Derek fantasized about Meredith the whole day leading up to their date. He couldn't keep his mind from wondering to her perfect body on top of him the night they had sex. The way her breasts felt in his mouth, his fingers in her long blonde hair that was nearly reaching her ass, her moans when he made her climax and their unmistakable chemistry. He wanted to feel her again and again tonight and every day for the rest of his life.

He thought of her body and the changes that would be happening to it over the next number of months. He smiled at the thought of Meredith carrying their baby, feeling their baby kick and preparing for his or her arrival together as couple. There was something unspoken between them that had been there since the night back at his place – something that told him she was it and they could do this.

He wanted their night to be special and intimate and he wanted her to know that he was in this. When they were together it was like a bubble where no one else mattered and no one else could make it in. When they were a part reality set in- he had a girlfriend, she had a married boyfriend, he had a family that would likely be disappointed in his actions, he didn't even know where she was from and how her family would take the news. He didn't even know her middle name or her favorite kind of food or where she went when she was happy, mad, aggravated, sad. He needed to know more.

And that was what he was determined to do tonight. Get to know Meredith Grey- the woman that woke him up, be-witched him, made him feel whole and awakened him to a whole other side of himself that he had never seen before. A side that gave him the confidence that he could have a baby with a woman he barely knew, and all would be okay.

He threw on a button-down shirt and eyed himself in the mirror. Mark hovered by the doorway

"Wear your leather jacket and show up on your motorcycle- drives the chicks crazy" Mark commented with a smirk

Derek rolled his eyes "No motorcycles."

"Why?" Mark asked

"She's pregnant. You know this" Derek retorted

"Ah- right" Mark nodded

"So- how is this going to work?" Mark asked

"I'm going to pick her up and we're going on a date." Derek stated

"I get that- but what about Addison? And your family? What are you going to tell them man?" Mark asked

"One step at a time" Derek told him with a smile

Before Mark could respond, Derek checked his watch "I better get going. Don't wait up" Derek told him with a wink

Mark rolled his eyes "Have fun- use protection… oh wait too late for that" he joked

"Ha-Ha" Derek mocked and left their apartment

Back and Meredith and Christina's place, Meredith was in her bathroom getting ready and Christina was hanging out on her bed

"So what's been up with you lately?" Christina asked

"What do you mean?" Meredith responded

"I mean that you've been a whole lot less dark and twisty and a little bright and shiny"

"I am not bright and shiny" Meredith retorted

"Uh you kind of are"

"I so am not" Meredith told her with an eye roll

"Does this have to do with McDreamy and the McSex and the Mcleaning on things and the Mcwhispered conversation you two have been having?"

"We have not been having McSex"

"Oh you so have." Christina replied with an eye roll

"We had sex once" Meredith confided

"So there has been sex! Is he any good? He looks like he would be good?"

"He's good.. but… nevermind"

"No, tell me" Christina demanded

Meredith bit her lip. As much as she loved Christina, she knew Christina's reaction would be to terminate the pregnancy. She knew there was no way that Christina could understand her feelings on it or why she would want to keep the baby and she knew that once it was out there, Christina wouldn't look at her the same.

"It's nothing. Derek is almost here"

"You're hiding something! You are so hiding something and I'm going to figure it out"

"Christina" Meredith breathed and gave her friend a look that said drop it

"Fine- but I'll figure out your little secret McSecret"

"I'm sure you will" Meredith mumbled. Just then they heard a knock at the door and Christina jumped up to get it.

Meredith took a look at herself in the mirror. Her long blonde hair was gently tousled in waves, she wore a short ¾'s sleeve black dress that clung to her body like a glove and hit a few inches above her knees. She noticed her boobs were already looking bigger and her hand instinctively went to her abdomen. She turned her body to the side to see if there was any chance she was already showing. Besides just a bit of bloating she still looked like her normal toned self. She sighed, she was about 7 weeks along, still pretty early.

She made her way out of her room and into her living room where Derek stood awkwardly with Christina.

"Hi" Meredith said

Derek couldn't help the grin that came to his face as soon as he saw her walk into the room "You look beautiful" he commented forgetting briefly that Christina was standing right next to him.

Meredith blushed.

"Oh gag" Christina said making a face

"On that note, let's get out of here" Meredith said leading them out of the apartment

"Bye" Derek said to her roommate

"Bye Christina." Meredith told her friend

"Byeeee" Christina responded with an eyeroll. She really hoped this guy wouldn't take up too much of her friend's time.

"You really do look beautiful" Derek told her when they were alone outside

"Thanks" Meredith replied

"So.. where are we going?" she asked

"Well, there's this little Italian place right outside of campus. It's cute really, the owners are an old married couple from Italy that opened their resteraunt about 40 years ago. Back when my parents took me to tour different schools – they desperately wanted a date night alone and they fell in love with this spot. They made me promise to take a girl here when I met the right one."

"Oh" Meredith stated

"Is that okay?" Derek asked

"I think so." Meredith said

"Meredith – we can go somewhere else if you'd like?"

"No. No. I want to go to the cute place with the cute story"

"Are you sure? Because you don't seem-" Derek started to say

"No. let's just go" Meredith said.

Derek opened the car door for her and an awkward silence took over them while in his car. Meredith stared at her reflection in the window for the duration of the quick trip. She hated herself for making this awkward or not seeming excited.

"So… we're here if you want to-" Derek stated breaking the silence

"Why do you want to go out with me? Is it because I'm having your baby?" Meredith asked

Derek sighed "I think it's important we get to know each other a little better before… well before everything."

Meredith nodded. "So, you asking me out. You're only asking because I'm pregnant right and you feel like you have to do the good guy thing and be the whole knight and shining armor who does the honorable thing and marries the girl he knocked up?" Meredith rambled

Derek's brows furrowed "It's a date not a marriage proposal."

"Right" Meredith mumbled

"And I asked you out because I like you and I've spent the past several weeks thinking about nothing other you. Finding out you were pregnant was unexpected but it just makes me like you more."

Meredith was silent for awhile while Derek stared at his steering wheel.

"I'm sorry." Meredith breathed

"I'm sorry for you know making this a horrible date."

"It's not a horrible date" Derek replied

"My parents are divorced and don't speak" Meredith blurted

"I'm sorry" Derek told her sincerely catching her gaze

"Yeah, well. My mother is a surgeon and she's never really had time for me let alone time to take me on school visits. I picked out Brown by myself without any input and I toured the college alone. My dad wasn't really in the picture until recently."

Realization dawned on Derek "I'm sorry if my story about this place upset you. We can go somewhere else?"

"No. I want to go inside with you. I've never really done this before"

"Eaten inside of a restaurant?" Derek asked with a playful smile

"Been on an actual real date." She replied

Derek sighed and leaned over taking her cheeks in his hands. He kissed her softly on her lips and then followed with a kiss on her forehead.

"Let's go on a date" he breathed and kissed her again, harder this time

"Let's go on a date" Meredith responded when he broke the kiss.

Derek walked to her side of the car and opened the door.

"I'm taking you a date because I want to – because I like you and because I think you're perfect." He whispered

"This" he said placing a hand on her stomach "Is just an added bonus"

Meredith grinned "Yeah?" she asked

"Yeah" he replied and took her hand and led her inside.

Once sat at their booth, Derek couldn't wipe the smile off of his face and everytime Meredith laughed he couldn't help but laugh.

"So this is the part of the date where we figure out what food we're going to share" Derek teased

"You're mocking my severe emotional limitations" Meredith responded with a smile

"I'm just teaching you how to date."

"So we order the food-" Meredith said

"Then we eat the food" Derek finished

"And then?" Meredith asked

"That you'll just have to wait and see" Derek said with a wink

Meredith giggled.

As they were wrapping up their dinner, the owners of the restaurant came by

"Hello" the owners chimed in unison

Derek smiled "Hello" he replied meeting their enthusiasm

"Hi" Meredith responded shyly

"We like to introduce ourselves to first time guests" the old man told the young couple

"Oh – that's um… nice" Meredith commented

Derek smiled at her "Derek Shepard" he said holding out his hand

"We're the owners of this place- have been for the past 40 years" the old man told Derek and Meredith

"It's very nice and the food was delicious" Derek stated

"It's Maria's recipe's" the old man told Derek. The woman next to the old man blushed and nodded

"Well your recipes are great. Meredith and I have eaten almost every bite here" Derek told them sincerely

"Graci" the older woman said softly

"Maria doesn't speak much English" the older gentleman told the couple.

Suddenly Maria started speaking in Italian to her husband and he nodded and seemed to agree with her.

"Maria says you're a lovely couple and to come back"

"We will" Meredith told them with a smile

After dinner, Derek took Meredith to his favorite park on campus. The large trees were beginning to shed their leaves signaling an impending Rhode Island winter would soon be approaching.

"You know this is my favorite time of year on campus" Derek told her taking in the leaves as he held her hand

"Hmm" Meredith responded

"I like to walk around this park and just clear my head. It's so peaceful and serene. I like being alone out here- but it's nicer with you"

Meredith smiled and squeezed his hand tighter

They were quiet for a few moments

"I like the start of the school year. New energy all around and people are happy to see their friends again after a summer away."

"Yeah… that's nice too" Derek stated

"Next beginning of the school year is going to look a lot different" Meredith told him

"It will. In a good way" Derek responded

"Why did you stick around?" Meredith asked

Derek's brows furrowed in confusion

"I mean around campus. Why didn't you go home?" She continued

Derek was silent for a few moment "Honestly? It just didn't feel right to leave campus right now. Plus I've been processing a lot and I needed the time alone"

"Oh" Meredith replied

"Why didn't you go home?" Derek asked

"My mother didn't want me to" Meredith admitted

"I'm sure that's not true" Derek replied

"No it is. And it's okay"

"Where is home to you?" Derek asked

"Seattle" Meredith replied

"Seattle" Derek repeated with a smile

"It rains there a lot but we have ferry boats"

"I think I would like Ferry Boats" Derek commented

Meredith grinned at him

Derek took Meredith back to her place and hovered outside her door as they said their goodbyes

"You know you can come in right?" she told him

"This is a first date. It's not proper to even kiss on the first date let alone-" Derek trailed

"Derek" Meredith breathed leaning into him and he pulled her even closer his lips capturing hers.

Their tongues explored eachothers as his hands explored her body. She broke away from the kiss and he pulled her back kissing her even deeper.

"You do things to me" he whispered against her lips as she felt his erection pressing into her.

She kissed him again deeply and he broke it off

"As much as I want to continue the path we're on – I can't."

"Okay…" Meredith responded glaring at him

"Be patient- good things come to those who wait" he told her walking away from her door

Meredith rolled her eyes and turned to unlock her door but was surprised when she felt Derek's arms back around her waist

He kissed her passionately once more and then wrapped his hands around her face kissing her forehead

"I had a great first date with you" he told her and watched her unlock her door to her apartment and make it safely inside.