Chapter 14: Happy Birthday!

"Oops. I forgot my phone in the car. You go ahead Meredith, I'll be right in." Addison didn't wait for Meredith to respond. She turned and hurried away, leaving Meredith to make her grand entrance alone.

The familiar scent of peanut dust and stale alcohol met Meredith's nostrils before she even stepped through the threshold. She was so focused on maneuvering the door as carefully as she could, not wanting the bell that hung on the handle to bring attention to herself, that she didn't even notice the fifty plus pair of eyes on her.

"SURPRISE!"

Meredith's hand flew to her mouth as her heart rapidly drummed in her chest. She blinked her eyes, taking a few breaths as the sight before her slowly registered through her shocked mind.

Her friends, new and old, filled every nook and cranny of Joe's bar. Balloons of every color and size was inflated and positioned festively around the large room. A large banner proclaimed in glittered letters, Happy Birthday Meredith! Elaborate arrangements of flowers decorated the small round tables scattered throughout the bar and even adorned one end of the counter in the front. She noticed large trays of delicious food positioned on rented tables, and confetti replaced the old peanut shells and dust that usually covered the worn wooden floor.

Meredith didn't have time to speak or react before the first of the crowd approached her with a warm hug. Friends and acquaintances, familiar and not, took turns with kind greetings and sincere happy birthdays as Meredith weaved through the group. She smiled and muttered genuine appreciation and gratitude for the overwhelming celebration in her honor. Meredith was cordial and pleasant all the while her eyes searched for the familiar pair of blue ones her body ached for.

She saw almost everyone else from the hospital, but she couldn't spot Derek anywhere. Meredith excused herself from a group of older nurses she knew from when she first started her internship, when she noticed Mark, George, Alex, and Preston sitting at the bar.

Mark was the first to spot the approaching birthday girl and held his arms open for a warm brotherly hug.

"Happy birthday Kiddo."

"Thanks Mark." Meredith hugged him and looked over his shoulder at the rest of the group when she noticed Carwyn for the first time.

Her young daughter sat crossed legged on the counter in front of the other three men, intently working on ridding a small brown peanut of its dusty shell. After victoriously completing the complicated task, she eagerly ate the treat and looked up.

Her face immediately lit up when she saw her mom and she yelled out excitedly. "Happy birthday Mama! This is your party and I helped with the balloons!"

Meredith crossed over to the counter and swept Carwyn up in her arms, holding her tight in a hug.

"Thank you Carwyn. The balloons look perfect. You did such a good job."

Carwyn nodded seriously in complete agreement, causing the small group to break out in laughter at the self-assured four-year-old.

Meredith sincerely thanked the other men, especially Preston, knowing he was now extremely busy at the University.

Callie wobbled over to join them from the direction of the bathroom and the men evacuated their stools to make room for the two women.

Meredith quickly hugged Callie and the two made small talk about the delayed arrival of Baby O'Malley and how she and George anxiously expected a bundle of joy any day. Meredith did her best to focus on the conversation but couldn't help her gaze from wandering around the room, expecting a handsome man to pop out of nowhere and flash his dreamy smile.

Cristina and Izzie finally joined the group and Meredith hugged them both gratefully as well. Everything about the night was perfect. The food, the drinks, the decoration, even the company. But something was missing, and it tugged at Meredith's heart. Derek wasn't there.

Meredith excused herself from the group momentarily to get herself a drink of the birthday punch that sat next to the trays of food. She scooped the pink frothy beverage into a small plastic cup and silently hoped it was heavily spiked.

"Nice party. Your friends sure went all out for you. You must be really special."

Meredith's insides curled and she desperately struggled to keep her face rid of repulsion as the deep voice penetrated her private thoughts. She turned slowly and tried her most amiable smile as she attempted to sidestep the unwanted guest to rejoin her friends.

"You look beautiful tonight. Did you do something different to your hair?"

Meredith's mind went blank, unable to find anything appropriate to say back, so instead she just stared.

"I notice that boyfriend of yours is not here. I'm beginning to think you made him up." Mr. Luckabee smiled back amused, his dark eyes twinkling as they continued to linger on her accentuated curves.

Meredith avoided his gaze as she once again tried to step around him. "If you'll excuse me, my friends are waiting…"

"Oh of course, of course. I just wanted to personally wish you a happy birthday. And please… tell your friends thank you for inviting me."

Meredith nodded and began to make her escape, when the dark eyed man continued.

"…You know… I never would have been able to get out of the hospital in time if my new chief of surgery wouldn't have offered to stay late to finish some paperwork for me."

Meredith turned around slowly and met his cold gaze. Her stunned expression seemed to be what he was aiming for, so Mr. Luckabee continued.

"Are you acquainted with Dr. Shepherd? He's quite devoted to the hospital. Told me it was number one in his life. He practically made me come tonight, you know. Said I was new in town and I should get out." Mr. Luckabee shrugged, keeping his eyes intently on Meredith's unreadable green ones.

Meredith heard enough. She nodded curtly and turned back around to hurriedly join her friends across the bar.

She slumped on a stool and signaled for Joe. Screw birthday punch, she thought. This night called for tequila.

Meredith sat numbly at the bar. She listened to one side as Carwyn's small voice excitedly talked to Burke and George about the fun day she had shared with Uncle Mark. She turned the other direction and listened to Cristina and Izzie discuss a young boy who was a patient in for a needed heart transplant. She felt bad she wasn't enjoying the party like she should have been. She presumed her friends had put in a considerable amount of time and money into the occasion, but she couldn't get over Derek's absence. And the fact that it was deliberate only seemed to sting more.

"Hey, this is your party. You're not supposed to be sitting here sulking."

Alex stood beside her as he ordered his poison of choice from Joe.

"I'm sorry Alex. This is great. Amazing even. I know I don't look very grateful, but believe me I am. Thank you. You guys are the best. I still can't believe it all…"

Alex accepted his drink from Joe and took a long drink before turning back to Meredith.

"Don't thank me. No offense or anything, but there's only one person crazy enough to pull something like this off. He sure loves you."

Before Meredith could inquire further, Alex was gone. She sat and stared at her drink a moment, not fully comprehending what Alex just said. She played with her empty shot glass and considered ordering another one when Callie's voice drifted over her own thoughts.

"These flowers are beautiful. Where were they ordered from?"

It was Izzie who spoke up first. "Carrie Lashinger. Isn't she amazing? If I ever get married, I'm definitely having her as my florist…"

"What did you just say?" Meredith turned surprised and butted into the ongoing conversation.

Her friends all stared back confused and Izzie repeated what she had previously stated cautiously. "Carrie Lashinger is the florist. If I ever get…"

Recognition clicked inside Meredith. That was the name of the woman on the paper Derek unsuccessfully tried to hide from her one morning. The obviousness, that Meredith was to blind to see, was finally coming clear. She turned determinedly to Addison who had just joined the group.

"Addison!"

Addison's eyes grew large with fright. She just walked up and hadn't heard any of the discussion, and Meredith's accusing eyes made her shift uncomfortably. "Wh..what is it Meredith?"

"Who's idea was it for our girls day?" Meredith was now standing, her hands on her hips, her expression firm but not angry.

"Um… I plead the fifth." Addison smiled satisfied at her answer and folder her arms across her chest in response to Meredith's intimidating stance.

Meredith shook her head fast. "Oh no you don't! You are going to tell me or I'm going to tell everyone here what you told me about you and Mark and a certain incident of indecent exposure in Hawaii."

Addison's eyes grew large again and she dropped her hands to her side. "You wouldn't Meredith Grey!"

Meredith caulked her head to the side and raised her eyebrows in response.

"Fine." Addison sighed defeated. "Derek asked me to take you out for the day. But shopping and the beauty spa was my idea! He gave me his credit card and told me to max it. He wanted you to have anything and everything you wanted."

Everyone watched curiously as a smile spread across Meredith's face. "So, all this. This was Derek's idea?" She gestured around the room, unable to believe.

"Uh, ya. Who did you think did this? It's all he's been able to talk about for weeks. About how you deserve the biggest party ever and everything has to be perfect, and blah blah blah. It was getting rather annoying." Cristina rolled her eyes as she downed the rest of the beer she was working on.

Meredith was amazed, and still a little confused. He went through so much trouble to throw her her very first birthday party, but hadn't showed up himself. He'd chosen work over this? It didn't really add up.

Making up her mind, Meredith turned to Izzie. "Hey Iz? Would you mind making sure Carwyn gets home and tucked in? I have something I need to do. I might be a while. Don't wait up."

Izzie nodded and all four women looked at her confused until they realized where she was headed and nodded knowingly. Meredith again thanked them all and waved as she quietly slipped to the door and out into the dark night, unnoticed by the other guests of her birthday party.


Meredith walked quickly down the dark halls. It was late and she didn't pass any one as she made it to the surgical floor and turned towards Derek's office. His door was cracked open, sending a lonely light reflecting off the shadowed white tile. The other offices along the corridor were dark and locked up for the night. Derek was the sole occupant of the wing. She stepped quietly to his door and peaked in.

Her heart fell to her stomach when her eyes settled on his defeated form. He sat hunched at his desk, one hand propping his tired head up, the other tediously scrawling something with his pen across an open folder.

Meredith took in his disheveled appearance and tears filled her eyes. He looked broken and beaten. Dark circles lined his dull eyes, and new lines seemed to appear around his turned down mouth. He looked sad and alone and Meredith couldn't stand the pain he seemed to be feeling.

She pushed the door open and stepped in, standing timidly in front of his desk. Derek looked up startled, and a large grin slowly spread across his face. His eyes seemed to come alive and the lines around his mouth immediately disappeared.

Meredith slowly stepped around the desk and stopped a couple feet in front of him. Derek looked her up and down and shook his head in astonishment.

"Wow. You look…I mean… Wow." Derek kept his eyes on her, not bothering to hide the lust that was quickly growing.

Meredith blushed. She completely forgotten about her little makeover but smiled at Derek's obvious approval.

"Mer, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be across the street…enjoying your very first birthday party?" Derek tilted his head at her and winked.

Words couldn't express what was going through Meredith's mind, so she closed the remaining distance between her and Derek and took his face in her two hands and lowered her head to meet his. Her lips pushed against his softly at first, but quickly intensified as she pressed harder and forced her tongue into his mouth. She moved it skillfully around the warm inside, savoring the taste she had almost forgotten.

She heard Derek moan into her mouth, and she pulled away satisfied.

Derek slowly opened his eyes, not wanting the moment to end. "What was that for?"

Meredith smiled and sat softly on his lap, leaning against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her tiny waist. "That was thank you. Thank you for everything Derek. Today has been amazing… and I can't even believe…just thank you."

Derek smiled and nodded, running a hand through her soft hair.

"So, were you surprised?" Derek sighed, but still kept his smile. "Man, I wish I could have seen your face." Derek's eyes stared off, as if imagining the sight in his head.

"Why weren't you there Derek?" Meredith's mind raced with a million questions, but she settled on the most important.

"I'm so sorry Mer." Derek looked down, his smile completely gone. "I tried so hard. I had everything planned; finished my work early, made sure the OR board was set for the night. As I was getting ready to head over to Joe's to make sure the flowers and balloons had arrived and the caterer was on time, Mr. Luckabee found me and said it was imperative that these reports be finished tonight. I tried to get out of it, I was going to finish them tomorrow or later tonight… after the party even… but he was unyielding. He basically said if they weren't finished immediately, he'd go to the board to denounce my efforts as chief."

Anger swelled in Meredith's chest as she watched Derek rub his face frustrated. Her mind was completely made up about Mr. Luckabee. There was absolutely no denying that he had purposely tried to keep Derek away from her tonight.

Meredith took Derek's face in her hands once again, and smoothed his skin with her palms, as if trying to erase the pain and disappointment. She lowered her head again, and this time Derek met her eagerly with his hungry lips and kissed her hard and full of need.

Their tongues fought for power and Derek's hands began to wander. They slowly moved up Meredith's sides as she shifted on his lap, so she straddled him, a knee on each side of his legs. Her hands ran through his thick hair as things became more heated.

Derek's cold hands found the warm bare skin of her stomach causing Meredith to gasp in pleasure. Derek chuckled, their mouths still joined, as he moved his hands higher and higher until he found his target. Both hands moved over the full cups of her black lace bra, causing Meredith to arch herself against his hard chest. Her hands moved down to his pants as she desperately tried to undue his belt.

His belt was off, and Meredith went for his pants buckle as he pulled away from her mouth. "Wait."

Meredith sat back, wide eyed, unbelieving. "Serioulsy?!"

Meredith's flushed expression caused Derek to laugh out loud. "Yes, seriously. I want to give you your birthday present first."

"You've already done enough. Besides… finishing what you started could be considered a birthday present, right?' Meredith kissed Derek down his neck, sucking on his skin as her hands moved firmly across the zipper of pants, feeling how bad Derek really wanted her.

Derek moaned. "Of course, I want to finish what I started. But there's something I have to do first."

Derek stood from his chair, but Meredith kept her arms around his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist. She continued to kiss his neck and rub a hand through his hair as he crossed the room to a small closet and pulled out a large brown paper bag and folded plaid blanket.

Meredith saw that she wasn't going to get her way, so she sighed and reluctantly released her grip and slid down his body, so she was standing in front of him.

"Fine." She pointed to the paper bag he held. "Is that my birthday present?"

"Just hold on." He shook his head and tskd tsked. "Impatient, aren't we?"

He laughed when Meredith stuck her bottom lip out in a pout and grabbed her hand. "Come on."

Meredith was now curious, so she followed without objecting. Derek led her down the dark hall to the empty stairwell and they both began climbing the stairs. They remained silent, Derek eager about his next surprise, Meredith unsure of where they were headed. They reached the very top, Meredith hadn't even realized the stairs went this far, and Derek pushed open a large metal door that read Exit, in large letters.

Derek quickly glanced over his shoulder smiling, as he led Meredith out on the roof. He anxiously watched her face as she took in the sight. It was a rare clear night in Seattle and the bright stars nestled in the deep black sky. Derek led her further onto the roof until he found a spot he was satisfied with and briefly let go of her hand to spread out the blanket he brought.

Derek motioned for her to sit and when she complied, he took the spot next to her. She giggled as he eagerly opened the large sack. He couldn't contain his excitement and Meredith was falling in love with him all over again.

The first item Derek retrieved was a bottle of expensive champagne. He frowned when he held it up for her to inspect. "My plan was to chill this before I left for Joes, but that obviously was abortive, so I apologize. Tonight, we drink warm champagne."

Meredith grinned as he handed her the bottle to retrieve two plastic goblets from the bag and sat them aside on the blanket. He then turned back to Meredith.

"So, I wanted this night to be incredibly special. I thought, hmmm… maybe caviar, but immediately realized you are not a caviar kind of girl. And honestly, neither am I. I think it looks like fish bait. But I contemplated it for a while and finally settled on this…"

Derek reached again in the bag and this time pulled out a bag each of gummy bears and blue cotton candy. Meredith's favorite.

Meredith tilted her head back and laughed openly. She clapped her hands eagerly as she took the gifts from Derek. She placed them next to the bottle of champagne and jumped on Derek, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him long and hard on the lips. When she pulled back, she saw he was looking down affectionately in her eyes, and he began to sing. Softly and tenderly.

"Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to my Meredith. Happy birthday to you."

Meredith sat back with tears in her eyes. It was the first time anyone had ever sung her the birthday song and she couldn't believe how good it felt. Right in that moment, she never felt happier. Not in her entire life. She didn't think things could get any better. She opened her mouth to thank Derek, again, for everything, but stopped when she noticed his expression had gone from childlike anticipation to a sudden uncertain nervousness.

She studied his face as his blue eyes darkened and noticed his hands fidget with something in his pocket. She furrowed her brows inquisitively, but remained quiet, seeing he was about to say something.

"Meredith. I have one more gift for you. It's not really a birthday present. I bought it a while ago… but things just kept going wrong… and I kept messing up. It was never the right time to give it to you." Derek paused and took a deep breath. "I know things aren't perfect between us. And I know I can be a complete ass sometimes… But I promise Mer, that I'll do my best to love you with every ounce of my being. To protect you from the cruel world and be your knight in shining armor."

Meredith's eyes grew wide, and her breath caught in her throat. "Derek, what are you…"

She stopped mid-sentence as Derek got up on one knee and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a small black velvet box, causing Meredith to gasp.

Derek's eyes filled with tears as his voice became raspy. "Meredith, I love you more at this moment than I did when I first fell in love with you… and I never thought that'd be possible. You are the woman of my dreams…and I know that I don't deserve you… and I can't believe I even have the audacity to ask…but there isn't anything else that would make me happier than to grow old with you by my side. I want to have a dozen more little Carwyn's with you. Meredith Grey… Will you marry me?"

Tears streamed freely down Meredith's cheek and her hands shook. "Yes!" Meredith immediately blushed with how loud and eager the word popped out. She took a breath and lowered her voice, calmly repeating her answer. "Yes."

Derek's anxious face split in half with a large grin and he laughed out loud, pulling Meredith up beside him. He kissed her hard than pulled back to look at the elated expression on her face as he gently took her left hand and slid the beautiful diamond on her finger. They both stared down and marveled at how perfect it fit, before looking back up and meeting each other's gaze.

Derek placed his hand softly on the side of her face and pulled her close. His lips met hers with tenderness that quickly turned urgent as her mouth opened allowing his tongue entrance. He carefully laid her back on the hard surface covered by the blanket and delicately lifted her shirt over her head, not once breaking eye contact. Derek's shirt immediately followed as they wrestled with each other's pants. Meredith was able to discard his black dress pants with ease, but her jeans were not as simple. Derek quickly grew impatient and started yanking on the zipper, causing Meredith to move her mouth away from the soft skin on his chest.

"You better be careful…those jeans cost you over two hundred dollars."

Derek laughed and bit at her skin just above her bra as the zipper finally complied and he slid the article of clothing out of his way. He hovered over her a minute, taking in the ivory skin that stood in contrast to the black bra and panties. Her breathing was fast, and her green eyes were dark and pleading.

Meredith moved her small hands to his waist and slowly pulled down his boxers, displaying how hard and ready he was for her. Her hands moved over the stiff warm skin, causing Derek to shutter and moan approvingly. He slid his own hands to her thong and expertly slid it off with one hand while the other ran up her thigh and his fingers gently entered her, feeling for himself how ready she was as well. He moved his hand expertly in and out as his tongue traced circles down her neck and into the valley of her breasts. Meredith shifted momentarily to rid herself of the last remaining lingerie and called out in pleasure as Derek took the newly freed skin in his mouth.

They teased and rubbed and kissed until neither could take it any longer. "Derek…please." Meredith whispered between gasps and Derek willingly complied her urgent plea.

He slid inside her with ease. The awareness of feeling complete and whole was immediate as he thrust himself slow and hard. Meredith's nails dug in the skin of his firm shoulders and she bit her lip to keep from calling out. The motion increased in intensity, till both were sure they'd pass out from the pure pleasure of the sensation. They both climaxed at the same moment, clinging tightly to one another, sweaty skin pressed together welcomely.

Meredith shivered as a cool night wind quietly passed over them and Derek wrapped his arms around her protectively. They didn't speak and they didn't move. They only continued to stare into each other's eyes in amazement, rushed warm breaths mixing into one. Feeling more content and in love at that moment, then ever before in their entire lives.