You're Like Coming Home

73.

"You feel okay, Mer?" Addison asked later that night after the party had cleared out.

"Yeah," Meredith sighed as she sat on the couch, looking down at her hands. "I'm fine."

Mark glanced between Derek and Meredith before he leaned over to Addison and whispered, "They're fighting."

"We're not fighting," Derek snapped. "Just...we're fine."

"Okay," Addison nodded. "Do you guys still want to go out to dinner? We're here for another couple days, so if you want to put it off we can."

Meredith looked up at her friend. "Are you sure?" she asked.

"Yeah," Addison nodded. "I don't know what's going on with you, Mer, but you're obviously not up for going out."

"Thanks," Meredith said softly, standing as she made her way over to them as they stood. "I'll call you in the morning."

Addison smiled as she hugged her tightly. "Happy birthday Mer," she whispered. "Don't be too hard on him, whatever he did."

"I won't," Meredith smiled.

"Bye Grey," Mark said, patting her back before turning to Derek and whispering, "I hope you at least get some good make up sex."

"Shut up Mark," Derek rolled his eyes, sighing as they stepped out the door and he closed it gently behind them. He braced himself against the door for a moment before turning to look at Meredith. "Mer..." he breathed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

She smiled softly as she moved back to the living room and collapsed onto the couch. "It's okay, Derek," she sighed.

"No it's not," Derek shook his head, coming to sit down next to her, moving her head up so she could rest it in his lap. "I didn't mean to upset you on your birthday. Because I promised myself that I would always give you the best birthday ever. And now you're mad at me."

"I'm not mad," Meredith whispered. "I just...I wasn't expecting you to say that, and I was taken by surprise. But I'm not pregnant."

"Okay," Derek nodded. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," Meredith shook her head as she sat up and knelt on the couch, facing him with a small smile on her lips. "I loved my party."

"Good," Derek said with a smile. "I worked on it for weeks. I'm glad you were surprised."

"I was," Meredith nodded, smiling as she placed her hands on his shoulders and straddled his hips as she kissed him deeply. "And I seem to remember another present that we'll both enjoy...quite a bit."

"Hmmm," Derek nodded, running his hands up and down her thighs. "There is that."

"So what do you say we go upstairs and have some birthday celebration?" Meredith whispered, grinding her hips against his.

"I like that idea."

Meredith giggled as she moved off of his lap and grabbed his hand, pulling him towards the stairs. She smiled coyly as she made her way up the stairs, pushing him roughly onto the bed as she smirked down at him. "You wait there," she purred into his ear. "And when I come back...you better be naked."

Derek swallowed hard as he watched her make her way into the bathroom, her box clutched tightly in her hands. He took a deep breath as she smiled coyly at him over her shoulder before he quickly stripped out of his clothes and pushed the blankets back on the bed.

"Derek!" Meredith shouted from the bathroom, causing him to pause. That was not a good tone of voice.

"What?" he asked coming to stand on the other side of the bathroom door.