"Daddy, daddy catch me!"

Derek turned as Ellis ran into his arms. Her giggles rang through the air on the ferryboat.

It was perfect. The weather was classic Seattle. The water was so blue. It was the most perfect ferry boat ride he had ever been on. He was with his family and the love of his life. It was everything he could have ever wanted.

"I got you baby," Derek picked her up and pecked her cheek several times as he noticed Bailey run to him the same path Ellis had just come from, "Bailey are you trying to catch your sister?"

Bailey giggled as he avoided Derek's grasp and ran towards the railing. His arms enveloped the railing and he leaned his chin as he stared out into the blue water.

"Dad, why do you like ferry boats so much?" Bailey called out.

Derek sighed, "Well,-"

"Daddy!"

Derek turned his head towards the familiar voice. Zola skipped over and embraced him on the opposite side Ellis was. Derek placed an arm around her and kissed the top of her head.

"Where's your momma?"

"She's sitting on the benches," Zola motioned to the benches behind them.

Meredith sat facing her family with her eyes closed. She looked so peaceful. It was a look she very rarely carried but when she did, it was in the purest of moments.

Ellis tucked her head between Derek's neck and shoulder. The five-year-old was tired from all the playing with her siblings. Derek kissed the top of her head before whispering, "You want to stay with your sister? I promise she'll protect you from Bailey."

Bailey snapped his head to look at his father, "Hey!"

Derek laughed, "Promise you won't chase your sister away and I'll let you be Zola's second-in- command"

Zola laughed, "I don't need an assistant daddy."

Bailey turned his head back to the water and leaned his chin against the rail again. Zola skipped over to stand next to him as Derek put Ellis down. She walked over to stand next to her siblings and stood on her tiptoes to look over the ocean.

"Don't lean in too much! Be careful!" Derek called out before stuffing his hands back into his coat and turned back to walk towards Meredith's spot.

Meredith felt his footsteps approaching and opened her eyes. At the sight of her husband, she smiled. He leaned in to kiss her briefly before sitting next to her.

"You okay?" Derek asked as he stretched his legs in front of him, "You're sitting here all by your lonesome, I thought you could use some company."

Meredith giggled. She wrapped her arm around his and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"I'm just a little sleepy is all," she responded lazily.

"Hmm," Derek hummed. He leaned his cheek against the top of hers as he kept his eyes on his children.

"Do you remember when we would ride the ferryboat? Just you and me?" Meredith sighed, "Before the kids. Before our post-it. Before everything."

Derek kissed her head, "I do."

"Do you think that Meredith would believe she'd be riding the ferryboat with you as her husband and with three kids."

Derek laughed, "No she would not."

Meredith giggled and raised her head to kiss his cheek.

"Zozo is so tall," Derek observed in awe.

Meredith hummed as she placed her head back on his shoulder, "She's going to be so tall. She'll tower over us by the time she's in high school."

Derek chuckled.

"Bailey is starting to look more like you," Meredith said, keeping her eyes closed.

"You think so? I still think he looks just like you."

"It's his hair," she chuckled, "You say that because of his hair but I promise you he's slowly developing into a mini-Derek. We may have to start calling him by his first name soon."

They both laughed.

"Look at Ellis tiptoeing to reach over the railing like Bailey and Zo," Derek observed.

Meredith opened her eyes to look at her children. All three of them standing directly in front of them pointing at some obscure object in the distance. She could hear the enthusiasm in their voice from the spot she sat in.

"They're so perfect." she whispered as she closed her eyes again. She could hear their laughs and feel Derek's breathing from where she sat. There was a calmness around her as she sat on the ferry boat free from all the daily troubles and routines. It was calmness she always seemed to be chasing but had never truly found until she had this family. This brilliantly loud, perfect family.

"I love you."

Derek's declaration pulled her from her thoughts. It was so soft. So quiet, almost like a whisper to the wind that she had barely even heard it. She lifted her head to look at him. He turned and smiled. That smile he so often gave her that she just couldn't resist. The one that made her want to grab him and kiss him because his eyes would glance down to her lips then back to her eyes. The one with the sparkly eye thing.

"You've given me everything I've ever needed," he whispered again.

Meredith smiled and leaned in to kiss him.

A long time ago, he had told her she was like coming up for fresh air. Little did he know, he was the one who saved her from drowning.

Author's Note:

I saw on post on the inter-web about how we were robbed from a ferryboat scene...gotta tell ya, I've never felt so upset.

So I wrote it with some inspiration from season 17. Also I listened to Breathe Deep by Sleeping at Last while I wrote this...highly recommend it.

Not me adding another chapter! Okay but seriously, thanks for reading. The reviews, kudos, and all that jazz keep me going!