The next morning, Meredith arrived at the Carmichael house at eight-thirty. She was dressed to go running, and Andy answered the door dressed in his running shorts, a t-shirt and sneakers.

"Ready?"

"Yeah. Has Meg gone already?"

"Oh yeah. She was out at six."

"That's dedication."

He nodded, closed the door behind them, and they began to walk to the park. Meredith had put on shorts and a longer t-shirt, and thrown her hair into a haphazard ponytail. Since Andy had moved to town, she'd begun running two to three mornings a week, trying to get back in shape. Derek occasionally went running, but he wasn't really into running with other people. Addison said that it was because he and Mark had run every other day in New York, and it was odd for him to run with anyone else. Since he was still pissed with Mark, it would be a while before they went running together again.

"So. Dinner went well."

"Yeah. I was surprised. Derek didn't kill anyone."

"I think he's warming up to the idea. Really. I mean, we didn't talk last night- at all, really,- but he…he loves her. He wants to see her happy."

"She's going to Russia."

"You talked about it?"

He shrugged and upped the pace a bit as they began to round a curve.

"I want her healthy. I want her to weigh what she should weigh, and be healthy. But I also want her happy. And there are few things that she loves doing more than ice skating…she could win the gold in Torino. It's a very real possibility. She could have it all. And I want it for her, after everything she's done to work towards it, I really want it for her. I do. And going to Russia means that she's one more step closer to the Olympic ice. She's going to go. I know it, she knows it, and she knows that I know it. But she wants all her ducks in a row before she leaves."

"Why? Because she's gone for a month?"

"Because when she leaves she's reverting back to her old ways. She's going to lose weight and be unhealthy and be the epitome of today's ice skating. And she doesn't have the energy to spend on both."

"You really think she'll go back to the way it was?"

"I know my girl. I can hope, but she can't do it. She can't get the air on jumps, or the speed on her sit spin. She's got a bad knee and a weak ankle. She should be as light as she can to avoid any extra pressure on it. It's part of the package. It's why she's such a good skater. She's fearless. She'll take the jump as fast as she can. But she's not fearless with twenty extra pounds."

"So she'll go. How long again?"

"A month. She'll be worked to the bone. Up at five, bed at eleven. Protein shakes and power bars and running and criticizing and general spirit breaking."

"You really think you'll let her go?"

"I can't keep her with me."

It was metaphorical, obviously. They continued to run, and Meredith wondered what the next few years were going to bring. Sometimes it was hard to believe that Andy would be her son-in-law. The thought was almost comical. He was more of a friend, as was Meg. She had certainly had mothering moments the night before, however.

"So Derek and I are getting serious."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. I think. He's said stuff."

"Oh delightful. Stuff."

"Forever stuff."

"That's good. Really good."

"Yeah. And you know what? I am not afraid."

"Oh no?"

She shook her head and smiled.

"No."

"You're crazy. I would be."

She rolled her eyes and they upped the pace a little bit more. Sometimes they tended to go for a shorter workout that was more intense, allowing them more time to get on with life. So they continued to run, faster and faster until they were nearly sprinting. Continuing the pace, they rounded the trail three times before sprinting back to the house. Once inside, Andy gave her water, and then poured them orange juice while he made eggs and put the cinnamon rolls Meg had prepared into the oven. She wandered around the kitchen, helping him, and cut the fruit that had been laid out.

"She really is the most amazing cook."

"I need to work out more often. Seriously. This every day for twenty minutes thing isn't cutting it. Meg mostly uses the home gym, I can't stand the treadmill and barbell and that stuff, but now we're getting a little excessive."

"Don't eat as much."

"Yeah. You try that. I mean, half of it is eating to make sure she eats too. But it's just so much food. And obviously she makes low cal everything, but she's just so damn good at it. God knows how all the Shepherd kids aren't huge. Kathleen was great, and she taught Meg everything, but Meg's got something extra. Her own little magic touches."

"Is the family terrifying?"

"They're possessive. Really possessive. They protect their own. But once you're in, you're family."

"So they're terrifying."

"You want me to lie?"

"Do you need to?"

"I don't want to scare you."

"Oh Jesus."

"Doesn't even begin to cover it. Harrison- that's the Grandfather Shepherd- Derek's dad- he's a retired lawyer. Super successful argumentative lawyer. But you wouldn't know it. He values his family and his home and he's great with the kids. Everyone calls him Nonno- to the kids that is. Kathleen is…young at heart. Energetic, always laughing, beautiful. They had and have the life. She's Gamma to the kids, don't ask me why they use those names, I don't know. The Shepherd clan is enormous. Four women. Fourteen grandchildren, and Meg makes fifteen. And most of them aren't done re-producing yet. Each and every one of the Shepherd girls feels the need to be pregnant at some point every two or three years. They could start an army."

She laughed and he looked at her strangely.

"Oh, you think I'm joking? Please. They're bossy, nosy, pushy, and controlling. Every, single, one of them."

"Could you love them any more?"

He smiled, thinking of his newly acquired family.

"I don't think so."

They ended up putting on a movie and settling in to watch Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

----

On the other side of the city, Derek was sitting on the hospital roof, drinking his coffee and looking out over the city. He'd spent much of the morning attending to patients and doing paperwork, giving him ample time to think. The dinner last night had proved to be different than he'd expected. For the first time, he'd seen his daughter entertaining guests in an almost sixties housewife like manner. She'd played the part of the hostess perfectly, keeping everyone supplied with food, wine, and anything else they wanted. The food had been excellent, and the house had been beautiful. It had been a perfect evening.

Watching her with Andy had been difficult. Derek hadn't known what to expect, but what he'd seen hadn't been it. Watching her interact with him had changed the way he saw her. Suddenly, she wasn't just his daughter. She was Andy's partner. It wasn't difficult to see why everyone had been so on him about making up with the young couple. Andy would be family. One day he would officially become family. Seeing them together left no doubt of that in Derek's mind. He just had to decide if that was a good thing or not. Until he'd found out about their relationship, he'd liked Andy. 'Dr. Carmichael'. He was a capable doctor who worked hard. All Brookings grads were smart, but Andy had been more than that. His bedside manner had been impeccable, his personality charming.

Above all else, it was blatantly obvious that the young Dr. Carmichael he was madly in love with Margaret Shepherd. Watching them together, he'd been struck by the way they acted. The subtle touches, acts of affection. The way he pulled her chair out and the way he touched her neck, her waist…the way he brushed her temple with his lips when nobody was looking. They had made a home together and all that was standing in the way of their happiness was Derek himself.

Looking over the city, he realized that he'd changed so completely since leaving New York, that he was a different person altogether. If he was different, if Addison and Mark were different, then of course Meg was too. Seattle was their home now, and there was nothing to do but move forward.

---------

Mark was sitting in one of the doctor lounges, trying to relax and catch a minute before he was paged again. The lamps were on, so the room wasn't dark, but he put his head back, stretched his feet out on the floor, slouched down, and tried to find his 'happy place'. He was almost there when the door opened, and someone walked in. Hoping it was a scared nurse who would turn around and leave, Mark didn't react, but when the person crossed the room and sat down next to him, he opened one eyelid.

Derek was adopting his own relaxed pose, head back ankles crossed, elbow resting on the arm of the couch and the hand on his forehead as his head tipped into it.

"What was it like? When it started?"

Mark sighed deeply and gave up the pretense of sleeping.

"I don't know. You were supposed to be the first one to meet him."

"Hmm?"

"The night you walked in on us. It was the Holiday Classic, remember? And we were all running late, everyone was supposed to meet up there, but Addison and I thought you were on your way, but you stopped at home, saw us, and got on a plane. Andy was supposed to meet us that night. But nobody showed."

"But when you found out?"

"You sure you want to know."

Derek studied him for a moment, then nodded.

"I can take it."

"Boy that's what you think, isn't it? Alright. I went to go see Meg at Brookings."

"And?"

"And I walked in on them."

"On them…"

"In the throws. Let me tell you, not the image I was expecting. Literally mid thrust. God. It was awful."

Derek's head went back with the information, and his face screwed up in disgust.

"Jesus. Please tell me you attempted to kill him."

"Oh, immediately."

"But he's still alive."

"Your daughter put herself in front of him. Carmichael had to pick her up and move her."

Derek stayed silent, chewing over the new information.

"We know where they live."

"Hell yeah we do."

They shared a grin, and knocked fists. It had been their age old move, and both of them smiled at the gesture.

"They're just so…"

Mark broke off, not finding the right word.

"Couple-y?"

"Yes. Exactly."

"I mean, it's sort of comforting. In a way."

"It is…he really is crazy about her. After I walked in, punched him-"

"You actually punched him-"

"Mid thrust, Derek."

"Good point."

"Besides. It was only the stomach. I couldn't get a good angle on his jaw. So after that, she immediately launched herself at me and practically pushed me out of the room, and tried to be all rational and explain that she loved him, and tried to stop me from going back in there."

Mark shook his head, thinking back to the day it had happened…..

Flashback

Brookings Academy

McArthur Dormitory for Girls, 3rd Floor

1.5 years previous

--

"Move out of the way, Meg."

"No, no stop, I won't let you."

He was enraged, she was sobbing, trying to keep Mark in the living room area while he kept trying to make his way back to her room. She was wearing a pair of lose shirts she'd grabbed in haste and a bra, though neither seemed to notice. Her hair was wildly messed up, looking like exactly what it was; sex hair. She was breathing shallowly, trying to talk through her tears and catch her breath at the same time.

"Out of the way, Meg-"

"No, you can't-"

"Out of the fucking way, Meg."

"I love him-"

"Bullshit. Did he tell you he loved you? Is that how he got you into bed-"

"He does love me. Uncle Mark, we love each other, this is right-"

"You got a gold band on your third finger I'm unaware of? Then move aside."

"I love him. I love him. You can't hurt him."

"Nobody touches my girl-"

"I'm not a little girl anymore."

"The hell you're not."

"I am eighteen years old-"

"You don't turn eighteen till next week-"

"Almost eighteen, same thing, you can't do this Mark."

Mark stopped abruptly and looked at her incredulously. He was torn between what he saw and what he wanted to see, because they were two very different things. What he wanted to see was a little girl, her hair looking like she'd slept for a week and her eyes innocent with a touch of redness in her cheeks due to youth. He wanted to see a training bra and shorts with Spoungebob Squarepants, and toe nails that were painted a cute bubble gum pink.

In front of him was a woman. She had glorious hair, tousled from rolling around and a mouth swollen from passionate kisses. Her eyeliner was a bit astray and here eyes were bright with feeling and every rise of her chest pushed out her breasts, which were encased in lacy black underwear meant to make a woman feel sexy, and not just for necessity. The shorts were a deep red, with pink stripes and were barely more than women's panty briefs, while her toes were painted a deep, enticing scarlet.

She was a woman.

The thought scared the hell out of him. He stumbled back a step, shaking his head and trying to force off the knowledge that she really wasn't a little girl anymore.

"Mark?"

He took some steps towards the door, staggering a little bit and still lost in his own little world.

"I…have to go."

"Uncle Mark-"

"I have to go."

He turned to leave but she grabbed onto his waist, keeping him to her the same way she'd been pushing him away just moment before.

"No, don't leave like this-"

Mark tore himself away and left the dorm, going down the halls and stairs instead of taking the elevator. Within minutes he was outside, heaving deeply and walking away from the building. The housing quad was beautiful, with all the dorms centered around a huge green that boasted up kept trees and shrubbery and other greenery. The sun was shining, and the weather was beautiful, but he didn't notice anything as he steadfastly walked to the north edge of campus, closest to Meg (about a ten minute walk), and hailed a cab. Twenty minutes later he was in Central Park, sitting on a bench overlooking the lake. Since it was a Saturday, families were passing by with children, eating ice cream, and laughing as they walked through the park. Mark sat and stared at the water for another half hour, thinking back on the years. Meg was having sex.

Meg was having sex.

With her boyfriend.

Meg was having sex with her boyfriend.

The thought was so astounding that it kept him sitting there and thinking about when she'd grown up. He'd been there with her every step of the way. Birthday's. Skating competitions. Every single dance recital and cello concert. He'd seen her loose teeth and grow her hair long, been there when she'd argued with Derek and Addison about what color to dye it and how radical the shade of green or blue could be. When she'd gone to her first movie with 'boys' (three of her girl friends and two of their friends who happened to be boys from school), he'd snuck in behind them with Derek to make sure no 'funny business' was going on. It was the first and last time he'd seen the movie Spice World, and he would mostly regret it for the rest of his life. He'd been there the day after Derek abandoned her, two week before, and he'd been there the first day she'd gotten her period. Unfortunately for them all, Addison was out of town and it had been him and Derek with a twelve year old and a box of maxi pads.

When he felt a presence next to him, he looked up, wholly unsurprised to see the object of his thoughts.

"What are you doing here?"

Meg sat down next to him, dressed in jeans and a blue pullover. Her hair was held back in a single clip, and her feet were enclosed in her Addias sneakers. All traces of the girl from an hour ago were gone, leaving a normal woman behind.

They sat in silence for long moments, before Meg swallowed all her emotions and laid her head on Mark's shoulder.

"I met him when I was sixteen. He's in the medical school. We started dating about a week after we met. He's been to see me in Russia and Switzerland. We've been together for a long time."

"Why am I finding out now."

"Because he's twenty-two."

"Fuck."

"I didn't tell Dad because I knew he'd flip out. Andy- Andrew- he loves me. He loves me a lot. He waited a long time for me, until I was ready, and now we're together in a completely new way."

"You're too young, Meg."

"How young were you?"

Mark sighed, knowing he couldn't use that logic on her. Just like he'd seen her grow up, she'd been around to see him waltz dozens of women into and out of his life. They never stayed long, and Meg couldn't help but notice just how his life had gone about.

"That isn't the point. By the time I was eighteen I'd done a million things that I'd do anything to prevent you from doing."

"I'm not going about this naively."

"Are you on birth control?"

That was the way things had always been between them. Blunt. They talked openly about personal things, probably because as much as Addison had tried, Meg wasn't into opening up to her stepmother.

Sighing, Meg looked up at the sky.

"We use protection."

"That's a no. Want to explain why not?"

"My doctor bills go right through Addison."

"And we wouldn't want a woman who cares about you and who's a leading gynecologist to know that you're sexually active."

"We're safe."

"God damnit, Meg."

"What do you want me to do?"

"I want you to stop having sex. That's what I want."

Leaning even farther over, Meg brushed her lips on Mark's cheek. He was still looking down, but at the gesture he turned his head and looked directly at her.

"I love you. I love you so much- you're my uncle Mark. The best Uncle I have, and the only one I trust implicitly. I'm furious with you right now, because of what you did with Addison. That would be the reason I haven't answered any of your calls. But you need to understand this. I love him. With everything in me. If you take the time to get to know him, you'll like him."

"You really expect me to just-"

"You betrayed your best friend by sleeping with his wife. Yeah. I expect you to."

-----

Present Day

-----

"So what happened after you punched him?"

"She tried to stop me, we argued, I stormed out, and she came to find me later. And we talked."

"And?"

Mark sighed deeply, remembering all the crap that their little family unit had gone through. When he and Addison had begun their affair, that unit had been destroyed, and they were only now in the process of getting it back. This time, there were new members.

"And I was feeling guilty for betraying my best friend."

Derek's forehead scrunched up.

"I thought you were in love with Addison."

"I was…I am. I am in love with Addison. But you were my brother, and I betrayed you, and that ate at my conscience and soul."

"Very poetic."

"Fuck off."

They both laughed, and remembered all the joking around they'd done as children, then teens, then college students. They'd also had a lot of firsts together. Gotten drunk for the first time in Derek's basement, while the whole family was out. And high. And told each other about their first times. Marks had been significantly before Derek's, however.

"She essentially guilt-ed me in to getting to know the bastard. Your daughter's a conniving little witch."

"Oh, don't I know it."

"So I got to know him. And I hated him at first- I was totally alone in this ridiculous farce of a situation because Meg refused to see Addison, and as it was she was barely talking to me, but she let me be around."

"So what changed your mind?"

"I saw the way he treated her. I saw how he cared and how he acted, and I saw the changes he was making. We were all concerned about her weight, but he made a difference. She ate more around him, and he wouldn't just let the issue go."

"How long do you think before they get married?"

"Idiot Boy says he wants to wait a little bit, so like, next year."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. I wouldn't even be surprised if he has a ring. Just like you."

Derek's head turned to look at him so fast he nearly got whiplash.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh please. Don't even try to lie. You called your mom and asked for the ring, didn't you?"

For a whole ten seconds Derek was speechless. And then he realized. And remembered. This was Mark. Just like Mark said- they'd been brothers. They had known each other's moods and movements and thoughts and spent days on end together as children, then teens, then adults. Of course Mark knew.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

That didn't mean he was going to admit to anything.

"Oh really. A certain princess cut diamond with two sapphires on each side. Having run in the family for ages. Having been the engagement ring for everyone."

Derek suddenly went melancholy, thinking of the very ring that was sitting in a safe deposit box at the Wells Fargo banks just a few streets down from the hospital. He knew he couldn't leave it at the house, because between Meredith and Izzy, it would probably go about a day before being found.

The beautiful ring, exactly as Mark had described, had been in Derek's family for generations. It was a special Shepherd tradition. The men proposed to their intendeds with it, and each of the men intending to marry a Shepherd girl were given the ring to propose with. It was then a second tradition to give an 'engagement' ring as a sign of love on the first anniversary of the marriage.

"You know, I never gave Addie the ring."

"What?"

"I never gave her the ring. I bought her an engagement ring. When I proposed."

"Why?"

Derek hesitated, not knowing what to say.

"I don't know why. I just did. Addison was Addison, and I went to Tiffany's and I got a ring."

"So you have it."

"Yeah…she's the one. She's it. I know I'm rushing, going too fast. But I don't want to wait long."

Mark nodded knowingly.

"You want to make her Dr. Shepherd."

-----

The next day, Derek walked into room 234, ready to have the interns present. At Bailey's prodding, Andy presented on Mr. Soloman, and Derek nodded as he looked over the chart.

"Very good. Mr. Soloman, Dr. Carmichael here is going to prep you and get to know you very well. Carmichael, I want CT, MRI and lab work back as fast as you can, I'd like to get a reading as soon as possible."

He gave a few more instructions and exited the room, leaving all the interns looking at each other in disbelief.

"Well, you heard the doctor. Get your buts moving."

They did so, happy that everything was getting better.

----

Things did get better over the next week. Derek and Andy were polite, professional, and even on occasion personally joking around. Derek really got to know him, not just about how his relationship with Meg was, but what he was like as a person. They found a common interest in baseball and Derek realized that he had been a complete ass in treating his daughter the way he had. He also found that with his change of heart, everyone was happier. Especially Meredith. She and Derek were together on a whole new level. There was nothing hanging over him anymore, except his excitement to finally be completely involved in his daughter's life again, after almost two years.

The next dinner date was set for that coming Friday night, and everyone seemed to be excited about the newfound happy feelings meeting again.

---

Derek knocked on the door of the Carmichael house, holding a bottle of wine and dressed simply in jeans and a pullover. He'd stopped at a downtown wine store to grab a good bottle, hoping to present it as a token of his sincerest apologies. Meredith answered the door, dressed similarly in jeans and a tank top.

"Hey."

They kissed sweetly, and he put an arm around her as they walked through the house.

"Thank you for doing this."

He just bent his head and kissed the top of her forehead.

"You were right."

They reached the kitchen, where everyone was hanging out. Andy was standing at the stove, stir frying something, while Izzy was perched on the island with Alex next to her, while he munched on a giant carrot stick. Meredith walked to the cabinet next to Andy and took a wine glass out, pouring some of the open wine into it for Derek. Derek slapped backs with Alex, nodded at Izzy and went to shake hands with Andy. Meredith hopped onto the island with Izzy, and after making small talk with Andy, Derek walked over to her, standing between her legs as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"Meg will be home any minute. She had to take a longer practice this afternoon."

Derek nodded, looking around the kitchen at his friends. Izzy was laughing as she sipped on her wine, and occasionally took a nibble off the carrot stick.

"So what are we having for dinner?"

Andy gestured for Meredith to help him out, and as she poured some of the cooking wine into the frying pan, he turned the heat up.

"We are having sautéed vegetables in a port sauce with pork chops and potatoes."

"Smells good."

Chuckling, Andy continued to stir the frying pan.

"Thanks. I'm not Meg, but I can make something edible."

For ten minutes they chatted and laughed about events of the day, while Andy continued to stir fry and cook and check on whatever was in the oven. To Derek's supreme amusement, Meredith was Andy's little kitchen helper, measuring out oil and vegetables and chopping things. She seemed at home and easy, content to just help out. Alex and Izzy seemed to have progressed from their awkward stage into the earliest stages of flirtation. Izzy seemed to be laughing a lot, and Alex always had his charming face on. While their banter had certainly taken on that static sexual energy, they also seemed to be going slowly, with Izzy being careful, and Alex trying to feel out where they were going so that Izzy felt comfortable.

Unexpectedly, the door to the garage opened, and Meg walked in, looking showered and tired, but happy. She dropped the bags she was carrying into a hidden closet Derek hadn't even noticed was there, and then walked more fully into the kitchen. She was wearing blue jeans with a white linen hippie shirt, and some serious heels- not the stiletto kind, but a pair of power pumps in dark purple velvet and a three inch heel.

She eagerly hugged everyone, but when she came to Derek, she stood in front of him.

"Meg."

Immediately, she was hugging him tightly, and he returned the embrace, kissing the top of her head and whispering his apology in her ear.

"I love you daddy."

It seemed like years since she had called him Daddy, and Derek felt his heart glue itself back together just a tiny bit. After they had parted, and Meredith came to wrap an arm around Derek's waist, Meg moved to Andy and hugged him from behind. He turned his head, and managed to brush his lips against her temple before turning back to the stove.

"How was practice?"

"Fine. Tiring. Pavel's pissed off with me."

"What else is new."

She cracked a smile, and sighed.

"Hey babe. I picked up some more cooking oil, it's in a bag in the music room?"

The obvious question was would she go and get it.

"What's it doing there?"

"I was just clearing out some of the boxes we had in there and I ended up leaving the bags."

"Sure."

She turned to walk through the living room, and when she was halfway across the carpet, Andy put the stove off and leaned against the counter, earning a weird look from Izzy. He just shook his head and looked at Meg, still walking to the music room. She opened the double French doors and walked in, but half a second later emitted a scream of surprise and delight that startled everyone in the kitchen except Andy. Almost immediately, she came running back out of the room, through the living room and back into the kitchen, where she launched herself at Andy who was seemingly ready for the embrace. She wrapped her legs around his waist as she kissed his face all over.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you."

They were both laughing, and Andy started walking towards the music room, with everyone following in complete confusion. Izzy was a little unsure that both of them were still sane, and Alex seemed not to really care or know what was going on, but enjoying the situation all the same. Derek and Meredith followed last, arms wrapped around each other as they went into the music room, where, in the very middle, was a beautiful black piano.

A baby grand piano to be exact.

Meredith's mouth dropped into a little 'o' as she surveyed the piano. It was absolutely magnificent. Without being told, she knew it was untouched- had never been in a home and played by a number of busy people. Derek's arm loosened around her wais a little bit as he took in the gift, and the joy that Meg was exhibiting.

"I thought we were going to wait?"

Andy shrugged and put her back on the ground, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind and resting his chin on her shoulder.

"I was in the store browsing and I couldn't resist. I had it delivered about two hours ago."

"It's beautiful. Thank you, so much."

He kissed her neck, and nodded towards the instrument.

"Try it out."

She nodded, and went to the bench, opening up the fold in to reveal the beautiful white keys. Placing her foot on the pedals she quietly played a scale, and, smiling, put both hands on the keys. Meg began to play what Meredith recognized as Canon in D, by Pachebel. The melody poured out, softly but surely as she worked her fingers over the keys, and her foot worked the pedals. For three or four minutes she played, completely engrossed in the piano, while the rest of them watched in awe. Then she stopped, and carefully closed the fold out, sliding off the bench and walking to Andy. She wrapped her arms around his neck and went on the tip of her toes, lifting the heels of the ground only marginally. She kissed his cheek softly, then smiled.

"Thank you."

"It'll be nice to hear you play again…" His face took on a wicked smirk; "It'll be a nice change from that godforsaken cello."

"Oh, you!"

She poked his sides, and just wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Izzy and Meredith began to talk to Alex and Derek about what a beautiful piano it was, and while Alex remarked on how expensive it must have been, Derek was more concerned with how his daughter lovingly ran her fingers over the brand name stamped on the top of the piano, and how Andy kept his hand lightly on her neck.

"Shall we eat?"

At his announcement/question, they all made their way through the house to the dining room, where Andy already had the plates set up, and as they sat and Meg poured wine, he went to get the food. Ten minutes later they were eating, and everyone agreed that while Andy wasn't any Meg Shepherd, the food was delicious. They ate and drank liberally, enjoying the food and talk and atmosphere. Derek shared funny stories from the hospital in New York, and Alex told them stories of wrestling on his college circuit. Andy added crew stories and they laughed and laughed until they could eat no more, and their sides hurt. Just at the end of dinner the phone rang, and Meg excused herself to answer it. She returned five minutes later with small smile.

"Pavel?"

She slid into her chair and shook her head.

"Nan. She's safe and sound in the hotel."

Derek looked up with interest, remembering his daughter's best friend vividly.

"Shannon? How's she doing?"

Meg smiled fondly.

"Fantastic. She's in Paris right now. Still under the Law program at Brookings, but she's specializing in international law, so she's there for the semester."

"I remember her so well. The two of you were always together."

"I miss her. We were roommates the whole time we were at Brookings."

"She's enjoying law?"

"Immensely. You know her- always arguing. But she still paints when she can. We have several of her canvases here."

"The ones from the bedroom?"

Meg nodded at Izzy, and had some more wine.

"She's an amazing painter. It's her way of relaxing. I can't do anything artistic to save my life, so I have to find alternate methods."

"What do you do?"

"I play the piano. Mostly. I have to haul ass about the cello, but I've always been at ease at the piano. And I do a lot of knitting. That's pretty much it. Nothing all that productive, but I didn't have a lot of time before."

"So what are the plans for the next few months."

"I leave for Moscow in two weeks, then I'm there for three weeks, back for a month, then I have Nationals at the end of November, followed by the World Championships a week later, and then, depending on those two competitions possibly the Olympics at the end of February."

"Sounds busy. Why are you going back to Moscow."

"My skating school is having a workshop?"

"School?"

Meredith and Derek had talked for hours about Meg and her skating, but Alex and Izzy were still a little bit out of the loop.

"I'm technically a student at the Upper Petrofski School of Ice Skating. It's a really snooty hardcore membership school. I just train there when I'm in Moscow. And they're holding a workshop, meaning they'll invite lots of past coaches and skaters and I'll have to work with them on my Olympic routines. It's just really intensive training. And a chance to be judged by people other than my personal coach to get some perspective."

"Are you doing the Happy Holiday's Exhibition?"

Meg grinned.

"I am, actually."

Derek turned to the rest of the table, getting back into the skating jargon.

"Izzy, you'd love this. It's a Christmas competition, and they have three nights of skating. The First two nights are actually a competition, and they do routines to Christmas music, but the third night they skate outside at the rink in front of the Rockefeller building, by the Christmas tree."

"That does sound like fun."

"It's great fun, actually. One of more fun competitions. Not as much stress because it doesn't factor into the National ranking."

"What are your pieces."

"Frosty the Snowman for the short, Somebody to Love by Queen for the long, and The Christmas Song for the exhibition."

"That'll be fun. Queen?"

"I love that song and Pavel finally said I could do it. It's happy and lots of music so it works."

They made other conversation while everyone ate, and then they went to the living room to digest while Andy warmed up the apple pie that Meg had made for dessert. Derek and Alex flipped through the channels looking for a game while Meg cut into the pie and served it on slices.

At one point, Derek turned around to say something to his daughter, but was caught by the scene in the kitchen. Meg was still at the island, laughing with Meredith and Izzy over something. Meredith put her hand on Meg's arm as the two women chuckled, unaware they were being watched. Derek saw his daughter and the rest of his life interacting, and it brought such a sense of contentment to him, that he forgot what he was going to say, instead opting to just look at them; alive, together and happy.