Thank you to everyone who is still reading this! It means a lot!
Enjoy! :)
Disclaimer: I don't own any of Grey's Anatomy. Not the characters. Not the plot. Not anything. Nor do I own anything to do with the NHL. At all. But it would be pretty cool if I did.
Over the next month, he kept hesitating between when to do it and he began to doubt himself to the point that he was convinced she would say no. She would think he wasn't serious, or she'd freak and never want to talk to him again. It was a thought he couldn't bear to think about and that was all that was stopping him.
But when she came home one-night crying, he knew she'd say yes. She had lost a patient to a shattered parietal bone due to a sports injury. She had made him promise to never, ever risk that happening to him and that she couldn't live without him. That if he died, she died. She'd told him that she realised it was important to take the time to tell people you love how much you love them while they can still hear you. That had cemented it for him. He couldn't just wait around, taking it for granted that something would happen, and he'd never get to marry her.
So, the next day, he went to the centre, and booked the entire thing. This had to go well. This was right, this was them…
xxxxx
He was nervous. There, he'd said it. Well, thought it. He was gliding aimlessly on the ice to occupy his brain as all the thoughts rushed carelessly through him. Aiden was at his friend's house, and Mer should be off by now. It was about seven in the evening, which might not have been the best time to do it after she had worked hard all day. But here he was. The cold got to him slightly through his button down and slacks. Yeah, it really didn't go with the skates and the setting, but he thought he should dress up at least a little bit. He stopped skating when he heard her come in. She had got better at skating and they had enjoyed doing it throughout the year, so she was capable of skating over to him. Yet, he came over anyway.
"What are we doing here Der? Where is everyone?" She pulled her bobble hat on her head and slid up to him, taking his hand.
"You'll see," he smiled, discreetly turning the lighting down and starting soft music from the speakers.
"Seriously Derek? Did you hire the whole place?"
"Maybe," he grinned.
"Why?" her eyebrows knitted together. That even after a year made his heart beat faster.
"Because" he took both of her hands, so that they were standing right in the middle of the ice, "I wanted to ask you something."
"Okay…" she said, still sceptical as to why they were here.
"You see over there?" he pointed to the benches where they had watched Aiden's first session.
She turned around and smiled.
"That's where we had our first kiss. And that spot there," he pointed again to a specific patch of ice.
"That's where I caught you, after you lost your balance when you first skated."
"I told you, some guy pushed me," she laughed.
He grinned, "Meredith, what I'm trying to say is, I have spent so much time with you and have so many memories already. I have ones of you, Aiden, all of us. You make my life better, brighter."
He got down on one knee, the ice freezing his skin, as he looked up at her. The surprise on her face was enchanting as she took a sharp breath in.
"I want to marry you. I want to have kids with you. I want to build us a house. I want to settle down and grow old with you. I want to die when I'm 110 years old in your arms. I want a lifetime. Meredith Grey, will you marry me?" He opened the ring box and gazed at her with all the love in the world.
She smiled at him, the joy dancing in her eyes. "Yes."
"Yes?" He asked, almost shocked.
"Yes, I'll marry you." She was grinning now as he put the ring on her finger and stood up. She met him with a passionate kiss, communicating the love they felt for one another. Their lips were locked with a bruising force, Meredith's fingers running through his hair while his arms kept her close. It was perfect, he couldn't imagine anywhere else he'd rather be.
xxxxx
When they eventually pulled back, Derek's piercing eyes locked eyes with hers. Her heart was in overdrive at the kiss and the sentimental speech she had just been given.
"I also wanted to ask you something else," he whispered.
"What is it?"
"When we get married, if you'll let me, I want to adopt Aiden. Legally. So I can be his real dad."
Grinning at him, she replied, "I would love if you did that. He can be a real Shepherd, the next generation."
He chuckled softly and kissed her again. "God, I love you. I love you more than anything."
"I love you too. So much," she whispered against his lips.
They stayed in that comforting embrace a while longer, letting the impact of their engagement sink in. They were getting married!
xxxxx
Derek had been quiet about the house on the hill since the paperwork had (eventually) come through last January. He knew he could plan the main floor space and the foundations were already being dug for the water mains and electrics. But it was the main layout he was struggling with. He would tell Meredith today, ask her opinion on everything, he wanted her to be involved, and because she wanted a winter wedding (she thought they were underrated), he hoped that they would be able to move into the house only a few months after they were married. Married. He still couldn't believe it; it had been a day and he was still finding it hard to believe that she had said yes. It was like a dream. They wanted to wait to tell Aiden and the family. Derek had something special planned to do so, he'd love it.
But now, as he laid all the plans on the table, he was hoping Meredith wouldn't mind that he'd already drawn plans up. He just wanted to know if she had any ideas.
"Hey Der. What are all these drawings for?"
"You know that land I bought? When I first got here?"
"Yeah, but whenever I asked you said that the plans hadn't come through."
"Well, they hadn't. Until January. And some of the builders have started laying foundations for it already. I want it to be ready for when we move in as newlyweds," he smiled.
"Aren't you meant to keep the wedding gift a secret?" she smirked.
He grinned. "Maybe. But I thought you'd want to know rather than wondering why I hadn't got you anything when I don't give you a wrapped box."
"I guess that's fair enough," she said playfully. "Are these the plans then?"
"Yeah. I want you to help. This is our house; we both need to contribute to it. And maybe Aiden if he doesn't give outrageous suggestions," he laughed.
She looked carefully over the plans, tracing her fingers over the room he'd allocated as their bedroom. Then she spoke.
"My only request is that there's a bathtub that covers my boobs and my knees."
"Seriously?" he chuckled.
"Yeah," she giggled, "it's no good otherwise."
"Alright. I'll tell the builders. Well, the plumbers."
"Thank you."
"Would you like a 2D tour?"
"I would love one," she grinned.
He pulled her closer to him and led her through it. They spent the next few hours going over details of the house, talking about their future and wondering what it would bring.
xxxxx
The next week, Aiden got home with Derel and was concerned with how much he was smiling. It didn't look natural anymore. He followed him into the living room where Mom was. She was grinning weirdly too. It was disconcerting. He sat down on one of the chairs and waited.
"We have something to tell you," his Mom grinned.
"But first. Open this," Dad handed him a present. It was squishy. That meant it was clothes. Aiden hated having clothes as gifts. He opened it anyway and it was fair to say that he was stunned into silence by what it was. The Seattle Kraken logo stared him in the face, the block light and dark blue colours surrounding it. It was just his size, and it was a proper jersey too, one that he could train in.
"Turn it round," Dad urged.
He did and his eyes bulged out of his sockets. In block letters read SHEPHERD, embroidered across the back.
"Wha-?" he looked up questioningly.
"I asked your mom to marry me," Dad took Mom's hand, "and she said yes."
"Like in the movies?"
The two of them nodded.
"Cool! Does that mean you'll be my real dad?"
"Uh huh. Which is why I got you a jersey with my name on the back. If you'll let me, I want to adopt you. Which just means you'll be my real son. By law. And if you want, you can have my name."
"I'll be called Derek?" he furrowed his brow.
"No you goof, you'll be Aiden Shepherd," he laughed.
"Seriously? Cool! I wanna be a Shepherd. I'll be like, the child you," he laughed. "Are you gonna be Shepherd Mom?"
"I haven't decided yet, maybe Grey-Shepherd."
"So we'll be a real family? And you won't leave? Ever?" he asked Derek.
"Never, I promise. You're stuck with me."
At this point, Aiden jumped at them, landing directly in the middle and he was swooped into a massive family hug. A Shepherd hug. He was gonna be a Shepherd!
xxxxx
After the rest of the family had been told, the sisters went berserk. Meredith was dragged every which way to dress fittings and cake tastings. Given that the wedding was going to be in December, she thought she would have time to relax. But she had never been more wrong. Apparently, 5 months was not enough time to plan a wedding. If she had it her way, she would marry Derek next week, but she understood everyone having to be there and blah blah blah. She just didn't expect it to get to her so much. The stress was clearly getting to her though. It was the middle of October and she was throwing up nearly every day. Derek was overly protective like he normally was and practically had to force her to stay in bed one day after she had been puking for an hour straight.
She had managed to escape today because he had hockey practice that he couldn't miss. They had been knocked out of the Stanley Cup early this year by the Golden Knights and the manager wanted them to brush up their game. According to Derek, if they could keep raising their standards throughout the season, they were in with a better chance. So now she was in the cafeteria, slowly picking at a salad, wishing it was a cheeseburger instead. Although that would probably make her throw up more!
Cristina came and sat down next to her, the rancid smell of tuna reached Meredith's nostrils and she scraped her chair backwards and ran for the nearest restroom.
"Rude," Cristina muttered to herself, but got up to follow her. She found the stall and banged loudly on the door.
"Open up Mer!"
There was some fumbling and cursing as the door was unlocked but she was back to the toilet bowl before she could say anything. "What is with you, you've been ill for over a week."
"It's nothing just a bug."
"Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think just a normal stomach bug would last this long."
"Fine. Then it's the stress."
"That I can understand. Those Shepherd sisters are crazy. But how bad can it really be? And since when do you hate tuna? You love tuna."
"I don't know, okay. I'm throwing up here!" her person complained.
"Do you want me to get you a pregnancy test?" she sighed. Giving up on the hope that Mer would realise it by herself.
"What?" her head snapped up. "I'm not pregnant. I don't know what you're talking about. I can't be pregnant."
"You can't be?" she snorted, "You mean you have McDreamy as a fiancé and you can't be pregnant? What are you celibate?"
"You know what I mean. I can't be. I'm getting married in two months."
"So? You'll barely show, it'll be fine." she shrugged.
"Cristina! I am not pregnant… Right?"
"Sure. Whatever makes you feel better. I'll get you a test." She started to walk out the door when Meredith stopped her.
"This is too soon. What if he doesn't want it? What if he doesn't think we're ready and he leaves?"
"Oh boy. You're more delusional than I thought. Shepherd loves you. He loves your little squirt so much it's painful to watch sometimes. And didn't he say in his oh so dreamy proposal that he wanted kids?"
"I guess you're right. Sorry. Just… Don't tell anyone."
"I won't. Now stay here. And get Lexie to answer your pages."
She didn't get an answer because Meredith was hunched over again. Puking her guts out.
"Oh joy," she muttered to herself, and went in search of a test.
xxxxx
Meredith's mind was reeling. The test in her bag had two lines on it. Two. She was pregnant. She had taken five tests, and all of them read the same. And she had to tell Derek. Aiden was in the other room, watching TV, so she took her chance.
"Derek. I know I have crappy DNA. And I don't think you know how bad. Like, it's bad. But I don't think you're gonna want my crappy babies. So I just, I'm just saying that. If you don't want them, can you tell me?" she winced. Sincerely hoping that the answer would be what she wanted.
"Meredith. I want your crappy babies," he replied, leaning forwards to kiss her.
"You do?"
"All of 'em," he nodded, tracing his thumb across her cheek.
"Okay," she breathed. "Then, I have something to tell you."
He waited patiently for her to get up the courage to speak. She thought he could probably guess (I mean really, it wasn't that hard) but she appreciated the gesture.
"I'm pregnant Derek."
His whole face lit up as he stared at her.
"Really?"
She nodded, scanning his grinning face.
"Wow. You're pregnant? You're growing our baby," he touched his hand to her stomach and crouched down.
"Hey baby," he whispered at Meredith's stomach, making her laugh. "I know you're new, and you've got lots of growing to do. But I'm gonna help. And so is your big brother. He's gonna love you. And I love you already, even though you're tiny. And Mom loves you. She's gonna give you everything you need, and I'll look after her so that she doesn't tire herself out. And I love your Mom so that'll be easy."
He looked up at her with tears in his eyes, "I love you Mer."
"I love you too Derek," she whispered, putting her fingers in his raven locks. He placed a kiss on her stomach and stood up, bringing her into his arms and holding her close. He was going to be a dad. He was a dad already, but he was going to have a little baby of his own with the love of his life. And Aiden would be ecstatic. Or at least he hoped he would be. God. They were having a baby. It was crazy. They had been with each other for a year, they had been engaged for the next three, and now they were having a baby. He couldn't help the smile that was on his face and he kept Meredith close. This was the best thing he could have asked for.
Meredith let herself get lost in his embrace. He was warm and his heartbeat steadied her while his arms encircled her waist. She wanted this baby, she really did. Her main worries had subdued now that she was in Derek's arms. He made everything safe, and she could believe that everything would be fine. That she could get married while she was pregnant, and they would spend the rest of their lives together. She didn't want to tell people yet, besides Aiden. She wanted it to be their secret, just for a little bit. Derek was all too willing to oblige and once again they found themselves sitting opposite Aiden to tell him the news…