Because you loved me

4

Meredith was ready and waiting by the door in her wheelchair, while Derek walked out of her bedroom prepared to leave.

"Are you through looking through my dainties?" She asked with a hint of humor in her voice, her head tilted as she watched him smirk and shake his head.

"If your 'dainties' weren't strewn all over your bedroom while you looked for something to wear today, I wouldn't have thought to touch them." He said as he shook his head. "Zoey's things are on the couch... her sleeping bag and clothes... she has her bear with her, they never part." He rolled his eyes with a slight smirk.

"Give me a break, Derek..." She teased back. "You look for an excuse to go into my bedroom." She said as he let out a laugh.

"Are you ready to go yet?" He asked as he walked around the couch and grabbed her purse off the floor, glancing over to her, he waited for her to make a remark as he approached her.

"Yes." She said, a half smile on her lips as she looked up at him. He placed her purse in her lap and shook his head, smiling back at her as he grabbed the handles of her wheelchair and started to pull her.

"I can do it myself, Derek." She replied, looking up at him as he smirked at her.

"I know that you can... but I thought I'd be gentlemanly... and escort you to the car? What do you say about that?" He teased as she tipped her head and smiled.

"I suppose I can allow you to be gentlemanly... you know, take advantage of it while I can." She teased as his jaw dropped in faux disbelief. "Pick your jaw off the floor... and let's go pick up some flowers for my baby." She said as Derek smiled and opened the door, pulling her out into the hallway, he laughed.

"Yes, your majesty." He teased as she giggled, watching him close the door and lock it, handing the keys back to Meredith as he began to push the wheelchair out toward the car. They rounded the corner, and Derek internally kicked himself for not warning Meredith about Ruth being out and about. As soon as they appeared, the old woman's grin brightened.

"Well if it isn't Doctor Shepherd and his kept woman." She teased, not meaning for her words to be offensive, but also not noticing the look of surprise on Meredith's face. She looked up at Derek, whose face had turned slightly pale at the woman's words, though he smiled through it.

"Oh Ruth, you're just jealous that Meredith here gets all of my affections." He said as he leaned down, kissing Meredith on the cheek. "I'm sorry... I forgot to warn you about the nosy neighbor." He said, his cheeks burning slightly as she watched his eyes sparkle anxiously.

"It's okay." She whispered, leaning up to kiss his cheek back, she watched as a smile rose on his lips.

"Sneaky..." He teased as she laughed a full giggle and shook her head.

"I don't have to be sneaky to get one of those." She replied as he opened the car door and glanced to Ruth as she watched the two of them.

"I was telling Derek, Meredith... that he needs to take you out alone, without that little shadow of his..." She said as she watched Meredith smile and blush slightly.

"It's good to have a cheerleader, Ruth." Meredith said as she watched Derek raise his eyebrows as he shook his head and held his hand out to her, pulling her up into a standing position. He gripped her hand carefully as she giggled and carefully put her leg into the car, pulling the other along with it as he pulled on the seatbelt and handed it to her. He leaned down and kissed her cheek again as he took a step back and grabbed the door to close it.

Derek stepped back and glanced to Ruth as he pulled at the wheelchair and folded it, smiling. "Zoey will be here tonight." He said with a nod as he opened the back of the car and slid the wheelchair inside. "She's staying with Meredith." He said as he closed the door. "So you can harass her too if you want." He teased.