Hello, this chapter focuses a little more on Owen and Amelia, but I hope you enjoy it. Their story is important in this fic too. Also you can expect some Maggie's iconic awkwardness. xD Don't worry, there's MerDer too and plenty of them is coming soon! Derek is getting better, slowly and steadily.

Chapter 7: Blessing from her older brother

Meredith's POV:

You really like the rehab center. The physical therapists do exercises with Derek everyday, sometimes they sit him up with the necessary support and sometimes wheel him around the center in the wheelchair. They offer him various stimuli, some of which you brought from your household. His room is filled with various colors and they make him touch different fabrics like his navy shirt – one of Derek's favorites, your old bathrobe, denim, leather jacket and also materials like wood, steel or rubber gloves. They try to make him familiar with various smells and you are sure about the fact that he recognizes your smell. Because whenever you walk into his room, even if his eyes are closed, he smiles contently. He also started to reach for your hand when you come closer. And when you come with Zola and Bailey, it's clear he recognizes their specific voices. The kids often just play in his room when they are here, but Derek obviously likes watching them and listening to them. Once when you were in the room with him and Alex was coming with the kids, Derek heard a chatting Zola in the corridor and he immediately sat up in the bed awaiting her and Baiey.

You come here everyday if no unexpected situation arises. You are finally feeling optimistic, because you feel like Derek learns something new everyday. He gradually gains consciousness and awareness and he reacts to requests. "Hey Derek, can you sit up? Barry will take you to the shower." He simply replies: "Yes," because he's also been training with a speech therapist and he already says simple words like Yes, No, Hey, Mer, Zozo, Bay. He also verbaly identifies body parts like arm, leg (this one is especially painful because it doesn't look like his legs will be of any use to him), face and some more. A few days ago you pointed at the brain scan decorating his room and you said: "Brain." He nodded with a smile: "Brain."

The nurse takes him to the shower in the wheelchair and after they finish, you go help him put on his clothes. "Derek lift up your arms," you say and then dry his chest and back with a towel and put on his T-shirt. Derek's muscles are far less defined, because he'd just been lying in bed a few weeks and he also lost weight because all the energy received in nutrition went to his brain. Body is smart in that way. His head is still bald. You miss his black curls but the open blue eyes make up for that a thousand times. Seeing and touching Derek's limp legs is painful for you, but you put on his socks.

Barry helps him with his sweetpants because even though Derek is thinner he's still no lightweight. Helping him when he cannot stand or lift his legs or anything is physically demanding and really no job for a woman. It would be dangerous for both you and Derek especially since there is quite a bulge beneath your shirt now. People can see you're pregnant and many of them act happy and supportive, but you also meet a lot of pityful stares. You hate those and you want to kill everybody who dares to look at you that way. Derek now looks at everything with wonder, even the things that are clearly familiar to him. You think the loving, fascinated gaze he directs at Zola and Bailey is the most amazing. Unusual things continue catching his gaze too and even though he cannot really voice his interest, he definitely suspects there is something different about you. You feel he always looks at you questioningly.

You are 12 weeks along and your baby is supposedly a size of a lime now. Anyway, you have a little protruding baby bump now. You run into the rehab center soaked from the downpour outside. The wet jacket is sticking to your body everywhere and your round belly seems even more prominent. "Hello Derek," you greet him in a hurry, taking off the jacket and drying your hair with the towel from Derek's bathroom. Out of the corner of your eye you see he is propped up with pillows, looking at the TV screen. "What is on?" It's not like Derek answers, but he seems to comprehend what is happening in the program and what you are asking. He nods towards the screen and you see what looks like a documentary about horses. "Do you like horses, Derek?" But he doesn't reply "Yes" or "No" or whatever short word he often uses these days. "Derek?" you try again and then you catch his gaze fixed on your midsection. You are dressed in the fitting pullover now and Derek looks mesmerized. "Like what you see?" you smile playfully. Altough you told him about the baby before, there's probably no chance of him remembering it. He doesn't reply, 'cos it's probably too much for him to comprehend now. You sit down next to your husband and you hold his hand. You are not sure he understands, but you still tell him: "I love you." Derek smiles. It's a loving smile, you think.

...

2 weeks later:

Amelia's POV:

"No, Owen! You are pulling your chief rank on me! I can work just fine!" you hate this. You are starting your second trimester now and Owen wants you to take it easy and work less, but you really don't feel like slowing down yet.

"You might hurt yourself."

"Owen, you're ridiculous! I feel good, I wanna work while I still can see my feet and I'm comfortable enough! What would I even do if I cut back my hours?"

"Maybe rest, get ready for a baby..."

"You are horrible! I told you I feel good and I need to do something."

You love Owen, you love how caring he is, you love the spacious apartment he found for your future little family, pancakes he makes for you and his ways of comforting you, sometimes just silently holding you when you need that and sometimes being all goofy, singing, dancing and making grimaces. You hate how overbearing he is though. Today you succesfully performed 3 surgeries and you are still on surgery high. With the beginning of the second trimester you feel a boost of energy and the feeling when you see Derek is just amazing. He's nowhere near healed, he still has a very long recovery ahead, but you are excited about his smiling face and his few short words.

You take your patient's chart to the nurses station and munch on the banana. You are afraid you're out of snacks today, already having eaten a chocolate bar, an apple, saltines, a turkey sandwich and crackers in between surgeries. "Hi Maggie!" you tell the younger doctor you've come to think of as a sister through Mer. "Hey Amelia, are you finished for today?" She asks when she sees you putting down the chart, releasing your hair from the hairband and taking off your labcoat.

"Oh yeah, almost done. I have three days off starting now. We can't wait to just sit down and do nothing!"

"Uh, Owen said that?"

"No, I just decided that," you roll your eyes. By we you didn't really mean you and Owen, more like you and your baby. You rub your round, 15 weeks pregnant belly affectionately.

"Huh, sure," for whatever reason, Maggie doesn't seem as sure as she says. "I just mean...uuuh...maybe he wants to do something with you?" Maggie's rambling is classic, but her uhs and huhs kinda annoy you right now.

"Like what?" now it's really weird.

"I don't know, I just...I think he apprecites you. As the mother of his child and...he might want to do something with you. Like...I think I overheard...maybe take you out? You wouldn't appreciate a fancy dinner? Wouldn't you like to dress up?"

"Seriously?" Maggie sounds even weirder than normal (you love her though, in this weird way) and even if you did want to dress up, you've gained weight and none of your formal clothes would fit. And you really have no desire to clothe your round 15 week bump in anything uncomfortable. You still get a little sad Owens's plans might have to change.

Owen's POV:

You hide the box with the ring in your pocket and step into Derek's room at the rehab center.

.

"Good morning. Shepherd's proposing."

"Congratulations, that's a big step."

"Thanks. You're just gonna tell everybody now?"

"You need advice. Hunt, you've ever proposed before?"

(Mark, Owen, Derek, 5x14 Beat Your Heart Out)

.

"Hi Derek. How are you today?" you greet your bald friend with a smile.

"Good," comes his short apt answer. Staying at the center is really doing him good. The peaceful atmosphere, the ability to go outside and get some fresh air, more activities...those definitely help him. Of course, the presence of Meredith and the kids has the most positive effect.

You have proposed twice before – to Cristina and to Beth a long time ago, but you wish so badly it would work out this time with Amelia. You really hope the third time is the charm. And you want to do it right.

.

"She spooks easily. I have to fire the right time, the right way..." (Derek, 5x14 Beat Your Heart Out)

.

"Derek, I want to ask you something. Since you are the man of the Shepherd family, I wanna know...," you take a deep breath. "I love Amelia, I really do and I want to marry her." You take the box out from your pocket and show the ring to Amelia's brother, "Do I...have your permission? Can you give me your blessing?" you talk slowly and articulate carefully, so it's easy for Derek to understand. You wait patiently for him to comprehend everything.

.

"I think I'm falling in love with Owen Hunt. I'm really afraid it's going to destroy me."

„It wouldn't be love if it didn't."

(Amelia, Derek, 11x18 When I Grow Up)

.

He pats your back and smiles. "Good," he makes a short pause, "Good luck." You are completely happy with his answer, but Derek surprises you. "Don't dare hurt her," even Derek surprises himself by managing to put together so many words but the protective brother in him is apparently stronger than any speech problems. He smirks though and you think it all just might work out.

Amelia and Meredith are working back in the hospital right now and Maggie's here with you. She hadn't seen Derek for some time because she had quite a load of work in the past two weeks and didn't have much free time to visit him here. She's excited about the changes in Derek's state Mer mentioned and she really wanted to see for herself.

"Hello guys," Maggie walks into the room after returning from the cafeteria and she spots the open box next to you. "Oh gosh, you're gonna propose to Amelia. I'm so happy for you and her!" she's beaming and she envelops you in a hug. "How you're gonna do it?" you're not sure yet, but you guess Maggie doesn't really care, she just goes on excitedly. "And when? I guess it makes sense since Amelia is..." you throw a death glare her way and mouth: "Quiet, quiet, quiet," repeatedly. Derek doesn't know and you and Amelia should tell him together. And the reason he doesn't know yet is because you didn't want to just blurt it out for the sake of Meredith. She should tell him of their third baby first, when he's alert enough. Maggie realizes in the last moment and puts her hand on her mouth. "Oh, Owen, I'm sorry!" Derek looks a tad confused, but he quickly reverts his attention to something else. "But you know Maggie, you could help me with something," you say. "Oh, I...I'm terrible with secrets!" really, you should have realized it's not the best idea.

Amelia's POV:

You are at home after the conversation with Maggie – well, at Derek"s and Meredith's house you are soon moving away from, and Owen comes.

"Sorry. I'm sorry, this would be...like the closest to fancy I can do right now," you gesture towards the three quarter maternity jeans you recently bought because you really can't wear any of your normal pants now and the loose shirt covered with colorful flowers.

"You don't have to wear anything fancy Amelia," Owen laughs and you curse Maggie's rambling you were freaking up about for the past 2 hours or so.

"Oh, great. So am I ok like this?" you ask.

"You are perfect like this."

You ride in the car together and Owen stops in front of the building your new apartment is in.

"I wanted to spend time with you here and show you something."

Owen's POV:

You really wanted to do this here. Ask Amelia to marry you at the place where the rest of your life is about to start. You are moving here in the upcoming month and you asked to use the beautiful terrace on the roof of this building today. When you said you wanted to show Amelia something, you gripped the box with the ring in your pocket. "But at first let's eat," you have to feed your two biggest loves. And food will surely score you bonus points with Amelia. You heat up the lasagne you cooked and then bring the cake. You cut the pieces for Amelia and for yourself and watch as she takes the strawberry from the top of her piece and savors it first. Then she's about to attack the cake with the fork, but her hand freezes mid-air as she sees the shiny ring the strawberry was hiding. "Oh my god!" It might be the biggest cliche ever, but you are just happy it worked out. Or not?

Amelia's POV:

You put your hand on your mouth. "Sorry," you swallow hard thinking you might throw up. But then you drink some water, gulp and Owen looks a little dejected. "Sorry! Owen, I'm sorry, I just didn't expect..."

Did I misread the sign? Your hand slipped into mine
I wasn't expecting that

(Jamie Lawson - Wasn't Expecting That)

"Will you ask or what?" you chuckle and take a hold of his hand.

Owen's POV:

Your confidentiality is back and taking the ring to your other hand you say: "Amelia, there's one more thing you can do to make me the happiest man on Earth. Marry me. I wanna make you the happiest woman," you finally get down on one knee and Amelia smiles mischievously. "Oh, I will."

What will happen next? I'd love to read your feedback, opinions on this chapter, ideas and suggestions! Btw, I hate that the cover picture doesn't showed, it was ok for a few days and then just stopped appearing. Could they hide it because it's like...rights' violation or something?