As Derek drove towards the city, he thought back to the conversation he had earlier with Meredith. They certainly had to deal with some tough obstacles in the past. "It has only made us stronger though," he said in his mind. They knew how to make it work, life throws many obstacles and they figured out how to work some of the most difficult.
Derek then turned and looked at his wife. He really did love her; he couldn't love anyone else. He felt so lucky and thankful to have her by his side for life. Let's face it; he hadn't been so lucky in the love department before he met Meredith. Fate brought him to that bar that night and into her house afterwards. Fate has helped them out.
He had a wonderful restaurant picked out to take her to. Chez la' amour sounded dirty but it was really a ritzy restaurant right near the ferryboats. It was their restaurant; Meredith loved it. He knew that she felt real down lately with the hormones and was very uncomfortable being closer to the due date. He would do anything to make her happy. Especially after all she has had to deal with in the past couple of years.
"Meredith, how you feeling?" Derek asked as Meredith put her hands on her belly?
"I am alright, she's just moving again. I think she's hungry, she's telling mommy that she needs to be fed. Preferably a steak with a baked potato on the side?"
Derek answered, "I think that can be arranged. If my two best girls want a steak, then daddy will get them a steak." He smiles towards his wife and grabbed her hand.
Yea, he picked the right place.
Two years ago, he'd think he was dreaming if someone said he'd be here tonight. That was when his ex-wife Addison decided to make an appearance. That was a complete nightmare for Derek and Meredith. In fact, the situation was a nightmare for the entire staff of Seattle Grace. Addison was like a pain that won't leave.
One of the first things that Addison did was tear Meredith and Derek apart, or at least attempt to. Things were very different between the two for a few months and it drove Derek crazy. It hurt Derek to not be able to hold Meredith; she was his silver lining, his answer to the pain, his angel. He could finally forget all the pain in his life when he was with Meredith. Life was not worth living without her. He needed her like the flowers need water. Tears were an everyday occurrence when Addison showed up.
He remembered one night when he wished he didn't exist.
"Meredith, please just talk to me for awhile. I need to talk to you. I don't love Addison, she hurt me in ways that on one had done before. I came here for new scenery, yet couldn't forget it all. Then I met you. You made me, me again. You brought the sun back into my life. I love you Meredith and I want us to be us again," Derek pleaded down the hall not caring if anyone overheard.
"Derek I am so sorry that you hurt like that. I can't forgive you for hurting me. Now you know how I feel Derek. I had so many dreams for us Derek, of little babies and white picket fences and a dog playing with our children in the front yard. You already have wife and she wants you. I love you more than anything Derek but I can't forgive you. Not yet," Meredith cried out. With that, she briskly walked away towards a place where she could cry freely.
Derek felt so crushed, he cried himself to sleep that night. It takes a lot to make a grown man cry.
Derek and Meredith avoided each other for another few days until a night when Meredith's fell apart even more.
Derek was at the doctor's station when he got a page from Bailey. A 59 year old collapsed at her nursing home and was unconscious. He rushed down to emergency and immediately knew it was Ellis Grey. He was the one in charge of telling Meredith.
He saw her heading towards the emergency with Izzie, George, and Christina.
"Meredith," he began "before you hear about the patient, I need to tell you first and please don't run." He said. "Meredith, I hate to tell you this, but it is your mother. She's collapsed. Evidently, the nursing home couldn't get a hold of you, so they just brought her here. Meredith I am so sorry," Derek said as his heart broke for her.
"Derek, I can't do this anymore. I can't handle it!" she screamed as she collapsed in his arms, crying. "I don't care who sees me, just please hold me!"
"Anything Meredith, anything." Derek said as he ran his fingers through her hair.
A few minutes but what felt like hours, Derek and Meredith went in to see what they could do. It turns out, there was a tumor on the part of Ellis' brain near where the Alzheimer's was the most prominent. Derek promised Meredith that he would perform a miracle on her mother; he wanted to do the surgery.
He succeeded in saving Ellis' life and that night Meredith and he had a long talk. They had dinner over at his house; Derek prepared a steak for Meredith, knowing she loved them.
They had a long talk about the past few months and they came to a conclusion that they both truly missed each other. There were a lot of tears involved.
Derek turned on the radio and he even had a song dedicated to her, "Let's Be Us Again" by Lonestar.
That night, the two of them made up.
After that night, they felt closer than ever. Addison was livid with the two of them, especially after Derek threatened to sue Addison if she didn't sign the papers.
After witnessing the love between Derek and Meredith and the support their friends gave them, Addison signed the papers and left them on his doorstep.
After Addison left, things calmed down. The next few months were a blur for the two lovebirds.
Exactly six months after Addison arrived, Derek took Meredith out to dinner at Chez la' Amour. That night, he proposed and she accepted.
"Meredith, you are the love of my life. Will you marry me?"
"Yes, Derek, I'd be honored to marry you!"
The hospital administration was not really surprised by the announcement of their marriage but they knew that it might be for the benefit. Meredith was like a daughter to Webber. He practically helped raised her. If marrying Derek made Meredith happy, then he would accept it. Rules were meant to be broken; it wasn't really hurting anyone and it didn't destroy Doctors Yang and Burke when they had their son, Daniel. Even Bailey had to agree that no two doctors worked better together and tearing the two apart only causes chaos.
The wedding was beautiful. It took place on a Saturday morning and occurred in the church near the hospital. Ellis was there also and was even coherent during the ceremony, thanks to Derek. Meredith felt she couldn't thank Derek enough for saving her mother's life.
Their vows were heartwarming.
"I, Derek Shepard, do vow to take Meredith Grey as my lawfully wedded wife. To love, honor, and cherish in sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer, for as long as we both shall live. I love you Meredith and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You are my everything," Derek said after lifting Meredith's veil. Derek couldn't believe how beautiful she looked in white.
"I, Meredith Grey, do vow to take Derek Shepard as my lawfully wedded husband. To love, honor, and cherish in sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer, for as long as we both shall live. Derek, we're going to grow old together and have lots of babies. We'll change the world together. I love you Derek Shepard and I want to be Meredith Grey-Shepard for ever and always," Meredith said as the preacher went on to say "By the state of Washington, I now pronounce you husband and wife."
They kissed and the applause went on forever.
The Honeymoon was short but magical. They returned after five days in Hawaii better doctors than they were before.
They adjusted to married life very well; they were practically married before. It was better this time; there was no sneaking around.
The first few months they lived in Meredith's house but then they got a little surprise.
Meredith had been waking up the past few mornings sick as she could be and was also hungry. Meredith went in for a check up and found out she was expecting.
"Derek, I know we haven't been married for very long but what I am about to say will be big. Derek, I'm pregnant," said Meredith excited but unsure of how Derek would react.
"Oh my gosh, Meredith, are you serious? I'm going to be a daddy? I love you Meredith!" Derek said as her picked her up and hugged her close to him.
After finding out about their soon to be born bundle-of-joy, they decided sharing a house with two other interns and raising a family may not be an easy task. Despite Meredith being an intern herself.
They ended up getting rid of Derek's trailer and building a five bedroom, three-bathroom house on his property and renting the house out to Izzie, George, Christina, Preston, and Alex.
Their house was a soft yellow and provided a big yard where the children could have plenty of room to play. It was a really nice house, the Shepards were proud of it.
They decorated the nursery a soft pink after finding out that Meredith was carrying a girl. Derek couldn't wait for her to be born, he thought he would have a son but then thought a girl would be better. Daddy's little girl is what his daughter would be. Also in the nursery was a the same rocking chair that Derek's parents used for him and the same crib Meredith slept in. There were also many other decorations and items given to them by their friends. A four-foot teddy bear was donated by Dr. Bailey, which really surprised them. The two spent a whole day together putting the nursery together. Meredith and Christina enjoyed watching Derek and Burke trying to put the crib together. Alex even tried to help but wasn't as macho as he thought he was. Izzie and Christina were the best at putting the stuff together; they didn't let the guys forget it either.
A voice interrupted Derek's thoughts.
"Sweetheart? What are you thinking about? You have been awfully quiet," asked Meredith looking sweetly at her husband.
"I was just thinking about all the memories we have made so far darling. All the good and bad ones, I am so happy to be here tonight, " Derek said as he pulled into the restaurant parking lot.
"Me too, I'm glad we're here together and into months, there will be three of us, two of whom are especially hungry," Meredith said laughing and letting Derek help her out of the car.
"Alright girls, daddy is going to get dinner," Derek said as he put his arm around Meredith and they walked like that into the restaurant.