The anticipation of knowing Derek was stood waiting for her was the only thing helping her push through in her sleep deprived state. She'd been unable to sleep for too many hours at a time out of a mixture of slight excitement and uncomfortableness of having a human being growing inside of her. Her hand rested on her swollen abdomen with absentminded gentle rubs as she walked through the airport, pulling her suitcase along behind her, her eyes scanning the area for Derek.

Her eyes landed on him and her grin grew on her lips as she approached, realising he was on the phone to someone. As she got closer, their eyes locked, and he grinned back at her.

"Mom, I gotta go, talk to you later," he said into the phone before hanging up and sliding it into his pocket.

He closed the distance between them, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close as her own arms went around his neck. His face burrowed against her hair and inhaled gently, thankful to have her in his arms again, to smell the intoxicating lavender scent of her hair. The last month had been daily calls, or video calls if they managed, but it wasn't anything compared to being able to hold her in his arms. He pressed kisses against the top of her head, and she lifted her face to look at him, and he pressed his lips against hers in a soft kiss, something they both needed.

Once breathless, their lips pulled apart, but they kept their arms around each other as Meredith murmured softly, "Hey."

"Hey," she grinned up at him, "You spoke to your mom?"

"Hmm, she wants to visit soon, or us visit them. Oh, and she passes on her good luck to you, for the job," he said, unable to keep his eyes of her, "and she wants to know how her grandchild is doing."

She rolled her eyes at him playfully, "You know how her grandchild is doing."

"Only over video camera," his voice had a playful tone to it, and he moved his arms from her waist to release her, "Let's get you both to our new home."

He gave her another kiss before she stepped back and he grabbed her suitcase, moving his other arm around her waist as they walked out of the suitcase. She glanced up at him as they walked.

"Our home? I thought we were going to be in a hotel for a week or so?"

"That's your surprise," he grinned at her as they reached the car, "They finished the house early, so that nice big, comfy bed you picked out is waiting for you."

"Really?" She grinned wider as they stopped next to the car and he lifted her suitcase into the trunk.

He leant back against the side of the car, reaching his hand out to her before gently pulling her to him, her back against his chest with his hands reached around to her abdomen, his chin resting on her shoulder.

"Really, baby."

She leant back against him, tilting her head back slightly and closing her eyes as his hands drifted up her blouse to rest on the bare skin of her more pronounced baby bump. She covered her mouth as she yawned slightly and murmured.

"That feels nice."

"Tired?" He whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to her cheek as she nodded, "You can sleep in the car, if you want."

He reluctantly released her, moving to open the passenger side door for her and pressing another kiss to her lips before closing the door and climbing in the driver's side.

He started driving in the direction of the house they had chosen together, glancing over at her every now and again as her head rested against the glass of the car door and her eyes drifted shut.

He pulled up in the driveway and looked over at her sleeping form, resting his hand on her thigh with a gentle squeeze, leaning over and pressing a gentle kiss to the side of her head as he spoke.

"Hey, Mer, we're here. We're home."

She stirred slightly and her head turned to look at him, a slight grumble escaping her lips, "Hmm?"

"Stay there, I'll come round and get you," he unfastened both of their seatbelts before climbing out and going around to her side of the car, where she seemed a little more alert, but still thick with sleep. He took her hand in hers, "Want me to carry you inside?"

Her arms reached around his neck as she turned in her seat to face him, a sleepy smirk on her lips, "I mean, if you want to..."

Derek chuckled softly, sliding one arm around her waist and the other under her legs as he lifted her out of the car, her arms clinging around his neck, "You know we're not married yet, right? This is what married people do."

"You're my fiancée, you're carrying my baby, I'll carry you however and wherever I like," he chuckled as he closed the car door with his foot before carrying her up to the porch, "although I might have not have thought this through very well because now I have to put you down again to open the door."

He carefully set her on her feet as she laughed softly, but he kept one arm around her as he unlocked the door to their house.

"Do I get a grand tour?" She asked, walking into the house with him as opened the door.

"You inspected this house inside and out before we even thought about putting a bid down," he chuckled softly, leading her inside, "You'd be better giving me a tour."

"I haven't seen it with the furniture and everything, though," she grinned softly, but the tiredness she felt was obvious in her expression.

"Come on then," he took her hand in his, "We'll start with the bedroom."

She laughed at his tactic, raising an eyebrow at him, "Now you're just trying to get me into bed."

"Aren't I always?" He teased, leading her up the stairs to the master bedroom, he opened the door and let her walk in ahead of him, "What do you think?"

She grinned toward him after looking around the room, "I love it. Did you do all this yourself, getting the house ready?"

"If I say yes, will I get lucky?" He grinned back at her, moving his arms around her middle from behind and pressing soft kisses against her neck.

She laughed and turned her head to look at him, "I think you might get lucky regardless."

"Well then, I had a little bit of help from Amelia, she came down last week and insisted I had no idea what I was doing with the furnishings and kind of took over a bit," he laughed softly, pressing soft kisses to her shoulder. She lifted her hand to her mouth and yawned a little again and he began unbuttoning her blouse, "Let's get you into bed."

They reluctantly separated from each other as Meredith undressed and Derek grabbed her one of his t-shirts and a pair of pyjama bottoms out of the dresser that had been sent with half of her things from Boston the previous week. She could feel his eyes on her, and she turned to look at him sat on the bed waiting for her.

"What?" She raised an eyebrow at him, one hand on her hip.

"You know you're glowing?" He grinned at her, passing over the clothes.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head with a short laugh, pulling on his t-shirt that stopped halfway down her thigh, deciding to forgo the pyjama bottoms, setting them on the chair in the room, "I feel like you just haven't seen me in person for too long."

He shook his head and followed her with his eyes as she climbed under the blanket, and then moved over to lay on his side beside her, leaning on one arm as his hand rested on her swollen abdomen, caressing back and forth as he spoke, "This is definitely much better than through a screen."

She closed her eyes, moving her fingers into his hair and running them through it, "That really does feel nice."

As she started to drift off to sleep, he leaned to press a kiss to her forehead and spoke softly, "I'll go and get your suitcase out the car."

She reached her hand out to stop him, holding on to his arm before he could move off the bed, shaking her head as she murmured, "Stay. I haven't seen you for four weeks, my suitcase can wait a few hours."

"Okay, baby," he whispered back and slid under the blanket with her, his arms moving around her as she moved closer to him, her back against his chest.

As she fell asleep in his arms, he relished in being able to hold her and swore to himself that he wouldn't let them live apart again. It took them six years to get here, and now he had her, engaged and carrying their child. She had definitely been worth the wait.