It Came Upon A Midnight Clear

18.

The morning sun rose against the walls of the bedroom, and Derek once again found his face buried in a head of wonderfully smelling golden locks of hair. He breathed deeply, closing his eyes as the scent of her wafted into his nostrils, sending his senses into overdrive.

He tried to move his arm slightly, finding that her hands were holding his arms against her. He shifted slightly, feeling her body push harder into his. "No..." She mumbled as she turned her head. "You promised you'd stay here..." She whispered.

"I did, didn't I?" He whispered.

"Mmm... hmm..." She whispered.

"Meredith..." He whispered.

"I know we have to go." She replied. "I just like it here..."

"I like it too..." he whispered, kissing her hair softly.

"I should get up..." She mumbled as she tried to pull slowly from his arms, only to be pulled back. "Derek..." She giggled.

"I'm not ready to let go." He mumbled as he felt her struggle slightly before she settled back into his arms again.

"We should get up... you have to get to work... I have to get home... and just get it over with..." She sighed.

"I don't want to go to work... I want to stay here... live under the blankets with you..."

"With me?" She asked, turning her head to look into his eyes.

"I don't want to be lonely." He smiled, watching her smile back at him. "Alright..." He sighed finally. "Go... get clean... I'll be in right after you..." He said, watching her eyes widen. "After you're done, I mean... I'll be in after your done...and dressed... and... just get out of my bed..." He said as she giggled and rolled out of the bed, looking down at him as she grinned.

"You're a good snuggler, by the way." She smiled as she flitted to the door and opened the door. As soon as she stepped out into the hallway, she noticed that Bethany was just coming out of her room holding one of her daughters.

"Good morning." Bethany said with a sly smile.

"Um... good morning..." Meredith said, her cheeks turning bright red as she stood beside the closed door. "I... should... I'll see you guys downstairs." She smiled as she made her way quickly to her bedroom.

Bethany grinned at the retreating girl and giggled to herself as she glanced to her brother's door and turned for the stairs.

Showered and dressed, Derek stepped out of his room with his suitcase packed and ready to go. He checked the room one more time before stepping out into the hallway. He looked down towards Meredith's room to find her standing in the doorway waiting for him.

"Why didn't you go downstairs?" He asked, smiling softly as she stood there nervously.

"Bethany saw me." She said, tilting her head with a bit of a cringe on her face. "She saw me coming out of your room this morning."

"So what?" He shrugged.

"So she saw me coming out of your room... and you know... I've only known you for a day...She probably thinks I'm some kind of slut or something... you know... sleeping with strangers."

"Well, she'd have to think I'm a slut too..." Derek raised his eyebrows with a snort, watching her try not to smile. "I mean... two nights in a row... here I am, caught snuggling with a stranger..."

"Two nights in a row?"

"They all saw us under the Christmas tree the other night... you woke up when they went into the kitchen." He said with a small smirk.