We've Got To Stop Meeting Like This

Willow

She was practically bouncing as she waited in the arrivals lounge as Sea-Tac. His flight had just landed, and she'd be in his arms any minute now. It may have been less than 24h since she saw him last, but it felt like it had been months, like the amount of time they usually spent apart.

She was just ready to spend the next two weeks with him. Even if they weren't going away for two weeks to St Barts, a place she'd always dreamed of going when she was dragging herself through med school, a place she probably imagined each time something horrible would come through the hospital doors. Each tragic case, each loss that she felt. Dreaming of a place with a beach like St Bart's, the heat, the peace, and more recently, just holding Derek's hand, having him there beside her and holding her close, making everything feel okay again.

Her thoughts were broken as soon as she saw him heading toward her, a grin on his face as he spotted her, pulling his suitcase behind him. She couldn't move any closer towards him without being stopped by security, and she was definitely bouncing noticeably on the balls of her feet, given the way she could see him chuckling.

He finally reached her and neither of them said a word as she leapt at him, her arms flinging around his neck as she jumped up and he stumbled back slightly as her legs wrapped around him. His arms held her tight as she buried her face in his neck, his arms holding her tight around the waist, still chuckling softly.

"Hi, baby," he murmured, holding her tight but not so much that she couldn't breathe.

"I missed you so damn much," she breathed, her voice breaking slightly as she felt tears in her eyes.

"You saw me yesterday," his hand moved over her hair as he set her on her feet, neither of them letting go of the other just yet, "I missed you too, though."

"We barely spent any time together, I didn't even get a massage," she looked up at him with a smirk.

"Why are you crying?" he frowned, lifting his hands to cup her face, his thumbs wiping at her tears.

"Happy, relief," she grinned up at him.

"Let me make you happier, then," he murmured as he pressed his lips to hers.

Her eyes fluttered closed as she tasted him on her lips again, and her fingers tangle with the hairs at the nape of his neck. Her lips smiled against his, pulling back slightly and meeting his eyes again, brushing her nose against his.

"Maybe we should take this back to my place," she murmured as he pulled her a little closer.

"I'm kind of hungry though, I thought we could get lunch, walk around a bit, take it easy," he said, swaying her slightly, teasing with her.

"Derek Shepherd," she muttered, "Are you sure? Is that really what you want to do?"

"Why do I feel like you're threatening me, Meredith Grey?" he quirked an eyebrow at her.

"That is a strong word," she smirked slightly, "Lunch then, yeah?"

She slid her hand into his, gently pulling tugging as she turned to walk away with him. She laughed softly as he pulled her back toward him with a grin.

"We should probably get out of here before they ask us to leave," she pressed her lips together, repressing a smirk.

"Come on then, beautiful," he chuckled, keeping her close to his side as they headed toward the exit.

****

They lay in bed later that evening, Meredith's head on Derek's chest, her fingers drawing invisible patterns over his bare chest. His arm was securely around her waist, not letting her go anytime soon. She knew they needed to talk about their fellowships. She'd confirmed her place earlier that morning, at Boston Children's Hospital, specialising in paediatric neurosurgery.

She had no idea where he had applied to, no idea where he might be accepting a place to start in after their holiday. She sighed softly as she burrowed his face against his neck, his hand moving up her back as she pressed a kiss against the top of her head.

"What's wrong?" He asked quietly, "I can hear the gears turning in your mind from here."

"I confirmed my fellowship place this morning," she told him, lifting her head to look at him, her chin on his chest.

"Me too," he breathed, "Is this where we tell each other?"

"Yeah," she nodded, burying her face against him again, "I'm really enjoying this moment with you, I don't want it to be ruined."

"Hey, no, none of that," he said, sitting up and pulling her up with him, "Come here."

His arms opened for her, and she moved into his lap, her legs around his waist as his arms wound around her waist. His forehead touched hers, pressing a short, sweet kiss to her lips.

"Whatever happens, wherever we go, nothing will be ruined, okay?" He told her seriously, lifting a hand to brush her hair behind her ear, "If you want, I'll go first."

"Okay," she murmured softly, closing her eyes, and tightening herself around him, wanting to get as close as humanely possible.

"I'm going to be going to UCLA, Neurosurgery Spine Fellowship," he said, playing with her hair as her head rested on his shoulder, "It's only for one year, and then I'm going wherever you are."

"I'm so proud of you," she murmured, unable to hold back her grin as she lifted her head up and pressed her lips against his.

She knew what this meant for them, and she put everything she had in that moment into their kiss. Her hands lifted to tangle in his hair as she kissed him slowly, his lips reciprocating each movement, each feeling. He gently nipped her lower lip before pulling back slightly.

"Your turn," he whispered, his fingers brushing over her cheek.

"I got accepted for the Shillito Paediatric Neurosurgery Fellowship at Boston Children's," she told him, unable to keep the grin of excitement off her face.

"You... Meredith, that's amazing," he grinned back, wrapping her in a tight hug, "I didn't even... that's like the best for paediatric."

"Yeah, I know," she laughed, biting her lips as she buried her face against his neck, "and it's only a one-year programme."

"Wait, one year?" He breathed, pulling back to look at her.

"Yeah," she nodded, "A lot of the other ones I was looking at were two years, but this one is only one year, but it's going to be really intense."

"Meredith, that's... that's amazing," he chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief, "I'm so proud of you."

"It's just one more year," she breathed a sigh of relief, grinning as she tightened herself around him again, "Just one more year."

"But first, I get to see you in a bikini for two weeks," he smirked playfully, catching her lips in his own.

She was so ready to spend the rest of her life with this man. And she swore to marry him the minute their year apart was up.

Take my hand, wreck my plans,
That's my man.