Where You Belong

9

Meredith grumbled into the pillow, ignoring the prodding hand on her back as she tried to bury herself into the mattress. She wrapped the covers tightly around herself and stilled.

"Meredith," Derek's voice broke through the barrier of the comforter over her head. The hand still resting on her back moved gently back and forth between her shoulder blades. She ignored him, just as she had ignored him when the alarm had gone off some time ago.

The bed shifted as he lowered his weight down beside her. He lifted the blanket off of her head and slipped his hand back down onto her bare back, snaking his fingers up and down her spine. She could feel his breath against her cheek for several moments before he leaned closer and kissed every inch on face that wasn't buried in the pillow.

"Meredith," he whispered again, his lips rubbing against her ear as he spoke. He kissed her again, right below the ear.

She grumbled into the pillow before tilting her head enough to clear her lips of the obstruction so she could speak legibly. "Whatimesssit?"

His lips met hers three times before he replied. "Six thirty."

She groaned.

He kissed her again and laughed. "I told you that you don't have to come in with me. Why don't I let you get back to sleep and I'll see you after I get out of surgery?"

Meredith smiled despite herself, finally cracking her eyes open. She slowly unclenched her fingers from the fistful of pillow she was holding and snaked her hand across the mattress to grab a hold of the collar of the thin shirt he had pulled on after his shower. She closed her fingers around the thin cotton and smiled as his lips met hers once again. His hand was still running up and down her spine. "No," she mumbled after he broke the kiss. "I want to go in with you."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded as she rolled over. "Mmm-hmm."

Derek deftly rolled with her, coming to rest with his upper body over top of her. He pecked along her jaw line, and then down her neck. His still damp hair flittered along her cheek as his lips found her clavicle. "We have to leave soon," he whispered into her chest.

"I know." Meredith sighed, running her fingers through his wet hair. She didn't make any move to actually get up.

"You're not being very convincing," Derek told her, pulling away far enough to look her in the eyes, his deep blue iris's twinkling.

"Give me a break. It's early," she swiped her free hand jokingly across his chest.

He deftly caught her hand, threading his fingers through hers as he held her hand between them. "Hey, you agreed not to beat me with your ineffectual fists."

She laughed under him as she squeezed his hand. "Sorry, I forgot," she muttered sarcastically.

He smiled and tilted his head. "Are you sure you want to come in early?" He asked again.

She met his eyes easily and nodded. "Of course."

He smirked. "But you're not making any move to actually get up..."

"I can't," she whispered.

He grinned conspiratorially and leaned in close, his lips only millimetres from hers. "Why not?" He breathed.

It was her turn to smirk. "Because you're on top of me."

He huffed and rolled his eyes as he released her hand and pulled away. She squeaked quietly at the sudden removal of warmth surrounding her. She tried to pull him back to her, but he was already out of arm's reach. Meredith met his scheming eyes, and followed their gaze down to the bed only a split second too late. She realized what he was going to do just as he was already yanking the covers off of her, leaving her hands grasping for a fistful of comforter as they whipped over her body, but she was too late. With the rush of cold, early morning air spilling across her exposed body, she jumped off the bed, her tiny ineffectual fists aiming for Derek' s unsuspecting chest.