Meredith came down the stairs to a pacing Derek in the living room. He stopped and looked up at her, in her favorite purple sweater with the jeans that fit just right. She was fairly surprised at how her body had bounced back from pregnancy. Her hair was left down in it's natural state. His face lite up as he gave her a hug and a kiss. She was taken by surprise of his actions.
"Hello to you too," she chuckled.
"You're so beautiful," he said as he kissed her once more.
"What's wrong with you?" She said curiously.
"Nothing, just glad we have the night off to spend together," he said, hugging her tightly. The twins were four months old now, this was the first night they had gotten to spend alone in what felt like a century. The twins and Zoe were staying the night with Owen and Amelia while CJ and Scarlett were staying with Charlie's parents. They had missed them lately and she knew they would enjoy some time just the two of them away from their siblings.
"Derek Shepherd, would you stop acting so weird," she giggled as she hit his chest. He smiled when he heard the signature giggle. It was like music to his ears.
"Let's go," he took her arm and lead her to the car. He opened the door for her and she stepped inside the Cayenne. He got in and turned the radio on, they sat in a comfortable silence and he was turning down familiar roads and she was slightly confused when he parked his car.
"Come on," he smiled.
"Why are we at the hospital?" She raised her brow as she got out of the car.
"It's a surprise," he clutched his fingers that interlocked hers. She followed his through the hallways until they stopped at the nurses station.
"I'm confused," she admitted.
"Do you remember that day?" He said as he casually leaned against the counter.
"Derek, I barely remember what I had for dinner last night," she giggled, pregnancy brain had definitely turned into mom brain. He just laughed and shook his head.
"Well, we were walking past here, your eyes glued to this tablet," he held up the tablet that has a slight crack in it, a blue sticky note was attached.
"What does that say?" She asked as she reached for the tablet.
"Your hair was laying across your shoulders, a little darker than it is now which smelled like my favorite lavender conditioner, and you crashed into me," he said.
"Where we first met," she spoke with a smile as she was looking at the sticky note and her expression became confused.
"It just says M?" She asked.
"Hold on to it," he smiled, taking her hand and leading her through the hospital. They landed in the ER.
"This was the first time we got to work together, the first time we got to save a life together," he said as he lead her into the trauma room.
"Katie Bryce," she smiled at the memory, grabbing the second sticky note on the gurney. It had the letter I on it.
"Yes," he said as he took her and lead her into a stairwell and down to an OR room.
"This is the place I told you I wanted us to be friends," he smiled as she grabbed the third sticky note. This one had a W on it. They continued to walk around the hospital, finding all the sticky notes in the places that were special to them. The next one was at the OB wing. The room the twins were born in had a sticky note on it as well.
"You know, when you said it was time and the twins were brought into this world, My whole world changed in a way I never expected." He took her hand as he lead her down the street.
"Where are we going now?" She asked as they walked with their arms linked together. She knew exactly where to when they stopped just short of the place that had a bright green sign. They went inside the empty bar, the only person there was the owner.
"This was the first place I kissed you, the moment I knew you were someone I wanted to spend more time with," he admitted. She blushed slightly as she leaned up and kissed him.
"Derek Christopher Shepherd," she said as she was in his arms.
"Meredith Elizabeth Grey," he replied. He pulled away and she grabbed the twelfth sticky note.
"Come on, a few more left," he said as he walked her back to the car. They made a few turns into the familiar streets where they landed at her house. He lead her inside where there was a sticky note.
"This was where you asked me to stay and enjoy Scarlett's party, where I took you home from our first date and we made out forever until CJ came in and interrupted us," he chuckled slightly, and she did too.
"I remember," she nodded.
"One more," he lead her into the living room where there was a whiteboard in the middle of the room. A sticky note laying in the middle.
"This is my favorite, the place I saw you playing with Scarlett and Zoe. How Zoe smiled so brightly for the first time in years. The moment I realized I loved you and there was nothing more to it," he said, her eyes watered with tears.
"Unscramble the sticky notes, it's a hidden message," he nodded to the board. She slowly went over and started placing them on the board. She moved letters and letters around and she groaned in frustration.
"Help," she pleaded with him. He chuckled, walking over and placing a few in the right spots.
"Now, you can figure it out," he said as he stepped back again. He watched as she looked at it for a second, her hands moving gracefully as she unscrambled the message. She just giggled when she stepped back to read it. She turned to him, tears welling in her eyes.
"As I was thinking about everything that's happened recently, I've realized how strong and amazing you are. When something horrible and unthinkable happens, you don't freeze or panic. You move forward because you have seen worse, survived an unimaginable amount of bad things. It makes you who you are, it's one of the many strengths you have. It makes me love you. I never thought I'd find someone who I love again after Rose. Through all of our crazy fights, you still manage to show me that love still exists. I'm not going to get down on one knee, I'm not going to ask a question. I love you Meredith Grey, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you and our kids," he said as he held a gold band with a tiny diamond between his fingers.
"And I want to spend the rest of my life with you," she said as tears flowed down her cheeks. She took the ring and looked at it.
"It was my mother's," he said. She placed it on her ring finger and looked from the ring to his eyes. She smiled before leaning in to give him a longing kiss.
"It's perfect," she mumbled as she wrapped her arms around him and continued to kiss him. She knew about the ring for months now, she secretly waited for this moment for forever now.
"I was going to give this to you before the babies were born but I could find the right time with CJ's meningitis and then the shooting and Amelia's wedding. But I could wait any longer. I want you to be my wife forever," he kissed her once again.
"Zoe let it slip," Meredith smiled cheekily at him.
"That girl can not keep a secret," he laughed and shook his head.
"She was excited. I'm so glad she is warming up to me and she has been such a great big sister," she admitted.
"They all have been so great at being big siblings. CJ really surprised me," he said honestly.
"Me too. I think we are going to have an inseparable pair with him and Elliot," she chuckled.
"You wanna do something crazy?" He raised his brow at her.
"What?" She said cautiously. He smirked and went and grabbed a few blankets from her linen closet. He grabbed some candles as well and she followed him out the the car.
"Where are we going now, Derek Shepherd?" She questioned.
"You'll see," he smirked once again before turning the ignition and backing out of her driveway. The pair drove to the ferry docks and Meredith had a slight idea what he was doing. She was correct as they pulled into one of the ferries and road the short ride over to the island where their home was being constructed.
As the pulled down the driveway that still needed to be paved, you could see the house from the road. It was coming together quite nicely, the flooring sand walls had been put up, all that really needed to be done was the kitchen and bathrooms. Meredith's very large tub was on back order so it was taking them a while to get it shipped in. She was very insistent on the tub that cover her boobs and her knees at the same time.
"I can't believe we will be living here in a mother," she said in awe as he put the car in park.
"Have you talked to Alex about buying the house?" He asked.
"He says he wants it," she replied as she watched him get the supplies he had brought with them and went to the door. He unlocked it with the key had had and let themselves in. It was really dark, the electrical had been done but they didn't have the light fixtures in everywhere yet.
"What in the world are you doing Derek?" She blindly followed him to their bedroom which laid right in the exact spot he wanted next to the living room. The large bay windows showed a view of the mountains and was absolutely breathtaking. He just laughed as he began to make a blanket bed on the floor of their future home. He lit the candles surrounding the blankets and smiled at her. He turned the gas fireplace that they had installed on the side to put off more lighting for them and to keep them a little extra warm.
"Come here," he laid down in the pile of blankets and patted the floor next to him.
"Do I have to?" She groaned and he laughed. He grabbed her hand and pulled her down next to him.
"I'm so glad you are going to be my wife," he said honestly to her.
"Me too," she smiled in return and slowly started to kiss him. They were slow, passionate kisses that led to clothes being pulled over and bodies being shared. They were interrupted by a buzzing that came from Meredith's pants pocket.
"No," he tried to get her not to leave by holding on to her arm.
"It might be the kids," she frowned at him and he let go so she could grab it.
"Who is it?" He asked.
"Lexie?" She said with a look of confusion.
"Lexie?" He questioned as she answered the phone. He heard a loud baby scream as she answered and she quickly pulled the phone from her ear and put it on speaker phone.
"Hello?" She said almost in a panic.
"I really hate to ask but Mer please come help me," Lexie was in tears.
"What's going on?" Meredith quickly forgot what she was doing as she heard her sister.
"It's Braxton, he is just inconsolable and I've tried everything Mer. I can't do it," she cried. Mark must have been in surgery or something so she was alone with her new baby boy. He was only ten weeks old and definitely a screamer. He had colic very badly and she was struggling so much with postpartum. She hadn't been able to return to work yet due to the anxiety she suffered from leaving him with anyone else.
"I'm on my way," Meredith sighed and looked very apologetic at Derek, "I'm sorry Derek."
"Hey, it's ok. She's your sister. I get it," he said without a fight. Meredith was extremely grateful he was so understanding when it came to Lexie. Meredith had a soft spot for her, especially since she helped out so much with Scarlett when Meredith was dealing with the same thing.
