The alarm in her mobile buzzed through her jeans and Arizona took off her coat, she slumped down on a chair and groaned with relief as Callie came through the door, "hey it's the best time of the day" she said.

"We're still on the clock love" Arizona replied bluntly.

"Okay it is the second best time of the day we're going to go for lunch, Meredith is already waiting for us."

"Before we go" Arizona rose from her chair walked forward and kissed Callie's lips left ear and finally her collarbone. Callie moaned slightly at the touch, "that should keep me satisfied for a while" Callie whispered.

Meredith slowly walked down the corridor watching the sun shining outside the windows when a figure quickly leapt out in front of her. Meredith yelped before the man picked her up and dashed into the darkness of a nearby closet Meredith was set down and saw Derek's face smiling in the blackness, "give me one good reason why I shouldn't thump you" Meredith said.

"This" Derek whispered as he kissed her slowly and Meredith's shock left her as she threw her arms around his neck and settled into a passionate duel of the lips they kissed for what seemed like a year to Meredith when Derek released himself, "wait" he said.

"No" Meredith said, "no one is here."

"Meredith you were going to meet your friends for lunch remember you promised them this time."

Meredith groaned as Derek looked at her with apologetic eyes, "why do you have to be so nice."

"I'm not that nice" Derek said grinning, "I got something planned for tonight."

Meredith sighed, "Derek I can't do that to Cristina she thinks i'm at work it wouldn't feel right."

"Just one night" Derek whispered, "and maybe Friday night as well."

"Derek I don't know."

"Picture this fireworks which will be seen at the top of a hill followed by stars and the bright lights of the city and some wine which I don't want going to waste doesn't that sound good."

"It sounds magical but i'm going to feel so guilty."

"Well we'll make it up to both of them Ella and Cristina."

"Okay" Meredith kissed him once more and walked down the hallway with a spring in her step. Arizona looked up from the table "hey" she said as she stood up and hugged her Callie followed suit.

"Hi ladies" Meredith took the donut Arizona offered her and collapsed on a chair pretending to be exhausted, "sorry those papers took longer than I thought."

"You have a grin on your face" Callie said raising her eyebrows.

"I do" Meredith said trying to focus on wiping it from her face.

"What's going on?" Arizona smiled as her eyes scanned Meredith for signs of unusual body language.

"I'm happy that i'm having lunch with the two of you my good friends, it makes me feel so content."

"Yeah I'm sure it does" Callie muttered.

"It really does" Meredith said as she drank her coffee and tried to focus on talking with her friends instead of letting her thoughts drift away to the evening with Derek.

Meredith walked to the bus stop as she wrapped her coat around her legs trying to keep out the icy wind. "Meredith" Meredith looked around her and saw Derek waving out the window of a shiny Mitsubishi she quickly dashed to the car, "is this your ride" she said.

"It's my baby" Derek said proudly, "I just bought it when i'm not busy dating you I date her."

"Well" Meredith hopped in the front seat and gave Derek a quick peck on the cheek, "i'll be giving her some tough competition."

Derek drove through the city and into the nearby mountains while he kept looking sideways to smile at Meredith he pulled into a parking spot and turned his body sideways, "okay now just to set the mood" he took out a large cloth from his pocket.

"You're going to murder me" Meredith grinned.

"Not today, it's for your eyes."

Meredith was led onto the road she walked with her hands out in front and Derek's hands on her shoulders, "don't worry i'm here."

"How much farther" Meredith said as she slowly walked forward.

"A bit farther do you trust me?"

"I trust you."

"Fool" Derek said as he let go of Meredith, Meredith laughed and spun around "Derek."

"Here I am" Derek took her hands and walked backwards leading Meredith. "Here it is" he said as he took the cloth from Meredith's eyes. Meredith's eyes widened as she saw a land covered with jewels "that's amazing" she whispered.

"It sure is the best part is coming."

"What else is there?"

"The fireworks" Derek said.

"Derek there isn't any festivals."

"Well there's this" Derek turned on a torch from his jean pocket and pulled a party popper from his other jean pocket. Meredith covered her ears as Derek pulled the string and collared paper soared and fell down on Meredith's head, "that was lovely" she said with annoyance.

"My sister brought these back from Australia when she visited."

"That's very sweet of her what's Cristina going to say when I come home."

"Come on cheer up" Derek said.

Meredith nodded as she wound her arms around his neck, "sorry this is incredible Derek thank you."

"There is one more thing" Derek pulled out wine from his jacket, "Derek now this is perfect, I think thats a better word than incredible."

"I'm glad you like it" he said. Meredith sipped the wine and then she lied back in Derek's arms watching the lights of the city and smiling as Derek pressed his lips to her forehead.

"Where are the lights" a young voice said.

"Over here honey" another voice said.

"I should have brought a jacket" a man said.

"You can borrow mine."

"I'm not wearing a pink jacket you know as flattering as it looks."

"Oh no" Meredith whispered as she recognised the voices.

"What" Derek said as he looked at the blackness and gasped as Ella came into view holding Cristina's hand.

"It's Derek Cristina" Ella said as she ran and climbed onto Derek's shoulders, "its mommy too."

"Hi honey" Meredith said trying to smile as she hugged Ella.

"I thought you were at the hospital mommy."

"I" Meredith looked at Cristina with pleading eyes who just started to snigger, "me and Cristina wanted to surprise you."

"I like surprises" Ella said, "thank you mommy, thank you Cristina."

"How come I didn't know about this" Owen put his hands on his waist.

"Because you would have said what's the point of doing this" Cristina said grinning.

"Hey Ella I got some potato chips" Derek said.

Meredith sat on the grass with a rock supporting her back while Ella who was sitting on her lap kept pointing at the stars telling everyone what shapes they were making. Derek chatted with Owen about football while Cristina kept laughing with Ella and Meredith kept trying to avoid eye contact with Cristina who had a devilish smile on her face. Cristina stood up and stretched her arms, "well it's getting late me and Owen should head back."

"Alright" Owen nodded, "it's been great meeting you mate."

"Likewise mate we'll have to go out for a beer sometime."

"See you later" Meredith muttered without looking at her friends, Cristina walked in front of her so Meredith was looking at her face, "goodbye Meredith" and she winked causing Meredith to feel like she had swallowed live snakes.

"Bye Cristina thanks for the surprise" Ella looked up at Meredith, "mommy can we stay here longer."

"Buttercup its past your bedtime and its also getting cold."

"Can we come back here?"

"I'm sure we can" Derek said.

Meredith carried a sleeping Ella through the house while Derek followed closely behind, Meredith put Ella to bed and slowly walked downstairs. "That was fun" Derek said.

Meredith scrunched up her face, "I didn't want Cristina to find out like this."

"You think she will tell your friends."

"She'll tell the whole world if they will listen to her."

Derek edged forward and kissed her forehead, "can I ask you something?"

"Yes."

"Is it really so bad, I mean why did you want to keep it a secret from your friends I never really understood?"

Meredith took a few seconds to gather her thoughts before she looked Derek deeply in the eye, "Derek it's because… I think its because of my worries, I was worried that if people knew I was in a relationship they would keep asking me questions about my past. Then I would get uncomfortable feelings and I would take it out on you and it would drive you away, and then I was worried about how my friends would behave around you and would they be telling you things that might push you away. I just wanted to wait a little longer so I wouldn't scare you off."

"Meredith" Derek muttered trying hard not to burst out laughing, "okay even if your friends were wild dinosaurs they wouldn't scare me away and you certainly couldn't even though you can be a bit scary sometimes, remember the time that you beat me to a pulp and then we had our first kiss."

Meredith smiled widely before tears appeared in her eyes, "It's also because of Scott, its just that if people knew that I was in a relationship it would feel like I was moving on and then I would feel guilty, it would feel like I was forgetting him and replacing him with you."

"I understand" Derek said.

"Derek its not fair on you."

"Well I don't mind as long as I can be with you."

Meredith kissed his cheek, "Derek i'm going to tell my friends about us."

"Are you sure?"

"Definitely sure."

"Not Ella."

"Not yet but I will tell her…do you think she would be okay."

"I think she would, but your right we should wait until things become more serious, we don't want to give her any ideas or anything."

Meredith hugged him, "you are wonderful Derek that you put up with all of this from me and you still are kind and nice."

"And handsome to boot" Derek muttered grinning while Meredith smirked, "and that you don't worry about anything it must make things so easy."

"Yeah it does and you can do it too all you have to do is watch the lion king memorise a little song called hakuna matata and then sing it whenever you're worried."

Meredith laughed, "or you can make a jungle call like this." Derek opened his mouth and started to beat his chest. Meredith clamped her hand shut on his mouth, "mr gorilla the little gorilla is asleep."

"Yes misses gorilla" Derek said smiling while Meredith shook her head, "I meant what I said Derek you are a wonderful man."

"I have a wonderful woman that I found." Derek kissed her for a moment then than they looked up as Ella started to make sounds. "I better fly" Derek said as he wandered out the door and Meredith wandered to Ella's bedroom.