"Okay, Derek, seriously, this is creepy," Meredith giggled as her hands went up to the blindfold covering her eyes. "I'm taking it off."
"I already told you, if you take it off, we're going back to school and I'm not feeding you," Derek replied from the driver's seat of his car.
"Fine," Meredith sighed, crossing her arms over her chest and sighing dramatically. "Do I even get a hint?"
"I already told you, it's where I was going to take you the time you tried to convince me that you don't need me in your life," Derek replied.
"That's not a hint, you wouldn't tell me that night either," Meredith argued, trying not to think about what her life would be like if Derek had let her push him away. As he laughed softly in the seat next to her, she realized how much she relied on his presence in her life. For the past three weeks since she'd gotten her cast off, the two of them had somehow become inseparable, except for the two classes they didn't have together. Since Addison was busy with her new romance with Mark, Derek had quickly become Meredith's best friend and confidant, and she wouldn't have had it any other way. She loved spending time with him, and she wasn't sure she would even be happy right now if she didn't spend as much time with him as she did.
"Okay, we're here," Derek said softly as she felt the car come to a stop.
"Good," Meredith replied, reaching up to tear the blind fold off her eyes. She looked around for a moment, taking in the cars that surrounded them before she realized exactly where they were and turned to look at Derek with wide eyes.
"Seriously?" she asked. "The drive in?"
"Sure," Derek replied, flashing her a smile. "What's wrong with the drive in?"
"Nothing," Meredith giggled. "Should I call you Fonzie?"
Derek frowned. "You're mocking me."
"Golly, I would never do that," Meredith gasped. "Are you going to ask me to wear your pin? Because I'm not sure I'm ready for that."
Derek shook his head as he reached for his door handle. "I'll have you know, Meredith Grey, that the drive in can be just as good as a regular movie theater. And no one will throw us out when you talk through the whole thing."
"Hey," Meredith frowned, getting out of the car and following her to the snack stand. "I do not talk through movies."
"Sure," Derek laughed. "That's why I knew how every single movie we've watched ends before it's over."
"That's...you're annoying," Meredith snapped, turning to walk back to the car. "You better get me a large popcorn."
"Bossy," Derek muttered under his breath as he stepped forward to hand the money to the cashier, nodding thanks as he picked up their popcorn and sodas.
"Thanks," Meredith said with a smile as Derek slid back into the car and handed her a bag of popcorn and a cup of soda. "So what movie are we watching? Something scary so you can act like a manly man and promise to protect me from harm?"
Derek rolled his eyes. "Of course not," he said. "I'll have you know that they're showing a classics marathon. Tonight they're showing Casablanca."
"Oh," Meredith said, turning to him with wide eyes. "That's..."
"Your favorite movie, I know," Derek grinned.
"How did you know that?" Meredith asked, her head suddenly swimming with desire to kiss him.
"Addison told me," Derek replied. "I figured you would like it."
"I do," Meredith breathed, hesitating for a moment before she reached over to squeeze his hand. "Thanks, Derek."
"You're welcome," Derek replied. "Are you cold?"
"A little," Meredith admitted softly.
"Here," Derek said, pulling the armrest up and opening his arms to her. "Come here."
"Oh," Meredith said, biting her lower lip. Everything in her heart was screaming at her to accept his offer and cuddle into his warmth as they watched her favorite movie, but a tiny voice in her head was somehow overpowering them to tell her that friends didn't cuddle. "Um...is that okay?"
"Of course," Derek frowned. "I mean, if you're okay with it."
Meredith nodded, knowing that he was leaving the decision up to her. After a moment, she slid across the seat and into his arms, settling comfortably against his chest. Derek sighed contentedly as he buried his nose in her hair for a moment, allowing the scent of lavender to wash over him. They settled into a comfortable silence as the movie started, each of them savoring the moment of being close together and safe.
XXXXXX
"Seriously, that was amazing," Meredith said excitedly as they drove back to campus.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Derek smiled, glancing over at her briefly before returning his gaze to the road.
"Seriously, I don't think I've ever enjoyed myself that much," Meredith sighed as Derek pulled into a parking spot. They got out of the car and began walking across campus to their dorm, Meredith's brain working in overtime as they walked in comfortable silence. After a long moment, she moved closer to him and tentatively reached for his hand, lacing their fingers together. Derek looked down at her in surprise for a moment before he gave her hand a gentle squeeze and smiled down at her, telling her it was okay that she was taking initiative.
They walked in comfortable silence the rest of the way to the dorm, and when they finally stopped in front of their rooms, Meredith smiled softly up at him. "Thanks again, Derek," she said softly. "Um...do you want to come into my room? We could hang out or something, since Addison's probably in your room..."
Derek opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, the door to his and Mark's room burst open and Addison stormed out.
"If you're going to be an asshole about it, then maybe I'll just stop coming over and being your love slave," she snapped as she stalked past Derek and Meredith and slammed the door to her room shut behind her.
"Fine, I don't need you!" Mark's voice boomed as he appeared in the doorway, rolling his eyes when he saw Derek and Meredith staring at him with wide, curious eyes. "She's in a mood," he said by way of explanation before he disappeared back into the depths of the dark room.
"So, I guess the night's over," Derek said with a soft, disappointed smile.
"Yeah," Meredith whispered. "I guess so."
"Mer," Derek breathed before he leaned in and quickly brushed his lips against hers in a quick kiss. He started to pull back, anticipating her freak out, and was surprised when he felt her pull him back in, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck as she kissed him passionately, allowing her tongue to slip into his mouth and battle with his for power. They kissed for a moment before they both felt the need for oxygen and pulled back slightly, leaning their forehead against each other's as they breathed heavily.
"Good night," Meredith whispered after a moment, brushing her lips against his once more before she turned and walked into her room, flashing him a sly smile over her shoulder before she closed the door and leaned against it, closing her eyes as she relieved the entire evening in her head.
"Mer?" Addison asked from her bed. "What's going on?"
Meredith took a deep breath as she pushed herself off the wall and collapsed onto her own bed, a smile playing over her lips. "I don't know," she said honestly.
Addison rolled her eyes. "Fine," she said. "I'm trying to be a supportive best friend right now and talk about your love life, but I could be really selfish and complain about the stubborn pig that lives against the hall. Which do you want?"
"Hmmm," Meredith sighed. "I think I went on a date with Derek."
"You think?" Addison asked, flipping onto her stomach and cupping her chin in her hands. "You don't know?"
"He said we were just going out to get off campus, do something different," Meredith said. "He took me to the drive in, which is lame and corny, I know, but...there was something about it that was just amazing. He made sure we got to see Casablanca, and it was cold, but he held me...and I don't know, Addie, it was just...perfect."
"Oh, Mer," Addison breathed, a smile spreading over her face. "You're falling in love with him."
"I..." Meredith automatically started to deny it, but she collapsed against her pillows as she let her mind wander back to the kiss they had shared moments earlier. "I might be," she whispered.
"Wow," Addison breathed. "Does he know?"
"No," Meredith said quickly. "He...I know he wants to be with me, but I told him I want to be friends, and I just don't know how to do this without ruining it."
Addison nodded. "I get it," she replied. She looked at Meredith closely for a moment, taking in the way her best friend's eyes sparkled as she thought about Derek. She could tell that Meredith didn't want to talk about it anymore, so she flopped onto her back to stare at the ceiling and asked, "so do you want to hear about how stupid Mark Sloan is?"
Meredith giggled as she leaned forward, clutching a pillow in her arms. "Sure," she said. "What did he do?"
"I told him that I want him to come to dinner with my parents," Addison said. "And he told me that he doesn't do parents."
"So?" Meredith asked.
"So..." Addison replied. "If he doesn't do parents, that means he's not serious about me, which means that I've been wasting the entire past two months."
"Mmmmm," Meredith nodded, tuning her friend out as she recalled the feeling of Derek's lips on her own, knowing that it was the best feeling she had ever experienced, and she couldn't wait to feel it again.