The Fight for Chief

Chapter 21

Sign of the times

A few weeks later, now late November.

"Boo!" He shouted as he snook up behind her in the cafeteria line, making her scream and flinch. "You asshole!" She whined as he wrapped his arms around her from behind, stealing a secret kiss on her neck.

She wriggled away. "Stop. We said no relationship in the hospital" she mumbled as she turned to him. "What, I'm not even allowed to say hello to you?" Derek frowned as he waited for his coffee. "No, no PDA in the hospital" she said adamantly as she paid for her things.

"Well are you going to tell Lexie about us? It's been 2 weeks" Derek asked. She shrugged. "Have you told Mark?" She said, almost with a hint of accusation. "Yeah, I have" he said before smiling at her but she didn't reciprocate.

"Look, if this is going too fast for you then we can-" he rambled as they walked down the empty hallway. "No. No, it's not that. I just-" she suddenly cut herself off and pushed him against the wall before kissing him passionately.

"Well well well, the rumours are true then" they heard a voice behind them, startling them apart. Derek bit his lip, savouring the feeling of her against him in the incredibly passionate lip lock. Meredith turned, noting who it was before Derek stepped in front of her.

"Addison, what are you doing here?" Derek asked quietly. "I'm off maternity and back in part-time. And you must Meredith, I've heard a lot about you" Addison said as she stretched out her hand to Meredith who shook it carefully. "DerBear, it's been so long" she commented, her voice laced in sarcasm; hugging him before he could even pull away.

He escaped as quickly as he could and took a step back. "Yes, Addison, infidelity does that to a couple" Derek shrugged as he walked over to the nurses station and grabbed his chart.

Meredith awkwardly smiled as she passed Addison and walk towards Derek. He sighed as he flicked through his chart before glancing to her. "Do want to stay for my surgery or are you going to head home?" He asked sweetly, gently tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Hmm" she hummed tiredly. "I'm going to head home, I had a long shift" she whisped. "Okay, will I see you later?" He asked as his hand rested on her lower back.

She shook her head. "I've got a few errands to run, and the house to clean. You can come over tomorrow?" She suggested. He nodded. "How about we go down to the Ferry, make a date out of it?" He smiled at her, stroking her back. She nodded. "Sounds great"

"Bye, I'll see you tomorrow" he said before quickly glancing around and kissing her lips. "enjoy your sleep" he added. "Bye, Derek" she smiled sleepily before turning to leave.

Derek went and scrubbed in his surgery with Lexie and Jo.

"So have you kissed her yet?" Lexie asked as she retracted a skullflap. Derek's head shot up. "W-why? Has she said something?" He asked carefully behind his mask. Lexie frowned. "No" she said. "Why are you being so weird?" She asked. "I'm not" he said quickly, aligning his focus back on the surgery.

"Why don't you just bite the bullet? Not literally put yourself in front of one this time, but I'm sure she'd appreciate hearing how you feel outside of a life-changing situation. She's in love with you Derek, something impossible for Meredith Grey, the child of darkness, and she in love with you. Tell her"

Derek smiled awkwardly before chuckling. "I'd hardly say she's the child of darkness. More like the child of sunshine" he mumbled. Lexie frowned at his comment before moving on. "Well whatever she is, you love her. And in two weeks one of you is going to get that job and you never know what might happen, you might lose her. So don't wait around for that to happen."

Derek paused for a moment and frowned. "W-wait- has she said something?" He asked quietly. Lexie shook her head. "No. But I know Meredith. I know she's career driven, but she's more driven by love. I'll be honest, if she doesn't get this job, I think she'll leave. But you give her a reason to stay, and she needs to stay because this is her home and I've just moved here so it would be a big waste of time and money. You're her reason to stay, Derek. Don't give her a reason to leave"

"I-i- don't think I'd let her go. I would give her the job if that was the case" Derek said. "Good. I'm glad she's finally met someone like you"

They continued their surgery in comfortable silence but Derek's mind was reeling.

Maybe it was just a gut feeling, maybe it was foreshadowing, maybe he just knew that everything was too good to be true.

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