As the title indicates, we're at the last chapter in this happy love story. I've enjoyed writing this one, and I appreciate all your great reviews as the story unfolded. Thanks again to all of you that have read and let me know what you thought as it went along! And of course, there will be an epilogue...

Chapter 19 – Save the Best for Last

And now we're standing face to face

Isn't this world a crazy place

Just when I thought our chance had passed

You go and save the best for last

Sometimes the very thing you're looking for

Is the one thing you can't see

Sometimes the snow comes down in June

Sometimes the sun goes 'round the moon

Just when I thought our chance had passed

You go and save the best for last

You went and saved the best for last

Derek held his hand out to Meredith, as the music began to play. She looked at him in surprise. "What happened to 'I never dance'…?"

He gave her that self assured grin, pulling her close. "Ah, there you see, you've misinterpreted…"

"Seriously?"

"I didn't say I didn't know how…" he told her amusedly, "…just that I don't…"

Meredith rolled her eyes. "Ass…"

"That's no way to talk to your husband," Derek murmured, brushing his lips along her temple. "Especially on your wedding night." He smoothly maneuvered her along the small dance floor, so expertly she seemed to float. She looked up at him, and he kissed her briefly.

"Is there anything else you need to tell me?" she asked, before he spun her away and brought her back against him.

"Hmm…you'll have to see…" he grinned, before dipping her over his arm. When she came back up, she couldn't help but laugh. "And after all, you DID say you liked 'Dancing with the Stars'" he reminded her.

"You remembered…"

"Meredith, I always remember…" he said gently, as he moved in time to the seductive beat of the music. She could feel the insistent flex of his hips against her, and his hand was hot on the small of her back. Losing herself in the dance and his deft movements, until the music faded away and he dropped her down over his arm, and claimed her mouth in a long erotic kiss.

"You're full of surprises…" Meredith murmured, as he brought her back upright, and she was able to catch her breath.

"Oh, the evening is just beginning…" he replied devilishly, before relinquishing her to his father. Meredith had met Derek's parents, Michael and Emily, before the ceremony, instantly liking them. Michael was an older version of Derek, his thick black hair sprinkled liberally with silver, and his twinkling blue eyes putting her immediately at ease.

"Mr. Shepherd, your son is quite a dancer…" she laughed, as he swung her into a foxtrot.

"He should be. He took lessons with his sisters when he was younger, until poker and fast cars caught his interest." Meredith caught her breath as he spun her easily as well. "Emily and I were surprised at this wedding you know. But he seems very happy with you, so that's all that matters."

"I do love him, very much, and I hope I can make him happy," Meredith assured him. "It was sudden, and not what I expected, believe me, but…"

"It's okay, Meredith," Michael chuckled. "We can see how it is with the two of you. Derek took his time settling down, but I think you're good for him. And you even beat him at his own game…"

"I did."

"Don't let him forget for awhile," Michael said, conspiratorially. "Good for his ego."

Meredith giggled again, looking around as the music died away. Derek was escorting his mother to the bar, where Cristina was chatting intently with the bartender. Sam was flirting with one of the cute young waiters, and Danny and Delinda were sitting in the corner, talking quietly, drinking champagne. The only one missing was Mark, and he sent his regrets, having got caught up in an emergency at work. Probably best, Meredith thought, looking back at Danny.

Then she looked towards the edge of the terrace, seeing A.J. Cooper there, cigar in his mouth, standing beside a petite woman in a severe blue suit. Meredith's heart froze and then dropped. "Mother…"

"Is there something wrong?"

Meredith gulped, turning to look for Derek. "No…no problem.." Her gaze caught Cristina's, and she shot a pleading look her way. Cristina's eyebrows rose, puzzled, watching Meredith's head jerk slightly. Her eyebrows rose even further, and she hopped off the barstool, heading for Meredith.

"Ohmigod…what is she doing here?" she asked Meredith urgently.

Meredith shook her head silently, suddenly feeling Derek slip in behind her. His hands rested on her hips. "I asked Sam to send her an invitation," he said quietly. "Are you going to yell at me now?"

"Derek…"

"I really didn't expect her. She never replied to the invitation," he murmured, leaning in, and holding her tighter. "Otherwise I would have told you before. Am I forgiven?"

"I'm not sure yet," Meredith sighed, as Cooper and Ellis Grey started to walk towards them. Ellis actually smiled, as Cooper chatted easily to her, gesturing with his cigar in his hand.

"Are you sure that's your mother, Mer?" Cristina asked suspiciously. "She's smiling…"

"Maybe she's drunk." Something Meredith suddenly wished she was. She snagged a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and downed it.

"Meredith, dear," Ellis said, coming up to her, her hands out to grasp Meredith's. "Why didn't you tell me you were getting married?"

"Mother, you're so busy…I didn't expect you would have time to come…"

"Nonsense. My only daughter gets married, and I have to get an invitation in the mail…" She shook her head with a little sigh. "I know I came at the last minute, but Mr. Cooper here was nice enough to send his limo to pick me up, and he's been very friendly."

Meredith flashed Cooper a grateful look. "I like happy guests," he said, winking. "Congratulations again to you and Derek."

"Thank you, and for the meal, and letting us have the wedding here…"

"My pleasure…now, if you'll excuse me…" He left them alone, and Meredith turned back to Ellis, gripping Derek's hand tightly.

"So…Derek Shepherd, I presume…" Ellis said, looking at Derek. "You're the man to make my daughter settle down. Maybe now she'll stop playing cards and find a real job."

Derek moved closer to Meredith, giving her a reassuring squeeze. "Hardly, Dr. Grey. She's too good to stop playing, and she's made a lot of money at it. You should be proud of her, not many women rank as high as she does."

"I expected my daughter to be extraordinary, Derek."

"She is. Very much so, and I love her more than I can tell you. I was the one to send you the invitation, because I thought you might want to share her happiness. If I was wrong, you can leave now, before you upset her even more."

Ellis raised one eyebrow speculatively, before nodding slowly. Meredith held her breath, expecting a rush of bitterness to spew out of her mother. To her utter astonishment, Ellis smiled. "You are right, Derek. I want the best for both of you, after all. You might just be the best thing for her.."

"Mother…"

"I do love you, Meredith, despite what you think. Be happy, be extraordinary…" Ellis leaned in to kiss Meredith's cheek unexpectedly, and Meredith could only stare at her. Then Ellis kissed Derek's cheek as well. "Welcome to the family, Derek, such as it is. Take care of my daughter…" Then she turned and headed for the bar, leaving Meredith sagging against Derek, and Cristina totally speechless.

"Oh god," Meredith sighed. "That was so not what I expected."

"She was okay," Derek agreed, nuzzling her neck.

"She's gotta be drunk," Cristina commented. "And that sounds like a good plan to me. I'm done taking pictures for the night. I'm heading back to the bar, you two coming?"

"No…" Meredith looked up at Derek, seeing his eyes darken. She turned in his arms.

"Whatever…I have a shot of tequila calling me…" Cristina said, with a shake of her head. And a date with the bartender after the evening is through, she thought, heading towards Erica. The night was definitely getting better.

The music started up again, and Cooper and Ellis moved around the floor, joined by Michael and Emily, and then Danny and Delinda, shuffling awkwardly with the crutches. Love was in the air…

"I forgive you for asking her. It could have been ten times worse." Meredith wound her arms around Derek's neck, pulling him closer.

"I'm glad, but we should get out of here now…" he said quietly, his tongue along her earlobe, sending shivers down her spine.

"Are you going to take advantage of me now?" she whispered, as he started to move them towards the elevator.

"Honey, you have no idea…"

"I think I do, and I can't wait…" Meredith giggled, pulling him along eagerly, leaving their guests to entertain themselves for the rest of the night.

Derek took the keycard and swiped it through the reader, and pushed the door open to his suite. Their suite…actually, she had moved her things over earlier in the day before the ceremony. He'd found her shampoo and conditioner in the shower, along the shelf with his, and her cosmetics and other objects strewn over the bathroom counter. He grinned to himself now, as he swept Meredith up in his arms, kicking the door open wider. "Mrs. Shepherd…" he murmured, as he carried her inside. "Welcome to your wedding night…"

"I like the sound of that."

Derek let her down slowly, running his hands along her body, enjoying the way she shook under his touch. His eyes went dark, and she felt her knees go wobbly. Her fingers pulled at his tie, loosening the knot, and pulling it away from the collar of his shirt. She wound the silky material around her hand and tugged him closer. She felt so connected to him, without even touching him, just listening to their breathing, as the anticipation hung between them. "Let's get started…." She whispered, her lips grazing his lightly. With a deep groan, he kissed her back harder, meeting her tongue with his, winding around sensuously. His hand slid up her body, cupping her breast, rubbing the nipple through the lacy material.

"What you do to me…" he muttered, moving backwards then, pulling her along towards the bed. Keeping his eyes on hers, his smoldering gaze enough to make the inferno of sexual tension rage to exquisite heights.

"I want to do even more," she whispered, putting her hand on his chest, and pushing him lightly back to the bed. "But just wait there a minute, I'll be right back."

"Don't be too long." Derek collapsed onto the bed, pulling his tie off completely, and undoing the buttons on his shirt. Sitting up to take his shoes off, he watched her walk away, his body tight with desire. "D'you need any help?" he laughed, tugging his shirt away from his pants and tossing it aside.

"No…" Her voice floated out to him from the bathroom.

When he looked back up, she stepped into the bedroom again, her body outlined in the soft light behind her. Her hair was a soft gold cloud around her, trailing across her shoulders. A sheer white negligee clung to her small body, dipping low to hug her breasts, falling in soft ripples to the floor. He could see the dark outline of her nipples beneath the lace, as she walked towards him, a smile on her lips.

"You look so beautiful," Derek told her softly, as she stopped in front of him. "I am the luckiest man on the planet to have you in my life." With a teasing smile, she put her hands on his shoulders, pushing him backwards onto the bed again. Then she crawled over him, letting her breasts rub along his chest, kissing his mouth, and then down his throat.

"I think we're both lucky," she murmured, as he tugged her back up, and he moved between her legs. Then she let out a gasp as he pushed the fabric up and out of the way, taking a wicked detour with his tongue. "And we're so completely shameless…"

"Mm….great, isn't it?"

"Yeah, oh yeah…." She sighed, torn between a laugh and a soft moan on how deliciously good the things he was doing with his tongue made her feel. The moan won as he continued his very focused, tender assault on her clit. "It's a little insane how great it is. Have I mentioned that your idea of foreplay is pretty damn incredible?" She groaned when he slid his tongue away from where she needed it most, up along her hip, and gasped again when he captured one aching nipple for a brief, tantalizing moment, then moved up to nip her chin. "You stopped…" she said, pouting just a little, breathless with want.

"I hate being predictable," he murmured, giving her a sensual grin.

"Damn you," Meredith sighed. "I should have kept my mouth shut…"

Derek continued to nibble along her jaw, as she felt the rock hard length of him between her thighs. He pulled her down onto him, and she gripped at his hips, wanting some part of him inside of her right that very second. His lips skated along her cheek, and her eyelids, and she moaned softly. "Tease…"

Then she moved lower, intent on making him crazy. Her teeth and tongue teasing his nipples, her fingers tracing the line of his muscles, the flat plane of his stomach that clenched under her. Playing with the dark hair that trailed down his body, her lips followed her fingers. Letting her tongue trace circles on his skin, until his mind was filled with only desire and pleasure. Her hair trailed along his torso, and she bent over his belt buckle, easing it open. He lifted his hips, as tugged the pants down, holding his breath in anticipation.

She lifted her eyes to peek at him, as she placed her tongue against the head of his cock. His whole body shook, as she stroked him wetly, and he gripped the sheets in his fingers. Pleasure rocketed through his nerve endings, pulsing and erotic, as she took him in fully, her fingers teasing his balls. Her tongue followed the ridges and veins along his shaft, until he thought he was going to go out of his mind.

Then she stopped, and he opened his eyes, breathing heavily, his body drenched in sweat already. "What…?"

"I hate to be predictable…" Meredith giggled, enjoying the look of incredulous surprise on his face. "Do you want me to keep going?"

"Always…" he groaned, his hips lifting, his cock demanding her attention. Meredith lowered her head again, stroking him everywhere, around his balls, and back up to the tip, until he strained against her. He bucked wildly, her mouth and her hands doing wicked, sensual things to him, as he thrust against her harder. "God, Meredith…honey…" his words were jumbled together, as he felt the climax coiling, burning in him as she kept up her assault. "Don't stop now…no….GOD…."he shouted, pushing against her harder, lifting off the bed. His body rocked, and spasmed, shooting hot and hard against her lips.

Meredith let him go slowly, her fingers stroking his cock gently as he lay back, dazed and spent; spots of light dancing across his eyes. She put her finger to the quivering sensitive head, and he moaned, opening his eyes to see her wiping away the last drops of cum that clung to him, putting her finger to her lips. Her tongue snaked around it suggestively. "So good…"

"You're good…" he muttered, helpless to do anything but stare at her, and try to get his body back under control.

Meredith slid back up his length, lace and skin caressing him equally, before she kissed him. He tasted his own earthy musk along her tongue, as she parted his lips and her tongue invaded his mouth. His body responded again, and the heat built up again before he gave it any conscious thought. With a swift movement, he pinned her down to the pillows, kissing the hollow of her throat.

"We won't ever be predictable, will we?" Meredith gasped, as he grasped the straps of her negligee, easing them down her shoulders.

"Hardly," he agreed, intent on what he was doing. Meredith ran her tongue along her bottom lips, as he slid the lace down her chest, letting it tickle her nipples along the way. He deliberately avoided touching her with his fingers, just letting the material graze her, teasing her, tormenting her. Exposing her soft skin to his heated gaze, inch by inch, finally sliding it past her hips and her knees, and off. He held one foot in his hand, rubbing his thumb over the curve of her instep, watching the rise and fall of her chest. Pressing his lips to her skin, seeing how she let herself fall open for him.

"This is much better," he observed, letting her foot fall to the bed, crawling back up to kneel between her legs. He dropped a kiss to her lips, as her fingers teased him again, her tongue meeting his. Backing away, Derek let his palms slide along her body. He paused deliberately, above her breasts, watching the nipples jut up in anticipation. She arched upwards, whimpering softly.

In response, he touched his tongue to her carefully, swiping along the delicate edge of the areolas, stroking around them carefully, his fingers toying with her, as he took his time with her. "Mmmm…you taste like heaven…" he murmured, as he continued his path down her body.

His tongue dipped along the indent of her navel, tickling her, and she giggled, the soft infectious sound making him grin. He feather further licks across her sensitive skin, making her moan and giggle alternately. Kiss by wet kiss, he moved lower until his tongue delved where she wanted it the most. Soft and silky, the strokes made her giggles dissolve into sighs of bliss. His tongue warmed her, playing with her sensitive bud.

"This isn't too predictable, is it?" Derek asked, catching her eyes on him.

"No, god…no…"

"Come for me now, Meredith…"

His fingers dipped into her, as he continued to lick the wetness that trickled out of her. Tasting her unique womanly flavor that he craved, feeling her squirm and tremble beneath him, as she gave her self totally to him. Orgasms started to rock her body, her whole being focused on the deep, wet strokes along her most erotic places.

Meredith lost track of how many times she peaked, cresting higher, crying out his name. When he let her go, she fell back against the pillows weakly, unable to do more than sigh. Finally, she peeked one eye at him, finding him propped on one elbow, giving her a sexy smile. "You okay, sweetheart?"

She managed a strangled sound of satisfaction, as he gathered her against him, kissing her tenderly. "You're sexy as hell when you can't talk," he teased her.

"You ass…." Meredith sighed happily. "Pretty sure of yourself sometimes aren't you?"

"You think I'm done?" he growled, pinning her down again, lips at her throat.

"I hope not!"

"Then come here." Derek sat up suddenly, pulling her into his lap. She hooked her legs around him, as he held her poised over his cock, letting the tip of it tease her for a brief moment. Torturing them both by holding her there, their breathing heavy, their eyes locked on each other. Meredith steadied herself, her palms on his shoulders, wanting him, needing him to fill her. Then with excruciatingly slow movements, he let her sink down onto him, so that he was deep within her.

They shared a look of pure love and satisfaction, as he throbbed and pulsed in her slick heat. "Just feel it, don't move yet," he whispered. His hands on her back, strong and sure, supported her, as a deep tremor made her squeeze around him. A soft moan slipped from her lips – god how she had come to love this closeness, this love and desire they shared.

"God, I love you, Derek,' she murmured, feeling him quiver inside of her, as she clenched around him, unable to stop the tremors that were picking up intensity.

"I love you, Meredith," he responded, starting to rock them back and forth, their bodies tightly joined. Feeling her shake and spasm, his own body tightened. "Now, honey…take me with you now…"

And her body went tight, her head went back, and he felt her release flood through her, as he thrust into her, riding every squeeze, feeling his own climax firing through him. Her skin felt hot and slick under his hands, as they lost themselves together in the sweet rush of ecstasy.

"Helluva wedding night," Meredith panted, laying her head against his chest, still twined around him, unwilling to move.

"And this one we can remember in the morning," Derek chuckled, his hands along the curve of her spine, feeling her sweat dampened skin under his fingers. He shifted, sending some last tremors through her, before he helped her lay down, pulling the sheets around them.

"Even better," she agreed, as he placed a hot, wet kiss on the side of her throat, then gently sunk his teeth into her earlobe, making her gasp and her body jerk. Her head fell back, and he began to drop kisses along the underside of her jaw. Making her lose track of anything she had been planning on saying for a few minutes, kissing her lips and feeling her body soften against his.

Derek stroked her hair away from her forehead, and gave her a slow, sensual smile, watching her eyes darken again with need. He wanted to see that look in her eyes again and again – he wanted to see it when he was inside of her, and when he was the one making her cry out and climb the peak of her climax, and the fierce surge of possessiveness made him tighten his grip around her.

"What is it?" Meredith breathed, sensing the shift in his mood.

"I never anticipated feeling this way about anyone," Derek confessed, resting his forehead against hers. "You have gotten my heart tangled up, and I feel possessive and protective, and it's like no feeling on earth. Honey, I love you so damn much…"

"Derek…you aren't alone in that feeling. And we're going to be together always, to discover just how good we can be, I believe that…" Meredith threaded her fingers in his thick curls, before kissing him gently. "You and me, Derek…we're meant to be…." She touched his face, his lips, brushed her hand through his hair, looking directly into his eyes.

"Meant to be…" Derek agreed, giving her a hard, fast kiss. Which led to another, longer, slower kiss that didn't end until they were both breathless. "Now…let's make some more wedding night memories, what do you say Mrs. Shepherd?"

"I say yes, Mr. Shepherd…always yes…."

THE END

Song lyrics from 'Save the Best for Last' by Vanessa Williams