6 weeks had passed since their weekend away together. It was nearing another end of residency and it always seemed to be the busiest time of year.

Since their weekend away the kids were happier at home again since there was no more fighting and they were all a family again after making amends and starting new promises towards each other. Kaylee had also again started begging for a new brother or sister.

"Mummy when can I get a new one?" She had seemed to ask every day.

"Soon sweetie. Just calm down alright. It will happen sooner than later." She tells her smiling. "Then you would be wishing you never got another one."

"No Mummy. I will not want another one. I won't be like I was with Cooper and want you to send him back. I will not want that to happen."

"You know a baby is a lot of work?"

"I do."

"For Mummy and Daddy it is."

"I know. I will help you out more Mummy this time around. I was too small when Cooper was a baby to help you. But now I can make sandwiches and I know how to change nappies and I know how to feed a baby and I can help entertain the baby and I can do this…"

"Kaylee. Kaylee. Take a breath sweetie." She says laughing. "You can help me all you like. Just don't get jealous like you did with Cooper."

"I won't Mummy. I promise." She says hugging Meredith's waist. "It's weird to think Mummy that a baby can grow in that space in your stomach."

"It's a miracle more like it." She say smiling at her. "Come on. We can talk about this later."

It was also a whole lot better between her and Derek. They slept beside each other every night and they were more affectionate and didn't fight in front of the kids like they had before. They really took it one step at a time to repairing and it had seemed that issues had been resolved. Especially after a trip together to Dr Wyatt to discuss things as a couple and what will happen from here. They both though divorce would be the next step but you need to fight for things before calling out on the easy option. The day they got home from their weekend away they both went and waited for Kaylee after school.

"She's going to be so surprised to see us." Derek says squeezing her hand. "I'm so happy we are better." He tells her kissing her lips.

"Me too."

The school bell rang and the kids pilled out from the building. They saw Kaylee rush with Sam down the stairs and look out for who was picking her up. She stood in one spot on the ground and waited.

"She can't see us." She says.

"Kaylee Sofia Shepherd!" He calls out.

"Mummy! Daddy!"

She turns in their direction and runs towards them with a smile on her face and her bag bouncing on her back. Derek lifts her into the air and brings her back down hugging her.

"Hey baby girl."

"I missed you so much Mummy and Daddy."

"We missed you too Kay." Meredith says kissing her cheek.

"Do we want to talk to her here?" Derek asks her.

A look of concern comes to Kaylee.

"What do you want to talk to me about? You two aren't going to live with each other anymore are you?"

"Kay, it's something good." Derek assures her.

They sit down together on the seat. Kaylee In between them both.

"This weekend Kaylee, we celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary. We are not getting a divorce. We needed time together to talk through everything and find what was missing. We are never going to divorce Kaylee. We love each other so much. We love you and Coopie so much. That we are never going to ruin what we have." Derek says to her.

"We are going to live happily ever after Kaylee. With family and love."

A smile came to Kaylee's face.

"Nobody gets left behind." She says.

"Exactly." They say placing a kiss each on her cheek.

"Let's go home shall we?" Derek suggests.

"And get Coopie." Kaylee adds.

Addison also announced she received another job offer in LA.

"The wicked witch is dead?" Cristina announces to the locker room one morning. It was a week after Meredith and Derek's weekend away.

"What?" Meredith asks. "Hahn's dead?"

"No not Hahn. Addison. She handed in her letter of resignation last night and she's taken off."

"Where to?"

"I heard she was drawn back to New York." Izzie says.

"No way. She wormed her way through the program there. She's gone South to the Sun. She's getting her name out there."

"I don't blame her do you?" Meredith says.

"You're defending the woman who made your life hell for 3 years and then the woman who threw a spanner into your relationship."

"We are all Doctors. We all know how great it is to get our names out there."

"Well you already have your name out there." Alex says. "Thanks to your mother."

Meredith just smiles to herself. "The Wicked Witch has gone."

"We just have to get rid the other one and this hospital will be a better place." Cristina says climbing over the bench. "We just need a fairy to grant us a new cardio god and I will be fine."

And at the weekend they received a guest visit from Alice and Brad. With a quiet family dinner being held at Carolyn's.

"Brad and I have some news." She says. "We are engaged." She says throwing her left hand out.

"Oh my god."

"Since when?"

"Last weekend."

"Oh this is great."

"Thank god you're not pregnant." Derek says with a relieved smile.

Meredith slaps his arm playfully. "Derek."

"It's true."

"Ignore your brother Alice." She says. "Any plans on a wedding yet?"

"After med school. I'm taking a year off and then have a honeymoon and spend time as a couple before doing an internship."

"Sounds great. We will support you through everything."

"Do I get to be flower girl?" Kaylee asks.

"Of course."

"Yes!" She cheers. "I have to wear a pink dress Ally."

"We'll see Kay-bear."

…

Meredith walked through the halls of the hospital. A smile wide on her face. A smile that nobody could wipe from her face. A smile that she would be sharing with Derek later tonight. A smile that would change them for the good and hopefully be a special something.

Kaylee had been just dropped off at school and she was heading down to the pit.

She put a gown on and went to the ambulance bay.

"What do we have?" She asks Derek.

He smiles at her and Meredith smiles back at him. The past 5 weeks had been a little weird for her and Derek. Just they were scared if they said one thing then world war 3 would start again but she knew that tonight would be one of their best nights they had had together since they had known each other.

"Um not sure." He says.

"Ok." She says smiling.

A few of the interns came and joined them.

"Are you still on call tonight?" She asks her.

"No. I swapped it with Mark. So we will have our night." He says smiling. "What exactly have you planned?"

"It's a surprise."

"I hate that you're so happy."

"Well I'm in a great mood."

"Can you let me in on why?"

"Not at this moment." She says.

"Ok. I guess I will have to wait until tonight."

"I guess you will." She says smiling at him.

They are greeted with the roar of the ambulance.

"Rick Nelson, 44 year old. Trauma after crashing his motorbike. Obvious head trauma along with broken bones and suspected spinal damage as well."

"How long has he been out for?" Meredith asks.

"For about 20 minutes."

"Alright call for a MRI. Page Nelson and Ortho." Derek says.

"Are we running this by ourselves?" Meredith asks as they rush the gurney inside.

"Well some of it." He says flashing her a smile.

"Nelson is in surgery. He says to get an MRI and CT done and he will send another attending down." A nurse says.

"That's alright." He says. "Ok, we assess, get portable X-ray's and take him up to the MRI and CT. You all know the drill."

"Unequal breath sounds on the left side DR Shepherd." Meredith says.

"Alright, call someone from cardio."

"Dr Shepherd, there is a trauma with some of the attending's pulled from the floor. You will have to make do with what you have." The nurse says.

He nods his head. "Alright. We need these x-rays, Now!"

Everyone moved around and got the patient assessed and ready for transportation.

"Alright. Dr Grey and I will take the patient up. We will have these scans ready and you better be prepared to be paged as soon as we know what is wrong." He says. "Dr Grey let's go."

They leave the trauma room and rush the patient up to the MRI. Meredith knew what was coming and she had to disappear before Derek noticed.

"Derek, I'll be back."

"You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm perfect. I just left something in my locker."

"Alright. I'll meet you back here."

Derek watched as she ran off. Waiting for the results.

"Anything yet?" She asks as she returns.

"Not yet." He tells her as she takes a seat. He turns to look at her again and smiles.

"What?"

"Give me a clue."

"No clues."

"You're a kill joy."

"Well I hope you like my surprise for you."

"I hope I do as well." He says. "But on the other hand your all glowing and very happy. I hope it has to do with tonight."

"It does."

He smiles and turns back to the screen.

"You're boobs are bigger." He whispers, smirking.

"Of course you would point that out." She says. "But they aren't."

"I beg to differ."

"Doc, the images."

The images from the scan show how emergent the case really is.

"Cancel the CT. We need to get him into surgery right now. Page someone from general, cardio, ortho, neuro and plastics." He says. "He needs surgery right now."

"Right away." She says leaving for the nurses' station. "We have an emergent case. We are going to need someone from general, cardio, ortho, neuro and plastics right away."

"Sure thing Dr Grey."

She waits at the desk as Cristina comes by. "What do you have?"

"A guy who came off his motorbike. Has practically cracked his skull in half, damaged his spinal cord and has internal problems. He is in bad shape."

"Well I have cement boy. A boy in casted in cement."

"Really?"

"Yeah it was a dare from his friends. Don't ask."

"Alright I won't."

"Dr Grey they have answered your page. They will meet you in the viewing room."

"Thank you." She says. "I better be off."

Derek is already looking at the scans.

"They're on their way." She says.

"Good. The longer he is in this state the less chance he has of waking up."

"You paged?" Webber says.

"Take a look." Meredith says. "A motorbike rider. He has neuro problems but on top of that internal bleeding among other things."

Richard studies the films. "We have most of the staff of the cement boy."

"Well I had anyone from any available specialty to come." She tells him.

"Ok, call for them to prep an OR. This guy needs surgery right now."

Surgery was prepped and they had doctors from everywhere. She was going to be Richard's right hand and assist him while Derek was with the other Neuro attending assisting.

During the whole surgery she kept glancing at Derek. Every once in a while he would glance at her and she could tell he was smiling beneath his mask.

This was torture. She wanted to blurt it out right now but she took a deep breath and focussed on the surgery. Just a few more hours she told herself. A few more hours and he would know.

…

"I'm staying back to do post ops. I won't be very long. Two hours tops. Get the kids and I will meet you at home." He tells her after their 7 hour surgery.

"You sure. I can stay back and help."

"You deserve to go home Mer. You were late home last night so go and spend some time with Kaylee and Cooper."

"Ok. I'll see you at home." She says.

He kisses her goodbye and she turns and leaves.

"So have you told him?" Cristina asks

"I'm waiting to tell him at home but I want a special way to tell him."

"You didn't get a special surprise when you found out. Why does he deserve special?"

"Because after everything that has happened in the past 4 months. We need special."

"Well how about you drop the kids off at Carolyn's and do dinner and dirty sex."

"We need something more than just dinner." She says. "I'll figure something out. I'll see you Monday." She tells Cristina.

"What you're off for the weekend?"

"Yep, I had the weekend last week." She tells her.

"Ring me when he finds out. I want to see the bitch baby tears." She says.

Meredith shakes her head and smiles. She gets both the kids from the crèche and drives to Carolyn's. Meredith apologised for the late notice but Carolyn welcomed both kids with open arms and they went off to be spoiled.

She though needed them at Carolyn's because she needed the perfect way to tell Derek her big news. She had no idea how she was going to tell him. She drove the road home and stopped at the side of the road when she saw teenagers in the park with candles. A memorial for a friend. She climbed from her car and kept her distance but watched the kids. One at a time they would stand in front of the gathered people and say their favourite memory or a word about their fallen friend before they would place the candle in front of the memorial. Once all the kids spoke together they said the name of their friend.

"Jesse. This candlelight holds our memories of you. This candlelight will never last but that doesn't mean our thoughts and memories of you will never be forgotten. You are in a better place now." A girl says.

One at a time they blow out the candlelight and stand in front of the memorial and watch the air above them.

Meredith had gotten an idea. She got into her car and drove to a cheap dollar store and bought the stock of candles and holders. She left a note on the door at home for Derek to see and she drove out to the land with the candles and house plans.

Derek had finished up at work and came home to find a note on the door. He was supposed to be finished nearly two hours ago but had to stay back.

Meet me at our favourite place in the world. M x

He got in his car and drove to the land. Going across the ferry and then drove to the land. He walked into the hut.

"Meredith!" He called out but wasn't given an answer. He sat down on the bed and flickering light caught his attention. He stood at the window and saw a figure pacing.

He walked down the hill to where their dream house was going to be built. He saw her holding her phone and a small piece of paper. He knew she was ranting.

"Meredith..." Derek says approaching the glowing light and Meredith pacing backwards and forwards.

"Stupid, corny, idiotic, I can't believe I did this. Stupid, loser, son of a ... I could be at home instead of ... oh."

"Meredith...!" He calls out again.

She turns and faces him realisation comes to her and then a small frown comes to her face.

"Where have you been? I've been waiting and waiting for you! I did this stupid, embarrassing, humiliating, corny thing. And you don't show up. I was tell you that, over here is where our family is going to eat and this is the living room, and over there is where our kids will play. Kaylee, Cooper and the other kids. I had this whole thing about I was gonna build us a house, but I don't build houses because I'm a surgeon. And now I'm here feeling like a lame arse loser. I am feeling nauseous. And now it's all ruined because you took so long to come home!"

Derek was unsure at what she had said. He had to replay it in his mind at what she had just said. He didn't think that it was true. He walked over the row of candles and towards her.

"It's the kitchen? Living room - a little small. The view's much better from here. And that's where the kids are going to play? Where's our bedroom?"

"I'm still mad at you but I can't be mad at you. This is our house. The house you, Kaylee, Cooper, the unborn child and I are going to live in. I wanna trust you because you're going to be a daddy again but I don't know if I do. So I'm gonna try, we're gonna try. Because I believe that we can be extraordinary together rather than ordinary apart and I wanna be…." She says but is broken by him kissing her.

Their kiss was beautiful. They had been fine the past couple of weeks but it had seemed to seal the deal.

They broke apart, smiling at each other.

"So how do you like the idea of being a daddy again?"

His smile grew wider. "Amazed. Excited. I don't know. Too many words."

"Well take a look for yourself and see how many more words come to your mind." She says showing him the ultrasound of their growing foetus.

He took it in his hands and looked at the grainy picture of their baby. Well their foetus but he could already see the baby being born and hear the baby's cries. It was his baby. The baby him and Meredith made with love.

"The OB, well Cristina says it is our St. Patrick's Day baby." She says.

"The luck of the Irish, hey?" He says smirking but not taking his eyes away from the ultrasound.

She smiles at him again and he kisses her lips.

"I wasn't going to tell her but she found one of my pregnancy sticks and I had to fess up." She tells him. "I'm sorry."

"I don't care." He says. "Do we have a due date yet?"

"We have an approximation for late December but when we go to the OB and we can find out when we are expecting our baby."

He smiles again.

"What?"

"Our baby." Before leaning down and kissing her again. When they pulled away he looked at the candle house. "You did this by yourself?"

"Sure did."

"Why?"

"Through everything we have been through, we need a special thing for just us. I needed a special way to tell you about the baby." She says. "Each time a candle burns out Derek that is our way of forgetting and moving on from the bad things that have happened in our past. Each time a candle burns out the bad things in our life will be forgotten and we can move on to a clean beginning, of us, Kaylee, Cooper and preparing for our new child. This is for us."

"You amaze me so much. We are definitely extraordinary together than ordinary apart." He says resting a hand on her stomach. There was no visible baby bump but the feeling of their baby inside made her flutter inside. Her heart raced a million miles an hour and she felt everything was better and would stay this way.

Together they sat down in the middle of what their house could be but for now in the middle of their candle house. This was there future mapped out in front of them.

She was in his arms and they were in a silence but the silence was just admiring the scenery.

"How long have you known about the baby?"

"A couple of days."

"You kept it well from me."

"Yeah I hadn't been very nauseous. Just missed my period and my boobs were blown up, sort of my last pregnancy symptoms. So you wouldn't have been able to tell." She says. "I'm sorry you weren't there to find out with me."

"I don't care Mer." He says. "We're having a baby. Not seeing the plus sign on a stick doesn't matter because the bigger picture is the baby we will have. We're having another baby."

She smiled and they watched as each of the candles burnt out.

It had been hours sitting in the mapped out house but they sat and waited for the last candle to burn out. Even with their clothing dampening from the damp ground.

"Here's to us." She says.

"To our next Peanut and future." He says.

Together they blow out the candle, leaving them in complete darkness to share a kiss for future days. Derek's hand never leaving her stomach.