Derek stepped out of the shower and looking in the mirror he took his time shaving in the bathroom mirror and putting on his clothes as he took deep breaths. Derek combed his hair and after looking at his reflection one last time mouthing silent words to his reflection until he felt confident that he was ready for the day ahead he wandered out into the hallway and jumped a bit as he found a grinning teenager looking at him, "hey Mr Grey."

Derek smiled as he picked up his bag, "last time I check that wasn't my name Mia."

Mia slowly walked forward making wide motions with her arms, "it will be soon."

Derek chuckled a bit, "or perhaps Meredith will soon be known to the world as Mrs Shepherd."

"Nah don't do that."

"Why not?"

"Shepherd is well... dorky."

"Dorky?" Derek muttered.

"Yeah" Mia replied, "what your telling me you were never teased when you were in school, no one gave you any sheep jokes... they didn't go baaahhh when you entered a room."

"Well" Derek admitted as he thought back to his pre teens years, "there were a few of those jokes made I must admit, I think the one that was most unamusing was whenever I missed a basket playing basketball other kids would go that shot was baaaaad."

"You know" Mia said with a sympathetic face, "Noah is going to have to deal with that if the family name becomes Mr Shepherd."

"Yeah" Derek made a small shrug, "maybe I should change my name to Mr Grey, I think it sounds better."

"You still need to ask the question first."

"Yeah" Derek nodded "I do.

Mia raised an eyebrow, "you sure you got a good plan."

"I have the best plan in the world."

"Why are you dressed like a lumberjack?"

"Because my plan to pop the question to Meredith involves the great outdoors."

Mia made a face, "your going to climb a mountain, get to the top and propose aren't you."

"No" Derek said loudly, "that's not it."

"Yes you are you totally are" Mia made a face and shook her head, "seriously dude I mean it sounds good on paper but Meredith hates hiking and you can't exactly dance romantically on the edge of a cliff. Its going to be a bust."

"Mia relax we're not going hiking, its going to something outdoors and something Meredith will love."

"Really?"

"Yes don't worry pumpkin nose, when it comes to romance Derek knows."

Mia frowned and turned around, "I told you to stop calling me that."

"Slugger" Derek put a hand on Mia's shoulder, "its going to be fine trust me."

"Okay then" Mia turned back around to give Derek a slap on the back and a thumbs up, "go and get that beautiful doc."

Derek nodded and looked back, Mia gave him two thumbs up as Derek nodded took another deep breath and made his way downstairs to find Meredith, Ally and Noah doing a large jigsaw puzzle together.

"Hey love" Derek said, "ready to hit the road."

Meredith looked at Derek and the colour drained from her face, "Derek no."

"Don't worry" Derek said feeling a little impatient, "we're not going hiking."

"Are you sure?"

"No we're not, well its a little walk to the spot we're going to when we arrive but its not a big hike."

Meredith walked behind Noah and Ally and put a arm around each of them, "what do you think kids is your dad going to take me hiking today?"

Ally looked up looked at her dad suspiciously and nodded, "yep."

"Definitely" Noah added, "can we come to?"

"Ah guys" Mia said from where she was watching on the staircase, "you know Meredith and Derek haven't been on a date by themselves for a long time and they need some romantic time together."

"Oh" Ally said slowly as she grinned, "okay,"

"What's romantic time" Noah asked, Ally whispered and Noah smiled, "ok go have romantic time."

"Right" Derek said feeling uncomfortable as he looked at the grinning kids in front of him before turning to Meredith, "well I have a nice surprise."

"Yeah you do" Mia smirked as Derek made a noise from his throat with his mouth closed as Mia stuttered, "I mean I know nothing." Meredith chuckled as he looked at Derek, "your not going to share the surprise."

Derek smiled as he took Meredith's hand in his own and looked deep into her eyes, "not until we get there."

"Okay" Meredith whispered before she turned around to Noah and Ally, "now you two be on your best behaviour for Mia."

"We will mom" Noah said.

"Ditto" Ally added.

"Ditto" Meredith said to Ally, "that's an interesting word where did you learn that word from?"

"A cartoon" Ally smiled sheepishly.

"We should get going" Derek said, "before the traffic gets to busy."

"Okay" Meredith gave Ally and Noah a hug and a kiss goodbye, "be good."

"See you two troops later" Derek said as he raised his hand to wave goodbye.

"Bye Derek" Noah waved back.

"Bye daddy" Ally added.

Meredith was sitting quietly in the car as Derek drove staring out the window lost in her own world of daydreams when she saw a mass of trees and looking around her she realised where they were heading and he looked sideways, "Derek why are we heading into a forest?"

"You'll see" was Derek's response.

"I'm think I know what the surprise is going to be."

"If your thinking" Derek responded, "we're having a picnic by the lake then they might be it."

Meredith just smiled slowly until they pulled up into a carpark and she squinted her eyes as she looked at a unfamiliar lodge straight ahead and a few people heading in and heading out, "ok Derek i'm dying to know, where are we?"

"This" Derek replied as he put the car into park, "is an abseiling spot."

"Derek at the risk of sounding like I know nothing about the outdoors what is abseiling?"

"Well" Derek put his hand on Meredith's knuckles, "you'll see when we get there."

"Ok well this is definitely a surprise" Meredith got out of the car, put on her jacket and taking Derek's hand they started to walk through the clearing. Meredith heard the sound of screams and looking up at the mountain ahead her heart starting to race as she saw people wearing helmets and holding onto ropes walking over the edge of a high cliff. Most were climbing down slowly while others were doing quick jumps from the top of the cliff to the bottom, Meredith felt her insides turning about and she looked at Derek trying his best to give her a comforting look, "Derek."

"Don't worry" Derek said softly, "once you take the first few steps over the edge you realise it isn't so scary."

"And what happens if the rope breaks when your over the edge?"

"I think that only happens in movies, the person usually plummets to their death."

"That's very reassuring" Meredith said in a heightened voice, "so if my rope breaks today who is going to be playing me in the next movie."

"Why don't we just give it a try" Derek waved a hand at the next screaming women walking down the mountain with her partner beside her, "see they're doing it as a couple, facing danger helps you feel alive."

"Kind of like your driving lessons with Mia."

"Well" Derek stammered, "look trust me your going to love it."

Meredith summoned her courage and looked at Derek, "you'll be with me the whole time?"

"I will" Derek said, "i'll be right beside you."

"Then i'll give it a try, if the worst happens you can catch me to stop me from falling."

"Kind of like the movie Cliffhanger."

"No not like Cliffhanger" Meredith chuckled despite her anxiety, "more like a superman movie or something."

"Ok Lois Lane I shall catch you."

As Meredith got strapped in to the rope she grasped her helmet for the tenth time making sure it was firmly in place before she pulled on her gloves and took up a tight grip on the rope. Meredith looked at the rope in her hands and feeling a cold feeling running through her veins which felt like fear she whispered, "Derek."

"Just remember" Derek said softly, "what the guide told us to do one foot in front of the other and walk backwards."

"Derek I don't know if I can do this."

"You can, believe me you can I believe you can do this."

"Ok" Meredith said slowly as her heart raced in her chest, "one foot in front of the other."

Meredith took little steps as she walked backwards taking deep breaths and stopped as she neared the edge, "your nearly there" Derek said.

"Nearly off the cliff" Meredith cried out.

"Hold my hand if you want."

"I'll have to let go of the rope."

"I'm right here" Derek put his hand on Meredith's shoulder, "see i'm right beside you."'

"Don't get to close to me" Meredith hissed, "the ropes will tangle and if that happens when we're hanging in the air we're screwed."

"Ok" Derek moved out a little, "remember i'm right here."

Meredith walked backwards slowly and cried out as she dropped a metre through the air before grasping the rope and putting her feet on the rocks, "you ok" Derek called out as he came down beside her.

"No i'm not ok" Meredith wailed, "why can't you just be like a normal boyfriend who takes me out for coffee and trips to the movies instead of being like gi joe and taking me out to all these extreme adventures."

"Because if all we did was coffee and movies we would be a very boring couple, don't worry the worst is behind us we'll just keep going down the cliff to the bottom."

"Well" Meredith said feeling sweat dripping in her gloved hands, "we can't go back up the cliff can we."

"That's right so we have to go down and remember don't look down."

"Ok" Meredith put her feet on the rocks and walked down, "one foot in front of the other."

"That's it your doing great Meredith."

Meredith just mumbled to herself trying to focus.

"Meredith" Derek said loudly.

"Yes" Meredith said as she kept her eyes closed.

"I need to ask you something."

"What's that if your wondering why my eyes are closed its because i'm trying not to look down."

"Will you marry me."

Meredith stood frozen in mid air for a few moments before she turned sideways to look at Derek and pull a face, "what" she said loudly.

"I said will you marry me."

"Derek I" Meredith gritted her teeth in anger, "is this the best time" she stammered loudly.

"Well yeah" Derek said nervously as he saw the look on Meredith's face, "I mean we're doing something as a couple we're facing a great challenge together and-"

"This is not my idea of romantic" Meredith hissed.

"I ah-"

Meredith took in a deep breath and in a fury she walked quickly down the mountain, Derek followed shortly afterwards to find Meredith pulling off her harness and her gloves, "I ah well you did great getting down that mountain so quickly and oohmph" he cried out in pain and doubled over completely winded as Meredith jammed her elbow into his ribs before reaching a hand into his jacket pocket to pull out the car keys and storm off in a rage. Derek held onto his stomach for a minute trying to recover and then taking a deep breath he got to his feet and hurried after Meredith to the carpark. Derek looked around the carpark but he couldn't see any sign of Meredith or her car. He pulled out his phone to ring Meredith and realising he had no signal he sat down on a bench, "well that could have been better."

Late that evening Derek after catching a ride halfway to Seattle with another couple from the abseiling lodge and the rest of the way travelling by bus was walking up to the house carrying flowers in his hands. As he reached the front door preparing a speech in his head about how he was going to apologise he saw Meredith pulling up in her car. Derek watched Meredith get out and looking livid at him she walked to the door without saying a word to him, "Meredith."

"I'm not going to talk to you right now Derek."

"Please-"

"Derek I am still very angry with you."

"I-"

"Your sleeping on the couch tonight."

"Sure" Derek said softly admitting defeat.

"Put those in water" Meredith said pointing at the flowers in Derek's hands, "preferably the Duwamish" she added as she softly opened the door and a light came on a chair spun around and Mia sat there grinning with Noah and Ally asleep on her lap, "guys guys wake up they're home."

"Wha" Ally opened her eyes.

Mia grinned wickedly, "the lovebirds have arrived."

Ally stretched and rubbed her eyes before she blinked widely "you asked Meredith to marry you." Ally jumped down and ran to Meredith and Derek jumping up and down clapping her hands.

"Noah" Mia gently shook the sleeping boy on her lap, "hey dude."

Noah just stirred in his sleep and Mia chuckling picked him up and left him snoozing on the chair to walk over to Meredith and Derek, "so congratulations."

Meredith turned and glared at Derek "you told the kids you were going to do this."

"I just told Mia" Derek said softly as he kept his eyes to the floor.

"Wait" Mia stopped smiling, "why are you angry, you did say yes right he did propose to you and you said yes didn't you?"

"You didn't say yes" Ally whispered looking crestfallen. Meredith looked at Ally's face and she just placed a hand on Ally's shoulder before bending down to kiss her forehead, "i'm taking Noah to bed" she said softly as she walked over picked Noah up in her arms and walked upstairs.

The girls watched Meredith walk upstairs and disappear into Noah and Ally's bedroom before they turned to Derek, "what happened daddy" Ally said softly.

"I ah" Derek walked around to sit on a chair, "I asked Meredith to marry me and I stuffed it up."

"You stuffed up the proposal" Mia said as she sighed, "I knew it you did go hiking didn't you, you tricked Meredith that's why she-"

"No I didn't go hiking Mia" Derek looked at the girls disappointed faces, "I took Meredith abseiling and while we were abseiling we were halfway down the cliff and I proposed to her." Mia made a face and Ally looked up, "what's daddy talking about?"

"They were walking down a cliff, Meredith was scared to death and your dad asked her to marry him. Then Meredith got pissed with him."

"Mia please don't use that word around Ally."

"Oh right okay" Mia said in a heightened voice, "Meredith got very angry and your dad blew the proposal."

"I thought it would be nice" Derek said defensively, "you know throw in a bit of danger and excitement like a movie to spice it up me asking Meredith to marry me."

Mia stared at Derek long and hard before shaking her head, "dude."

"Well I um I saw the same thing on tv once" Derek continued, "and I thought you know it worked well on tv and it might work well for me and Meredith."

"What tv show" Ally said.

"Funniest home videos, it was very funny to watch and I heard the woman loved the proposal afterwards and..."

"Dude" Mia said shaking her head again.

"Ah um" Derek sighed, "i'll talk with Meredith tomorrow if you think about it its kind of funny what happened. I mean I had to ask a couple to drive me back to Seattle and then I explained to them what happened and-"

"Dude" Mia put her hand on the back of Derek's neck, "stop talking."

"Yeah I... i'll talk with Meredith tomorrow."

Mia shook her head once more before saying "dude" and going to her bedroom.

Derek watched Mia disappear and feeling Ally tugging at his sleeve he looked down at her as she shook her head at him, "dude" Ally said before she walked upstairs to her bedroom. Derek watched Ally disappear up the stairs before he sat down on the couch and buried his face in his hands.

The next morning Derek stirred in his sleep and feeling movement beside him thinking it was Meredith going to work he whispered, "Meredith hit the snooze."

"Your not in bed" a familiar voice said, "and i'm not Meredith captain bozo."

"What" Derek opened his eyes and as he saw Mia looming over him memories of yesterday came flooding back, "where's Meredith"

"She's gone to work" Mia replied.

"How was she?"

"Take a guess" Derek looked at the frown on Mia's face and he propped himself up on his elbow, "still angry."

"Bingo" Mia said.

"I" Derek said as he saw how angry Mia looked, "Mia i'm sorry I am sorry I...I spoiled everything I know you, Ally and Noah want me and Meredith to get married. I wanted it to be a surprise for Meredith something she wasn't expecting and I blew it."

"Okay Derek there is something you should know" Mia sat down beside him on the couch, "your suprises suck."

"Yeah" Derek blew air between his lips.

"I mean my birthday party with the singing pirates was one thing but this is just... yeah I can't even think of a good work to describe what you did yesterday."

"Terrible" Derek suggested.

"I was thinking more along the lines of what were you thinking."

"Yeah that is a better way to describe it."

"I taught you to dance and instead of dancing with her you decide instead to scare Meredith to death and then pop the question."

"Well I was considering skydiving."

Mia coughed, "that would have been even worse."

"Yeah your right" Derek sat up and leaned forward, "I don't know how I am going to fix this."

"Well" Mia patted his back, "try this idea get dressed up nice and dance with her tonight in the living room, and pick some nice music to go with it."

"Mia" Derek whispered.

"It will work" Mia nodded, "and if it goes well then pop the question but don't wet yourself with excitement if she isn't in the mood don't ask her... you know the question until she is a good mood.

Derek looked at Mia, "well I think that's a better plan than anything I can come up with."

"It will work out, you and the doc love each other it will happen just got to have patience like Yoda would say patience Luke wait for the opportune moment to propose to the doc you must."

"Thanks Mia" Derek said with a smile, "you better get to school."

Mia grinned before getting up to walk out the door as Derek got up to make himself breakfast.

As the sun slowly started to disappear behind the mountains Derek after wandering around town was wandering home in his best clothes carrying a cd in his hand. He opened the door and walked into the kitchen to find Noah staring ahead, "hey buddy" he walked over and put his hand on Noah's head ruffling his hair.

"Hi Derek" Noah replied slowly.

"Where's your mum?"

"Gone" Noah whispered.

"Did she go shopping?"

Ally came walking into the kitchen, "she wrote you a note."

Derek took the note from his daughter's hand and he looked at it for a few long moments, Gone away to think things over don't call me Meredith.

Derek felt a weight in his chest building inside as he felt the touch of his daughter's hand on his, "daddy sorry" Ally whispered.

"Its not your fault Ally, I i'll make you dinner" Derek crunched the note in his hand, "I just need to be alone for a few minutes."

"Go to the living room" Noah said and Derek nodded as he walked into the living room and his eyes lit up as he saw the room lit with candles and soft music playing in the background, "what is this" he whispered looking at the kids who just shrugged and grinned. He turned around and his eyes lit up even more as Meredith came walking into the light wearing a red dress that seemed to glow among the bright candles, "your not the only one who likes surprises."

Derek looked back as Ally, Mia and Noah gave him thumbs up and closed the door to the living room, then it opened a crack "don't screw up this time" Ally whispered through the crack before the door closed again and Derek turned around, "Meredith."

"Derek" Meredith took Derek's hands and after smiling at him took a deep breath and started to bend down before something clicked in Derek's mind and he shook his head, "wait wait wait."

"Yes."

"I know i've been bad at this but I want to be the one to do this and this time i'm going to do this right."

"Well if you get it wrong this time" Meredith said softly as she rose to her feet, "then i'm going to show you how its done."

"I'll get it right" Derek said as he felt through his pockets, "oh crap I don't have the ring."

"You mean this ring" Meredith said continuing to smile as she placed the ring that Derek's mother had given her in Derek's hand.

"Yeah that's the one" Derek said feeling nerves pouring through his veins, "ok um ah..."

Meredith just smiled her best smile and Derek feeling a little better got down on one knee, "Meredith I love you more than life I mean you make my life complete. Nah that's not right give me a second i'll get it..."

"Its ok" Meredith whispered, "just say it."

"Okay" Derek looked up and took Meredith's hand in his, "Meredith Grey will you marry me?"

"Yes" Meredith said feeling tears coming to her eyes.

"Yes" Derek said feeling a smile breaking across his face and his heart soaring in happiness.

"Yes of course I will" Meredith whispered as she wiped her eyes.

Derek got up and kissed Meredith he pulled back looked her in the eyes and slowly started to dance with her in the living room for several minutes for him there was nothing else in the world but this moment with Meredith's arms around him and him holding Meredith close. Then there was a knock on the door and Derek's head snapped back to reality, "are you engaged yet" Mia called out.

Meredith chuckled with Derek, "open the door."

Ally, Noah and Mia came in with wide eyes and held breath, "are you" Noah asked.

"Are we what mate" Derek said casually.

"Are you getting married" Ally said loudly.

"Yes sweetheart" Meredith answered smiling widely.

Ally and Noah blinked before they cheered and jumped into Derek and Meredith's arms and Mia threw her arms around both of them from behind grinning.