Please enjoy this Christmas, porn-y one-shot.

Should be considered MA, consensual, adult sex described below.

I don't own these characters.

Christmas is in three days, yet it feels a million miles away. I'm used to spending the days leading up to the holiday decorating every inch of the house in wreaths, tinsel, and garland, preparing strings of cranberries and no less than five different pies, scrubbing toilets and vacuuming under every single piece of furniture, all so my stepmom can throw the biggest, most spectacular party of the year.

Truth be told, I enjoy the days leading up to Christmas. The house is always warm with a fire and the kitchen always smells of warm cider, pot roast with rosemary, and delicious butter rolls. Once Christmas Day arrives, the quiet of the preparation—the days of silent, quick work—are replaced with booming voices, clinking glasses, and oh so many Christmas carols.

I like quiet.

In front of me are miles upon miles of quiet. The lake stretches toward a distance shore, covered in dense, unobstructed and untouched fir trees. Much like glass, the lake doesn't move, doesn't waiver, and reflects the brilliant, bold moon along the calm surface. The fire from our camp just a few meters away also reflects along the surface, creating a glow along the entire shoreline for a few feet. Besides the occasional hoot of an owl, the crackling of the diminishing fire is the only sound tainting the stillness of the night.

I should be sleeping. It's nearly two in the morning and it's desperately cold, but I like the nip on my cheeks and the heavy feeling in my eyes. Somehow, being so tired and cold only further ignites the fire inside me, making me feel more alive than I did on the hike we all took today.

An animal stirs in the leaves behind me, but it sounds small. I take a sip of my hot chocolate, feeling the warmth slide down my throat, warming my insides. With a heavy fleece blanket pulled tightly around my shoulders, I replay the day in my head. Cristina, Mark, and Callie complained endlessly before our hike. I'm an indoor girl, Callie had reminded us for the tenth time, as if we hadn't already known when she wore a pair of white rabbit fur-lined gloves into the wilderness. Cristina just promised to drink a lot later on to make up for the afternoon torture, and Mark swore he needed to take the car to pick up a few necessities at the store—however, we all knew he'd been eyeing a bar about twenty miles back.

But even despite the initial groans and complaints, all eight of us headed off into the woods and made it to the top of the mountain within a few hours. Alex and Jo reached the summit first, followed closely by Arizona and Owen. Derek walked chivalrously beside Callie and Cristina, making sure they didn't fall down the side of the mountain. Lexie, Mark, and I pulled up the rear, and I was happy to be at the end, just taking everything in.

The summit was beautiful and well-worth the hike. The mountain range looked incredible blanketed in fresh snow, as confirmed by the slipperiness of the path and the snow clinging to my hair and eyelashes. We sat for a long time looking out, watching the river curl through the green forest, slicing its way to the lake where we made camp just a few miles away. Derek and Owen ribbed on Mark, Cristina was hit square in the back of the head by a snowball thrown by Arizona, Lexie attempted to eat a pine cone after being dared to by Jo, and I was glad to have chosen to spend these days with my friends and sister.

I smile out at the cold lake, not wishing away our last night in the woods, but looking forward to seeing my parents tomorrow for Christmas Eve.

Behind me, something rustles again. Something louder. I turn, my brain already laying out what my bloody death will look like as the bear rips me to shreds, but instead of a hungry wolf or coyote, Derek stands just a few feet away, a guilty smile on his face. I feel my shoulders relax instantly.

"Sorry," he whispers. "Did I scare you?"

I shake my head and then take a sip from my thermos, trying to calm my erratic heart.

"What are you doing out here?" He looks cold. His cheeks are flushed pink and his hands are shoved deep into his pants pockets, causing him to hunch a bit.

I stare up into the star-lit sky. "I'm waiting for Santa," I say and grin, turning back to Derek. I hold open one side of the blanket, offering him warmth. "Come, sit. It's warm in here."

Derek moves quickly across the pine-needle-covered ground and sinks down beside me, pulling the fleece around his right shoulder. His body is warm next to mine, so I scoot closer. He smiles at me. "You'll have to wait a long time for Santa. He still has twenty-three hours before he sets out."

"Considering Santa's not real, I'll have to wait forever. Which means I'll probably freeze to death out here."

Derek clutches his chest and gasps, "Santa's not real?" His face contorts into something overly dramatic, which makes me roll my eyes. I push his shoulder away and he leans to the side before snapping back up to warm my side. He smiles at me. I return his smile before turning my gaze up toward the sky. I feel him watching me for a moment, but then he turns away. Even with his breath and heartbeat keeping me company, the world still feels so quiet, so still, so empty.

I take a sip of cocoa and hand the thermos to Derek. "Bourbon?" he asks.

"Cocoa," I turn just as he takes a sip.

He smiles, "Even better." He hands the thermos back to me and the warmth in my hands feels wonderful. "What are you doing out here anyway?"

I meet his blue eyes. In the years I've known Derek, I've learned every smile, laugh, disappointment, encouragement, fear, excitement, want, hate, like—all his emotions—live so powerfully in his eyes. He could tell me he's happy, but his eyes will betray his words and fake smile. Now is no different. Under the moon he's smiling, but I see curiosity and maybe a bit of confusion in his eyes.

"It's quiet," I whisper, not wanting to disrupt the perfect night.

"Do you want me to leave you to your quiet?" he whispers back, leaning closer so I can smell the chocolate on his breath.

I grin. "No, please don't."

He nods and the confusion melts from his eyes.

"Why are you out here?"

Derek turns towards the water. If he stretched his legs, I'm sure his foot could touch the lake, only I hope he doesn't. I like the reflection from the moon and I don't want to see it disturbed. "I was kicked out of my tent." I see the grin on his lips and the annoyance in his eyes.

"Mark and Lexie?" I ask, already knowing the answer.

He nods. "Looks like we're bunking tonight." He meets my eyes. "If that's okay."

I nod without delay. "Of course, but you don't really have any options. If I left you out here, you'd be a popsicle by morning."

"I don't know." He shimmies further into the comfortable warmth of the blanket. "This is pretty good."

"Body heat. If I wasn't here, you'd freeze."

Derek wiggles his eyebrows. "So you'll keep me warm, then?"

I smack his arm, my mittened hands barely making a sound against his heavy jacket. He catches my hand and tugs at the pom-pom on the end. He laughs. "Well, I might rescind that advance. Clearly, from these gloves, you are a twelve-year-old."

I tug my hand away and scowl. "My stepmom knitted them for me."

"They're very cute."

I wrap my fingers into a fist, hiding the pom-pom away. Derek takes my hand in his and flattens it, flicking the pom-pom with his fingers. "My mom can't knit. When I was a kid, I never really wanted her to learn—you know, the awkwardness of bad handmade gifts and all—but now, I think it'd be funny. I'd have this collection of scarves and sweaters, hats and warm gloves." He releases my hand. "Do you know how to knit?"

My cheeks warm with memories of the days Susan and I would sit beside the fire knitting together. I nod. "It's good for surgical dexterity."

"Hmm," Derek smirks, lowering his eyes to the water. "Will you knit something for me?"

His eyes meet mine and I nod, seeing the hope in his blue irises. "What's your favorite color?"

"Blue. But not light blue. Indigo."

I smile at the thought he put into his answer. "Indigo," I repeat and nod, "okay, I'll knit you something indigo."

Derek grins. "Perfect. Can you make it something with pom-poms?" he teases.

"And glitter," I agree.

If possible, he smiles wider. "Everyone will be jealous."

"I know I will," I tease in return, drawing my hands into my lap, cradling the thermos against my bent knees.

Derek laughs and the sound carries out across the water, disappearing somewhere in the darkness. The water ripples somewhere in the middle of the lake, causing the wave to lap quietly along the shoreline. A breeze slides through the bare trees and clouds roll across the moon. The weather forecast called for snow overnight, just enough to dust the lowlands and coat the mountains in a few inches. I'd love to feel snowflakes on my cheeks right now.

I sip from the thermos and hand it to Derek again, mostly because he doesn't have gloves and his hands must be freezing. I shake my head when he tries to hand it back.

He smiles softly and allows it to fall, his gaze focusing on his hands. I know he's been hurting lately. He's been trying his best to mask it—laughing and smiling along our hike today, teasing Mark and Callie, sprinting ahead and leaping off rocks—but he can't mask the look in his eyes.

"I'm sorry about Addie," I say quietly.

His eyes shoot to mine, narrowing slightly.

"I didn't mean to bring her up. I just know it's been hard for you the last few weeks. I see that you're trying and I just wanted you to know I'm here for you." I cover his cold hand with my glove. He doesn't tease me or even reply. His eyes stay on mine and his mouth stays grim. He's thinking hard, I can tell, but he says nothing. So, being that I can't stop myself, I continue. "It sucks that she cheated on you. I never really understood why people cheat. If you want someone else, dump the person you're with. It's that easy. She's clearly not a very good person if she did that to you. I mean, at one point she was probably a good person. That's why you dated her. I'm sure you wouldn't have dated someone who wasn't good. I just mean she's obviously had some kind of…well…I guess she's changed. If only she'd told you before she cheated. I guess—"

"Meredith," Derek cuts me off. He's smiling at me. I hadn't even noticed the change. He squeezes my hand. "Stop rambling."

I release a breath. "Oh. I didn't realize I was."

He laughs and something in a nearby tree scratches away. "That's because you're so good at it." He grins. "And thank you for the sentiment, if I understand it."

I feel myself blush.

Derek continues. "You want to know the weird part?" his eyes meet mine. "I'm not mad. I'm not sad either, really. I mean, I feel something—loss maybe? But not the loss of her, but the loss of having someone here for me. Having someone who wants to know how my day was and not because they want to tell me about their day. I miss someone being in my bed." He smiles and turns away. "It sounds bad, but I guess I gave up on Addison and me a while ago. I stayed with her because I was comfortable and I liked the idea of being with someone, but she wasn't who I wanted any longer." His eyes meet mine. "I hadn't loved her for a long time, but I didn't notice when after she told me she cheated on me. Suddenly it was like opening up the curtains in the morning. I saw everything I'd been avoiding for almost a year." He shrugs.

I turn away, remembering my own breakup from earlier in the year. I had felt the same way towards Finn that Derek felt towards Addison—only Finn and I had been together for just a few short months.

I realize Derek's hand is still in mine. It feels nice, comforting. He runs his thumb over mine.

We both sit in silence for a long time. I have nothing to say. I can't apologize for his failed relationship again, now that I know he hadn't loved Addison for a long time. Plus, I can't think of anything else I want to say. So I listen to Derek's breathing next to me. If he's cold, he doesn't seem so. His eyes blink slowly as he stares out across the water. He takes a sip from the thermos and I notice his Adam's apple bobbing along his throat. I turn away and focus on the water as well.

The wind howls through the mountains and I involuntarily shiver. I'm not cold, but the sound freezes my insides. Derek wraps his arm around my shoulders and draws me against him. "Cold?" he asks.

I nod, but I don't know why. I really am warm enough.

Derek's fingers curl around my shoulder. I feel his length against my side. Why am I even noticing?

I sigh and Derek turns his face toward me. His eyes slide back and forth, trying to look into both of mine at the same time. I focus as much as I can on his eyes, but I want to see what color his cheeks are right now. I want to see his lips part around the cold winter air. I want to see him swallow and work his jaw. My stomach toils with the thoughts. I'd never considered Derek this way before. I'd never thought about what his skin would feel like beneath my fingertips. I'd never imagined his lips on mine.

Suddenly I'm looking down at his mouth. For a moment too long, I focus on his lips. I imagine kissing him. And then I'm reminded of where I am who I'm with and I look away. My cheeks flush red with embarrassment.

"I should turn in," I say quietly, wanting to go, but not. We're sharing a tent. It'll be even harder to focus if we're in such close quarters.

Derek's hand slides slowly down my arm. If I didn't have fifty layers on, I'd probably feel it. Instead, I just hear his hand moving along the nylon on my jacket. My heart is racing. He's not touching my arm for comfort—he must know I can't feel that. Then why is he touching me?

I turn to look up at him again. His eyes are on my mouth now. It feels like my world has flipped upside down.

"What's happening right now?" I ask stupidly.

Derek is broken from his spell. His eyes meet mine and he smiles. He clears his throat and laughs. "I, uh, I don't know."

"Oh," I manage, not trying to form any other words.

Derek doesn't move his eyes from mine. "Meredith," he says my name carefully, as if just speaking it will start something.

I release a breath. "I'm going to bed."

As I start to pull myself from his grip, and release his hand from mine, I feel him pulling me back. His arm is firm around me. His eyes are pleading. I swallow hard.

But Derek doesn't say anything for so long and I feel like I'm being swallowed by the quiet.

"Derek, I—"

His mouth presses to mine so quickly I nearly fall over. I remain firm against his mouth, not sure what's happening. My eyes are open, panicked, looking straight into his. And then his eyes close and I allow mine to close and suddenly I forget what's happening and instead start to feel. Derek's hand still grips my arm, but it doesn't feel as urgent now. His other hand, warm from holding mine, slides up my neck and behind into my hair. His lips are soft against mine and his mouth is toasty. I feel tingles start at the roots of my hair and slide slowly down to my toes.

I turn towards him, sliding my calf along his outer thigh. Derek's other hand drops to my side, sliding around my waist to the base of my spine. I sigh against his lips and taste the chocolate on his breath. I smile, opening myself to him. I reach forward and run my hand up his chest, my other hand resting on his leg. Derek turns towards me as well and leans across the space, sliding his tongue into my mouth. I wrap my arm around his neck, pulling him closer to me.

My head is so fuzzy and I'm hoping Derek doesn't notice my hands shaking.

He mustn't, or he doesn't care, because suddenly he reaches down to the backs of my thighs, effortlessly lifts me and deposits me on his lap. Our lips never break contact. I reach behind his neck with both hands and tug off my gloves, sliding my fingertips across his jaw and into the back of his coat, feeling the top of his spine beneath my palms. Derek moans against my mouth and I push my hips down onto his lap. His fingers are threaded through my hair and his mouth and urgent and welcoming against mine.

A moment later, Derek pulls away. His eyes are glazed and hazy and I wonder if this is what he looks like every time he's feeling a moment of passion. He leans in keeping his eyes open and kisses me firmly on the mouth. I don't look away from him. He pulls back and appraises me slowly. Every single inch of me could be in flames and I wouldn't notice.

Derek smiles slowly and if my insides weren't already stirring, they are now.

His stare is so intense, I feel the need to turn away, but I don't want to. I've never had anyone look at me like this before. I search his eyes, my hands warm against his back. In fact, every inch of my skin feels warm and comfortable being so close to him. He laughs softly, his eyes expressing joy and excitement.

"What's happening right now?" I ask him.

Derek's hand reaches up and slides along my arm. I watch his fingers descend down towards my wrist before sliding back up and over my shoulder. "Seduction, I think."

"Is this really happening?" my voice comes out shakier than I expected.

Derek's hand stills. "Only if we want it to," he says very seriously, giving me an out.

"Yes, I want to," I say quicker than I imagined possible.

His mouth turns back up into a grin. He leans into me and kisses me once more, his hands sliding down my back. "Too many clothes," he grumbles, holding me tightly around the waist.

I start to move away from him. "The tent," I say against his mouth, starting to stand up. Derek follows me, his mouth pressed tight to mine, his tongue tasting mine. We leave behind the blanket, thermos, and my gloves, and I barely give any of them a second thought. We stumble over the uneven ground, too wrapped up in one another to pull away for even a second. Derek stubs his boot on a log and curses against my mouth. I laugh and then quickly nearly tumble backwards into the fire. Derek holds me close, sweeping me closer to the tent.

He fumbles with the zipper, but neither of us pulls away from each other. It'd be easier if I'd just relent, just for a moment, but I'm afraid we'll come to senses and realize we shouldn't be sleeping together. Or maybe we both know we should be sleeping together. He's been broken up with Addie for a few weeks and I haven't had anyone since the beginning of the semester. Maybe this is exactly what we need.

Derek opens the tent door and pulls me inside behind him. It's cold inside, but Derek zips the cold away. I kneel on the foam bed roll covering the bottom on the tent. Derek kneels beside me. He stares at me. The light is faint inside the tent, the only source coming from a lantern in the corner that Lexie left on for me. My heart is racing. Am I really about to see Derek, my best friend through four years of undergrad and three years of med school, naked? He leans forward and kisses me.

The answer is yes.

I grab hold of the back of his neck and climb into his lap, wrapping my legs around him. Derek reaches between us and unzips my jacket, pushing it from my shoulders. I shimmy the jacket from my wrists, tossing it to the side. I still have a sweater, a long-sleeved t-shirt, and a tank top on underneath, but Derek's hands manage to slide beneath all the layers to feel my skin. I shivered against him, my mouth opening into a gasp. I unzip his jacket next, my hands trailing down his chest and around his back as soon as he's tossed the jacket aside with mine.

Derek leans away from me, his lips swollen and his eyelids heavy. His face is serious, though, and I wonder if this is as much as I'll get. He reaches up and threads his hands through my hair, sliding his fingers through to the ends. "You should know," he starts and my stomach toils with nerves, "that I've wanted you for a long time."

My face must read my confusion.

He smiles. "I wanted to tell you." His fingers slide along the back of my neck and I my eyes slide closed. His lips press to my neck, just below my ear. "I didn't want to ruin our friendship," he whispers. "I couldn't lose you as a friend."

I grip the back of his shirt in my hands. "What changed?"

Derek's forehead presses to mine and I open my eyes. "You. The way you were looking at me next to the lake. I'd never seen that look in your eyes before. I didn't want to scare you off or push you too far. I know how much you hate that." He smirks. "But tonight, I saw a flicker of something else. I don't know how to explain it." His fingers move so carefully up my back, touching every single inch of my skin. "I watched your opinion of me change. Maybe I'm wrong. You can tell me if I am."

"You're not wrong," I whisper, running my hands down his arms. He pulls his arms back, allowing my fingertips to touch his wrists, feeling his heartbeat. He laces his fingers through mine. "How did I not notice this before?" I ask, looking down at our hands.

"I don't know. You're very unobservant."

I lean in and kiss his smirking mouth. "Don't be mean to me. I'm about to give you sex."

Derek groans and his smile widens. "Is that so?" he whispers, tipping me backwards.

I nod, wrapping my arms tightly around his neck as my back hits my sleeping bag. "So you have to be nice to me."

"I can be nice," Derek says softly, kissing and nipping down my neck. "I can be very nice." His hand slides up the front of my shirts and over my bra. I sigh and tip my head back. His other hand joins the first and he begins to slide my clothes away. I lift my shoulders from the sleeping bag and raise my arms so Derek and remove my sweater and shirts altogether. I shiver from the cold, but Derek immediately wraps me in his arms.

I slide my hands around his torso, feeling the heat radiating from his skin. He kisses along my neck, collarbones, and shoulders, making my insides squeeze with anticipation. Derek looks up at me as his lips trail down my sternum, his hands skirting along my sides. I laugh, his fingers tickling me.

Derek grins and pulls his mouth back, leaving his fingers to tease me. I squirm under his touch and slide along the sleeping bag. "Derek…stop…" I laugh, pushing at his hands.

He leans back over me and covers my mouth with his. I sigh, reaching my fingers up into his hair. "I love it when you laugh," he says and returns on the path down my chest and along my stomach, his mouth kissing every inch of my skin.

His words make my hands shake with desire, and I reach forward, desperately wanting to feel his skin on mine. Derek understands what I want without me even speaking, and he pulls off the two shirts he's wearing, revealing his lean, toned chest. I smile, having never imagined I'd be in this position with him. I run my fingers along his skin, learning every part of him. Derek watches my slow movements, his eyes meeting mine and a slow grin pulling along his mouth.

We're kissing again, but the slow fire that has been burning has transformed into an all out inferno. Suddenly, I'm sitting up to discard my bra and Derek's reaching down to undo my pants. I, in turn, reach across to unbutton his pants. We both kick off our shoes, hitting the fragile walls of the tent. Our mouths separate for just enough time to pull the rest of our clothes off and we're both in position, Derek atop of me, my legs spread for him.

Derek slowly runs his eyes over my body, pausing the frantic turn we've taken. I allow myself to gaze along his skin, smiling to myself as everything inside me starts to burn hotter. He runs his fingers across my nipples and down my thighs. I shiver.

"Are you cold?" he asks.

I shake my head frantically. "No, but if you don't make a move soon, I might burst into flames."

Derek laughs and kisses me before pulling back. He leans across me to his pants, pulls out his wallet, and finds a condom. He turns it over to read something and grins, "It's not expired."

I burst out laughing.

"Hey, shut up!" Cristina shouts from one of the other tents.

"Cristina!" Callie yells back.

Derek laughs and buries his mouth into his bicep, trying to keep from further angering Cristina, Callie, and presumably everyone else. I turn my face to the side, biting my lip to keep from laughing. Everyone is quiet once again and the only sounds I hear are Derek and my heartbeats and our breath.

He unwraps the condom. "We have to be quiet."

I nod. "If not, Cristina might burn down the tent."

"Unless you burst into flames first." He smirks at me and sheaths himself.

I reach for him, dragging him down to lay on top of me, to keep me warm. "I can't make any promises about the flames," I sigh as I feel him against me.

"And I can't make any promises about being quiet," he whispers against my neck and pushes inside me.

The feeling of him sliding inside me, stretching me, makes me gasp. Derek makes a quiet groaning noise which is so unbelievably hot. I roll my hips up to meet him while he pushes all the way inside me. He keeps his eyes on mine and the intimacy makes me squirm. I sigh once he reaches as far as he can go. I feel so full, so taken. Derek smiles and kisses me again, giving me the excuse to break eye contact. He doesn't move inside me and only kisses me slowly.

I reach my hands around his back, dragging my nails slowly down his spine. I grab handfuls of his butt and press him against me, my clit burning under the sensation. I gasp against his lips.

"Derek," I sigh, looping my heels around the back of his thighs. "Please…" I beg.

He pushes hair away from my eyes and kisses along my jaw. Ever so slowly, he pulls himself out of me completely. I ache for him. "Derek…" I groan, opening my eyes to glare at him. He looks far too amused. "Seriously, stop fucking around," I sigh, pushing my hips up to slide along him.

Derek slides his fingers down along my arms and over my hips. I release a shuttering breath. He glides back inside me, making me arch underneath his fluidity. His rhythm is gloriously slowly and sensual. He keeps touching me, kissing me, discovering every part of my body, and I feel myself igniting further. Derek pays special attention to my breasts, kissing and tugging on my nipples, which drives a flicker of heat between my legs, driving me further insane, if that's at all possible.

I kiss his jaw and roll my hips up with each one of his thrusts. Blood rushes in my ears and my heartbeat is so loud, so frantic. Derek's hands support my upper back while I arch and move beneath him. I hold his forearms, feeling like I might fall apart quickly, too quickly. Derek kisses down along my sternum and back up to my neck, his breath ragged along my sensitive skin. "Meredith," he groans and presses another kiss to my jaw.

I turn to face him, my eyes open but heavy. His fingers slide over my cheek. His mouth is red from kissing me. The intimacy is still there just as strong, but it pulls me in. Derek smiles at me slowly, his entire face lighting up. He stills inside me, but I don't beg him this time. I relax my hips and feel him resting inside me. He slides his fingers down my chest and presses his skin to mine.

"This is…" he begins, but says nothing more.

My fingers trail down his shoulder blades. I sigh and kiss him. "Yeah," I agree, not knowing what he was going to say, but understanding where he was going with it.

Derek returns the kiss and whispers, "Turn over."

The command makes me shiver and I turn onto my stomach, feeling him disconnect from me. I shift onto my knees and forearms, feeling gloriously open to him—completely exposed. He kisses the backs of my thighs, causing my toes to curl. His hands grasp my thighs while he kisses further up until his tongue touches my clit. I gasp and my hips roll by their own volition. Derek laughs and I feeling it through my entire body. His tongue slides along my slit, up and down slowly, tasting me lazily. I make a soft sound that I've never made before and my body erupts in goosebumps.

Derek sucks on my clit and I push my hips back against him. He reaches up my stomach and grasps my breasts in his hands. "Derek," I gasp, pushing my thighs together, feeling my undoing start.

He kisses across my butt and along my spine until he's pressed against my, his pelvis to mine, his chest to my back, his lips to my throat. "You taste good," he whispers and I almost explode right there.

"You're killing me," I sigh, peeking at him through my curtain of hair.

Derek pushes the hair away and kisses my cheek, his hands still massaging my aching breasts. "Back at you, ace," he smirks and slides into me. I close my eyes and groan, biting the edge of one of the sleeping bags. Derek's nose presses to my jaw. "Keep your eyes open," he says and his eyes meet mine.

The next few minutes are frantic and fantastic, culminating in the most erotic moment of my life. Derek's hips thrust against me as he stretches and pushes against me, taking me, making love to me so perfectly. Our eyes stay locked and his hands wander all across my body. His skin is hot and slick against me, furthering the fire inside me. I groan and sigh, squeak and moan, my entire body shaking and arching. Derek's skin claps against mine and he grunts against my shoulder blades.

His fingers search between my legs and he starts rubbing my clit. I arch my feet along his calves and whisper, "You're going to make me come."

Instantly, Derek pulls out of me and pushes me onto my back again. I groan at the loss of contact, afraid my orgasm has slid away, but suddenly he's between my knees again and I start shaking again. I grasp him, wrapping my arms and legs around his back. I hold onto him and kiss his sweaty skin. Derek presses his forehead to mine and his eyes widen. I arch into him, feeling every single nerve ending in my body erupt and suddenly I'm moaning as an orgasm rips through my body. Derek covers my mouth with his, swallowing my moans, and groans against my tongue. I feel him twitch as every muscle in my body aches, my pubic muscles dragging him in, milking him. His lips tear from mine and his forehead finds a new home on my left breast. His breathing is labored as his hips stop moving. "Jesus," he groans and I feel him slowly slide out of me.

Derek falls onto the sleeping bag next to me. I miss his warmth instantly, but my body is too sore and sensitive to move. I stare up at the tent roof and smile. When I turn to Derek, he's wearing the same dopey smile I feel on my lips. He turns to face me and smirks. "Well that was unexpected."

I nod, rolling onto my side and tucking my hands beneath my chin. "Yeah."

Derek reaches down and extricates the condom from himself and discreetly tosses it into a plastic bag. I watch him run a towel over himself, feeling like a peeping tom, but enjoying the closeness of it all. When he's clean, he moves closer to me, a look in his eyes I've never seen before. He lies down next to me, smiling the entire time. "You look beautiful right now." He produces another towel from his bag and runs it between my legs. I grab his forearm, still feeling very sensitive.

"You're just saying that because you got laid." My voice comes out shaky.

Derek tosses the towel away and slides up against me. "I think we can both agree that what just happened was a bit more than just getting laid."

He grabs one of the two pillows and tucks it underneath our heads. Then he pulls the sleeping bags over my skin, tucking himself against me. I feel warm and cozy with my nose practically pressed to his. Derek kisses me softly. I nod, words failing me. What just happened was more than just sex. My body is satiated and tired. I slide my arms around his back.

Derek kisses the top of my head and holds me against him. "Merry Christmas Eve, Meredith."

I want to reply, but I'm just too tired.

In the morning, I'm awoken by the sound of my friends packing—or what I assume is the sound of them packing. Derek is still tucked in beside me, but he's awake, his blue eyes staring into mine. I smile lazily at him, still feeling sore from last night. Sore, but wonderful. I stretch in his arms and slide onto my back. Derek follows me and leans down to kiss me.

I push his face away. "Morning breath," I groan, more concerned about my breath than his.

Derek laughs. "I don't care," he says and presses his mouth to mine.

Unlike last night, where his kiss clearly led us to sleep together, this early morning kiss has no undertone of anything but genuine attraction to one another. I slide my toes down his calf and wrap my feet in his. My hands coast along the body I grew to know last night and instantly I feel a spark within me. I touch my tongue to his lips, tasting him, just as he opens his mouth to me. He tastes good, even in the morning.

Outside the tent, our friends are quiet. "Derek," I whisper, breaking my mouth from his. "They know," I say.

Derek nods and sits up on his knees. "Yup, one-hundred percent."

I groan and cover my face. Derek laughs and uncovers my hands, his eyes flickering down my naked body. "I want you again," he whispers and kisses just above my belly button.

I push away, sliding up the sleeping bag and into the corner of the tent. I shiver from the cold. "No. We have to get ready to go."

Derek nods. We couldn't possibly have sex right now—not with everyone outside. So we get dressed instead and start to collect our things. I can't help but glance at him every now and then, my eyes probably bright and excited. Derek looks the same way at me, his mouth quirked up into a permanently amused smile. He finds reasons to touch me—brushing my hair from my face, taking something from my hand and caressing my fingers. It feels nice.

Once everything is pulled together, I unzip the tent. Everyone's grown louder over the last thirty minutes, so I'm feeling confident that Derek and I might be able to keep last night to ourselves.

As soon as I step into the early morning sun, I know how wrong I am.

My friends begin to clap, all of them looking ridiculously pleased and possibly proud. Derek steps out beside me and watches the display with narrowed eyes. In the sand, someone's written, "Congrats on the sex." My face flames and all I want to do is slide back inside the comfortable seclusion of the tent.

All at once, Derek tosses his arm around my shoulder. I look up at him. He shrugs and smiles, dragging us both into an awkward bow.

Owen whistles between his fingers. Mark passes a fifty to Alex, who pockets it. Jo and Lexie look equal parts happy and mortified. Callie and Arizona seem overly excited, both wrapped in each other's arms, grinning like mad. And Cristina looks as she always does—sort of angry, sort of disappointed, but mostly indifferent. She speaks first, "It took you both long enough." She kicks her toe at the canteen and my gloves which were left behind. "Don't forget to pack everything."

And just like that, our friends turn back to finishing packing, leaving Derek and I standing outside in the cold morning light. He laughs beside me and squeezes my shoulder. "I guess they accept it?"

I nod. "Apparently they were betting on it," I motion to Mark and Alex.

"So was I," Derek whispers for my ears only.

I turn into his arms, sliding my hands along his back. I stare up into his blue eyes, feeling nervous and excited and hopeful and giddy and nauseous and worried and happy. Derek looks back at me with the same emotions in his eyes. He kisses me through it all, though, effectively pushing the negative ones away.

While everything is packed away into the truck and cars, Derek and I are left alone along the silent edge of the lake. His arms wrap me into him and his hands slide through my hair. I press myself against him and kiss him thoroughly, expressing everything in my head without a word. The mountain is quiet and the water is still. Derek's hand finds mine and I hold tightly to him. His eyes meet mine and I feel safe and happy. The engines roar to life and our quiet bubble fizzles away. Someone whistles and Derek and I head away from the lake.

I look back, though, and watch as the blanket we'd cuddled beneath for warmth just hours ago rolls along the shoreline. The wind picks it up and carries it toward the silent, still trees. I smile and squeeze Derek's hand.

Merry Christmas!