Seven Thousand Hours

Chapter 30| All I am to you

A few weeks had passed since thanksgiving and it was now the night before Christmas. Both Derek and Meredith had continued to work on themselves, but neither quite forgetting thanksgiving night; it was their little glimpse of the future that was in store. Derek still wasn't cleared for surgery, his hand still being in a bad way after Mark. But he still joined Meredith in surgeries as he taught through his words, rather than his hands. But mentally he was doing a lot better and that was more important than anything after all that had happened.

But now they were hanging out in the lab. Meredith wasn't exactly sure why they were here, but Derek had dragged her down here to show her something.

"Der!" she laughed as he brought his arms around her from behind, jokingly biting her shoulder, making Meredith squeal. "Come on, we can just cut to the chase now. You want me, I want you, let's make it happen" he joked as he grabbed her hand and spun her around before bringing her back to his chest.

"We both said we needed time. And besides, waiting fun. And we need fun" she whined as he continued to dance with her. "Besides, why are you all of a sudden in a good mood. You said at thanksgiving you weren't ready" Meredith asked. "It's been a month since then, I'm in such a different place now" he said. Meredith shrugged, maybe he was right, maybe not.

"Apparently there's a big storm coming in tonight" Meredith deterred as he continued to spin her around. "Yeah, were you planning to go home? I can take you now if you'd like" he said as they danced around the lab. Anyone that would walk in would think they're insane, but it was just typical Meredith and Derek.

"I'm not sure if I'm staying or going yet. And besides, I'm not bothered if I work the Christmas shift or not" she shrugged. "What, do you not like Christmas?" Derek asked with a frown. Meredith shook her head. "It's just a reminder of all the Christmas' I never got. Izzie does a nice Christmas breakfast, but  it's hers and Alex's first Christmas together so instead she's doing the superbowl Sunday. So working the Christmas shift is better than being alone I suppose." She smiled at him.

"The holidays are hard, aren't they?" he said. "Tell me about it" she mumbled. "Christmas has never been fun since I was 13. Christmas without my dad was never the same." Derek rambled, not entirely knowing why, but knowing he needed it off his chest. "Oh, is he not around anymore?" Meredith asked quietly. He shook his head. "He died when I was 13. Got shot in his own store, killed him instantly. After William I thought it'd be a fresh start, create some traditions of our own. I think I spent last Christmas just throwing myself into planning the clinical trial, and I woke up drunk in downtown Manhattan" he laughed nervously as he remembered it all.

"It's strange how William was my everything. I did everything to try get him back, and now it just feels strange fighting for a random kid." He shrugged. Meredith watched him nervously. "For a year in your mind, he was your son. You did everything a Dad would do. It was what you should have done." Meredith said. Derek just nodded.

They'd gone back to work, wishing one another a Happy Christmas if they didn't see each other before their shift was done. It was now 10pm and the storm had soon rolled in. The hospital rumbled as the rain shook the hospital in its heavy showers as the strong winds shook every tree and every Christmas light. They hadn't had a storm in a long time in Seattle, in fact the last one was the 2nd time her and Derek had met.

Meredith was dreading making a dash for her car. It was freezing, icy and wet- and she was almost certain it wouldn't start because she hadn't used it since thanksgiving.