You're Like Coming Home

16.

Derek smiled softly, but his eyes showed that he was thinking about something else as he looked up at his father. "When did you know?" he asked. "That you wanted to marry Mom?"

Michael looked at Derek curiously for a moment before he smiled softly and said, "Pretty much the second I met her."

"Really?" Derek asked.

"Mmmhmm," Michael nodded, his eyes glazing over as he began to get lost in the past. "I was engaged when I met her, you know. I was an intern when she came into the ER after she came in with a concussion. I asked her out for that night, broke up with my fiancé, and asked your mother to marry me before our meals were even served."

Derek laughed. "She couldn't have said yes," he stated.

"Of course not," Michael laughed. "I had to ask four times before she finally said yes."

"Four times?" Derek asked. "How did you have the patience to wait for her?"

"She was worth it," Michael shrugged. "I can't really explain it, but I just couldn't imagine being with anyone but her. And she wasn't ready when I was, so I waited. She is six years younger than me."

Derek nodded slowly. "I want to marry Meredith," he said softly. "Not now, obviously, but I want to marry her one day. But I'm afraid she'll never be ready."

Michael leaned forward to pat Derek's arm reassuringly. "That girl is crazy about you," he said. "You'll know when she's ready. And if she loves you like your mom loves me, she'll just roll her eyes and call you an idiot every time you propose before she's ready."

"She already does that," Derek laughed. "Thanks, Dad."

Michael nodded as he stood up. "You know, your mom usually leaves pretty early for church," he said. "I doubt she'll check in on you or Meredith before she leaves. Just thought you could use that information to your advantage."

Derek nodded, a slow smile coming over his lips. "Okay," he said. "Thanks, Dad."

"Just doing my job," Michael shrugged before he turned to walk up the stairs, leaving Derek sitting in the dimly lit kitchen with a smile playing on his lips. After a moment he stood and switched the lights off, moving to the stairs and making his way into his room. He smiled softly as he closed the door behind him and slid into bed behind Meredith, pulling her tightly into his arms.

"Hmmm," she sighed. "Der?"

"It's me," he whispered. "It's okay, go back to sleep."

Meredith settled more comfortably against his chest, sighing happily as she traced her fingers over his arm. "What about your mom?" she whispered.

"It's fine," Derek said. "Don't worry about it."

"Okay," she whispered. "Der?"

"I love you."

He smiled as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I love you too, Mer," he whispered. "So much."

"Good," she sighed. "I know I'm completely lame and corny, but...I'm glad you came up here."

"Me too," Derek said, squeezing her gently. "I'm pretty sure last night was the worst night's sleep I've ever had. And it's because you weren't there."

She smiled as she buried her face in his shoulder. "Do you think it's weird?" she asked. "I mean, we're eighteen, and we have such strong feelings for each other?"

"I don't think it's weird," Derek shook his head. "I think we're lucky. Some people look for this kind of love forever and never find it."

"And some people have it and give it up," she whispered.

Derek was quiet for a moment before he whispered, "I want to marry you."

He wasn't at all surprised when Meredith pushed herself off of him and reached for the light, her eyes wide and panicking as she looked at him. "Seriously, Derek?" she asked. "We're eighteen. How can you be proposing? Eighteen, Derek. We've known each other for two months and we have four years of college and then med school and residency, and you want to get married? Seriously? Seriously."

Derek laughed slightly as he reached to pull her into his arms. "Not right now," he said. "I'm not even proposing. I just want you to know...I'm going to propose. Eventually. When we're both ready."

"Oh," Meredith said, nodding slightly. "Um...okay. I guess."

"You guess?" Derek laughed.

"Well, how am I supposed to respond to that?" Meredith asked, rolling her eyes. "You're an idiot sometimes."

"I tell you I want to marry you and you call me an idiot," Derek laughed. "That feels good."

Meredith giggled as she wrapped her arms around him. "You know I love you," she said, pressing her lips against his neck.

"Hmmm...I think I might need a little convincing," Derek groaned as she moved to straddle his hips.

"How about this?" she murmured, reaching between them to pull her shirt over her head and moving to press her breasts against his face.

"I like this convincing," Derek murmured before he took a nipple into her mouth, running his hands up and down her back.

"God, Der," she whimpered, pushing herself closer to him.

"Quiet," he whispered against her skin. "We have to be quiet."

Meredith purred quietly in response, pulling him so that he lay gently over her. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, feeling him completely take her into his control and never feeling safer. All she could think about was marrying Derek one day and how happy that made her.