Where You Belong

64

"I'll keep that in mind." She giggled before being cut off by his lips crashing down on hers. "Mmm," she murmured when he pulled away, "Much better."

"What's much better?"

She smirked and shrugged. "You usually kiss me before you brush your teeth in the morning. This was a nice change."

He made an indistinct noise in the back of his throat before speaking. "What are you insinuating?"

"You have not so nice morning breath."

"That is not true."

She laughed at the expression on his face, and couldn't help but pull his face down for another kiss. "It is," she insisted when he pulled away, "But I love you anyway."

"Hmm, you do, huh?"

"Yeah, I'm generous like that."

Derek rolled his eyes, before sobering. "Are you ready to go back to work today?"

Meredith felt herself beam. "Absolutely." She couldn't wait to get back to the hospital as a doctor, and not a patient.

"How are you feeling, after last night I mean?"

"I'm fine."

"Meredith," he cocked his head and stared at her, knowing she was holding back.

She sighed. "Fine. I'm a little sore. But in a good way."

"See, I knew it was too soon. We should have waited- I should have waited."

"Hey," she whispered, lifting her hands to cup his face, wanting nothing more than to rid him of the pained expression on his face. "Last night was amazing, Derek. Being a little sore is nothing in comparison."

"Are you sure?"

Moving her hands towards the back of his head, she threaded her fingers into his hair and used the grip to pull his lips back down to hers. "I've never been more sure of anything, Derek."

"How are you feeling?"

Meredith rolled her eyes before turning to meet George's worried gaze. "I'm fine, George."

"Good. I was worried that-"

She held up a hand, cutting him off. "Okay. Let's just do this once," she said, raising her voice. "My mother's dead. I'm not. She's cremated. I'm getting back to work."

The right corner of George's mouth twitched at her attitude. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Good." She offered him a smile, but before she could say more, Bailey stepped into the locker room, oblivious to the tension between Izzy and George, Izzy and Alex, and Meredith and everyone.

"O'Malley, you're with Shepherd today. Yang, Dr. Montgomery. Stevens to the clinic. Karev, Jane Doe. Grey, scut."

Meredith sighed. "Once again, I'm fine." She was dealing with enough just juggling her own and Derek's worries; she definitely didn't need her friends and her resident treating her with kid gloves.

Bailey met her gaze head on. "You can tell everyone you're fine until you're blue in the face. Your mom died. You almost joined her. You're taking it easy."

Meredith rolled her eyes for the umpteenth time that morning as Bailey walked away. "Great," she muttered sarcastically to herself. And to think, she had been looking forward to coming back to work.

The day wasn't getting any better when, only a few short hours later, Meredith found herself dashing away from her still-complaining roommate. The broom closet door had been the closest to her, and Meredith hadn't thought before she let herself in and quickly closed the door.