You're Like Coming Home

60.

Meredith giggled as she let Derek pull her chair out for her before sitting down beside her.

"You're in a gentlemanly mood tonight," she commented as she opened her menu.

"I'm just glad that we can get back to living normally," Derek said. "And when am I ever not gentlemanly?"

Meredith smiled coyly. "There are times," she said, leaning forward to whisper in his ear. "Of course...those times I'm not very ladylike either."

Derek swallowed hard as he felt Meredith run her bare foot under his pants leg. "Mer," he groaned softly.

She giggled as she pulled back and opened her menu. "What looks good?" she asked. "I think I'm going to get salmon."

"Wha..." Derek frowned as he realized she'd been playing with him. "Mean, you're mean."

"It's called flirting," Meredith laughed.

"It's called being mean," Derek muttered as he reached for his water and took a long pull.

"Thirsty, Der?" Meredith asked.

"Shut up."

Meredith smiled as she reached across the table to take his hand. "You know I'll let you punish me for that tonight."

Before Derek could reply, a voice from behind them said, "Meredith?"

Meredith looked up and smiled when she saw who had addressed her. "Dr. Brown," she said as he stopped at their table. "Um...hi."

"Fancy meeting you here," Dr. Brown said. He glanced at Derek and smiled slightly. "You must be Derek."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Meredith said. "Derek, this is Dr. Brown, my neurology professor. Dr. Brown, this is my husband Derek."

"Nice to meet you," Dr. Brown said, offering Derek his hand.

"You too," Derek said cautiously, shaking his hand. "Just out of curiosity, how did you know my name?"

"Derek," Meredith hissed.

Dr. Brown smiled politely. "I've heard we had Michael Shepherd's son here," he said. "There's a reason offspring of successful doctors get in. All the faculty knows about it."

Derek frowned and opened his mouth to talk, but Meredith kicked his shin and smiled up at her professor. "It's nice to see you, Dr. Brown," she said. "We're kind of having a special night, but I'll see you in class on Monday?"

"Of course," Dr. Brown nodded. "And let me know if you want me to go over that paper, I'll be sure to accommodate your schedule."

"Thanks," Meredith smiled. "I really appreciate it."

"Anything for my favorite student," Dr. Brown smiled, nodding to Derek before he turned and walked to a table on the other side of the restaurant.

"What the hell was that?" Derek asked as soon as he was out of hearing distance.

"What?" Meredith asked distractedly, not looking up from her menu.

"Meredith, he was just flirting with you," Derek said.

Meredith rolled her eyes as she closed her menu and looked at him. "Seriously?" she asked.

"I can't believe you're not bothered by this," Derek said. "Does he always treat you like this?"

"Like what?" Meredith asked. "Tell me one thing he did that was unprofessional."

"First of all, he called you Meredith."

"I told him he could," Meredith rolled her eyes. "I do have a name besides Mrs. Shepherd you know. Just because you want everyone to call me that so you can mark your territory and make sure everyone knows I'm yours."