Chapter Four

'Der,

Gone for a walk. Be back soon

Mer.'

Derek groaned quietly as he read the note that Meredith left on his coffee pot that morning. She'd been fidgety and quite last night. He wasn't afraid that she was going to pull away this time she just needed time, and he was prepared to way. Instead he filled his coffee cup and went outside to seat on his steps.

"Derek." The chief nodded already dressed and making his way to his car.

"Chief." Derek said nodding his head in his direction.

"Where's Meredith?" The chief questions throwing his bag in his backseat.

"She went for a walk."

"No trout today?"

"No trout." Derek shakes his head.

"I'll see you at the hospital Derek."

"Bye Chief."

Derek watches as the Chief drives off. Leaving him in the peace and quite that he needed. It's been a year since he came to Seattle looking for a change. He got that change in the shape of tiny blonde that took his breath away.

"Hey." Meredith said putting her hand on his shoulder, "You looked like you were in a different world."

"I was." Derek sighed squeezing her hand, "How was your walk?"

"It was good." Meredith smiled, "I love it out here." She told him sipping some of his coffee, "Come with me." Meredith said standing up holding out her hand.

"Where are we going?" Derek asked her taking her small hand and letting her lead the way.

"Just wait. You'll love it I promise." Meredith laughed.

"Mer?" Derek asked confused as they stopped in front of his lake. It was without a doubt his favorite part of his land. It was a beautiful and calming spot.

"I love you Derek." Meredith said turning around to face him.

"I love you too Meredith." He smiled taking her hand.

"Okay good." Meredith nodded smiling, "Because I'm in this. I want to build our a house here."

"Our house." Derek said.

"Yeah. I want big windows so we can see the sun rise from our bedroom."

"Our bedroom."

"That is if you want it?" Meredith questioned, "I just thought that it would be a great but it's your land and…"

"Meredith it's perfect." Derek said kissing her deeply, "It's going to be a beautiful house."

"Yeah." Meredith said leaning her head on his shoulder, "I want to have babies with you Derek."

"Babies." Derek smiled, "A little girl that looks like her mom?" Then Derek groaned, "On second thought if she looked like you I'd have to keep her locked up."

"Derek." Meredith laughed, "You can't lock are daughter up."

"I know what men think Meredith. You have Alex leaving with you."

"Exactly. She's going to have an uncle Alex and an uncle Mark to show her what kind of men to stay away from."

"An uncle Mark." Derek groaned, "Maybe we should just aim for son's."

"Okay a son." Meredith sighed, "I won't name him Derek jr."

"I wasn't even going to suggest that." Derek scoffed.

"Good. I love you Derek."

"I love you too Meredith."

"Dr. Grey?" Meredith looked over at Bailey standing next to her.

"Hi Dr. Bailey." She said smiling. She still couldn't believe that she and Derek were building a house. They were meeting with an architect in the next few days, and everything was looking up.

"Something's different about you." Bailey said, "Your glowing and smiling."

"I'm happy." Meredith sighed, "For the first time in a long time I'm happy."

"Okay." Bailey shrugged, "Shepherd's requested your services for the day."

"Thanks Dr. Bailey." Meredith said signing off her forms, "Can you page Dr. Nicholas?" Meredith said referring to one of her interns, "Paging me for your service. Sneaky Der." Meredith teased as she came up behind him.

"It's completely professional." Derek said turning in her arms and kissing her forehead, "It's been a while since we worked together."

"Were going to have company. I had to get one of my interns."

""This way we can sneak off."

"Very sneaky Dr. Shepherd." Meredith said as Derek leaned in to kiss her.

"Dr. Grey." Meredith jumped a little as she turned to look at Dr. Robert Nicholas who was currently blushing a little.

"Robert." Meredith said moving away from Derek a little, "Dr. Shepherd I don't know if you had a chance to meet one of my interns."

"Dr. Nicholas a pleasure to meet you."

"You too sir."

"Dr. Grey, Dr. Nicholas, follow me please." Derek said in his most professional voice.

Meredith sighed as she relaxed against her bathtub. She just got finished a forty-hour shift and all she wanted to do was curl up next to Derek and go to sleep. Instead Derek had surprised her with a full bubble bath.

"You should get like some best boyfriend award or something." Meredith finally murmured, his hands on her shoulders as he lightly kneaded her shoulders.

"You've been in the hospital for two days. Your exhausted it's the least I could do." Derek said kissing her gently, "I love you Meredith."

"I love you too Der." Meredith sighed.

"Marry me Mer." Derek said after a moment. In shock Meredith popped up spilling water over the tub.

"Seriously!" Meredith asked confused.

"This wasn't how I wanted it to go." Derek told her with a frown, "I had a plan. That doesn't mean I don't want to marry you. You're it for me, every day I want to wake up with you in my arms and I want to have a life with you.' He told her his hands cupping her face kissing her, "Will you marry me Meredith Grey?"

"Yes Derek." Meredith said in a whisper her eyes filling with tears.

Later they lay in Meredith's bed. Derek's arms wrapped around her their foreheads leaning against each other.

"Der." Meredith whispered.

"Yeah." Derek answered back.

"Where's my ring." Derek laughed as he kissed her.

She couldn't stop smiling. She wasn't certain her cheeks were going to start to hurt. She couldn't remember being this happy for so long. She'd been battling with the thought that soon the other shoe was going to drop.

"Dr. Grey!" Meredith stopped at the nurse's station in the middle of the hospital. Standing next to a tall dark haired woman.

"Yes Maggie." Meredith said smiling at the young girl.

"Can you take this lady to Dr. Shepherd's office?" Meredith turned to look at the woman now. She was tall and slender with only a little bit of grey, but it was her eyes that surprised Meredith. The light blue was so familiar.

"Certainly." She said smiling, "Meredith Grey." She said holding out her hand for the woman to shake.

"Meredith wonderful." The lady exclaimed, "I'm Ellen Shepherd it's a great to finally meet the woman that has my son so smitten. Look at that." She smiled looking at the princess cut diamond ring, "you're engaged. Looks like I've arrived just in time."

Meredith was so surprise she couldn't speak. Instead she walked toward the elevators. It looked like the other shoe had just dropped.

Authors Note: Thanks again for the wonderful reviews. There what keep writing so quickly!

Anyway I've always imagined Mrs. Shepherd to be this strong formidable woman that lived though a tough situation. I hope you all will like how I creator her.

By the way I don't remember the names of Meredith's interns so I don't know if there is a Robert Nicholas.

Thanks again and please review!