Meredith convinced Cristina to come to her house that evening, without telling her that the dinner was still going to take place. Cristina pulled her car in front of Meredith's house when Meredith was coming back from the walk with Cujo.
Seeing Cristina stopped on the porch at their door and not recognizing her, Cujo carefully started sniffing Cristina all over.
"Make it stop," Cristina whimpered as she constantly tried to stay away from Cujo.
"Let him smell you and he'll leave you alone."
Meredith unlocked and let them inside. She took Cujo's leash off and hung it in the closet while Cristina took off her jacket.
"Are you sure that's safe?" Cristina asked, glancing at the leash.
Meredith just rolled her eyes. "You never had a pet."
"Neither did you," Cristina pointed out.
"But I have one now that lives with my baby. Take your shoes off, by the way," Meredith asked and Cristina looked skeptically at her. "I have a baby in the house," Meredith pointed out firmly leaving Cristina no room for argument.
Cristina obeyed and pulled her boots off her feet.
They heard Morgan's prattle as Claudia carried her down the stairs and Cujo ran to greet them.
"Why doesn't he take his shoes off?" Cristina grumbled. "I mean, wash his paws. He walked bare-foot outside."
Meredith rolled her eyes. "Can you act more like your age and not a school kid?"
Coming downstairs, Morgan giggled and threw her fists over her face as sign of joy when she spotted her mommy. Meredith wanted to take her from Claudia, but Cristina hurried past her and scooped Morgan from Claudia's arms, entering the living room and leaving Claudia and Meredith stare surprised after her. Morgan had expected to go straight into her Mommy's arms as she usually did when Meredith was coming home; she didn't protest, but she checked Cristina and looked over her shoulder at Meredith as if she was trying to understand the situation.
"She didn't wash her hands," Claudia whispered to Meredith.
"I used a sanitizer gel before I got off the car," Cristina overheard Claudia's remark and replied dryly. "Why is the table set for dinner?" she asked. "I thought you canceled the dinner."
"You did?" Claudia asked Meredith, confused, as the last time she had spoken to her she was told they would have guests for dinner.
Cristina spun around and fixed a questioning stare on Meredith. "I think I forgot to announce you, Claudia," Meredith told Claudia and discreetly winked, letting her know to play along. Claudia smiled and nodded discreetly.
"Right after you left with Cujo, Morgan woke up so I also fed her. I didn't have time to give her a bath though," Claudia apologized. "She put some food in her hair and eyes."
"That's ok," Meredith giggled. "I guess we should forbid her to feed herself for a while; she should fix the coordination in her movements first."
"Hey," Cristina snapped then, cautiously checking Morgan's outfit; a baby blue dress with a waist band and a little flower tugged on it; the matching hat Morgan was wearing. "Why is she dressed up like she is going to meet the president of the United States?"
"Because she was supposed to," Meredith answered with a teasing giggle.
Claudia was very confused with Meredith's plans for the night. "I didn't cook," she whispered to Meredith, but this time she made sure Cristina would not hear her.
"That's ok," Meredith whispered back and nodded reassuringly.
"Ok," Claudia nodded, still confused. "Do you need help with anything?"
"No. We're fine."
"Then I will gather my things."
Claudia said her goodbyes from them, but her departure was delayed a little as Morgan started crying when she saw her putting her coat on and opening the door. She gave Morgan a kiss and told her she would see her in the morning and she also showed Meredith Derek's trick with the bracelet. Meredith was impressed with how much distraction that bracelet was giving her.
It hadn't passed too many minutes since Claudia's departure when Meredith saw Cujo running to the door. She and Cristina stood up as they heard Derek talking to someone. Meredith glanced at her friend, checking for her reaction. She could feel her confusion and curious stare, but Meredith ignored it and went to greet Derek and his friend.
"Hi," Derek walked inside, smiling at Meredith. He stopped by her side, gave her a kiss and then turned to his friend – who was talking to the dog, trying to convince it of his good intentions.
"Owen, I'd like you to meet my fiancé .Meredith," he couldn't help but grin at how great his introduction had sounded. "Meredith, this is Owen Hunt; a good friend of mine from the Med School."
As everyone was fine with the stranger, Cujo gave him some credit and went back to his master- which was still in Cristina's arms, wiggling to go to her Mommy or Derek.
"It's nice to finally meet Derek's fiancé," Owen chuckled as he walked up to Meredith and offered her a flower bouquet.
Just then Meredith noticed that Owen was bringing two bouquets.
Owen smiled as he looked past them, at Cristina and Morgan. "And this must be Derek's baby girl."
At that, Derek looked over at Meredith to see for her reaction. Meredith just smiled at him.
"That's right. That's Morgan," Derek introduced her to Owen. "Will you take these, please?" he asked Meredith, giving her two big bags. "That's dinner."
Meredith freed his hands so that he could take Morgan in his arms and kiss her cheeks properly. In the meantime, Meredith gave one last glance at her friend, before she walked into the kitchen to put the flowers in a vase and serve dinner on plates.
"She's adorable," Owen complimented her and showed her a small pink bag. "You have a teddy bear in here, but I will let your parents give it to you."
Derek took the bag and chuckled when Morgan bent down to the bag as if she knew that bag was for her.
Cristina had to clear her throat to make her presence there noticed. Since the moment that man entered the house, Cristina carefully analyzed him. He was without a doubt a very handsome man, but the most intriguing thing about him was his second flower bouquet.
The mystery solved when Owen took a step forward and came in front of her, offering her the flowers. "You must be Meredith's friend."
Dazzled by the unexpected gesture, Cristina couldn't find her words right away, so she just nodded.
Derek had to snicker inside of him at the sight of a dazzled Cristina. "I will translate for you. Her name is Cristina Yang."
Cristina answered immediately with a glare to Derek.
"She's also second year resident, just like Meredith," Derek added.
"It's nice to meet you, Cristina," Owen smiled and had to lift the flowers upper to make her understand that those were for her.
"Yes," Cristina shook herself out of her trance and took the flowers. "You bought flowers. For us."
Owen looked a little confused. "I did. Do you mind?"
Cristina found herself staring in his eyes. "I don't," she whispered.
Derek found odd the scene and he even felt like a fifth wheel to a car. "Why don't we go in?" he suggested.
Both, Cristina and Owen stirred. "Yes," they agreed in unison.
"Good," Derek muttered under his breath.
Meredith caught up with Derek and stopped before they entered the room. "He'd better not be committed."
"Even if he is, I think he will break up with his girlfriend," Derek reassured her, whispering.
Walking in living room, they found Cristina and Owen sitting on the couch, both at opposite edges, far from each other; but they also looked like two teenagers that were dating someone for the first time.
"They are made for each other," Derek laughed quietly and Meredith laughed too, elbowing to stop.
Cristina jumped up, her flowers in her arms. "I will help you with the dinner, Meredith," she stated and almost ran out of the room.
"I left the beverages in the car," Derek told Meredith.
She nodded and hurried after her friend. She found her pacing around in the kitchen.
"Blind date?" Cristina asked bitterly.
Surprised with the sudden change of mood, Meredith quickly shook her head, ready to deny everything. But then, Cristina softened her features and attitude.
"Why did he buy flowers for two women he didn't know?"
Meredith shrugged. "Maybe because he's a gentleman."
"Or gay," Cristina pointed out. Meredith hadn't thought about that and it was most probable that Derek didn't know anything about that too. "See?"
"He's not," Meredith didn't want to discourage her.
"You're sure."
"I am not sure, because I don't know him. Derek would have told me if Owen ever had an attraction for men."
"People change their sexual orientation," Cristina pointed out.
"Yes, but… He doesn't look gay. Derek bought me flowers once."
"But he knew you."
"He didn't know me. It was the day I was in the hospital after Morgan's birth."
Cristina chuckled knowingly. "Should I remind you that he also helped you give birth? So he did know you."
Meredith groaned, exasperated with Cristina distrust. "I am not setting you a date here. I invited you because I didn't want you to be alone another evening. Besides… Morgan missed you."
"Sure," Cristina grumbled, rolling her eyes. "Where's the booze?"
"In the car. I have to bring it."
"I will go," Cristina put the flowers on the table and hurried to leave.
Meredith hurried after her and stopped her before she could leave the kitchen. "You're not going to run, I hope."
Cristina just rolled her eyes and jerked her arm from Meredith grip. "I just need the keys to Derek's car."
"Ask Derek," Meredith answered, still unsure. But she wasn't going to run with Derek's car. Was she?
A minute passed since Cristina had left to bring the beverages from Derek's car when she walked back in. Meredith sighed with relief, a gesture that didn't pass unnoticed by Cristina. She rolled her eyes and placed the bags on the counter.
"You can't blame me," Meredith wanted to point out. "It wouldn't have been the first time you ran from a man."
"What am I a freak?" she shrugged. "Besides, I couldn't run without your help."
"Sting me with it for the rest of my life," Meredith giggled, shaking her head. "Take the drinks and follow me," she asked Cristina while she carefully took two plates with food.
When they walked in the living room, they found Owen and Derek on the couch, playing with Morgan and her new teddy bear.
Cristina looked at Meredith and muttered 'gay'.
'Shut up,' Meredith mouthed back. "Dinner is ready." She announced everyone.
"I was just telling Derek, Morgan looks more like you. She has your eyes," Owen noticed. "She doesn't look much like him, except for the color of her eyes.."
Derek and Meredith exchanged a look.
"She has a few curls," Derek said as he ran his fingers through Morgan's soft hair.
"She does. You're jealous, huh?" Owen chuckled. "You wanted her to look more like you."
"I guess I am," Derek laughed.
As response to that, Cristina laughed sarcastically. Everyone turned and looked at her, especially Meredith, which was glaring at her.
"Actually…" Derek started a little hesitant. "I am not her biological father."
Though it disappointed her at first, Meredith knew they wouldn't be able to lie to everyone and Owen was one of Derek's friends.
"Oh, I am sorry," Owen apologized, visibly embarrassed. "You said…"
"And she is," Derek nodded. "Not legally yet."
"Oh," Owen nodded, still embarrassed. "I am sorry," he also apologized to Meredith.
"No need to," she assured him with a smile.
"Anyway…" Owen tried to excuse himself more. "You found yourself a beautiful family, Derek."
Derek smiled up at Meredith and took her hand, answering as he smiled at Owen. "I was very lucky. And you don't know yet how we met."
"You wouldn't want to know," Cristina cut in.
Owen looked back and forth between Derek and Cristina at their exchange of glares.
"We met the night when little Morgan here decided to come into the world, when her Mommy was anywhere else but home or hospital," Derek went on.
Meredith grabbed Cristina and pulled her aside, out of the other's earshot. "I forbid you to reply this way at Derek. What's your problem with him?"
"I don't have a problem," Cristina stated. "I am doing it just for fun."
"Really? Then let me point this out; you're the only one that has fun with it."
"Fine," Cristina silently groaned and threw her hands up as sign of surrender.
"Good," Meredith hissed and returned to the others.
She found the men laughing and Morgan laughing along with them, although she didn't know what was so funny. As she looked over the couch, Meredith spotted behind it the pink play yard she had bought for Morgan not long ago.
"Claudia must have installed it," she muttered to herself.
"I think so," Derek heard her and nodded. "It's about time we use it, I guess." Derek stood up and lifted Morgan up in the air, laughing as she stuffed her fingers into her mouth and giggled down at him. She stood perfectly still for a while and then started wiggling and laughing.
Derek gave her a kiss and then took her to her play yard, where some of her toys were already. Morgan rolled on one side, grabbed her new teddy bear and started slapping it.
"Keep an eye on her," Derek asked Cujo. Cujo complied immediately and lay down beside the play yard.
"He's very protective of her," Owen noticed.
"He's her shadow," Derek nodded.
"Do you remember Rambo?" Owen asked him then.
"Your puppy," Derek remembered.
"Yeah. Well he was no longer a puppy when he passed away three years ago."
"I am sorry,"
"I miss him, but he was about to become the oldest dog in the world, so I had to accept the loss."
From there, as they sat at the table, the conversation diverted to work, which also allowed Meredith and Cristina to join in. When Owen started recounting their memories from Med School, he also accidentally and briefly mentioned Addison, Derek's ex-wife. The blooper was soon forgotten as they returned the topic to work. At one point, Meredith and Derek found themselves out of the conversation as Cristina and Owen were mostly talking to each other. They didn't mind it and were both satisfied to see the great bonding between their friends.
As Morgan stood quiet in the play yard and the spirits were cheerful at the table, neither of them noticed when almost three hours flew by.
"I will go check on Morgan," Meredith told Derek and stood up from the table. As she leaned over the play yard, Meredith was shocked with the view. Somehow, Cujo had jumped inside and he was now lying beside a sleeping Morgan. Other than that, he was also giving soft, caressing licks to her cheek. Meredith was more than impressed with the scene. She whispered to Derek and made a sign to the others to come.
"Aww," Derek chuckled. "He looks like he's licking his puppy."
"You made a great choice with the dog," Owen stated, also heart-warmed with the view.
Only when everyone gathered around them, Cujo stopped and looked up.
Cristina looked at them, being the only one unimpressed. "Do you want me to remind you what other places he cleans with his tongue?"
Everyone groaned. They didn't need a reminder though.
"As long as a dog is well-fed and good taken care of, he represents no danger to a baby," Owen replied knowingly.
"Ignore her," Derek chuckled as he patted him on the shoulder. "When she was little, her pet was an alien."
Cristina gasped outraged with Derek's comment and wanted to reply back, but she couldn't find the right words.
"Is he allowed to have fun instead?" she glared at Meredith for her previous scold.
"He paid you back," Meredith laughed.
Owen watched amused the scene and said to Derek, "I guess she's Meredith's friend only."
"Yeah. Well…" Derek wanted to make another sharp remark but he met Meredith's disapproving glare, so he stopped.
"I guess it's time for me to leave," Owen said. "It's late and tomorrow I have to be up early."
"Yeah, I will go too," Cristina replied quickly and Meredith smiled knowingly at her.
"It was nice meeting you, Meredith," Owen told Meredith. "I hope I will see you sooner than at the wedding. When is the wedding, by the way?" he asked her and Derek.
"We'll send you the invitation in time," Derek assured him.
"Right," Owen seemed to have understood that the date hadn't been chosen yet. "Alright then."
"I'll drive Owen to the hotel," Derek told Meredith.
Meredith glanced at her friend as if was asking her to do something wise.
"I could give him a ride," Cristina offered.
Owen looked more than pleased with the offer and Derek let out a chuckle when he saw the sheepish way Cristina was smiling and how she flirtatiously tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.
"Stop it, Derek," Meredith whispered to Derek, also hardly abstaining not to laugh.
"I have to… I have to take the flowers," Cristina stammered, smiling. She spun around and went to take her flowers from the kitchen, all these under Owen's enchanted stare.
"Don't worry," Derek told him. "She's not as dangerous as she looks."
Owen looked at him, confused. "She doesn't look dangerous at all."
"Oh. Then she's more dangerous than I thought," he muttered under his breath.
Meredith elbowed him. "Shut up again."
"That's ok," Owen laughed. "Derek and I never shared the same taste in women. No offense to you though," he apologized to Meredith.
Meredith just smiled and nodded.
Cristina returned with her flowers and also grabbed her jacket. "I am ready."
"Good night, Meredith," Owen told Meredith and then shook Derek's hand. "Oh, did you know that Hopkins offered me a job position?"
"They did? Are you considering their option?"
"I might," Owen stated and also glanced at Cristina.
"You could also visit Seattle Grace," Cristina cut in. "Talk to the Chief. Seattle Grace is ranked higher than Hopkins."
"Uh… thanks for the tip," Owen smiled.
"I will walk you to the door," Derek offered.
While Derek walked their guests outside, Meredith gathered the dishes and took them in kitchen.
"What's with Seattle? Why are so many people leaving New York for Seattle?" Meredith asked Derek when he returned.
"What do you mean?"
"You moved from New York to Seattle, I also moved from New York to Seattle, now Owen is considering a possible moving here."
"I don't know," Derek found her remark amusing. "It must be the ferryboats.
As Morgan gave signs of waking up, Meredith let Derek clean up the table and she went to pick up her daughter. She wanted to kiss Morgan but she realized she was about to kiss the cheek Cujo had licked, so she kissed her on one cheek only. Derek laughed when he saw that.
"Yeah," Meredith laughed too. "She smells like dog now."
Morgan let out a yawn and sleepily put her head down on her Mommy's shoulder.
"I will bring her some milk," Derek said.
Meredith took a seat in the couch and lay Morgan onto her arms, rocking her slowly. Morgan sleepily opened her eyes and looked into her Mommy's while she started sucking her fingers. Morgan was giving signs of restless so Derek came back in time with her bottle.
"Let me do it," Derek asked with a grin. "Please," he insisted pleadingly as Meredith didn't look willing to let her go.
"Ok," Meredith rolled her eyes. She took the bottle and let Derek take Morgan.
"Come to Daddy," Derek cooed at Morgan in his best baby voice. "How would you like some milk? Daddy brought it for you." He grinned back at Meredith. "I am sorry but I just love saying this word."
"I noticed," Meredith laughed and handed him the bottle.
Derek helped Morgan sit up in the position to be fed and a brought the nipple to her mouth. Morgan grabbed the bottle with both hands and started sucking the milk out.
"It just feels so… unique," Derek confessed.
"I know. The same thing happened to me," Meredith agreed.
She nestled beside Derek, wrapping her arms around his arm and placing her cheek on his shoulder as she watched Morgan eating.
"What visit was your mom talking about?" she asked, remembering the short conversation she had had with Carolyn over the phone earlier that day.
"She wants us to go visit her in New York. She wants you to meet the rest of my family."
Meredith lifted her head and looked at him, not very thrilled with the idea. "I am sure your sisters have a good impression of me."
"They don't know about you and Mark," Derek cleared that up. "Mom didn't tell them anything about Mark. I think she leaves this to our choice."
"So they shouldn't know?" Meredith asked.
Derek shrugged. "Mark will never admit it. Besides, if they know about Mark, imagine how awkward the reunions would be for all of us."
"You're right," Meredith nodded slowly. "But still… to your sisters, I am a single mom."
Derek smiled. "Nancy's first husband left her 2 months after Trisha was born. He wasn't ready to become parent. They divorced and Nancy got Trisha's full custody. 6 months later she met David and a year later, they got married and David became Trisha's father. None will judge you for being single mom."
Meredith was still not sure.
"They're not witches, Meredith," Derek laughed. He held Morgan's bottle with one hand only and wrapped his arm around Meredith. "You shouldn't be scared of them."
"Maybe I shouldn't but… Morgan is…"
"Old enough for a flight with the airplane," Derek anticipated her answer and made sure he disagreed.
"I don't know," Meredith sighed.
"Think about it. It doesn't have to be long. We would go there for a weekend only."
Meredith looked up at Derek and saw the hope in his eyes. "I will think about it."
"Good," Derek smiled. "I am sure Morgan can't wait to meet all her cousins; or at least some of them. She also needs to choose which of her aunts will be her favorite."
Meredith had to laugh as Derek made the whole visit sound so exciting. She had to admit that he was good at words; he always seemed to know what to say to make things easier.
Derek took her hand, more hopeful now. "So? What do you say?"
Meredith still looked a little reluctant.
"You met mom already and you also know how much she likes you and Morgan."
"I don't know, Derek," Meredith shrugged. "Morgan never flew with the airplane."
"Morgan hasn't done most of the things yet. It has to be a first time for her flight to New York," Derek pointed out knowingly.
"Can we take days off from work?"
Derek chuckled. "For a weekend? I think we can." He titled his head to a side and smiled infectiously. "Morgan would insist if she could talk."
Morgan chocked a little right in that moment, and spit the bottle up, curiously looking at the grown-ups. "See? She would tell you if she could," Derek laughed, kissing the top of Morgan's head and giving her the bottle back.
"Ok," Meredith gave in, a little more convinced now. "When are you planning the visit?"
"How about a month?" he suggested. "Morgan will be a little older and it gives us enough time to plan the trip."
Meredith smiled and nodded. She tucked her feet beneath her and leaned against Derek's arm. "What do you think Cristina and Owen are doing right now?"
"Do you mind if I don't think," Derek showed a grimace.
Meredith laughed and shook her head at his nasty thoughts. "I am sure they're still in the car. Driving," she added as Derek was ready to reply.
"He has strange tastes," he admitted. "Cristina is nothing like the girls he used to date in his teenager years."
"Do you think he will take advantage of her?" she asked, a little worried now.
"Does Cristina look like she can be cheated or abused?"
"Cristina has her sensitive spots as well," Meredith pointed out.
"Sure,"
"Everyone has. Even mom has one. She has a sensitive spot for Morgan."
"Ok, let's just stop with all this talk about Cristina. I had enough of her this evening."
"Do you want to talk about the wedding instead?"
Derek could not believe his ears. He stared at her, dumbfounded, shaking his head to be able to ask, "Whose wedding?"
Meredith smiled at his surprised expression. "Maybe about ours? We could talk about someone's else too, but we should get to know that someone first."
"Uh…" he cleared his throat, not believing that their wedding would come up into their conversation sooner than 10 years. "Ok. What do you want to talk about?" he asked and he wasn't afraid of a cancellation as Meredith didn't look like she was going to do that, judging from the sheepish smile on her lips.
"I don't know," Meredith shrugged. "We could choose a date first, a location. Maybe the guest list. Not much really."
"Ok," Derek chuckled. "Grab that notepad over there," he pointed to the table, already excited.
Meredith leaned forward and took the notepad off the table and a pen, returning to her previous position in the couch, rolling up the notepad. "Ok. I am ready."
"Ok, but you still get to choose the date."
"I am not sure," Meredith hesitated. "I was thinking we should wait for Morgan to be old enough. I want her to take part at the wedding."
Of course it couldn't have been this easily, Derek thought. He kept a smile on his face though and nodded. "Old enough means… until she turns… 30?"
"No," Meredith giggled. "You can breathe now," she laughed at his sigh of relief. "I am not planning on keeping you waiting for so long."
"Ok, then when do you think Morgan will be old enough?"
Meredith was unsure again. "When she will be able to walk… walk preferably without falling. When she could play the role of a flower girl. Maybe," she wanted to be sure he was ok with that too.
Derek's smile became even wider then and all his worries vanished. "She will be able to be a flower girl… one year from now. We're in mid February now."
"How about next summer?" Meredith suggested. "We could stand for big chances of good weather around June or July."
"June or July sounds great," Derek nodded.
Meredith noted down in the notepad the two months, saying, "We have time to decide which month and day."
"We do."
"Ok now… location?" she asked him.
Derek hadn't thought about that and he was still dazzled by the surprising topic at the moment. "I am not sure. I haven't had time to look for a location yet. Or think about one."
Meredith seemed to have a suggestion though. "How about your land?"
"The land. Yes," Derek agreed, impressed with her idea.
Meredith noted that down as well. "Guests list."
"You start," Derek told her.
"Ok," Meredith wrote down, "Mom… Claudia… Cristina… Izzie… George… maybe Dr. Bailey too. She seems like a nice lady."
"I think we should invite her," Derek agreed.
"Alex Karev, because apparently he is dating Izzie… and that would be all," she said and put the pen down.
"That's it?" he asked, not believing how few people she thought to invite to her wedding.
"Yeah, well… My dad is… not around… I probably have siblings I know nothing about. Mom didn't have any sibling, so I have no cousins."
"Other friends?" Derek asked. "From New York maybe?"
"Since I got pregnant… no. No friends left," she smiled sadly. Then she saw him doing what she hated the most; looking pitifully at her. "I am fine with having few people at my wedding. I must tell you that I don't want the event to be something big."
Derek's thoughts drifted quickly at Thatcher and the talk they had had the previous day. Apparently, he had done right not telling about their meeting as Thatcher was giving no sign of showing up in his daughter's life again.
"I've been through this already, so I don't think I want something big either," he stated. "We will also add my sisters, their husbands, mom on the list and I think this will be all."
"How about Owen?"
Derek let out a chuckle. "Only if Cristina invites him."
Morgan finished with her bottle, so she spitted it out. She leaned forward and slapped Meredith's notepad.
"Of course you're on the list too. You're the most important guest," Derek laughed. He took Morgan's hand and brushed his cheek against hers, kissing her. "She smells like dog," he made a face at Meredith.
"I know," Meredith laughed. "How about Mark?" she asked suddenly, letting her smile fade away.
Derek looked up. "Do you want him to come?" he asked her.
"Don't you?" she asked back. "I mean, I don't care if he comes or not but… he's your best friend. Or used to be your best friend. Aren't you going to choose a best man?"
Putting it that way, Derek realized he had no best man for his wedding and he wasn't ok with the idea of asking Mark to be his best man at the wedding; at least not after the recent events. They were still friends, but he wasn't sure how strong their friendship was anymore.
"I don't know," he said quietly, playing with the hem of Morgan's dress. "We have plenty of time to think about it."
Moments like this were making Meredith feel guilty and see how miserable Derek's life had turned because of her. Of course he would never consider it miserable, but still that's how she was seeing it at times.
Derek knew what she was thinking, so he took her hand and kissed it. "Did I tell you that Morgan has two cousins, only 2 years older than her?" Derek tried to distract her. "They are Kathleen's twins; Anna and Kevin." He successfully managed to distract her as he started telling her about Morgan's other cousins.
As Morgan started yawning, letting the grown-ups she wanted back to sleep, their evening also ended. Meredith took Morgan upstairs and had her ready for bed, while Derek stayed downstairs to clean up around kitchen.
Coming upstairs, he first checked on Morgan's room; everything was quiet and everyone was at its place; Morgan sleeping in her crib and Cujo sleeping down beside it. He went then into Meredith's room, finding the room empty but hearing the shower pouring.
Derek chuckled, thrilled with the opportunity. He swiftly unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it down in a chair, unbuckling his belt as he headed to the bathroom. He pushed his pants and boxers down to his ankles and stepped out of them, stepping into the shower then, behind Meredith.
"Let's pick up where we left it off this morning," he grinned, wrapping his arms around her body.
Meredith turned around and smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his head under the shower stream. Just now they were ready for a proper evening ending.