Meredith and Derek had the next day off and they slept in, late into the morning. When Meredith did wake up, she turned in Derek's arms and kissed him softly on the lips.

He opened his eyes and looked at her lovingly. "Morning."

"Morning," she said. She dropped her eyes. She needed to tell him something. Last night, after he had fallen asleep, she had stayed up and thought. She had thought about the house and their lives. And she had decided that maybe she was scared. But she had also decided, with firm recognition, that she loved him and she wanted to build the house. More than anything.

She rested her head on his chest. She let out a long breath. "I think I am scared," she said finally.

He looked down at her. "Of what?" he asked softly.

"Building a house," Meredith replied, her face hidden in his shirt.

Derek was quiet for a while, but he didn't pull away from her like she feared. He rubbed her back gently and kissed the top of her head.

"Are you mad?" Meredith asked. She pulled back from him and looked into his eyes. He didn't look mad. He looked thoughtful.

"No. I'm not," he said and leaned forward and kissed her softly on the lips. "It's okay to be scared."

Meredith glanced down. "It is?"

Derek smiled at her. "Yes." He was quiet again. "I'm a little scared too."

Meredith looked back up at him, her eyes full. "You are?"

He nodded. She nodded too and tucked her head under his chin, taking a deep breath. "This doesn't mean I don't want to do it," she said. She didn't want him to think she doubted their forever.

She felt his chin move against her head as he nodded. "I know. Same here."

She smiled. "Good." She looked up at him. He kissed her softly. "I love you," she said into his lips.

"I love you too," he answered, pulling her tightly against him and kissing her deeply.

xxx

Later that day, Meredith and Derek went for a long walk. Meredith felt much better having told him her fears. She knew he understood. But now, knowing it was okay to be scared, Meredith wasn't scared anymore. She felt herself getting excited. She pictured what it would look like. The kitchen. The nursery. The bedrooms. She was falling in love with the idea.

"I think we should have a blue door," Meredith said suddenly as they walked.

Derek laughed and looked at her. "Blue?"

Meredith smiled at him. "Yeah. Like in the Notebook."

"As I recall," Derek said. "That house also had blue shutters."

Meredith gasped. "You watched the Notebook?" she asked as if it were the end of the world.

"Not voluntarily," Derek said. He pointed at her accusingly. "You made me watch it."

Meredith laughed. "Oh yeah."

He pressed a kiss to the side of her head. She stopped walking and turned to him, looking up into his eyes. "You know," she said, placing her hands on his chest. "In that movie, Noah built the house with his bare hands." She kissed him softly. "I think you should do that."

"In your dreams." Derek leaned in and kissed her again, wrapping his arms around her waist. "And anyway, he didn't build it. He fixed up an old house."

Meredith laughed. "You do know that movie so well. I'm starting to wonder if you secretly watch it when your alone."

Derek smiled. "Nope."

"Oh my god, you so do."

"I do not."

"You're blushing."

"It's hot."

"It's April."

"Exactly."

Meredith laughed an leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder. He rubbed her back gently and pressed his face into her hair. "You so do," she said softly after a while.

"I do not."

xxx

That afternoon, Christina came over to Meredith's house. She found in the kitchen. "Hey," Meredith greeted her as she walked in.

"Hey," Christina said. She sat down on a bar stool.

"What's up?" Meredith asked, reaching into the fridge and pulling out the bread. Her knew obsession was a pickle and ketchup sandwich.

"Burke wants you guys over for dinner," Christina said.

"Okay," Meredith said.

"And charades," Christina added sullenly. "He's inviting Izzie, Alex, and Bambi too."

"What's so bad about charades?" Meredith asked, smearing ketchup over her bread.

"I hate it," Christina said.

"Why? Because you always lose?" Meredith said with a smirk.

"I don't lose I just..." Christina sighed. "Yeah, okay I lose."

"And you hate losing."

"What is this? Therapy?" Christina asked, clearly annoyed.

Meredith put the pickles on her bread carefully. "I'm just saying."

Christina watched as Meredith took a bite of her sandwich. "That's disgusting."

Meredith scowled as she chewed. "Shut up," she said. Meredith walked over and sat down next to Christina. "So guess what?"

Christina looked at her. "What?"

"Derek and I are building a house," Meredith said. She couldn't help but smiling.

Christina opened her mouth slightly but no words came out. She looked at Meredith. "Seriously?" she finally managed.

Meredith nodded. "Seriously."

Christina nodded and was silent for a moment. "That's really great, Meredith."

Meredith put down her sandwich, caught off guard by the sincerity in Christina's voice. "Thank you." She looked away from Christina for a second. Her mind wandered from Derek, to their baby, to their house. "What if I mess it up?" she asked softly.

Christina turned to her, her eyes full. "Do you really love him?"

Meredith nodded. "I really, really do," she said her voice shaking slightly. She had never been so sure of anything in her life.

"Then you won't," Christina said simply.

Meredith smiled. She believed her friend. And for once, she believed in herself. "So," she said, letting out a breath. "When's Burke's game night?"

Christina scowled. "Tomorrow night."

xxx

That night, Meredith and Derek lay in bed together. His hand was resting lightly on her stomach. After a while, he pulled her closer to him. "I'm glad you told me that you were scared," he said quietly, absentmindedly, tracing patterns on her stomach.

She smiled. "You are?"

He nodded and looked into her eyes. "Of course I am."

"But you know what?" she said.

"What?" he asked.

"I'm not scared anymore."

He smiled brightly at her. She turned on her side and moved close to him, pressing a kiss to his lips. He let out a soft moan and wrapped his arms around her waist. She kissed him again, deeper this time. Suddenly, Meredith gasped. Derek looked up at her, startled, his eyes filling with worry. "What? What is it?" he asked.

She grinned up at him. "It moved! I felt it move!" she said breathlessly.

His worry immediately faded into excitement. He pressed his cheek to her stomach. "There it is again!" she said. But Derek didn't answer, he was waiting with all his might, a proud smile lighting up his face.