Derek stepped up the steps two at a time to the sundeck. The weather was perfect and he was going to enjoy it this time. Really enjoy it.

At the top, Derek chuckled at the action on the deck. Though it was a Monday, there was a school break this week, so children and their parents dotted his periphery.

A small boy bolted past him, chased by nattering girls; a little girl, Bailey's age, pointed at the water while holding her mother's hand. A young couple leaned against the railing, talking in low tones, smiling, kissing... An oblivious love-filled bubble.

A young man busked a love song with his guitar, stamping his feet. An older couple simply sat on the bench, the man resting his hands on his cane, looking out, while his wife had her hand on his thigh.

In the meantime, the sun shone brightly on him, warming him through his felt jacket. There was hardly a breeze today, barely enough to ruffle his hair, and the water...

Was so blue.

The moment was absolutely perfect. Almost.

He'd fixed it with Meredith.

When he'd returned home, Meredith needed space, so he'd been relegated to babysitter, looking after Zola and Bailey for the day. It'd turned out to be what he needed, what Meredith needed to work it out between them.

He realized... She was everything to him. The kids, Meredith. They were what mattered. They were what he wanted to live for. His job, clipping aneurysms, taking out tumors... he was still doing his work, what he loved... he was still saving lives

So he fixed it.

He just had to sign papers, close out his office in D.C. Saying no to the president this time felt so right. There was no conflict this time. No battle, no tension, no regrets at the missed opportunity.

Derek sighed happily, gazing out at the perfect Seattle skyline. God, it was amazing today... Everything was clear and bright and perfect. They should do this more often...

He was just missing one thing.

Meredith.

"Hmm," he hummed, pulling out his phone. Hopefully, she wasn't in surgery. He pressed '1' on his dialer and waited. It rang four times before going to voicemail. "Hey, it's me," Derek said, "I'm on the Ferry. I just wanted to say that um- God, I wish you could see this,-" he said, looking at the stunning crisp blue sky, the gentle rise of mist parted by the Ferry, the way the sun peeked through puffy clouds. "Weather's classic Seattle..." Derek shifted his gaze downward at the water. Blue. So blue. "The water is so blue..." Beautiful, perfect.

He sighed, leaning against the rail. "It may be the most perfect Ferryboat ride I've ever had in my life." Except for one thing... "We're gonna do this a lot more when I get home, by the way... you, me, and the family." The wind nipped at him, breezed fresh sea air around him. It was a smell so reminiscent, so loved.

Today, after everything... For the first time in his entire life, Derek had perfect clarity, perfect perspective on his life, who he wanted to be... and who he wanted to be with.

"We're just gonna take a day and... ride the ferryboat, all day if we want. I love you, Meredith." Stay here. Don't move. Wait for me. He'd said less than an hour ago. "I know I just left, and I'm not even at the airport yet, but I just wanted to say... I love you. I love our family. And we're gonna keep doing this. I'll see you when I get home. I love you."

xxx

Several months later:

It had been a very eventful week. But today... was the cumulation. Derek had been looking forward to this for a long time.

"Nooo! Daddy! No!" A little black and pink blur sped past him on the deck of the ferryboat.

"Rar!" Derek chased after said blur, careful of the weight on his shoulders. He winced as Bailey grabbed a fistful of his curly hair, while he stretched his legs out in exaggerated steps storming after Zola.

"No!" her back to the railing, Zola turned, "Daddy!" she shrieked in mock terror. Her smile was bright, and she giggled with anticipation.

"The Tyrannosaurus Rex is gonna eat you!" Derek called after her.

"Rex!" Bailey squealed from his seat on Daddy's shoulders. "Rex! Rex! Rex!"

"Raaar!" He roared.

"Mommy, save me!" Zola crossed the deck, scrambled over a bench and ran to hide behind her mother, clutching the back of her purple shawl.

"Don't worry Zola, I've got this!" Meredith took a defiant stance as she turned to face Tyrannosaurus Rex. Legs spread and bent slightly at the knees she faced him, even though her arms were obscured under the shawl, holding onto a bundle. "It's alright Zo-zo, I've got a secret weapon!"

"Nothing can stop Tyrannosaurus Rex!" thundered Derek as he approached.

"RAAAAA!" squealed Bailey, still pulling on his hair.

"Oh, I don't know about that!" Meredith moved, flipping the shawl over to reveal her secret weapon. "Nothing can stop baby kisses!" In her arms was a tiny, breathing little being swaddled tightly in a blanket. She tilted the baby up to face her oncoming opponent. But baby Ellis was still bewildered and befuddled by this new world. She was, after all, only three days old.

"C'mon Ellis, go get'em!" Meredith encouraged. The baby scrunched her nose and wrinkled her brow, and her arm flew haphazardly over her head."Blthb," she drooled.

"Baby El can't kiss, Mommy," laughed Bailey triumphantly.

"Oh... I don't know, that drool is pretty potent stuff," said Derek, slowing down his approach.

"But Daddy! We Rex!"

"I know," Derek said, "But Rexes are nice to babies aren't they?" he chuckled and put his son down. "Here," he reached into his pocket and pulled out a few bills. "You and your big sister go buy some candy. Be back right away, okay? Or I'll come looking."

"Licorice!" squealed Bailey.

"Gummies!" said Zola, and off they went...

Derek watched them go. He couldn't believe that at one point, he'd given this up.

"Ah!" squawked his youngest, jerking a fist.

"Someone's hungry," Meredith adjusted Ellis in her arms.

"Mm," he nodded, unable to tear his gaze from the little one. "You okay?" he asked Meredith, even as he dangled his finger for Ellis to grapple.

"Yeah... I'm okay," she chuckled. "She's so little."

"She looks like you," he said, staring at Ellis' adorable face.

"Really? I see you in her."

"Mm-hmm," he hummed. In the background, he could hear Bailey's high-pitched squeal and Zola's clapping boots as they returned from their candy run.

"Derek?"

He looked up at Meredith, his brows questioning.

Her eyes tracked every feature, wrinkle, and freckle on his face. "I love you," she said.

Gazing adoringly at his wife, the mother of his children, his best friend, Derek leaned in closer. Her scent was lavender. Her skin flushed a little in the cool air, but it was warm under his fingertips as he pulled her to him.

With Ellis between them and Zola and Bailey winding around them in circles while they played, he cupped both of his wife's cheeks and brought his lips to hers. He kissed her. Soft. Quick. Kinda like a habit.

But not quite.

Kissing his wife should always be more than a habit, he decided.

He kissed her again. Slow, tasting her, absorbing her, loving her. Surprisingly, she returned his passionate tongue dance, reminding him that she needed him just as much. Ellis squirmed between them, making sure not to be forgotten either.

Now, this was the perfect ferryboat ride of his entire life.

Derek couldn't believe that for much of life, he'd been misguided. He thought he had it all, prancing around with suave hair and some fancy career.

He thought he had it all with a brownstone and the Hamptons and a gorgeous all-star wife.

He even thought he had it all when he had nothing but a trailer and a shot at being Chief of Surgery.

And then when he did have it all: A rockstar career, a fantastic wife, dreamhouse, two kids...

He gave it up?

For what? A job?

Meeting the President?

Five-hour flights and jetlag?

Work pressure? Deadlines? Skyping his children at odd hours?

Meredith sighed happily and leaned against him, no doubt tired from her fight to bring their third child into the world. He kissed her forehead and stared out at the perfect brilliant blue sky.

This was everything. Meredith, his three kids, and the love they gave him each and every day.

He wrapped his loving arms around them. Lesson learned. They were everything. She was everything. Spending the day, riding the Ferryboat with his family...

That was everything.