The next few days flew by and in what seemed like in no time at all it was saturday night and Derek was taking in several deep breaths as he looked at his appearance in the bathroom mirror, he fixed the buttons on his shirt and tried to put on a confident face as he accepted that he had done the best he could to look swave and dashing and he was hoping that Meredith would at least accept his outfit. Derek wandered downstairs and saw Ally playing with the toys Derek had made her on the kitchen table he clapped his hands once as he tried to loosen himself up it was hard to do when he felt like he had a dozen butterflies in his stomach, "okay Ally so the babysitter will be here any minute and by the time I get home you'll be asleep so I want you to be on your best behaviour, listen to the babysitter and I will see you tomorrow when you wake up."

Ally put down the toys and ran into Derek's waist, "daddy why I can't come with you to the shops."

"Because Ally i'm getting something nice for you and I want it to be a surprise."

"Daddy" Ally looked Derek in the eye, "your not allowed to get presents when its not a birthday or christmas."

Derek just smiled his best smile, "Ally its okay it will be something nice and you'll like it."

"How long will you be gone?"

"Just a couple of hours i'm going a long way" Derek gave Ally a hug, "hey cheer up your favourite babysitter is coming."

"Is it Meredith?"

"No its Rexina."

"Oh, she's fun she plays knights and princesses."

"Yeah she's great" Derek said as he tried to hold back his urge of telling Ally the truth. Derek hadn't told Ally about his date with Meredith for two reasons, one because he didn't want to get Ally's hopes up and two he knew that Ally would never stop asking him and Meredith questions about their night. If things went well somewhere down the track Derek and Meredith would tell Ally and Noah they had both agreed that would be the best plan.

There was a knock on the door and Derek opened it to find a tall redhead teenage girl coming into the house nursing a backpack on her shoulder she smiled at Ally, "hey kiddo ready for a fun night of games, excitement and tv."

"It what she lives for" Derek said as Ally ran to Rexina, "thanks Rexina for watching her for the night."

Rexina nodded as Ally started combing her hair, "no sweat mr Shepherd so who's the lady friend."

Derek smiled, "there's no lady friend."

"Oh" Rexina shrugged, "you look nice thought you were going on a date."

Ally gasped, "is daddy going on a date?"

"No kiddo" Derek lied, "just going to the shops."

"Oh" Ally said as she resumed to combing Rexina's hair again.

"Well i'll see you tomorrow honey have fun." Derek kissed Ally's cheek and wandered out the door, Rexina walked with Ally to the living room, "is your daddy still not dating women"

"He wants to date Meredith" Ally said, "but he doesn't want to ask her to dinner."

"Oh" Rexina sat down beside Ally, "why's that."

Ally rolled her eyes, "I have no clue my daddy is nuts."

Derek drove to Meredith's accommodation in his truck and checking over the state of his car seats for the hundredth time he got out of the car and walked to Meredith's bright white door it normally looked so inviting but tonight it gave him the willies. "Okay Derek its okay you've got this mate she's a goddess and your a, I mean whatever happens happens okay one more time hey Meredtith you look wonderful tonight no no its you look beautiful tonight."

"Derek" a distant female voice sounded.

Derek froze as his voice caught in his throat than with a voice in his head forcing him to speak he said, "hi."

"Derek are you by the door."

"Yeah I am, are you standing by the door?"

"I was just putting on my shoes" Meredith called back.

"Yeah ok" Derek said he felt like kicking Meredith's bin over as the same thought came repeating itself in his mind oh crap she heard everything I said until the door opened and Derek's eyes nearly came out of their sockets as he saw Meredith in a long white gown the same colour as her front door, necklace and expensive shoes smiling at him, "I uh well you look nice."

Meredith reached up to give Derek a peck on the cheek, "you look pretty handsome yourself."

"Good" Derek said feeling a little bit calmer, "glad you think so I mean yeah I look good I well our reservation is at seven."

"Than we should get going" Meredith looked back inside the house, "just give me a minute." Meredith walked inside and Derek heard Meredith saying goodnight and kissing Noah than a few minutes later she was back outside closing the door, "Derek do you want to take my car?"

"Uh" Derek said, yeah sure."

"Your car is nice" Meredith said quickly, "I just."

"Are you kidding" Derek chuckled, "it smells like a chicken coop you could fall in love with a rooster driving in that."

"Well" Meredith said with a amused grin, "you know the way to the restaurant do you want to drive?"

"Sure" Derek said as they walked to a two seat car that Derek had only seen in action movies, he didn't even know what brand it was, "its a nice car" he muttered.

"Thanks I rarely get to drive it, there's no room for my little one in the back."

"Yeah" Derek saw Meredith holding out keys and he quickly took it as Meredith continued to smile at him making him weak in the knees.

Derek drove along a quiet street absorbing a powerful smell of car and trying to keep his eyes on the road while resiting the urge to stare at the beautiful woman next to him putting on makeup, "I wanted to thank you" Meredith said, "for your help with the school uniforms the other day."

"Right" Derek said as calmly as he could muster, "summer is fast approaching and than it will be the big day for Noah."

"I hope Noah will be okay."

"Noah has made friends he'll be fine."

Meredith nodded and put a hand on Derek's knuckled, "thanks to you and Ally."

"Well" Derek said sheepishly, "Ally did most of the work." Derek turned down a road as he was nearing the restaurant, you're doing great, you're doing great your almost at the restaurant almost at stage... oh jesus.

Derek saw the pizza restaurant he had gone to many times in the past with Ally surrounded by police cars and office questioning diners with a big yellow do not cross tape all around the area. Derek sat back and glanced at Meredith, "well I guess it isn't as nice as it used to be."

Meredith chuckled, "one chance in a hundred and we bought the winning ticket."

"Meredith" Derek sighed, "i'm sorry this was a terrible idea."

"The date or the place?"

"The place I mean" Derek stammered, "I think the date was a great idea."

"Than why don't we go back to my house."

"Sure" Derek said as he felt a sinking feeling in his navel Meredith wanted to be dropped off home and the date would be finished he had failed to give Meredith a good night and part of him hopped Meredith would somehow give him a second chance to build a relationship with her, "i'll drop you home."

"Derek" Meredith said gently, "I want you to come with me."

"Oh yeah of course" Derek said feeling hot under the collar, "that would be great."

"Don't give yourself a hard time, its just bad timing." Derek nodded and felt his spirits rise once more, they drove inside the house and Derek offered to make coffee while Meredith went into the living room to set up cushions. Derek came in carrying two mugs and handed one to Meredith, "here."

"Thank you" Meredith said as Derek sat closely to her on the coach, "so its to warm to light a fire."

"Its a shame" Meredith whispered, "being bathed in a fire is just what I would like right now."

"Do you" Derek said with a small movement of his shoulders, "want to talk about stuff?"

"I thought you would never ask" Meredith turned around and heard footsteps on the stairs, "mommy."

Meredith quickly turned on all the lights and watched Noah descending the stairs, "hey sweetheart."

"Hi champ" Noah smiled at Derek, "hi mr Derek."

"Did we wake you up" Meredith picked Noah up in her arms.

Derek grinned, "are you having an adventure in the middle of the night."

"Yeah" Noah said, "what are you doing?"

"We're uh" Derek said, "what are we doing."

"We've having snuggles you want to join us."

"Okay" Noah said as Meredith sat back down on the soda and cuddled Noah close, "can you see the shadows in the light."

"The shadows?"

"If you look closely you can see faces."

"Uh" Noah pointed, "I can see faces."

"Clever boy" Meredith said as Derek looked on with many feelings he felt down that his alone time with Meredith was being interrupted, he felt happy that Meredith had clearly built a stronger connection with her son and guilty that he wanted to steal Meredith's attention away from Noah. A while later Noah had dozed off in his mother's embrace and looking at his watch he realised that he needed to relive Rexina of her babysitting duties.

Meredith smiled softly as her hand rubbed Noah's cheek, "I better bring what was it you called Ally."

"Little chicken."

"I'm going to put the little chicken to bed." Derek watched Meredith carrying Noah upstairs before he grabbed his jacket from a nearby chair and waited for Meredith to descend the stairs, "well its getting late."

Meredith had a understanding expression on her features, "the babysitter is waiting."

"I had a great time" Derek lied as he walked to the door.

"Derek" Meredith said trying to stay calm but Derek could hear hints of frustration were showing in her voice, "don't just say that because you feel guilty."

"Well" Derek muttered as he unloaded, "I had such a great night planned and it instead became us sitting on a sofa by ourselves for two minutes, finding a police investigation at the restaurant we were going to and me making a mess in the kitchen which reminds me I need to clean up." Derek grabbed a cloth and Meredith chuckled she found this side of Derek to be very entertaining, "Noah entertained you a lot more than I did."

"Derek" Meredith softly grabbed the hand that was washing the benches, Derek turned around Meredith leaned forward and Derek felt cool lips brush his, "I had a lovely time."

"Yeah good" Derek said as he continued to stare at Meredith before he kissed her again gently pulling her closely. It felt like heaven to Derek he could feel his and Meredith's hands brushing up and down each other's backs, but than thoughts of reality hit him and he softly pulled away, "I Ally she's-"

"Waiting" Meredith finished.

"Yes."

"Well goodnight" Meredith said smiling.

"Goodnight" Derek said as he smiled back before walking out the door. Meredith grinned from ear to ear as she walked into the kitchen and laughed when she heard a loud ha ha ha out the front door.