leaving her to catch up on sleep and recover from all the travelling. He was beyond relieved to have her come again after she had been gone for so long. He hated to admit it to anyone, but he was worried sick, every time she went away. He knew she always came back, that she wasn't going anywhere. Meredith could hold her own against anyone but he was worried about her all the same.

He'd managed to arrange the rest of the day off once midday had come around, even if it meant a pile of paperwork would be waiting for him in the morning, extending his day tomorrow. He kept quiet as he returned to the house, not wanting to wake Meredith up if she was still sleeping. He found her asleep in the bed and climbed in next to her. She curled towards him and his arms threaded around her, pulling her closer.

"Der," she mumbled, rubbing her face against his chest. A soft sigh escaped her and his fingers threaded into her hair. She stayed asleep.

Derek looked down at his tiny girlfriend curled up against him, her head on his chest with one arm across his stomach. Her soft breaths raising and lowering her chest in small movements as she slept.

He couldn't help but be worried about her. He knew it was Noah's birthday in the next couple of weeks and he was worried of the emotional stress that would be on her, both from the anniversary and her recent miscarriage. He worried that she might try to hide it all from him, and had to trust that she would talk to him about it.

He sighed, his thumb brushing over her cheek as she shifted in her sleep. He wanted to give her the world, and if he could then he would, but sometimes the words was unfair.

She amazed him. Every single day she amazed him. She'd come home early. She'd never come home early when she'd been away. She'd cancelled a trip when Maddie had appendicitis, but that was it. She had started going away less and less but there was never so much time between trips. It was less than the first time they'd met, when he wouldn't see her for days at at time. But she was still travelling for work, almost in a routine she probably hadn't noticed. But something had changed since Maddie had been sick. Something had shifted and he couldn't put his finger on it.

He quickly checked the time on his phone, seeing it was half one and she'd probably want to wake up a bit before her meeting. He moved his hand to her shoulder with a gentle squeeze.

"Mer, time to wake up," he murmured, brushing her hair out of her face.

"Hmm," she murmured softly, only moving closer into him, her hand gripping at his waist.

"Come on," he said a little louder, his lips moving to her nose, and then over her cheek, "You have your meeting soon."

"Sleeping," she sighed, a small smile on her lips at his kisses.

"I can see that," he chuckled, finally kissing her lips, smiling at her response.

"Good, let me sleep," she whispered, burying her face against his chest as she tangled her legs with his.

"I wish I could, but you said I had to wake you for this meeting," he nuzzled his nose against her hair, inhaling softly as he held her closer, his hands moving up the back of his shirt she must've put back on when she got back.

"Ugh, she'll kill me if I miss that," she grumbled, and he smiled wider as he felt her lips kissing his neck. "But maybe..."

"Don't start seducing me now," he groaned, massaging small circles in her lower back.

"I had a really nice dream, though," she smirked, her lips moving up to his.

"Oh yeah?" He rose an eyebrow at her as he kissed her slowly, pulling her against him.