I Will Follow You Into the Dark

CHAPTER 97

And without further ado, this fic returns to our yet-to-be-completed bubble bath..............



Derek just sat there quietly listening. Meredith continued, "So I did think of him briefly. But then another thought occurred to me."

"What?" he asked softly.

"Steve just ran the bath for me........and left. You're here with me. This is so........wonderful........everything is just wonderful now because I'm sharing it with you."

Derek hugged her tightly and whispered into her ear, "I love you, Meredith."

"I love you, too."



After a bath so long that they were completely pruny, the lovers pulled themselves apart and out of the tub long enough to towel off. Clad in a towel, Meredith was searching through a dresser drawer for her pajamas. She was yanked from her search by Derek throwing an arm around her waist and spinning her around toward the bed. Before she could get her bearings, he had rolled her over so that she was lying on the bed on her back. He stopped to gaze at her adoringly as he admired the way she looked so surprised yet envigorated by his antics.

"What are you doing, Dr. Shepherd?" she asked seductively.

He shrugged and gave her a knee melting look as he reached behind him and produced a bottle of her favorite lavender-scented body lotion. "I seem to recall," he said, popping the cap open and dumping a generous amount of the lotion into his left hand as he knelt on the bed beside her, "that part of your nightly ritual is to apply this lotion.........all over." His raised eyebrow let her know he had plans to entertain her. He started slowly, gently rubbing the lotion into her arms and hands and shoulders. She smiled back at him as she relaxed into his grasp, her heart already racing, and the warmth of his touch flooding her body with heat wherever his strong hands and fingers rubbed against her. Her eyes grew darker to match the darker shade his now reflected her way. She offered a feeble protest, "I can do that Derek. It's hard work," she said stretching her arms above her head and arching her back like a cat while talking very slowly. "Covering every.......little...inch takes.......so...much...time."

"I'll do you if you do me," he said, leaning down to kiss her in that way that sent her whole body into overdrive.

As he finally let her regain consciousness, she giggled in a low voice, "So you want to smell like a pretty purple flower, too?"

"Yes," he said, his lips running down her neck and across her bare shoulders, "if that's what it takes to have your hands all over every inch of me," he whispered into her ear, nipping that little sensitive spot with his teeth and growling a bit into her neck when he felt her body respond.

She surprised him by rolling them over and pinning him to the mattress. Derek was impressed and more than a little pleased. He raised his gaze to lock it on hers. His hands instinctively wandered up to her now naked form, but she nudged them away, choosing instead to lie atop him and cover his ever more ready body with hers. Leaning down to whisper in his ear, she moved her body over him in a way that drove him wild. "All out of lotion, whatever will I put on you?"

Derek reached up and pulled her willing lips down to cover his. And the spark of that connection had them both eagerly working to lavish kisses and caresses and lotion and more personal attention on each other until they collapsed--satiated, happy, exhausted, and blissfully in love.

Much later, the lovers were lying in bed just holding each other. Meredith was snuggled tightly against Derek, and he was running his fingers through her hair and gently tracing patterns on her body, just memorizing the feel of her skin.

"So," he began, kissing her cheek tenderly, "what do you do when you're not working?"

She smiled up at him and responded quietly, "I spend most of my free time with the kids. We stay pretty busy with their activities, homework, having friends over, etc. Our neighbors are great, and we often hang out with them at one house or the other. I have a few close friends at work, and we go out about twice a month to dinner and a movie or a show. It's not glamorous or exciting, but it makes me happy. How about you?"

"I'm pretty much a workaholic. I spend my Saturday nights hanging out with Jen. I fish when I can, and I do still enjoy riding the ferry," he said, looking over at her as their memories of that first ferry ride together ran through both their minds. "I workout just enough to keep myself from looking older than I am, and I visit my family when I can. My existence isn't too glamorous, either."

He smiled at her lovingly and continued, "But now I'll be calling and messaging you and planning visits to see you."

"Derek, what will we do?"

"We don't have to decide right now. The girls need time. We're both busy. I would love to be with you here and soon. But we have jobs to do. Let's just be. And be happy. The rest will work itself out. We'll talk more about it."

"OK," Meredith said, pressing her body even closer to his.

"You're worried," he said, planting a kiss on her forehead.

"No. Just concerned. You'll be so far away," she said, holding tightly to him as tears sprang to her eyes.

"I'll have you in my heart," he whispered, gazing at her in the way that only he could.

"Sappy. You're very sappy. Maybe the distance is a good idea."

"Mer, don't worry. I'll move here next week if you want. Maybe two. I just need to give them notice."

"Derek, I can't let you....."

"You and your girls have lives here. They're kids. They don't need to be uprooted. It's probably best."

"But what about your job?"

"It's no more important than yours. I can do it anywhere."

"I can't let you. You're too unselfish. You......"

He kissed her so that she was unable to continue. The kiss was heated as always, but it was fueled with each wanting to reassure the other of their commitment to work things out no matter what.

As Derek pulled back, he looked at her tenderly and cupped her her cheek in his hand, "Moving is easy. For that," he said, referring to the incredible kiss they had shared, "I would sell my soul........You are my home now. Wherever you are is home."

"I feel the same way," Meredith said, her eyes glistening with tears and overwhelming love for the man holding her.

"But the girls don't," he said practically. "Look. We don't have to decide now. The holidays are coming. It's a busy time of year. Let's see how long I can go without touching this hot bod of yours. And how long you can last without my perfectly primed pecs to lean against," he said winking at her.

Meredith giggled at his bravado.

"You laugh now.....," he said with a dare in his expression. "You want me. You'll be begging......stalking me......"

Meredith laughed even more loudly as he pulled her to him. They laughed and talked and held each other for the rest of the night.