Seven Thousand Hours

Chapter 40| Silence

"Ugh turn it off!" Meredith whined as she rolled over under the covers, trying to ignore the blaring sound. "It's a phone-call, I didn't set an alarm" Derek snapped back tiredly as he sat up and walked across the room to find his phone. "Its your fault you're so tired anyway. 9 rounds of sex last night, Meri, 9!" Derek rambled on as he tracked down the noise. "Well I didn't hear you complaining" sh snapped back at him as she pulled the cover over her head.

"Dr Shepherd speaking- yes- she is- um she might have her phone turned off- alright- oh wow- okay- yes- I'll let her know- okay- thank you so much- we'll be in touch- bye". Once Derek had ended the call, he climbed back into bed, bringing her body close to his chest. "Who was that?" She whispered as she wrapped herself around his body.

"The American Board of Surgery" he mumbled. Meredith sat up a little. "The Boards? Is everything okay?" She asked frantically. Derek sat up against the headboard as he turned to her. Both their bodies ached in the best way possible as they looked at one another. "Derek you're scaring me" Meredith said. He grabbed her hands.

"They we're just calling to let us know that-" he swallowed the lump in his throat, fighting back the emotions. "They we're calling to tell us that we've been nominated for a Harper Avery Award" Derek said slowly, his mind in complete disbelief as he looked to her. "What?" Meredith asked for him to repeat what he just said because what she heard didn't sound real. "We're nominated for a Harper Avery, Sweetheart" he repeated as a big smiled grew across his face as he watched the news settle on Meredith's face. "Seriously?" She asked as tears filled her eyes. "I'm being so serious" Derek said as he stroked her cheek with his thumb.

Meredith fully broke down in tears and she jumped on Derek and hugged him tight. "Thank you" she sobbed into his shoulder. "You don't need to thank me. Why are you thanking me?" He chuckled as he rubbed her back. "Because if it wasn't for you then this wouldn't be happening" she sniffled as she looked at him before kissing him. "Well you're most welcome. And thank you for being my partner. Apparently we've been nominated as a duo, so well both get one. Apparently everyone is impressed with our research. Although the trials failing, it's also the closest we've got to curing it and apparently our trial has inspired other doctors to research, that's why we're nominated" he explained as he ran his hands through her golden hair.

"Not so ordinary now, are you?" Derek smiled at her as a big grin formed on her face. Meredith sighed happily. "My mother can be a bitch, but I know she'll be proud of this one" Meredith said. "Wait- who nominated us?" Meredith asked. Derek laughed a little. "I'm going to take a guess and say Lexie and Izzie. I heard them, what I thought was, joking about it. So I'll place my money on them" Derek laughed. Suddenly both their phones started ringing. "It's Izzie" Meredith said as she looked at her phone. "It's Lexie"Derek said as he looked at his.

"Hey Iz!" Meredith cheered. "YOU'VE BEEN NOMINATED FOR A HARPER AVERY OH MY GOD!" Izzie screamed down the phone. "I know, we're so excited!" Meredith said as she looked to Derek who was talking to Amelia and Lexie. "Yes Lexie, your sister is very very excited, so am I" Derek laughed as Lexie grilled him. "Big brother getting the Harper Avery. You'll forever remain mom's favourite" Amelia joked. "Hey, we have to win it yet!" Derek laughed. "It's being awarded at the end on the month. Both of us forgot it was announcement day, but we didn't think we'd be nominated for one." Derek rambled on as he tried to remember everything from that phonecall. He looked to Meredith who was excitedly rambling to her best friend about what she was going to wear to the special night. His feelings were indeed confirmed in this moment:

He was going to marry her.

"Hey, we'll call you guys later when we land back in Seattle, okay?" Derek said quickly. They said their goodbyes before he put his phone on silent and walked over to Meredith, instantly kissing her neck from behind. "I-Iz- I'll call you later-" she gasped in delight. "Oh he's so about to go down on you" Izzie laughed. "Yeah, yeah I think he is" Meredith giggled before quickly hanging up the phone. They stumbled back onto the bed, making out passionately before Meredith's phone started ringing. "Put it on silent" he whispered in her ear. "It's Cristina" she said. Meredith ignored it and it eventually went silent before it started ringing again. "It's Richard" she ignored it. "It George" Meredith said. "Absolutely ignore it" Derek spoke against her lips as he pinned one of her hands above her head.