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Meredith Grey felt out of place.

That was the only thing she could think as she stood in the middle of the reception hall of the Shepherd's country club, clad in a purple cocktail dress as she clutched ginger ale in her hands. She was completely and totally out of place at Kathleen's engagement party.

The plans for Derek's eldest sister's engagement had been put on hold with the tragic death of his father as the family had taken the time they needed to grieve. But now it was June, six months after the family had lost its patriarch, and the Shepherds were moving on with life, as different as it was.

Meredith was sure that she had never seen Derek more motivated, focused, or happier than he had been since leaving the hospital. Gone was the angry, clingy Derek that had appeared as a result of his father's death, and in his place was an amazing man that was determined to make every moment of his life count to the fullest.

He hadn't been lying when he'd promised her things would be different, and it hadn't taken much time for him to convince her to trust him again. She'd thought he would try to win her over by fancy candlelit dinners and walks on the beach, but thankfully he knew that wasn't her. Surprisingly, he'd known to bring home tequila instead of roses, and take her out for steak instead of lobster. They'd had fun over the past few months, falling into an easy relationship that was even more comfortable that it had been before the accident. They were both all too well aware of how easily their lives could change in a split second, and neither wanted to waste any of their time by fighting or being weird around each other.

But now Meredith stood in the corner of the room at the country club, feeling more out of place than ever before. It wasn't Derek's family, she knew that. She was a full fledged member of the family now, and she had spent Christmas there a few months before. She was a daughter to Emma and a sister to the girls, and she knew that they weren't trying to isolate her. She'd just never had to go to a fancy party, get dressed up and talk to people she didn't know. Derek had been great at first, but he had been roped into dancing with one of his aunts, and now she felt completely alone as she stared at the room filled with Derek's family and friends.

"Hey Mer," she heard a familiar voice say and she sighed in relief as she turned to see Mark standing beside her.

"Mark," she breathed. "Thank God, I don't know anyone here. Where's Addie?"

"Ran to the ladies room," Mark shrugged. "You're looking pretty lonely over here. Shep just threw you to the wolves?"

Meredith shook her head as she nodded to the dance floor. "He got pulled into a dance with his aunt," she sighed. "So…now I'm just here looking like a lame ass loser cause I don't know anyone."

Mark laughed as he reached for her hand. "You know me," he said. "Come on, let's dance."

"Oh," Meredith said, nodding as she put her drink down on the table beside her. "Sure."

He led her onto the dance floor and they began dancing, Mark looking down at her curiously. "So Shep seems to be doing a lot better," he said.

"Yeah," Meredith sighed. "I'm really proud of him. He's done amazing getting over this. It's not something that can be easily done."

"Hmm," Mark nodded. "You know this is the first time we've been together as a family since the accident. And I thought it was going to be a lot harder than it was. But your boyfriend…man, he's doing a great job taking on the role of father of the bride, so to speak."

Meredith smiled softly as she looked at Derek, who had moved off the dance floor to speak with Kathleen. As Kathleen's only brother, he had naturally been elected to fill Michael's shoes as father of the bride and walk his oldest sister down the aisle. He had been more than eager to do so, and taken more responsibility for the wedding than he would have had he been a simple groomsmen.

"He's really excited about it," she agreed. "And he knows he's going to be doing this kind of stuff now. He'll have to walk the rest of his sisters down the aisle and…he's the man of the house now."

"I sense a but coming on," Mark laughed as he moved to twirl her.

Meredith giggled as she moved back into his arms. "I worry sometimes," she sighed. "He's doing great in school again, he's being an amazing boyfriend, and he's somehow managing to take care of the entire family. Sometimes I worry that he's going to wake up one morning and decide that it's too much."

"And you're afraid that you're the one thing he's going to give up," Mark nodded.

Meredith stopped dancing as she stared up at him. "How did you know that?" she asked.

"Because I'm a genius," Mark shrugged, pulling her to dance again. "We're the same people, Grey. You and me…we were raised by shit parents, we have insecurities and difficulties letting people love us. And when we do, we doubt their love."

Meredith giggled. "Did Addison tell you all of this?" she asked.

"She tends to bring it up whenever I do something stupid," Mark shrugged. "But Shep loves you. Hell, I'm not sure he would have gotten to the place he is now if you hadn't been around."

"I know," Meredith sighed, her eyes moving to look for Derek again, frowning when she saw him talking to a girl about their age, with a big smile and a piece of licorice in her hands. She could tell Derek was trying to be polite, but she couldn't help noticing the way the girl kept edging closer to him, placing a hand on his arm. "Mark, who's Derek talking to?" she asked.

Mark followed her gaze and laughed loudly. "Oh, that's Rose," he said. "Shep's high school girlfriend. If you call playing in the band together and going to the movies a relationship."

Meredith tilted her head to the side. "Is that the one Caitlin says looks like a horse?" she asked as Derek met her gaze, his eyes begging her to help him.

"Yeah," Mark said with a snort. "You bet she does. And it looks like he's looking for a little help there, Grey."

Meredith giggled as she stepped out of Mark's arms. "This could be fun," she said with a wink before she moved closer to Derek.

"There you are," she said with a dramatic sigh as she moved to Derek's side, discreetly pushing Rose out of the way as she looped her arm through Derek's. "I've been looking for you forever."

"Hey you," Derek said a little too happily, pressing his lips firmly against hers. "Sorry I got caught up in wedding stuff."

"Hmmm, it's okay," Meredith sighed against his lips. "This way you'll know exactly what to do for our wedding."

"Oh," Derek cleared his throat, not having expected such a comment. "Of course. I can't let you plan the whole thing by yourself."

Meredith smiled as she turned to Rose. "Hi, I'm Meredith," she said. "Derek's fiancé." She bit back a giggle as she felt Derek's hand tighten around her waist and Rose's eyes widened considerably.

"You're engaged?" she asked Derek.

"Um…yeah," Derek replied, trying to sound normal. "I just didn't want to take away from Kath's day."

Rose frowned. "But…what about us?" she asked.

"We broke up two years ago."

Meredith giggled as she turned to look at Derek. "Sorry baby, I know you wanted to keep it a secret, but I'm just too excited to keep it in."

"Hmm…like I can stay mad at you," Derek whispered, pressing his lips against hers. "Love you."

Rose frowned as she looked at the two of them before she turned and stormed off in the other direction, leaving Meredith to burst into a fit of giggles as Derek laughed alongside her.

"Thanks," he finally said, pulling her closer. "I was trying everything I could to get rid of her."

"I thought it would be fun," Meredith giggled. "And seriously, Derek, you could have done way better than her. Even if you did have an afro and play the trumpet."

"Hey," Derek frowned. "That is no way to talk to your fiancé."

Meredith's face turned serious as she looked up at him. "Sorry," she said. "I just thought that would be more fun than telling her we're dating."

"It's okay," Derek said with a grin. "We'll be engaged eventually. At least now I know I like being engaged to you."

Meredith rolled her eyes as she sat down at the nearest table. "So…this is an engagement party," she said.

"Hmmm," Derek said as he sat down next to her, smiling when she didn't hesitate to put her feet in his lap. "Are you having fun?"

"Hmm," Meredith nodded, not meeting his eyes.

"Well, that was convincing," Derek laughed slightly, reaching out to tilt her face to look at him. "What's up, Mer?"

"I just….I don't do this," Meredith sighed. "The fancy clothes, the mocktails, small talk. It's not me, and I just…I don't fit. With your life, I don't fit. And that scares me a little. Or a lot."

Derek frowned as he pulled back to look at her. "What do you mean, Mer?" he asked.

"I just don't know how to do this," Meredith replied. "I mean, a country club, Derek, seriously? The closest I've ever come to a country club was at my senior prom which was in a reception hall, next to a country club. And you…you're comfortable here."

"Mer, you know that you fit into my life," he said softly. "All of this…it's what Kathleen wants. And since Dad isn't here…I have to do this for her."

"I know," Meredith nodded. "And it's great that you're doing it for her. I just…I wish I fit better."

Derek nodded, leaning closer to rest his chin on her shoulder. "You fit with me, Mer," he whispered. "And my family loves you. That's all that matters. And you know what I think you need?"

"What?" Meredith asked, smiling slightly.

Derek smiled as he gently shoved her off of his lap and stood, pulling her close. "You need to dance with me," he said, pulling her onto the dance floor. She smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck, breathing him in and savoring the closeness she felt to him in that moment.

After a few minutes of turning in slow circles, she felt Derek press his lips against her neck. She smiled as she ran her fingers through his hair, a spark running through her body when he murmured, "Want to sneak away for a few minutes?"

Meredith smiled as she reached out to take his hand, walking in front of him seductively as she led him out of the reception hall. As soon as they were out of sight, Derek pinned her against the wall, kissing her passionately as his hands moved to massage her breasts through her dress. "Der," she moaned around her tongue. "Bathroom…closet…need somewhere…less public."

As Derek pulled away from her, his eyes landed on the coat closet a few feet away, and he dragged her with him. When he threw the door open, they were shocked to find Mark and Addison one step ahead of them, her head thrown back in ecstasy as he gripped her hips tightly.

"Geez, Shep, what the hell are you doing?" Mark cried as he pulled away from Addison and turned his back to them as Addison's face turned bright red and she hurriedly tried to straighten out her clothing.

"I wanted to do the same thing you were," Derek frowned. "But now I think I'm scared for life."

"Like those sounds Grey can bring out from you aren't scarring," Mark snapped.

"You're just jealous that I get hotter sex than you," Derek smirked.

"Okay, we can change the subject now," Meredith interrupted, her face turning pink.

Derek sighed. "I should go check on Kath," he said. "She's going to want to dance soon. You okay, Mer?"

"I'm good," she nodded, leaning forward to kiss him. "Go be a father of the bride. Or the brother of the bride or whatever."

Derek laughed as he squeezed her hand one last time. "Love you," he called over his shoulder as he moved back to the party.

"Love you too," Meredith sighed, suddenly not feeling so out of place in Derek's life.