How Sweet It Is

22

Derek was worried. He was nearing beyond worried. It was almost four o'clock in the morning and Meredith still wasn't home. She was supposed to have been off an hour ago which meant that she should have been home half an hour ago. And now the worst thoughts and images were going through his head. She was probably completely exhausted. Forty-eight hour shifts were exhausting and now she had to drive home.

Derek was cursing himself for not offering to pick her up. Making her drive home after that shift was insane and now he was getting even more worried as he paced around the kitchen and the living room, jumping at every little sound that he thought may be the door opening. She had to be home soon. Or he was going to go out and look for her. He was just about to grab his coat and his keys when he heard the door open. "Meredith?"

"Hey." She whispered, stepping into the house. 'You know the door is unlocked?"

"Are you okay?" He asked, closing the door behind her.

"Yeah." She whispered, her voice tired.

"You're late."

"I didn't get out right away." She yawned, sitting her stuff on the floor.

"Next time...just...call me okay?" He whispered, pulling her into his arms.

"Okay." She frowned, tilting her head up at him.

"I might not have taken a breath the entire last hour." He chuckled, kissing her forehead.

"You're paranoid." She yawned.

"Just worried." He whispered.

"You don't have to worry." She replied, pressing kiss against his chest.

"Now I don't." He sighed. "So how was your first shift?"

"Boring...I wanted action."

"Get to watch any surgeries?"

"Bypass."

"Hahn?"

"Yeah." She breathed, trying not to let out another yawn.

"She's good." He whispered, rubbing Meredith's back.

"Uh huh."

"Are you hungry?"

"Sleepy."

"Up to bed it is."

"Finally." Meredith sighed, pushing her hair from her face.

"My mom wanted me to tell you she's sorry she couldn't see you tonight...but she's making you some special breakfast or lunch tomorrow." Derek replied, as they headed up the steps.

"It's four in the morning, I didn't expect her to be awake."

"She stayed up until one."

"She doesn't know we're..."

"No."

"Good...that's good."

"She's...She wants me to give you more space." Derek chuckled, opening the door to his room for her.

"Why?"

"She was confused why we were spending so much time together and thinks that I'm crowding you."

"I wouldn't call what we're doing crowding." She giggled weakly.

"Definitely not." He laughed. "But she doesn't know that."

"Do you have a sweatshirt?" She asked, pulling her top off.

"In the top drawer." He said, as he pulled on a pair of gym shorts.