Where You Belong

89

It was early when Derek was awoken by the sound of tiny fists knocking on the bedroom door. He blinked sleepily and lifted his head. The noise stopped. He sighed and laid his head back down on the pillow. Meredith was lying beside him, fast asleep. And he couldn't resist rolling close and spooning into her.

She moaned softly as he pressed his knees against the backs of hers, and then fell silent again. He smiled to himself before pressing his face into the back of her head and closing his eyes.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

He groaned, but kept his eyes shut. Maybe if he ignored them, they'd go away.

Knock. Knock. Followed by a series of whispers he could hear but couldn't make out.

In front of him, Meredith shifted. He could feel her breathing getting lighter as she too began to wake up.

The knocking seemed to have stopped. Derek pressed himself even closer to his fiancée and rubbed her abdomen with his hand, hoping to lull her back to sleep before she fully woke up. She made a noise that was a cross between a moan and a sigh, and her breathing began to deepen again.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

She tensed in his arms, now awake. "Whas go'n on?" She mumbled sleepily.

Derek pressed his lips to the back of her neck. "It's one of the kids."

"Kids?" She whispered, her voice thick with sleep.

He smiled at her confusion. Unless she awoke to a pager, she was slow to wake. And slow to become aware of her surroundings. She probably hadn't yet realized they weren't at home in their own bed. "Kids," he confirmed. "One of the fourteen nieces and nephews you were complaining about not being able to keep straight. Remember?"

She rolled towards him so she rested on her back. He shifted to give her room, but kept his arm around her. She blinked sleepily at him. "Aren't you going to go see what they want?"

He smirked and leaned in close to kiss her. "I'm kind of hoping they lose interest. I'm comfortable where I am."

Knock. Knock.

Meredith smiled softly at him. "I don't think they're losing interest."

He kissed her shoulder through the thin tee shirt she was wearing, and then laid his head down. "I'm comfortable," he repeated. "Why don't you go see what they want?"

She giggled. "Because they're your nieces and nephews."

He grumbled, but acquiesced and rolled away from her and stood. But before he headed for the door, he bent down and hovered a few inches over her. "They're going to be your nieces and nephews soon, too," he whispered, before closing the gap and kissing her.

She stared up at him, silent, as she processed his words. He smirked and kissed her again, before pulling himself away and heading for the door.

The sight that awaited him when he pulled open the door was of no big surprise to him. Katie and Claire stood in the hallway, smiling up at him. They were both dressed in pajamas, and Claire had a stuffed dog under her arm. "Girls, what are you doing up? It's early."

"But it's cartoon time!" Katie exclaimed.

"Yeah, Uncle Derek, you said you'd watch with us," Claire added.

He raised an eyebrow. "Cartoons, huh? See, I don't seem to recall saying I'd watch any cartoons."

Both girls nodded profusely.

"Uh-huh, Uncle Derek," Claire said. "Yesterday morning."

He pursed his lips. "I remember saying I'd think about it."