We've Got To Stop Meeting Like This

State Of Grace

"Meredith!"

Her heart stopped as she heard his voice, and she turned around to see him standing there. His hair was a mess, his shirt slightly wrinkled. She blinked a few times, frozen to the spot as he continued to move closer to her. Only when his arms were wrapped around her, did she allow herself to fall into him, to release the breath she'd been holding.

"I'm so sorry, Meredith," he murmured softly against her hair, holding her tight against him, "My flight was cancelled, and my phone died and I hadn't packed my charger because I was in a rush to catch my flight in the first place."

"I thought you weren't coming," she mumbled,

She buried her face buried against his neck and moved her arms around him as he continued to hold her close.

"I'm here, I'm here now," he said as he pulled back to look at her with a soft grin on his face, "You look beautiful. We should go in."

"Wait, your hair," she said with a small frown, reaching her hands up to run her fingers through his hair to try and fix it.

"No one is going to be looking at me, tonight is about you," he said, pressing a kiss to her lips a moment before taking her hands in his with a gentle squeeze.

"It's just a nomination, Derek," she said with a roll of her eyes and a soft laugh.

"Well we'll never know if we stay out here," he said, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

His arm slid around her waist as they went into the function room, quickly finding the table where Richard and her mother were already sitting down with Cristina. He gave them a quick nod in greeting as they had already begun speaking up on stage. He held her hand tight under the table, knowing she was nervous about the outcome. He could feel that she wore the engagement ring on her finger rather than it's usual place on a chain around her neck, making him grin softly and glance at her a moment. He couldn't help but feel so lucky to call her his. They had a long way to go until they could really be together again, but knowing they were waiting for each other, still supporting each other, that was enough for now.

He watched her reaction closely as her name was called, and he was the first one she turned to, her eyes widened slightly in shock as an applause erupted around them. He stood up with her, pulling her into a close embrace as she seemed to still be in shock.

"Well done, Mer, you deserve this. Go on," he murmured, pressing a kiss to her cheek before releasing her so she could walk up on to the stage to accept the award.

He joined in with the applause of everyone in the room, watching her approach the stage to accept the award. He knew how nervous she must've been, but it didn't show at all as she spoke the acceptance speech he knew she had practiced over and over, even if she was adamant she wouldn't win. His glance shifted to Ellis, who looked at her daughter with pride, and he was glad to have witnessed it, it wasn't something Meredith experienced from her mother often.

"Thank you, everyone," she said with a soft grin as she finished off her speech.

He watched as she had her picture taken a moment with Catherine Fox before she left the stage, walking back over to the table, apparently unable to stop smiling. He stayed back as Ellis embraced her, hugging her close, speaking to her quietly a moment before letting her go. After a short conversation with Cristina, she sat back down in her seat beside Derek, and his arm draped over her shoulders, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"I'm so glad I didn't miss this," he said to her as she turned her head to look at him.

"I'm glad you didn't miss this either," she said with a soft laugh as the ceremony came to an end and the room started to empty.