As they walked hand in hand into the hospital Meredith could sense a shift in the air. Instead of nurses, janitors, support staff all going about their business and ignoring her. They now glanced at her, peaked at her, even gave her looks of jealousy over the fact she had the man to her left who was currently holding her hand.
Derek too also noticed the more wandering eyes this morning that lingered at tad too longingly at his adoring wife to his right. He didn't like some of the looks she was getting. Like she stole something from these nurses. He didn't like some of the ones he was getting from some of the males in his path. At that thought he tightened his grip on his wife's hand.
Which was ridiculous since he'd been Meredith for years and years. From the first time he laid eyes on her. He could tell Meredith was tensing up, she was getting antsy. He could tell with the way she was biting her bottom lip and holding his hand a bit more tightly than normal just like him.
"I have something for you" he told her as they walked towards the intern locker room.
"What is it?" she asked turning her head to look at him
Derek took his free hand and dug into the side pocket of his briefcase pulling out a sliver key ring with a lone silver key on it.
"Why Dr. Shepherd are you keying me? Asking me to move in with you after just one day of being your intern?" She giggled, he rolled his eyes at his wife' charming attempts at sarcasm which just comes out too cute from her.
"Funny, this is actually the key to my kingdom." He whispered to her. She looked at him confused at his words and he continued on "in the case you need a quiet place to read, do charts, sleep or anything, it's the spare key to my office."
Meredith's face lit up with a wide smile as she took the key ring and slipped it around her finger.
"You're giving me a hiding spot aren't you?"
"I'm giving you someplace private you won't have to worry about…" he trailed off when she just started giggling and shaking her head before he added "fine, I'm giving you a place to hide if you need it." He relented to her.
They had reached the intern door and she was apprehensive on going in and he hovered around not wanting to let go of her hand but also needing to get ready for his first surgery.
She pulled on his hand bringing it up to her lips placing a kiss on his knuckles and gave him a slight "Meredith" smile. Which meant in Derek decoding Meredith speak, she was not okay but okay enough and she was going to get though it.
"Thank you for the key to your kingdom. I feel pretty special to have my very own shiny key to the head of the Neurosurgery department's office." She said honestly leaning up to kiss him on the cheek lingering for a second by just inhaling the scent of her husband that she could never get tired of and made her weak in her knees. She was very grateful for her gift, she'd never have to sleep in an on call room and share that room with some stranger. She had a big comfy couch and she was already thinking of things to leave in his office. Like some books, magazines, an extra pair of scrubs, clothes, and toothbrush.
"You're welcome, guess being the wife of the department head has some perks" she joked.
"Don't you forget it, and it has perks, many many perks." He whispered in her ear.
"Dr. Shepherd." she exclaimed with wide eyes. "Behave, and go to work. I'll be fine." She said turning to go into the locker room.
"Okay, but if you need me..."
"I know where to find you and you can't hide either, I have a key." She showed him as she dangled her key ring in front of him.
Kissed her on the cheek goodbye and she watched him walk down the hall towards the elevator to go up to his off. She turned again and slowly pushed open the door with a slight hesitation.
The second Meredith walked into the locker room to her locker the hustle, bustle and all the chatter between the other interns stopped and they all just glanced toward her. George looked at her like a wounded puppy, Izzy and Cristina looked at her with narrow eyes and Alex looked at her with wide eyes. Other interns around her just stared.