A/N: So on my last story, someone suggested I write about the family game night that Amelia mentioned - so here that is! As always, I hope you guys enjoy :)
Andrew didn't quite know what to expect when Meredith invited him over for family game night one Friday evening. He knew that the fact that she wanted to include him in family events such as this was a big deal and he certainly didn't take it for granted. He wanted to get to know them, and he loved that Meredith wanted him to get to know them.
Arriving at 7pm that evening with a bottle of wine and an Italian card game he was eager for them to try, he rang the doorbell.
Meredith answered the door - mid laughter with a head full of messy blonde waves, dressed casually in a T-shirt and sweats. "Andrew - hey." She greeted him with a kiss. "Come on in. The kids are playing candy land and it's getting pretty intense."
Andrew initially fell in love with Meredith as this cool, calm collected badass surgeon - but seeing this side of her - the side of her that was simply Meredith, the mother, sister, and the kind of woman who spills wine on her old t-shirt only made him fall in love even more.
"Ooh, Deluca's here! Now the party can really start!" Amelia said.
He chuckled lightly as he stepped inside, hanging his coat on the rack near the door. Andrew then set down the wine and card game on the table and took a seat near Meredith who focused her intense gaze on the board in front of them.
"Only four more spaces, Zozo! You got this!" Meredith encouraged as he oldest daughter drew another card.
"I think Bailey's got it! Go Bailey!" Maggie cheered as she braided little Ellis' hair as she sat in her lap.
"Zola always wins!" Bailey sighed.
"I'm sure you'll get her next time, buddy." Andrew said to him.
Just as expected after every round of Candy land, Zola won, much to her younger brother and sister's dismay. However, Ellis quickly got over it once offered a freshly baked sugar cookie from Aunt Maggie.
Meredith turned her attention to Andrew who sat next to her on the couch. "We ordered pizza from Maria's and there's also wine."
Andrew got up and went into the kitchen to help himself to pizza and a glass of wine, when he heard someone come up behind him, and familiar arms wrapped around his waist.
"Hey. I just wanted to steal at least one minute alone with you tonight." Meredith said to him as he sat his wine glass down and turned to look at her.
Andrew pressed his lips against hers without another moment's hesitation. He stepped forward to fill every inch of space between them, the taste of red wine intoxicating on her lips as he kissed her.
Meredith grinned softly once they eventually pulled away. She knew if they kept this going there was a chance they wouldn't make it back to the living room, opting instead for an upstairs detour.
"I'm glad you could make it. Hopefully my sisters don't end up running you off." Meredith joked as they headed back to the living room.
Andrew chuckled lightly. "I doubt that'll happen."
"There you guys are! We were waiting to start Uno!" Maggie said when the couple reappeared.
"Sorry. I was helping Andrew out in the kitchen." Meredith explained with a shrug.
"I'm sure you were." Amelia smirked. Meredith shot her a look from across the room.
"Alright, Uno. Let's do this." Meredith said, quickly changing the subject. They all sat around the table while Zola dealt the cards to everyone.
Once everyone had their cards, they started the game. Andrew enjoyed taking this time to get to know her children more as well as unlocking this new part of who Meredith was.
While they were playing, little Ellis got up and went up to her room. When she came back down, she held something behind her back. The youngest girl came up to Andrew and held out her hand which held what appeared to be a handmade bracelet. The bracelet was made with blue string and blue and white beads strung onto it.
"For you." Ellis said to Andrew with a smile.
"Ellie loves making those bracelets. I had no idea she was making one for you." Meredith smiled.
"I love it, Ellis! Blue is my favorite color. Thank you so much." Andrew said to her as he placed the bracelet on his wrist.
"Welcome." Ellis responded before sitting back down to continue the game.
This particular game lasted peacefully a lot longer than Meredith anticipated before the inevitable arguing happening due to the competitive nature of each of her three children. She couldn't exactly blame them. They were Shepherd Grey children after all.
Meredith stepped in to diffuse the situation before the crying could really start. "Okay okay, I think it's about time we played another game. How about the one Andrew brought?"
"Yeah yeah let's play that one!" The kids all said enthusiastically.
Andrew got up and retrieved the card game he brought for them to play. "This game is called Scopa. It's an Italian card game I learned growing up that I think you guys might have fun with."
Meredith watched with admiration at the level of patience from Andrew as he explained the game to her kids and allowed them to play despite them not fully understanding it.
Feeling her eyes on him, he looked up to meet her gaze, his lips curving into the smile that caused her heart to do mini somersaults in her chest.
Maggie and Amelia both took notice of this and exchanged knowing glancing with one another.
While Andrew played the game with the kids, Meredith went to refill her glass as well as Andrew's. Maggie joined her shortly after.
"Wow, Mer, I know you said you guys are pretty serious, but seeing it with my own eyes..it's the real deal." Maggie said as she poured her wine.
Meredith sighed contently. "He's pretty incredible, isn't he? And the kids don't hate him, which is of course the icing on the cake."
"I'm glad you two found each other. I mean, I never would've guessed in a million years, but you two are the perfect fit. You deserve this more than anyone." Maggie told her.
"Thanks Maggie." Meredith spoke sincerely. She took both glasses after refilling them and headed back to the living room.
Meredith sat back down next to Andrew. "Hey." She wrapped an arm around his frame.
Andrew smiled softly at his girlfriend. "Hey."
She rested her head against his shoulder, taking in the scent of his after shave, as her fingers lightly brushed along his side. At this point, moments like these were practically second nature. It was difficult for Meredith to keep her hands off of him.
After allowing the kids to play for another hour past their bedtime, Meredith decided it was time to put them to bed. Naturally, there were protests from all three.
"I'll help you get them down, Mer." Maggie offered.
The two both went upstairs with the kids, leaving Andrew and Amelia in the living room.
Amelia watched with an amused glint in her eyes as Andrew watched Meredith walk out of the living room.
"What?" Andrew questioned when he noticed Amelia watching him.
"Holy shit. You love love her! Like I know you guys are serious and all but you're in deep, man." Amelia said incredulously.
Andrew couldn't help but laugh at this, shaking his head. "I guess you could say that. It's kind of hard not to be, I mean, she's Meredith."
"What about Meredith? Are you guys talking about me?" Meredith said as she returned to the living room with Maggie.
"Only good things, sweetheart. Promise." Andrew said with a kiss to her cheek as she sat down.
"God you guys are so sweet I'm getting a fucking cavity over here." Amelia quipped.
"Honestly, I love how sweet they are. They're the example we all should be striving for. I love their love!" Maggie cried.
"Okayyy the wine has clearly gotten to Maggie's head.." Meredith laughed. "Anyways, what should we do now?"
"Oh! Oh! Truth or dare!" Amelia blurted out clapping her hands together.
Meredith scoffed, raising an eyebrow. "Truth or dare? Really? What are we, 12?"
"Oh come on, Mer. Don't be such a buzz kill. It'll be fun!" Amelia insisted. "Right, Deluca?"
"Yeah, I think it could be fun." Andrew replied coolly.
"Don't you encourage her." Meredith playfully shoved his shoulder.
"Alright then it's settled. Truth or dare. Let's do this!" Amelia exclaimed.
"Woo woo!" Maggie cheered.
"Really Maggie I thought you'd be on my side!" Meredith said to her sister.
"Hey, I'm allowed to be excited about this. I mean, I never got to play these kind of games growing up since you know, child prodigy and all. I feel like I missed out." Maggie countered.
"Fair enough I guess." Meredith shrugged taking another sip of wine.
Andrew rested comfortably on the couch watching the women go back and forth. There was definitely no denying these three were sisters.
"Deluca's our guest so he should go first." Amelia suggested.
"Sure, why not?" Andrew agreed.
"Oh, you're so brave." Meredith patted his shoulder sympathetically.
"Truth or dare?" Amelia asked.
"Truth." Andrew responded after a brief moment of thought.
"Okay..is it true..that Italians are exceptionally good in bed?" Amelia asked, biting her lower lip.
"Oh, it's true." Andrew answered without a hint of hesitation, causing them all to giggle.
"How about it, Mer? Any truth to that?" Amelia teased. "Oh wait, I forgot..both you and Maggie should have some opinions on this!"
Meredith's face turned a bright shade of red and Maggie placed her face in her hands in embarrassment. "Too far Amelia! Too far!" She took another long sip of wine.
"Your turn, babe." Meredith said to Andrew.
"Alright..Meredith. Truth or dare?"
"Truth." She replied.
"What is...the wildest dream you've ever had?"
Immediately, her mind began to replay images of those sex dreams she had of Andrew shortly after that kiss at Alex's wedding.
Shaking away these thoughts, she shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, really. I've had a lot of crazy dreams. My mind goes to weird places sometimes."
"BOR-RINGG." Amelia rolled her eyes.
"Oh whatever! It's your turn anyways. Truth or dare, Amelia?" Meredith asked her.
"Dare."
"Of course you're the first to choose dare." Meredith thought for a moment. "Okay..I dare you to make prank calls to at least three people in your contacts"
"Hmm who's the 12 year old now, Mer?" Amelia teased as she pulled out her phone.
She ended up making prank calls to Addison, Owen, and Richard Webber. By the end of the last call they were all in tears from laughing so hard.
"Oh my god that was great." Meredith managed to say through her laughter. She looked over at Andrew who was laughing just as hard.
"Okay okay!" Amelia laughed, wiping away tears. "Maggie, truth or dare?"
"Truth!"
"Okay, what's the craziest thing you've ever done that no one would think you would do?"
Maggie thought for a second. "Hmm..okay. One time..during undergrad there was this guy..a total jock who was definitely not my type personality wise but he was so cute and I really wanted him to notice me..so..me and a friend of mine..we streaked the football field during one of their late night practices. Then someone stole our clothes and well..let's just say this counts as one of the most embarrassing moments of my life as well."
"No way!" Meredith and Amelia both exclaimed.
"Well you're right, that's definitely something we never thought you would do." Meredith laughed.
The rest of the game consisted of plenty of laughter as well as Amelia stripped down to her bra and underwear, because how else would a family game night truly be complete. It was the most that any of them had laughed in awhile.
"So, Andrew, you sure you still want to be apart of the craziness that is this family?" Amelia asked him.
"I'm sure. Tonight was very entertaining to say the least. And if this is what I have to look forward to, I'm all for it." Andrew responded.
"Well then hey, welcome to the family." Amelia raised her glass of soda towards him.
"Thanks." Andrew smiled, clinking his glass against hers.
As Meredith laid comfortably on his shoulder with his arm encircled around him, she never felt more safe. In her home, surrounded by loved ones, in the arms of the man that she loved.
She looked over to find that Maggie had fallen asleep.
"Well that's about enough fun I can handle for one night." Meredith said as she stood up from the couch. She went to wake Maggie up so she could go sleep more comfortably in her bedroom.
Maggie and Amelia each said their good nights to the couple before heading off to bed.
Meredith turned to face Andrew. "Stay the night?" She asked him softly.
Andrew nodded. "Of course."
She could hardly wait to be in bed snuggled closely in his arms. It went without saying that they were both too intoxicated and too exhausted for much of anything else that night, which was perfectly okay with the both of them.
Immersing Andrew into her home life, into her family, it felt right - as if it were the way it always should be.