You're Like Coming Home

47.

Meredith sighed in frustration as she threw her magazine onto the floor beside the bed. She was finally feeling better, after two days of sleeping, coughing, and a nauseous stomach anytime Derek brought any kind of food into the room, she was finally feeling better, but she still didn't have as much energy as normal, which led Emma and Derek to insist that she stay in bed until she was fully recovered.

"Hey," Derek grinned as he walked into the room, sitting down beside her and reaching to press a kiss to her forehead. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel fine," Meredith rolled her eyes. "Can't I just get out of bed?"

"Just one more day, Mer," Derek said softly. "We're going to the church tomorrow. If you want to go downstairs, we can watch some movies or something."

"I'm bored," Meredith rolled her eyes. "I want to do something exciting."

"Okay," Derek nodded, dropping a newspaper onto her lap. "How about we house hunt?"

"House hunt?" Meredith asked, picking up the paper.

"We'll need a place in the city," Derek replied. "And I was just looking through the classifieds in the Times to get an idea of what's available around campus."

"And?" Meredith asked, a smile playing on her lips as she looked down at the papers.

"And I realized we should talk about it," Derek replied. "I guess it makes the most sense to get another apartment, especially since we don't know where we're going to be after med school. But at the same time, the idea of renting a condo or something sounds... amazing. Having a real home, instead of a temporary one."

"Oh," Meredith nodded. "Okay, well, did you find anything impressive?"

"Here," Derek nodded. "I thought it would be a good compromise between the two of them. It's an apartment five blocks from campus, but the bedroom is lofted. It's got an open living and dining room, and great views of the harbor."

"Can we see it?" Meredith asked, a smile playing on her lips. She tried to hide the coughs that were coming up from her throat, but she was unable to do so as they came out in harsh, wracking sounds.

"Oh, Mer," Derek sighed, reaching out to cup her cheek in his hand. "We'll see it soon, I promise. But you've got to get better first. We have to be back in Boston next week for graduation, but I thought you could use a day of pampering in the city before that."

"A day of pampering?" Meredith asked curiously.

"Mmmhmm," Derek nodded, reaching for her left hand and pressing a kiss to her engagement ring. "We can see the house. And, there is one other very important piece of planning our wedding that we have yet to take care of."

Meredith frowned. "What have we missed?" she asked. "We have dresses, flowers, a church, reception hall, food, minister, invitations were sent...Derek, what are we missing?"

He smiled softly. "We need rings, Mer," he said softly. "So once you're feeling better, we can go check out the apartment, and have a day for just the two of us in the city. Maybe stop by Tiffany's."

Meredith smiled. "You," she said, leaning forward to wrap her arms around his neck. "Are the most amazing man in the world. I can't believe I'm lucky enough to marry you."

Derek smiled as he pressed a kiss to her lips. "I'm pretty lucky too," he whispered, twirling a strand of hair around his finger. "I know it sucks to be sick, Mer. But you'll get better soon, and we'll be back to being us."

"I know," Meredith sighed. "You know....I'm feeling a lot better."

Derek shook his head as he pulled back from her. "Mer, you're not going to convince me that you're feeling well enough to go out," he said. "And even if you somehow managed to do so, my mom would never go for it."