15. Chapter 15: It's Serious

A/N Hey, thank you for your ongoing interest in the fic and all the supportive comments! Every review brings a smile on my face.

So, Ellis is gone for now and the next couple of updates focuses on MerDer growth. Hope you enjoy!

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Meredith strolled along the shelves of the store wondering what else she was going to need to for the afternoon. Strawberries… definitely… she'd have to remember to put whipped cream into the cart.

Meredith Grey was doing something she had never envisioned herself doing, caring for a boy. Since she confessed him the whole truth, he was nothing short of attentive and warm, taking care of her every possible way he could even if she completely recovered from her unfortunate encounter with her mother. Derek, though, believed that the knowledge of his father's new family weighed heavily on her mind, and so pampered her every wish and dream.

Meredith though was in a much better disposition that her secret boyfriend supposed. True, sometimes she fought the urge to put Ellis's honesty to test and see if her father really replaced her with two new perfect daughters. Though every time her hand reached for the yellow pages to find his number, she jerked it away in apprehension and brushed it off from her thoughts. It wasn't that difficult; Thatcher was now only a distant figure in her memory, a man she probably wouldn't recognize if she passed him on the street. Instead she threw herself heart and soul in the whirlwind of her work and her romance with Derek, not necessarily of that order of importance.

Every day convinced her a little bit more about the significance of his presence in her life. She realized with both awe and fear that without him everything would seem trivial and colorless. Normally, such an illumination would make her run for the hills. But Derek was patient and lenient and gave her time. They were making baby steps, no sudden moves. Meredith appreciated that Derek agreed to go according to her pace and today she wanted to do something in return…

"Meredith!"

She turned towards the owner of the somehow surprised voice and saw her antecedent at the position of the chief, Richard Webber.

"Meredith," he smiled widely and came closer. "How have you been?"

"I…" she chuckled. So much happened in her life. "Good, really great."

"I'm sure," commented Richard pensively. "You look positively radiant."

"Thank you," she smiled. "And you? We haven't heard from you like you promised in ages." Come to think about it, she didn't see him since their meeting at Joe's all those months ago when she came to inquire about his motives for supporting her nomination. She thought that the retirement wasn't kind for the older surgeon. He didn't look rested and relaxed at all, and she was sure there were some new wrinkles she hadn't seen before.

"Richard cleared his throat uncomfortably, "Yes, well… to tell the truth, I've just got divorced."

"Divorced?" Meredith's jaw hit the floor in shock. "I'm… I'm sorry. That's really not my business."

"Don't be," Richard calmed her down. "We tried to work out the things but it was too late. Our marriage was dead for years."

Meredith was engulfed by somber thoughts. She only met his wife Adele once but she thought the Webbers were one of those strong marriages. They must have been together for years. Adele seemed so supportive the day that Richard retired. She was always on his side.

"Is is… is it really impossible?" asked Meredith gravely. "To have both a career and a relationship?"

Richard studied her hardened face and brilliant eyes. "You're seeing someone," he stated more than asked making her blush furiously and nod with reluctance.

He looked at her quickly and scanned the contents of her cart. "That's why you're here and not at work like I always was."

She flushed even more under his scrutiny and gripped the cart tightly.

"Is he a good man?" sighed Richard.

"Yes…" frowned Meredith, not exactly sure where he was headed.

"Is he married?"

"No!" she shot indignantly. "What kind of question is that?"

"It's something serious?" continued Richard relentlessly.

Meredith shrugged trying to appear indifferent, "It feels so."

Richard pondered a couple of seconds in silence staring somewhere above her shoulder. "It is possible," he confessed heavily. "With the right person, it is possible."

An awkward silence fell upon them until a sudden idea crossed Meredith's mind.

"Did you… I wonder if you knew my father," she said pushing stray hair off her face.

"Why do you ask?" Richard turned to her giving her a sharp look.

"You knew my mother, you were friends, so I thought…" she trailed off. "I don't have much contact with my father… none actually… and my mother was here last month-"

"Ellis was here?" asked Richard excitedly.

"Yeah," nodded Meredith flinching at the memory. "For a consult."

"Oh, right," he stared at his hands. "Can you call me? When she's in town next time, I mean?"

"Sure, sure," agreed Meredith with raised eyebrows. So not happening, she cringed inwardly. She'd move heaven and earth to stop her mother from coming to Seattle again.

The conversation ran dry and they soon parted, both of them thinking about someone close to their hearts.

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"Mom," sighed Derek into his cell phone trying unsuccessfully to interrupt his mother. Balancing the phone between his cheek and shoulder, he pulled up in his driveway and replaced the air conditioned interior of his car with the sweltering afternoon heat. He smiled seeing Meredith's silver Porsche parked in the shade of a tree. Earlier on, he received a note that they were going to celebrate the first day of summer on his land and since then he was dead curious what she had planned. Knowing Meredith it was something he would extremely appreciate. But first, he needed to gently finish the conversation with his mother.

"Derek, are you still here?" she sighed. "Are you even listening?"

"Yes, Ma," he answered meekly entering the trailer. He unfastened a couple of buttons on his shirt and glanced around. Meredith must be somewhere out.

"Derek, I know exactly what are you thinking right now," took up his mother. "You wish that this old lady would stop ranting in your ear. But so it happens that this lady is your mother and has every right to rant and ask how her only son has been!"

"Mom, I told you," said quickly Derek to appease her. "Everything's good. Great even." He moved towards the bed and spotted a couple of strawberries. There was a piece of paper stuck underneath the saucer.

"Great?" asked Carolyn.

"Never better," he breathed out reading Meredith's note. Follow the strawberries…

He bit one of the ripe fruits tasting the moist sweetness. He was sure there was only a matter of time before he tasted something even better and… not something he wanted to think about while conversing with his mother. He was half afraid Carolyn was able to read his dirty mind from the other side of the continent.

"What about New York?" insisted Carolyn.

"What about it?" asked Derek absentmindedly as he felt the hot air again and searched the environs for red berries. There was one glistening in the sun on the trail that led up to the lake.

"Sweetheart, you were thinking about coming back home a couple of months ago," she reminded. "Have you made up your mind yet? I think it's time."

"A couple of months ago…" he muttered going forward searching for strawberries in the tall grass. A couple of months ago he didn't have a clue what to do with his life but now, now he had a pretty clear idea. Moving anywhere out of Seattle was out of the question. Not without Meredith. "Mom, I'm staying in Seattle."

"You're staying," she repeated slowly. She was not altogether surprised with his choice but with the decisiveness and energy in his voice. "Can you tell me why?"

"I… my life is here now, Mom," he replied. He turned left and away from the way to the lake. Instead, he circled around a wild clamp of bushes, picking up another strawberry.

"But what about your work?" inquired Carolyn. "What about your ambitions? You're consenting to work under that woman?"

Derek felt his skin heat up, and not just because of the blazing sun. He was more than willing to work under that woman… or wherever she wanted him really…

"Derek?"

"It's… it's really fine, Mom," he took a deep breath and went out of the bushes. "Holly mother…" the words escaped his lips as he took in the sight before him. Meredith was sprawled on her stomach on a blanket underneath a tall tree… smiling up at him seductively… completely naked…

His pants tightened instantaneously, as she reached one of her hands she was propped on to take one of the red fruits between her full lips, uncovering her breasts that were grazing the blanket. He slowly made his way towards her.

"What did you say? Derek?"

He completely forgot that his mother was still on the line.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I have to go, I'll call you another time," he muttered and flipped his cell closed.

"Don't mind me," said Meredith sweetly and rolled onto her back looking at him upside down. "Finish your conversation, Mama's boy."

He narrowed his eyes at her and stood near the edge of the blanket trying to keep a cool head in spite of the utterly bare curves of his girlfriend.

"Mer," he swallowed with difficulty. "You're naked… in the middle of my land…"

"A very astute observation, Dr. Shepherd," she whispered and sat up on her legs, her hair flying wildly down her chest.

"You walked up here form the trailer… naked?" he gulped. "Someone might see you."

"Like who?" she shrugged. "You said yourself it would have to be an escaped convict. But… if you'd rather have me clothed…" She got to her feet and made to wrap the blanket around her but he stopped her. "That's what I thought…" she breathed into his neck.

"So what are we celebrating? The beginning of the summer?" he asked caressing her sides.

"Among other things," she replied coyly. "But you're not quite ready."

"How am I not ready?" he quipped and ground his middle against her, making sure there was no mistake about his desire for her.

She giggled sweetly occupying her fingers with the buttons of his shirt, "There's this one rule about celebrating… hot… summer…" she pronounced every word and pushed the material off his shoulders. "You have to be naked…"

"That can be arranged," he breathed and pulled down his trousers and boxers. He stumbled onto the blanket almost tripping while taking off his socks and shoes.

She chuckled at his eagerness and eased him onto his back. She straddled him and brought a strawberry dipped in the cream to his mouth. He lifted his head but Meredith jerked her hand away playfully.

"I want my strawberry," he pouted.

"Oh, really," she smiled and swallowed the fruit herself only to bring her lips on his.

"But I guess this is better…" he moaned into her mouth. She kissed him soundly and trailed her hot mouth over his stubbly jaw, the pulse point on his neck, his hard chest and his swollen hardness. She teased him mercilessly with her lips and tongue.

Derek gripped the blanket tightly in his hands as Meredith worked him up closer and closer towards his release. God, he loved her, he loved her so much. He bit his lip so as not to vocalize his feelings. Those moments when he was on the brink of confessing his love to her happened incredibly often but he always managed to stifle his words. Every time seemed not to be the right time.

He focused his attention on Meredith's ministrations and braced himself for the wild release he felt approaching in every cell of his body but… she pulled her head away and crept up to his eyelevel.

He groaned in protests but she put a finger on his lips.

"Shh," she made him the sign to be quiet. "I wanted to thank you."

He blinked at her, "For what?"

"For making me feel… special," she smiled at him caressing his temples, pushing his soft hair away. "Like I was the only woman in the world, like I was wanted."

"You are," he whispered and lifted his palms to rub her forearms delicately. "You are, wanted, needed, and certainly the only woman I notice."

Her heart beat so fast it could crack her ribs and jump out of her chest.

"God, Derek," she breathed. "I can't wait…" She moved down his body once again, only this time she lowered her wet core onto his hardness instead of her mouth. She felt that she could say things to him, words that not a single person in her life heard from her lips. But she was way too unprepared to say them so the best way to show Derek how she felt was sex. That was one of the things she was really good at.

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Addie woke up in the on call room to the sound of her alarm clock. The day surely was slow and now her shift was over. She trudged from the bunk bed and made to impose some law and order upon her messy ponytail. Her hands stilled abruptly when the door opened to reveal Mark Sloan, pleasantly surprised at her sight.

He hesitated for the briefest of seconds in the doorway only to walk in and close the door slowly. He leaned back on it with a smile not breaking the silence that fell between them.

He cocked his head at her and walked up facing her while she stood with her hands still in her hair.

"Dr. Montgomery," he nodded gently.

"Dr. Sloan," the corners of her mouth lifted a little involuntarily.

They were playing cat and mouse for months… but never locked alone in an on call room. Suddenly, all the air seemed to be sucked out of the limited space and they lunged at each other, attacking each other's lips. They fell on the bed Addison just left.

"I should've… done it … ages ago…" he muttered not breaking their breathless kiss.

"Wouldn't have let you," snickered Addison, her hands wandering underneath his scrub top.

Mark snorted nibbling on her neck, "Because of you sweetheart I've been on the longest sex starvation since I was fourteen…"

"Really?" she breathed. "I saw you with nurses every other evening… at the bar…"

"I wasn't with the damn nurses," he confessed impatiently, sneaking his palms on her breasts. "Was trying to look out for Derek… he's being weird…" he breathed massaging her ample mounds. "But he's… at hospital… all the time anyway… doesn't talk… only has this silly grin on his face… But why are we talking about him right now? I have someone else on my mind right now," he suckled on her neck with a smile.

Addison surrendered to Mark's attentions and the feel of iron hard erection against her thigh. God, the man had equipment… and then it hit her. All the time at hospital… doesn't talk… silly grin on his face… Addie stilled in Mark's embrace. How could she be so stupid and blind, or maybe too occupied with McSteamy, not to notice something that was going on just under her nose? Meredith Grey, you sneaky thing… doing McDreamy all the time and pretending to hate him.

Addison bolted from the bed suddenly making Mark slump on the covers.

"Sorry," she apologized breathlessly fixing her hair once again. "I'll… I'll catch up with you later."

She quickly slipped out of the room leaving the disgruntled plastic surgeon alone with a very hard problem to solve.

"Wait! Come back!" he yelled after her fruitlessly. How was that possible? He had her in his arms, in bed… about to really have her… and she just walked out. He pounded that flat pillow with his fist irritably, that woman was going to drive him mad.

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Addison paced the kitchen glancing out of the window from time to time. When she got home from the hospital, Meredith was absent, which didn't surprise Addie in the slightest. Meredith took a day off and was probably enjoying the free time with Derek Shepherd. But Addison wasn't discouraged, she would get her hands on her sister when she got back, and she certainly would, eventually.

Bingo, Meredith's car rolled into the driveway violently. Addison quickly climbed onto the barstool and continued to nurse her glass of juice as on any other day.

"Hey," Meredith stormed into the kitchen with a big smile and even bigger tan. Derek got called back to the hospital and Meredith decided to get back home. She threw the keys on the counter and filled a glass with cold water. "That was one hot day, wasn't it?"

"You tell me," said Addie innocently. "So… is he any good?"

"Who?" asked Meredith relishing the cool liquid flowing down her throat.

"McDreamy, of course," shrugged Addie. "You know, the guy you let in your pants."

"What?" Mer choked on her water and it flew out of her nose. She coughed drying her face. "What?"

"To cut it short, I know everything. Oh well, I know that you and a certain Derek Shepherd have been making sweet eyes behind everyone's back for months now."

"I… I'm…"Meredith stood speechless looking straight into Addison's eyes until a much more worrying thought entered her brain. "How do you know?" she asked quietly.

"McSteamy told me-" started Addie.

"McSteamy told you?" Meredith shrieked in disbelief. "He doesn't know, he's not supposed to know!"

"Relax! He only told me that Derek had been acting weird," Addie calmed her down. "Much like you, I realized, and all the pieces fell into place."

"I'm… I'm sorry," muttered Meredith wringing her fingers, feeling like a child confessing to their mother that she made a misdeed.

"For what exactly?" asked Addie sipping on her juice. "For being carefree and happy like I've never seen you before?"

"It's just that… I'm having a hard time, you know," Meredith tried to explain gesticulating wildly. "And he's so… and he makes me feel…"

"You're falling for him!" exclaimed Addie.

"I. am. not," Meredith pronounced every word, manifesting her apparent indifference.

"You so are," Addie rolled her eyes.

"Am not!"

"So are," Addie shook her head. "So, how is the sex?"

"Addie!"

"What?" the red head shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not getting any, help a girl with a few details. Besides, you owe me."

"You're not getting any," grinned Meredith taking the stool opposite Addie. "What about McSteamy? You said yourself a couple of minutes ago that you're friendly with him."

"I was getting friendly with him," sighed her best-friend. "Very friendly if you know what I mean. But then he told me all about Derek's problems and I put two and two together and well, I kind of left him."

"You kind of left him?" asked Meredith curiously. "Like where?"

"In an on call room," Addie brushed off noncommittally picking up an apple from the tray.

"In an on-call room," Meredith quirked his eyebrow and then started laughing uncontrollably. "You left him with a boner?"

Addison grinned, "It'll do good for his ego." Her expression turned serious, "So, you and Derek Shepherd…"

"Yeah," Meredith sighed playing with a pear she took in her hands. "I'm really sorry, Addie. It was just easier this way, you know? Just the two of us…"

"A bit like you and Chace?" asked Addison.

"No!"Meredith denied vehemently. "Not at all! It's… so much different! Derek is… nothing like him!"

"Hmm, what happened with asshole and big dick?" smirked Addie.

Meredith chuckled remembering their initial animosity. "We're just… drawn, you know? We can't keep our hands off each other and about the big dick, well…"

They burst out in laughter. When they sobered up a little, Addison reached out across the table to squeeze Meredith's hand. "I'm happy for you, if you ever need to freak out, I'm here."

Meredith reciprocated her grasp, feeling suddenly lighter at being open with her best friend.

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Derek rang the doorbell at Meredith's house. A few hours before he received a text from Meredith telling to come over as Addie knew everything. From what he could deduce from that dry message, she wasn't panicked or freaked out. Derek convinced himself it was a good omen. Maybe Meredith felt more assured of their relationship and decided to confide in her best friend. He sure wanted to do that. Sometimes his enthusiasm and excitement threatened to explode and talking to Mark would do just fine; not to mention, the growing guilt at lying to his best buddy since school days.

The door opened and he came face to face with Addison Montgomery.

"Uhm, hi," he stammered.

"Hey, come on in," she smiled at him inviting him inside. "Mer's taking a shower but she'll be downstairs in a tick. We haven't had dinner yet."

"Thanks," he said. "The kitchen?"

"Yeah, first door on the left… which you obviously now," she commented dryly seeing him march straight into the kitchen purposefully.

"Well, I've kind of… been here before," replied Derek not liking the way Addison's eyes turned into narrow slits.

"Okay, Meredith's still upstairs which is very convenient, as I'd like a few words with you," she sighed. "I've known you for these couple of months and you seem like a nice guy."

Derek leaned back against the cupboard feeling self-conscious. He was already put through the ringer by Ellis. While the red haired doctor was certainly less judgmental and more objective, he felt nervous.

"Then again," Addie folded her arms over her chest. "You were once a complete asshole to my friend. And I'd like to know what caused that radical change of heart. Meredith is clearly into it, meaning it's a huge deal for her; you don't know how huge. If you're here just to grab a hot piece of ass then-"

"I'm not," interrupted Derek firmly. "I'm aware I behaved like, using your words, a complete asshole. I apologized for that to Meredith. And I admit it all started with chemistry and sex but it's… so much more now. It's not just the sex."

Addison studied his face, "Meredith is a difficult person, I know better than anyone. You say it's more than sex, but can you really stick around?"

"If I wasn't sure of that, I'd be gone a long time ago," argued Derek, a little tired of the grilling. "Sticking around is not a problem, staying away is. I'm sorry, did… Meredith tell you about us?"

"Nope," sighed Addie. "I deduced. Sit down, won't you."

"I'm sorry if you get the impression that I'm prying into someone else's business," she went on placing the plates on the table. "But Mer's business is my business, I always look after her. And it's… it looks serious, this thing between you and her."

Derek watched her wordlessly.

"I don't want her to face any more disappointments. She… she came through a lot," Addie said quietly.

"I know," nodded Derek.

"No, I really mean she had her share of hell-"

"I know," repeated Derek. "I know everything."

"Everything?" Addie looked at him with wide eyes. "About… Chace?"

Derek nodded gravely.

"Why…" she blinked several times in wonder. "It is serious."

"What are you talking about?" Meredith slipped soundlessly in the room in a thin bathrobe, with her hair wrapped in a towel. "Let me guess, me."

She went in and planted a sound kiss on Derek's lips.

"Sure, sure," Addison opened the oven to check the state of their dinner. "You're the center of the universe, keep telling yourself that."

"Addison was just about to tell me if I passed the test," chuckled Derek, his hand wandering to her waist on its own.

"What's your verdict, Addie?" Meredith sat on the stool next to her man. "I'm dying to know."

"I'm still in two minds…" Addie pretended to think carefully.

"Hmm, remember what I told you earlier?" Meredith giggled wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

"Ahhh," Addie slapped herself on the forehead with a smile. "I'm giving you eleven out of ten, Derek."

"What… what did you tell her?" asked Derek feeling himself going red in the face.

"All the good things, Der," she smiled at him mischievously, placing a hand just above his knee.

Derek cleared his throat, determined to change the subject, "So, I talked to Mark today. Apparently, he was pretty upset. Mentioned an on call room…"

Meredith and Addison giggled madly and the latter managed to stutter, "That was… an accident…"

"You know, I was thinking," said slowly Meredith, busying herself with freeing her hair from the towel, "that we could have a dinner together sometime this week…"

"We?" Derek raised his eyebrows questioningly.

"We, Addie and… and Mark," she shrugged.

"You're fine with telling Mark?" he asked exchanging quick glances with Addison.

"Hey! I saw that!" she exclaimed indignantly and slapped his arm. "You're siding with her and you can forget about the good things!"

"Okay, okay," he laughed.

"You can tell Mark but only if he keeps his fat mouth closed," grumbled Meredith.

Addison studied Derek's adoring expression. His face of a lovesick schoolboy told her more than his words. Maybe Meredith was indeed on her way to her happy ending.

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A/N As always, I'm asking for your comments and suggestions!

E. :)