55. Mending Fences

Disclaimer: I wish.

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A few days had passed since Meredith and Cristina had fought, and so far, nothing had been resolved. Meredith had tried on more than one occasion to get Cristina to talk to her, but every time, she just blew her off, finding ways to ignore the elephant in the room. Much to Meredith's relief, Derek had since returned to work. The stomach flu was gone and he was more than ready to get back into the OR. Having Derek at work certainly helped make the situation less tense. If she ever needed to de-stress, he gladly met her in the on-call room to unwind. Sex was helpful.

As she lie there above him, she couldn't help but wish they could stay locked inside the on-call room all day. "Thank you," she panted, pressing kisses on his neck. "I really...needed that."

"Me too," Derek breathed. He had his hands splayed over her back, tracing lazy designs with his fingers. Her breasts were pressed against his chest and he could still feel the aftershocks of her orgasm pulsating around him. Meredith rested her forehead against his. This particular round had worn them out.

"How long have we...?" she asked half heartedly. She wouldn't have given a damn if they'd been having sex for hours. A sex break was necessary on a day like today.

Derek thought for a moment. "I don't know. Forty-five minutes?"

He began to remove himself from her but Meredith quickly clenched around him, holding him in place. "Wait. Not yet. Just...for a few more minutes," she said softly, pressing a kiss to his lips.

"Okay," Derek murmured into her mouth. He put his hand against her chest and felt her heart beating underneath his palm. It was quick, the way it always was after sex. He smiled, knowing he did that to her, just as she did the same for him.

"Remember how nice and warm it was in bed this morning?" Meredith asked, her nose brushing against his.

Derek grinned tiredly, one arm above his head and the other threaded through her hair. "Hmm...yeah."

"I wish we were there now." She leaned down to kiss him again, slower this time. Kissing him always gave her the strength to get through the day. And on days like today, she needed all the reassurance she could get.

"Bad day still?" he asked sympathetically, kissing a trail from her lips to her chin, down her neck to her shoulder. Meredith broke out in goosebumps. If the clock weren't ticking down the minutes until she knew they had to leave the safety of the on-call room, she'd for sure be ready for a third round.

Meredith smiled. "You helped. Sex always helps," she said with a giggle that always warmed his heart.

"It does," he agreed, moving his arms to wrap around her body again.

Time was up. She knew the longer they stayed in here, the more suspicious everyone would become. She let out a sigh, then gently helped him withdrawal from her. At once she missed him, the feel of him. He was safe, and he comforted her. "When we get home, I'm dragging you right to bed," Meredith laughed as she reached for her bra.

Derek admired her naked torso for a few more moments before she secured it behind her back. "Fine with me," he grinned. There had never been a time when he'd objected to such a thing, and he doubted he ever would. He grabbed his boxers that had been strewn by the bottom of the bed after Meredith kicked them off his legs.

"Damn, where are my panties?" she panicked, tossing the covers around until she came across the frilly pink material that was sandwiched between the blanket and the sheet. "For a second, I thought you took them," Meredith smirked, hopping on each leg until they were hugging low on her waist.

"Not this time," Derek chuckled, handing her her scrub top. It smelled like her, lavender from her shampoo and a light powdery smell from her deodorant. He smiled; Meredith had in one way or another infiltrated each of his senses. There was always something that reminded him of his wife.

Meredith pulled the light blue top over her head. "Well, I appreciate that. There was no way I was walking around panty-less."

"We can save that for later," he reminded her. They finished re-dressing, and Meredith pulled him to her by the collar of his lab coat.

She wrapped her arms him. "Thank you," she whispered.

"For what?" Derek asked, returning the hug.

"Always making me feel better," Meredith said. It was true; he didn't really have to do much to brighten her day. His presence alone made all the difference. Although, the sex was a nice bonus.

Derek squeezed her closer. "Happy to," he said softly, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I love you, Mer."

She smiled. "I love you too."

--

Unfortunately for Derek, the happy solitude with Meredith in the on-call room had ended the minute they both left, and he had to meet Cristina to review their patient's CT scans. She'd been short with him all day, through rounds, discussing possible diagnoses with their patient, and still now. Technically, Derek could yell at her for the less than pleasant attitude, but for Meredith's sake, he decided to keep the peace.

"Dr. Yang," he greeted, taking the empty seat beside her. The scans came over the screen and they both studied them for few moments before Derek spoke. "Tumor," he pointed. "Pressing against the hypothalamus."

"Are you gonna operate?" Cristina asked.

Derek sighed. "She's twenty-six. It's...dangerous no matter the age, but she's young. If we had caught it even a few months sooner..." he trailed off. "...it's just a bad location. I'm going to have to cut out a lot. One mistake..."

"And she's dead," Cristina finished, always blunt. But also correct. Operating was the lesser of two evils, but procedures like this one were always concerning for even the most capable of surgeons.

"Yeah."

Cristina leaned back in her chair and looked over at him. "So..." Derek had to give her some credit. She could keep things professional despite the obvious tension looming like a dark cloud over their heads.

"I've done it before. Barring any complications, she should pull through," he nodded, scooting to the edge of his chair to make sure he was correct in his assessment. Derek rarely second guessed himself, but there were times when he couldn't be too sure. After a long silence, he let out a breath. "Okay, let's let her know."

Cristina stood up and grabbed the chart off the desk. "Okay," she obliged. They walked toward their patient's room without a word. Thankfully the hustle and bustle of the hospital was enough to make the awkward quiet seem less intense. Derek pushed open the door and smiled upon entering. He found that smiling always helped. "Good morning again, Claire," he greeted. "Mr. Ryerson."

Kevin, the woman's husband, looked to him with a hopeful smile. "What...how were her scans?"

Derek swallowed past a lump in his throat. "Unfortunately, the CT showed that your wife has a tumor pressing against her hypothalamus. It's minor, but because of its location, it's important that we remove it. The tumor is in an area of the brain that controls involuntary functions--breathing, heart rate, body temperature. Letting it grow any longer can be fatal. Surgery...is risky. But I've done this before. And it's the safest option," he said. Letting the patient get all of the facts before they asked questions was something he strived to do as a doctor. And making sure the patient felt comfortable in expressing concern was even more important.

Claire wiped a tear from her eye. Her husband took her hand and kissed the top of it, offering her solace and comfort with his touch. "What kinds of risks? Maybe I could live with it. I mean, the surgery...there's a chance I could die, right?"

"There's always that risk, yes," Derek answered honestly. "But like I said, I've successfully completed this surgery before, and your age works in your favor. Look, I know this is a lot to take in. Dr. Yang and I can answer any questions you have. How about we give you some time to think it over?" he said kindly, offering his patient and her husband a sympathetic smile before he and Cristina left the room.

"What do they have to think about? Without it, she'll die." Though he couldn't be sure, Derek actually detected a small trace of sincerity in her voice. Of course, it could have been mistaken as the the urge to get some OR time as well.

Derek set the chart down on top of the nurses' station and flipped it open. "Just...give them time. She'll have the surgery. They just need to process it. It's a lot of bad news for one day."

"Whatever. I think it's dumb to hesitate," she shrugged. Clearly, Derek had been wrong in his initial reaction to her seemingly genuine concern.

"They're scared," he corrected. "They're young. Newlyweds. It's about more than just cold, hard facts. It's about both of them. Not just the medicine..."

Cristina rolled her eyes, and it didn't go unnoticed by Derek. He knew the fact that he brought up love was just adding to her already obvious annoyance with him and Meredith lately. He sighed. "Can we go off the record for a minute, Cristina?" he asked, replacing his pen back in the pocket of his lab coat. "Look, you and I...I know we're not the best of friends. But you care about Meredith, and she cares about you. So that means I do too. She considers you family, and in some ass backwards way, so do I. She's been upset ever since you two started fighting. And she told me not to get involved, but she's my wife and I love her. So I'm asking you, for the sake of your friendship, please--just talk to her. She needs you."

She stood rigid, unflinching, and Derek wondered for a moment if she'd heard anything he said, then a look of unadulterated shock spread over her face. "Oh God, is she pregnant?"

"What? Pregnant? No..." Of all things he expected her to answer with, that wasn't one of them.

Cristina breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh thank God--no offense. I know you two are planning on knocking her up this summer, but I need a few months to prepare for all the crying and the hormones first."

Derek couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, we uh...we're trying this summer," he agreed, unable to use the words "knocking her up." Somehow that felt like a bad way to describe the two of them conceiving a child. "But that's not...Cristina, please. Just talk to her."

"Fine," she said. "I'll talk to her. But don't expect any breakthroughs."

"I...don't." Extending olive branches and hugging weren't the outcomes he expected, but getting them talking was a start. "Thank you, Yang."

Cristina shrugged. "You're letting me scrub in, right?"

"Yeah," Derek nodded. "It's your case, too."

"If you tell Mer we talked, I'll deny it to hell," she informed him, giving him a warning glance.

He just smiled amusedly. That was the kind of reaction he'd been waiting for. "Got it." Derek handed the patient's chart to a nurse and without another word, the two walked off in different directions down the hall. Maybe some good would come of their little talk. Derek could only hope so.

--

It was lunchtime when Meredith was already anxious to drag her husband back into an on-call room again. Izzie had spread out an array of bridal magazines and caterers and wedding cake bakeries on the lunch table. There was barely enough room for her tray amidst her collection of wedding ideas. Meredith dropped down into her seat and offered Izzie a small smile. "Hey."

"Oh good. You're here. I need your opinion on bridesmaids dresses. Do you know where Cristina is?" Izzie asked excitedly. She'd been smiling for weeks and Meredith wondered where she found the time to practice medicine and plan a wedding. Meredith and Derek's simple afternoon ceremony on their land was a cinch compared to the production Izzie was creating.

Meredith shook her head. "I don't know. We, uh..."

"You two are still fighting?" she asked with wide eyes. "It's been almost a week. Just talk to her already. You two are my bridal party. And if you're fighting, that's going to suck."

"I tried. A lot. She's pissed off at me. I just have to let it run its course," Meredith said, waving her hand in dismissal. "And she's working with Derek today, which is just going to add more fuel to her fire. So...I need to think of something else. Dresses. Let's talk about dresses," she said in attempt to sound excited, but failing miserably.

Izzie turned her head and looked to her friend in pity. "You hate talking about frilly wedding crap. You're a mess. Tell you what, go find Derek, have some sex, then meet me back here in twenty minutes," she offered, flipping through her Modern Bride Magazine.

"We did already. Twice. I need to give him a break," Meredith giggled for the first time since seeing Derek a few hours ago.

"Oh! That reminds me...we're thinking October or November for the wedding. Do you plan on being pregnant then?" Izzie asked plainly, taking a bite of her tuna salad. "Because if you do, I don't want to pick out your dress yet in case you have a little baby bump," she all but cheered, giving Meredith a huge smile.

Meredith looked to her friend with wide eyes and swallowed. "I uh...yeah, maybe. I...we're not trying until summer, so I guess I could be if, you know, Derek and I do the thing..." she rambled.

Izzie nodded slowly. "Right...that's usually how it works," she said with a slight laugh.

When Cristina, George, and Alex approached the table, Meredith started tapping her fingers against her tray. Lunch had been tense these past few days, thanks to their fight, and she had come to dread the twelve o'clock hour wholeheartedly. "Hey," she greeted.

Alex and George took their seats. "Hey," George smiled curiously, picking up one of Izzie's magazine cut-outs and staring at it. "What the hell is this?"

Izzie rolled her eyes. "It's a wedding cake, George."

"Looks like a castle covered in icing," Alex smirked, kissing Izzie on the cheek when she glared at him. He wasn't picky when it came to wedding details. He know how important it was to Izzie, so if it meant he had to look like Prince Charming, he'd do it.

"Mer, can we talk?" Cristina asked after setting her tray down next to George's. She cocked her head toward the double doors that lead to the hallway. Meredith bit her lip then nodded. Talking to each other. That was progress.

She and Cristina walked out into a quiet hallway. When Cristina dropped down onto an empty gurney pushed against the wall, Meredith followed suit then started fidgeting with her watch. "So uh..." she began.

"Look, we don't have to make this into a big...whatever. I'm just tired of being mad," Cristina stated, swinging her legs over the side and staring at the wall in front of her.

Meredith felt the weight being lifted off her shoulders. She exhaled deeply before she spoke. "Me too." A few moments of silence passed between them before she spoke again. "I'm sorry. I know it's...I know that since Derek and I--"

"You don't have to--I get it. He's your husband. It's not just about you. It's about both of you," Cristina finally understood as a light bulb flickered on in her mind. Like her patient and her husband. It wasn't cut and dry when a loved one is in the picture, whether it was making a life changing surgical decision, or taking care of a sick husband with the flu. "I'm sorry," she said graciously.

Meredith turned her head and was met with the soft eyes of her friend, who normally carried a stone faced expression. "Thank you," she said with a nod.

"So we're good?" Cristina asked.

"Yeah," Meredith said softly. "We're good."

"Good."

Meredith bit the inside of her cheek and pondered for a moment. Cristina was working with Derek. Derek's McDreamy tendency to help his wife in any way he could. Aha. "Did Derek ask you to talk to me? And don't lie. I know he has ways."

Cristina sighed in resignation. "Fine, yeah. He did. But don't blame him. I thought you were pregnant, so..."

"Izzie asked me if I was gonna need a maternity dress...for a baby bump," Meredith said dryly. "When did I become the girl who gets asked questions like that?"

Cristina pointed to the wedding ring on Meredith's finger and gave her an amused smile. "Does that sum it up?" she asked with a smirk.

"Yeah," Meredith smiled warmly. "It does, actually." She ran her fingers over her wedding band. Cristina was right; Derek helped her realize she wanted this life without really ever trying to do so. He truly did have ways. And she loved him for it. "Iz wants us to look over dress choices with us. Come on," she sighed, reluctantly hopping down off the gurney. She would have rather found Derek for some more sex, but knew that part of being a good bridesmaid was actually wearing a bridesmaid dress, even if she looked like a Barbie doll.

--

Midway through lunch, Cristina got a page from Derek saying that their patient decided to have the brain surgery. Of course, Cristina was excited to scrub in, but also understood the couple's hesitation. When she saw Derek waiting for her outside of Mrs. Ryerson's room, she decided to swallow her pride and apologize. It might kill her, but for Meredith's sake, she would do it.

"Dr. Yang," Derek greeted with a smile. He pulled a pen from his pocket and wrote down some notes in their patient's chart. When he noticed the peculiar look on Cristina's face, he raised his eyebrows in confusion. "Is everything okay?"

She released a puff of air from her lips. "Mer and I...we...things are good again. Just thought I'd let you know," she nodded quickly. "And that I'm..." she paused. Yeah, this might actually kill her. "...sorry," she murmured.

Derek smiled a little at her admission and his eyes softened. "Thank you, Cristina."

"You're welcome," she replied. After a few moments, she decided the warm fuzziness had passed and she took the chart. "Okay, that's enough. Wanna go..."

"Yeah. Come on," he agreed, pushing the door open to Claire's room. Derek smiled inwardly. He had been hoping for an apology for Meredith, but never did he think he'd get one for himself. It was nice, knowing that she and Meredith could fight, and make it through to the other side. He and Cristina would never be the best of friends, but still, they were a family, and getting along was part of the package.

The surgery had been a success, just as Derek had assumed. He even let Cristina suture, which came as a huge surprise. It almost made her wonder if the whole apologizing thing had its perks, or if Derek was just in a good mood after having been well-sexed earlier that day, like Meredith had told her at lunch. By the time she and Derek had taken Mrs. Ryerson to post-op and explained the outcome of the surgery to her husband, their shifts were nearing an end. And Derek couldn't be more thankful. The surgery was long and tiring, so the prospect of a quiet night in with Meredith was looking better and better with each passing minute.

He found her in the resident lounge pulling on her shoes, all changed and ready to go. "Hey," he grinned. Derek dropped his bag down onto the bench and pulled her close. "I haven't seen you all day."

Meredith sighed contentedly. Derek was always so warm. On a cold November day like today, his hugs were even more comforting. "Hmm...and still, you make me happy," she smiled against his neck.

"What did I do?" he asked, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

"Talked to Cristina," Meredith stated. She pulled back a little to study his expression, wondering if he'd own up to it.

Derek smiled. He was busted and he knew it. "Yeah, I did. Sorry. It's just...I knew how it was upsetting you and I wanted to--"

Meredith cut him off with a kiss, her way of letting him know she wasn't mad. When he slipped his tongue into her mouth, she moaned. There was something about kissing Derek that always calmed her down. She could be having the worst day, and the minute his lips touched hers, everything else melted away. She threaded her fingers through his hair, holding it between her fingers. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too," he said after they pulled back for breath. Derek grabbed her coat off the hook in her cubby and helped her put it on. "Ready to go home?"

"Yeah," Meredith said softly. "I am."

--

"Damn it, it's cold out there," Meredith gasped. Derek closed the front door behind them to keep the warm, toastiness of the house inside. The two of them quickly removed their coats, scarves, and shoes, setting them in the foyer. They had only lived there for a few months, but their new house felt like a home within days after moving in.

Derek smiled and ran his hands up and down her sweater-covered arms. "It's warmer in here."

"Hmm...much," Meredith agreed. When Charlie trotted down the steps yawning, she laughed. "Were you asleep, hun?" she asked him, kneeling down and picking him up. The puppy curled into her, licking her chin. He always loved when they got home after work. Every day, he would run to the front door to greet them. A family tradition they'd gotten used to.

"I'm sure he was," Derek grinned, scratching the dog behind his ears. "You hungry?" he asked Meredith.

Meredith nodded. "Yeah. Why, you gonna cook for me?" she asked sweetly.

"Don't I always cook for you?" Derek countered amusedly.

"I can make cereal. And toast. And Hot Pockets," she told him. They walked into the kitchen and Derek flicked on the light. The warm, soft lighting was a stark contrast to the dark dreariness outside. The rain pelted against the sliding glass door leading onto the outback patio. "Oh, that reminds me...Thanksgiving is next week, so Izzie asked me to ask you if you'd help her cook. Alex doesn't cook, and me...that would be dangerous so..."

"Yeah, I'll help her," Derek smiled. He scanned the cabinets and pulled out a box of spaghetti. "How's this?"

"Good," Meredith nodded, taking her seat at the counter. "So you don't mind spending Thanksgiving over at the old house? If you don't want to, we could--"

Derek cut off what was sure to be an adorably apologetic ramble. "Mer, it's fine. I want to. They're family. That's what families do," he shrugged.

"Family," Meredith whispered. Memories of Thanksgivings growing up weren't all that warm and fuzzy. But now, she looked forward to every holiday, knowing they'd be spent in the company of her husband and her family. "What about when we have kids?" she asked.

Derek filled the pot with water and set it on the stove. He turned the knob so the flame flickered on, then joined Meredith at the counter with some already breaded chicken that they could be fried up and served with the spaghetti. He smiled as he leaned in to kiss her. "We can still spend Thanksgiving over there. Izzie can have that holiday. But I want Christmas here," he grinned. "When I was little, every few Christmases, we had to drive to my Aunt Gail and Uncle Bob's house. And I hated it. Hated getting dressed up and having to leave my toys under the tree. So we have to call Christmas," Derek chuckled.

"Call Christmas," Meredith echoed, laughing. "Are you twelve?"

"I'm just saying...Christmas is ours. Pajamas all day and playing with toys. You and I sneaking off to have Christmas sex while Izzie and whoever else comes over keeps the kids entertained for a half hour," he said amusedly, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"Uh huh," she giggled. "Christmas sounds like fun."

Derek set the chicken down in the frying pan then looked up at her and smirked. "Every holiday requires sex. Otherwise, it's not as special."

"Right..." she mused. "Even like...Flag Day?"

"Yes, Flag Day. We're Americans. It's only right that we celebrate," Derek grinned. "Besides, when have you ever not given me sex? Holiday or not, we have sex almost every night."

Meredith rolled her eyes playfully. "True," she conceded. She got up off the stool and joined him at the stove as he poured some spaghetti into the pot. "I think we should take a bath tonight. It's been a while since we've done that," Meredith said softly, kissing his neck.

Derek turned his attention to his wife and wrapped his arms around her. "Love to."

"Is the spaghetti cooked yet?" she asked teasingly, taking the spoon and stirring the pot. Somehow, the pending sex trumped even her empty stomach.

He laughed. "Someone's anxious, huh?"

Meredith trailed her fingers down his back and rested them on his ass. "Naked time is fun. And usually turns porny."

Derek turned the flame up under the pot so the pasta would boil more quickly. "Good point," he grinned.

--

The dishes remained soaking in the sink when Derek carried Meredith up the stairs to their bedroom. Dinner was delicious as usual. Derek really was an exceptional cook, and with Meredith's skills as an assistant who did things like butter bread and make salad, there was no such thing as a bad meal.

He gently dropped her down onto their bed and smiled. "Get undressed. I'll go turn on the water." Derek leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips before disappearing to the bathroom.

Meredith quickly pulled off her sweater and her jeans, then reached behind herself to remove her bra. She slipped her panties off her legs. After depositing her clothes into the hamper, Meredith walked into the bathroom, remembering to grab two towels off the shelf. "Hey," she said softly, dropping the towels onto the ledge next to the tub.

Derek admired her nakedness for a few seconds then removed his own clothes, leaving him nude next to her within seconds. "Hey. Ready to get in?"

"Yeah," Meredith nodded. She took Derek's hand and the two stepped over the side of the tub. The water was warm, the perfect temperature to soothe the aches of the day. Derek sat down with his back against the side, and Meredith took her usual seat in front of him, leaning against his chest. "I love you," she whispered, turning her head to kiss him.

"I love you too," he said. Derek reached around to cup her breasts and felt her hardened nipples just below the surface of the water. When he rolled one between his thumb and his forefinger, Meredith moaned. A familiar zing zipped through her core. It took little effort for Derek to turn her on.

"Derek," she sighed, arching her back into his touch. "Oh wow..." she giggled. "We're cutting right to sex."

Derek smiled against the wet skin of her shoulder. "We can hold off and enjoy naked time for a while."

"We couldn't do this stuff in the tub at the old house," Meredith pointed out, turning around to face him. She wrapped her legs loosely around his waist and draped her arms over his shoulders. "My bendiness comes in handy in here..."

Her breasts grazed his chest with every breath, and Meredith could feel his erection stirring between them. "Hmm...it does," he agreed, cupping her face in between his palms to kiss her again.

Outside the rain could still be heard hitting the side of the house. The wind whipped around and the trees rustled from the force. On nights like tonight, Meredith wished they could escape somewhere tropical, burying their toes in the sand in the afternoon and getting tangled in the sheets inside of a cabana every night. She sighed audibly at the thought; Derek smiled. "What?" he asked.

"I want to go away somewhere--not right now, because of work and stuff. But maybe this summer. We get a week off for vacation time. I just think it would be nice..."

"Okay." The smile on his face grew even more. "Where?"

Meredith shrugged. "Somewhere warm. Bermuda maybe, or the Bahamas. We can drink on the beach and make a baby at night. We deserve that."

Derek couldn't help but pull her closer. Whenever she said things like that, his heart went wild in his chest. "I would love to go away with you," he whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Meredith rested her forehead against his. "Okay." Tendrils of her hair had escaped from her mess of a bun but she didn't bother to tie them back up. She knew sex would be happening within the next few minutes and she'd end up soaked with water from head to toe anyway.

Derek trailed kisses from her lips, down her neck and shoulders to her breasts. He pulled a nipple into his mouth and sucked, making Meredith gasp in delight. He knew her body, knew how to make her squirm and beg and call his name in pleasure. They'd memorized every inch of one another within the first weeks of meeting, and the feelings had intensified each time they made love. Meredith threaded her fingers through his hair to lock his head in place. "Derek," she breathed.

She felt his erection pressing against her stomach as she sat on his lap. The feeling was almost too great. But when Derek slipped two fingers inside her, she dropped her head onto his shoulder. "Oh God," she gasped. "Der!"

He pushed the pads of his fingers into her most sensitive tissue, feeling it clench beneath his touch. "Meredith," he whispered, encouraging her. He knew how to work her body. What moans she'd make if her touched here or kissed there. Every response he got thrilled him. "Come on, Mer."

"Holy...Derek," she whimpered, adjusting her hips so that his fingers drove deeper. "I need..."

"What?" he asked softly. He brushed his lips past her ear. Another round of chills erupted through her body.

Meredith licked her lips. "Harder," she demanded. She was never shy about what she wanted. Derek smirked, pushing his fingers harder into her. Soft pants of air tickled his neck and he could feel her pressing her nails into his back as she clung to him. It wasn't long before her orgasm ripped through her, leaving her boneless, her body limp against Derek's.

"Damn it," Meredith gasped. "You're...that was...wow."

Derek chuckled as he pressed his lips to hers. "Hmm, yeah." The smile was quickly replaced with a groan when she ran her fingers over the length of his erection. Just as he knew how to work her body, she was just as good at working his. She lightly grazed him, up, down, up, down, until Derek couldn't take it any longer. He reached for the ledge of the tub and grabbed a condom--one he'd placed there just in case. "Mer, here."

Meredith took it from him, unable to concentrate on opening the wrapper when his mouth returned to her breast. When she eventually succeeded, she licked her lips so she could speak. "Derek, lift up. I can't...you have to..." she managed to get out. Derek's attention to her body was the only thing she could think about.

He raised himself out of the tub long enough for Meredith to apply the condom and gently gripped her hip with one hand to balance her over him. Meredith threw her head back in delight when she sank down on top of him. The moment they came together as one always took their breath away. The pleasure and intimacy they shared never faltered when they made love.

"Oh God. Meredith," Derek groaned, lacing his fingers with hers as she raised and lowered herself. There was little he could do to help as far as movement, so making sure she kept her balance was the least he could do. "You feel incredible."

"So do you," she gasped. Her breath came out in throaty moans. With every few motions, Meredith reluctantly had to stop herself to take in a breath. Sex trumped breathing, something that had never happened before Derek came along. "Holy crap..."

Derek could feel her clenching around him, and knew if she continued doing so, it wouldn't be long before he could no longer hold back. "Mer, I'm gonna...if you keep..." he managed to say.

"It's...I'm almost there," she whispered. Derek reached down and massaged her engorged bundle of nerves in an effort to help her along. "Crap. Crap. Crap," Meredith panted in succession, gripping his hand tighter. "Derek, I'm..."

He forced himself to open his eyes. Watching Meredith succumb to her orgasm was the most beautiful sight he'd ever witnessed. "Come for me, Mer. Just...let it go."

Almost on cue, Meredith climaxed around him. Her muscles clenched in ecstasy around his erection, and Derek felt himself releasing too. His eyes bore into hers as they shared in their mutual pleasure. As she came down from her high, Meredith fell forward onto her husband, letting him support her weight. She'd used every ounce of energy in her body and needed a few minutes to regain the strength needed to even get out of the tub.

"Holy crap," she whispered, pressing kisses to his neck. "We need to...have bath sex...more often."

Derek wrapped his arms around her back and hugged her closer. He could feel her shaking above him. "Yeah. We do," he said, trying to regain his breathing.

When she finally recovered enough from her orgasm, Meredith carefully removed him from her, then stood up and reached for the towel. She started patting herself dry while Derek removed the condom and tossed it into the trashcan a few feet away from the tub. He, too, rose to his feet and Meredith handed him his own towel. "I'm exhausted," she giggled, wrapping the towel around her body before she and Derek stepped onto the bath mat.

"Me too," Derek chuckled. Meredith leaned into him and he wrapped his arm around her waist after he flipped the drain to the tub open. They walked into the bedroom and without a word, Meredith dropped her towel onto the bench at the foot of the bed and crawled under the covers. "Sleeping naked," she yawned, but it was almost a command.

Derek dropped his towel next to hers and slipped into bed as well. When she spooned up against him, her skin was still heated from the bath. They melted into each other; their breathing was synced, and they were happy.

He trailed his fingers over her torso and kissed her bare shoulder. "Are you warm enough?"

Meredith took his hand, lacing their fingers together and letting them rest on her stomach. "Perfect," she whispered.

I figured we could all use a little porny MerDer lovin' during this summer hiatus. And happy 4th of July to those in the US! Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Reviews make my day! :)