N/A: I know it's been over a month since I less updated this fic. I had a crazy schedule and lack of ideas, so that's why I couldn't update sooner. This chapter is a filler of what's to come next.

Chapter 28- It's a men thing. With women

Derek groaned as he heard the alarm clock buzzing at his side and lazily slipped his arm out from under the quilt to shut it down. His hand slapped over a cold one. As he opened his eyes, he saw Meredith, smiling at him.

"I am sorry. I didn't know I set this up," she whispered.

"That's fine," he moaned and rubbed his face against the pillow. He threw the quilt off him but lingered in bed before he swung his legs over the edge of the bed.

Doc, their dog, came greeting him cheerfully and as Derek patted him on his head, he jumped up on the bed. "If Meredith sees you," he chuckled quietly at Doc.

In the meantime, Meredith had returned in their small kitchen area. It was a special day and a special day –also an off day for both of them- required some special baking. While arranging the muffins in a tray, Meredith heard Derek's muffled laughter. That could mean only one thing.

"The dog better not be in bed," she called out loudly for Derek to hear her. "He just came from outside!"

"He's not," Derek chuckled.

Meredith rolled her eyes and as she turned towards the bedroom, she wasn't surprised to see Doc sitting in bed besides Derek. "Derek!"

Like knowing the reason for the shout already, Doc jumped off the bed and ran to her.

"You're baking?" Derek asked, a little confused as it was a very early hour in the morning. "You're depressed?"

Meredith smiled and rolled her eyes. "It's my birthday and I am in the mood for baking," she stated.

She turned back to the tray and didn't notice Derek's smile. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, propping his chin on her shoulder as he kissed her. "I know it is. I also know what other reason of celebration we have."

Meredith smiled as she looked back at him, curious.

"We are about to complete our 3rd month together," he said with a chuckle and pulled away, coming to sit beside her at the counter. He took one of the already-baked muffins and asked as he piled the wrapper off, "Do you have anything special planned for this day?"

"No," Meredith shrugged but noticed as she looked at Derek that he did have something planned for their day off. "Hit me," she giggled.

Derek kept grinning at her and took a large bite from the muffin. A very salty and … unknown taste filled his mouth. He had to look away to hide his grimace.

"Isn't it good?" she noticed his reaction.

Derek managed to swallow and smiled at her. "Just hot still."

"You shouldn't hurry," she shook her head. "Now tell me what do you have in plan?"

Derek turned around so that he could face the small window and said as he gazed outside, "It's a beautiful day."

Meredith looked up and followed his gaze. It was indeed a bright dawn and it seemed that the day would be just as bright. "Do you want to spend time outside? We don't have a pool," she giggled. "Or do you want to take me for a ride with the trailer?" she laughed mockingly.

"Mocking me isn't a really nice gesture," he gently stroked her cheek. "We are going outdoors. Some hiking and fishing," he said and pulled back, leaning against the counter. "How does it sound?"

Meredith giggled. She couldn't remember when was the last time she went out for hiking; though she wasn't a fan of this type of activity, this time it did sound tempting. She smiled and nodded.

"I will pack some clothes for us," he grinned and kissed her on the cheek. "I have all the other stuff packed and in the trunk of my car already."

"Oh, so you've been planning this for a while, huh?" she giggled.

Derek came back to her and pulled her into his arms. He brushed the hair out of her face as he smiled. For a reason, he felt a little like a cheater, but as long as Meredith wouldn't feel disappointed, he could live with the guilty feeling. He bit her lips gently and parted her mouth as she moaned, kissing her deeply.

Meredith pulled back and smiled against his lips. "I have just one tray left to bake."

"Don't worry. Your dad won't be here very soon, so we have time," he said as he turned and walked with Doc back in the bedroom. "I already arranged it with the Chief. You'll have the day off tomorrow as well, in case we decide to camp over there."

Meredith stared after him curiously. "My dad? My dad is coming with us?"

Derek suddenly stopped at Meredith's question and winced discreetly. "Yeah," he said, turning to look at her. "I thought it would be… nice to have one of your family members."

Meredith lifted a brow suspiciously. Derek sounded like he was stammering and she could read how nervous his smile was. "My father never goes fishing without Charlie, his friend."

Derek kept on smiling at her. "He's coming too."

Meredith chuckled, shaking her head. "You weren't planning on taking me with you for my birthday."

"That's not true," Derek denied and came back to her, ready to do whatever it was necessary to convince her.

"That's fine, Derek," she reassured him with a smile. "Probably I will go and hang around at the hospital anyway," she rested her hands on his chest and sighed. "It was nice of you though. I mean, to try and make it up to me."

Derek cradled her hands in his and said, "I admit. At first, when I talked to your dad about camping and we set the date, neither of us realized it was in the same day as your birthday." He smiled embarrassingly. "We kind of remembered it a few days ago."

Meredith sighed discreetly. "You remembered and you're forgiven," she smiled at him, patting on his chest. "You and me and two old men though… I am not sure. You should follow your initial plan."

Derek shook his head, refusing her answer. "My initial plan was stupid. We can see if Lexie or Cristina can join us. You don't have to be alone with three men."

As she sighed and looked up at him, there it was again; his genuine smile; the one he put on his face each time he wanted something from her. "I don't think they have the day off."

"Let's go and find out," he suggested. "I am sure at least Lexie will be thrilled to join us and even if they're not off today, I will talk to the Chief."

Meredith narrowed her eyes, disapproving. "How about no favoring me or my friends?"

Derek smiled wickedly. "Aren't you up for something out of the rules? Just this time."

"Seriously?" Meredith laughed sarcastically. "The last something-out-of-the-rules thing we did, led us to the marriage. So I think we should stick to the rules."

Derek didn't show any offense in Meredith's refuse. He kept smiling at her. "What other thing, worse than ending up married, can happen to us now?"

"I don't know," Meredith shrugged. "Getting knocked-up?"

Derek stared at her for a brief moment and then burst into laugh. "You have such a great imagination. You are on birth control and besides this your dad will be there. I don't think will get anyplace near your panties."

Meredith bit her lip to hold back the smile. "You would find a way."

"Would you try to experience some wild sex?" he asked with a smirk full of lust in his eyes.

Meredith flushed in an instant and slapped him away from her. "You wish."

"I wish, but this seems to be more like your fantasy. Not mine," he laughed.

Meredith hid her smile as she turned her back on Derek to get the tray into the oven. She started the gas on and just then she turned and faced Derek again. "I am not sure, Derek. What if it will start raining?"

"Oh come on. Don't tell me you're afraid of wild sex," he mocked her, laughing. "You won't get any if you don't want to," he added with a smirk.

"Derek, stop talking about sex," she asked, rolling her eyes.

"It will be fun, Mer," he reassured her. He put his hands on her waist and pulled her body against his. "We need to get out of the daily routine."

Meredith smiled at him. "And you wouldn't be bothered if Lexie comes too?"

Derek hesitated before he shook his head.

"Really?" she giggled. "Does this mean that her… ride with Mark in our bed is forgotten?" she asked. A few weeks before, after Derek had told Mark about his accidental, fake marriage to Lexie and after Derek and Meredith had returned from their dinner, they were unpleasantly surprised to find Mark and Lexie, together in their trailer.

"The linens have been burned and I am considering changing the mattress, but other than these, I am willing to forgive them. I think that was one of a kind divorce," he smiled.

"I am a little worried about her, Derek," Meredith sighed. "She hoped for real that her marriage to Mark was legal."

"I did notice too that she looks more tired. Her daydreaming will cause her trouble if she keeps going like this," Derek stated. He smiled and took her hand, saying, "I will convince at least one of your friends to come with us. I don't know many people who can resist me when I ask them for a favor."

"Really?" she giggled.

"Really," he grinned. "And I know a certain person who can't resist me," he added with a smugly smile.

Meredith laughed and poked his between ribs. "Go and finish packing. I have to wrap the muffins for the road."

"You don't have to do that," Derek said quickly and held her hand.

Meredith looked surprised with his reaction. She glared at him as she put her hands on her hips. "You don't like them? You know I make really good muffins. These are my 'friendly' muffins."

"Of course," Derek forced a smile. "Ok, I will pack them. You should go and take a shower in the meantime, because this might be your last shower until tomorrow."

Meredith narrowed her eyes suspiciously as she started at him. How could he not like her friendly muffins? Derek had to grab her by the shoulders and spun her around towards the bathroom.

Derek listened until he heard the shower on. He gave Doc two muffins and wrapped the others. "You'll get more on the road," he told him. "If you live," he added, muttering.

While Meredith and Derek got ready for the trip, Thatcher called Derek and asked him to come and pick him up as he still had some things to take care of. Derek told him there was no problem, as he and Meredith would first stop by Lexie and Cristina's apartment.

Later on, Meredith, Derek and Doc were in front of the apartment door. Meredith rang once and waited. Checking her watch, it was 5:30 already, but she hoped her friends were late for work that morning.

"In a second!" they heard Izzie's voice answering after the second ring. The door flew open and Izzie showed up in front of them wearing a black pair of boots, a black pair of pants, a pink jacket and a huge smile on her face. She looked like she was ready for hiking. "Oh you're taking the dog with you. That's nice," she beamed. "I will be right back," she smiled at them and quickly disappeared into the kitchen.

Meredith and Derek looked at each other, confused. Sniffing something delicious, Doc dragged them inside and Derek had to hold tight on his leash when Izzie returned from kitchen and Doc wanted to run to her.

"I hope you don't mind," she smiled, showing them a big basket.

"For us?" Derek chuckled.

Izzie nodded. "So I really hope you're going to take me with you today. I really need a change of sight. If you want these goodies, you have to take me with you," she warned them.

"I thought they didn't know," Meredith whispered to Derek.

Derek shrugged, clueless.

"Oh, your dad called Lexie yesterday. He thought it would be a surprise," Izzie cleared that confusion out. "So… Surprise!" she giggled.

"Yay!" Meredith beamed sarcastically.

Derek chuckled and elbowed her. "It will be fun to have all of Meredith's friends for her birthday."

Izzie nodded excitedly and looked at Meredith. "For an unknown reason, you and I are not such good friends. I want that to change because… I am friendly. I am a really good friend."

"I always wondered…" Derek mused. "Why you're friends with Cristina and not Izzie too?" he asked Meredith.

Meredith answered with a glare, while Izzie laughed. "I made a small birthday cake too. I will go wrap it and then we'll be ready to go."

As Izzie disappeared into the kitchen, Derek questioningly looked at Meredith as if he was still waiting for an answer to his wonder. "She is friendly. Admit it."

Meredith rolled her eyes, annoyed. "Now you like Izzie. That's sweet. Too bad you didn't find her earlier. You could have taken her to that trip."

Meredith did sound annoyed, but Derek wanted to believe she was also jealous. He put his hand on her low back and chuckled as he kissed her temple. "Too cheerful for me."

Meredith giggled. "For a minute I thought you still don't know me."

Derek chuckled as he pulled her to him, "Oh, I think I've started to know you pretty well."

Their attention was distracted when they heard a door opening. They saw Lexie sheepishly walking out of her room, with a backpack on her shoulder. They didn't need to ask her if she would come. Meredith was the first one to notice how pale and sleep-depraved she looked.

"I know I've… done things lately. Things I am not proud of," Lexie went on rambling. "But I am ready to change because I am tired and depressed and because I usually am not a depressive person. I would like a change a sight; something entertaining. I need it, so I appreciate your invitation," she said and looked at Derek. "Actually, uncle Thatch invited me, but I am sure you had to agree with the guest list too," she added. "Happy birthday, Mer," she smiled at her cousin.

Meredith smiled reassuringly and nodded her head. "Where's Cristina? Did she leave for work already?"

Lexie shrugged, clueless. "I don't think though. I heard some bangs coming from her room earlier. But she won't come. She said this is a man thing."

"Bangs?" Derek started laughing. "Does she want to drill holes in the wall with her head?"

"Derek," Meredith scolded him, laughing. "I am going to talk to her," she stated and headed towards Cristina's bedroom. She knocked once and grabbed the door handle, wanting to open the door. As Meredith found it locked, she knocked again and listened. Some hustle still could be heard coming from inside. "Cristina?" Meredith called through the door. No answer came from Cristina, but the hustle continued. Meredith knocked again and tried the doorhandle. Again nothing.

Meredith rushed back into the living room, alarmed. "Cristina is locked in her room and I hear some bangs coming from there," she told the others.

Izzie added with a chuckle as she walked into the room too, "Does this sound familiar to you?"

Meredith groaned, annoyed with Izzie's joke, and rolled her eyes.

"It could sound familiar to her," Derek laughed, mocking Meredith. "But she couldn't be with Preston right now."

Meredith looked at Izzie and nodded, agreeing with Derek. Then she looked confused at him. "How do you know?"

"We're meeting with him at your father's house," he stated.

"So, you were planning on taking me to a men thing?" Meredith asked, a little displeased.

Derek suppressed a groan and put his arm around her waist as he spoke in her ear, "We re-thought the whole plan as you can see."

"Anyway…" Meredith pushed him away. "We have to see what's wrong with Cristina. Why isn't she at work already and what's with all those bangs?"

In that moment, they heard Cristina's bedroom door unlocking and soon she walked into the living room, same as Lexie, already with a backpack on her shoulder. She gave them a brief look before she headed towards the door. "I know this is a men thing, but Burke says I am not funny and I don't know how to entertain myself. Humanly." She stopped and turned to the others. "Today, I will prove him that I can have fun 'humanly'. Without him. He's really going to miss me today when he will get a dummy intern under his service." She turned back to the door and opened it. Then she shut it back and looked at them again. "I don't have that fishing line, so I won't be fishing today. I will just be cheering for you while you fish." Stating that, Cristina walked outside the apartment.

"Camping and hiking aren't men things," Lexie disagreed as one by one headed to the door.

Meredith and Izzie looked at each other and then at Lexie. "These kind of are men things."

Meredith nodded, agreeing with Izzie. "Just that today it will be a men thing with women."

"She's better not be cheering today," Derek grumbled as he was the last one to leave apartment and close the door.

Meredith stopped, waiting for him, and smiled. "She doesn't know Preston's coming, does she?" Derek chuckled mischievously and shook his head. Meredith giggled as she patted him on his chest. "She will be definitely cheering while you fish."

------

As Derek pulled the car in front of the Grey's house, he and Meredith saw Thatcher, Preston and an elder man, putting things in the trunk of a car. Derek was the first one to climb out the car, followed by Meredith.

"Hey!" Preston greeted them cheerfully. He came to Meredith and gave her a hug. "Happy Birthday, Meredith."

"Thank you, Dr. Burke," Meredith smiled, uncomfortable with the familiarity between them.

"I don't think he minds if you call him Preston today," Derek chuckled. "He has a thing with Cristina after all."

Preston laughed and shook his head, disagreeing. "Actually, she still prefers me as Burke."

"Hey, Derek!" Meredith's father also joined them. "We're all ready to go."

"I can see you brought a lot of baggage with you," Charlie, Thatcher's friend, stated grumpily as he looked at the second car pulled behind Derek's.

As the car stopped, Cristina stormed outside, slamming the door. "What are you doing here?" she demanded, stamping angrily to Preston. "What is he doing here?" she demanded to Derek and then to Meredith. Meredith bit her lip and shrugged.

"Why are you making such a drama out of this?" Preston asked her and took her aside, not wanting to make a scene in front of all those people.

In the meantime, Lexie ran out of the car and puked beside a tree.

"What's wrong?" Meredith asked her, worried.

Izzie had followed Lexie outside, so she was holding her hair to back already. "Car sick, I think."

A loud, exasperated groan made itself heard as Charlie showed his displease. "We have way too many hormonal problems attending us today," he grumbled and tossed his backpack in the backseats of his car.

"I don't think I like this guy," Derek whispered to Meredith as he glared at Charlie.

"Nobody likes him," Meredith sighed. "I think dad just feels sorry for him. He is so bitter that he has no wife, lover or children."

Derek put his arm around her waist and breathed the scent of her hair in. "I should have changed the plan and take you with me only," he sighed.

"You should have," she smiled at him.

"We can change plans now too," he pointed out. "We could book tickets to the first flight to Vegas," he smirked.

Meredith smiled at him, thoughtful. "I would like to go to Venice and take a ride with a real gondola."

"Hmm," Derek considered her idea. "It sounds good, but we don't have time for it. Now seriously speaking; we could do something else today if you want to."

Meredith looked around her at Cristina who had just ended her fight with Preston and headed back to her car, Lexie and Izzie who were also heading back to the car, her father and Charlie shutting the trunk and then at Derek. She smiled at him and took his hand. "Let's try this."

"Ok," Derek chuckled and leaned in, kissing her.

They were about to get into their car when they saw Ellis walking out of the house. She stopped on the porch and looked at the four cars parked in front of her house. Meredith and Derek saw her motioning to Thatcher as if she was telling him to wait for something.

"What's going on?" Meredith asked Derek.

Derek was as clueless as she was.

Ellis walked back into the house, leaving the door open, and stayed there until Thatcher started honking. Meredith climbed out of the car then and went to talk to her father. "What's going on?" she asked him. "What does she want?"

Thatcher rolled his eyes and sighed. "She wants to come with us."

"Who?" she burst out loud, surprised. "Mom?" Thatcher nodded.

"She saw the group and she decided to do something out of ordinary," he said.

Meredith was staring at him. "Seriously?"

"Yes, Meredith," she started when her mother showed up behind her. "Now let's hit the road because it's getting late," she said and got into the car.

Stunned, Meredith trailed back to Derek's car. "Can we go to Venice now?" she whimpered at him.

Derek smiled sympathetically and squeezed her hand before he started the car and followed Thatcher's.