"What are you doing?" Meredith asked groggily, as she opened her eyes. Derek was leaning down getting ready to kiss her.
"I...am kissing you good morning." He said as his lips softly pressed against hers.
"I know that. I mean why are you dressed?" Meredith asked as she sat up in bed.
"Well, Anna and I are going to get some breakfast." Derek said as he went to his side of the bed and grabbed his wallet off the bedside table.
"Oh. Well, wait a sec, I'll come with you." Meredith said as she began to climb out of the bed.
"Um. Actually, I wanted to take Anna. Just she and I. A bonding thing." Derek said hesitantly.
"Oh, I understand." Meredith said, just a little hurt, but understanding.
"Mer--" Derek started as his face turned into a frown.
"No, Derek. I'm fine. I have been with Anna all week. It's time for you two to bond." Meredith said as she walked to the bathroom.
"We won't be long. I have a few errands to run. Do you want me to bring something back?" He followed her to the bathroom door and asked.
"No, I'm okay." She said through the door. "Have fun."
"We will." Derek said with a smile. He began walking through the door, but not before he grabbed the book that was by her bed.
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"So where are we going, Mr. Derek?" Anna asked as they drove away from the restaurant.
"We are going to get Meredith a present." Derek said with a big smile as he looked in the rearview mirror. He was silently thanking God that she wasn't playing with a condom like last night.
"What kind of present?" Anna asked as she returned his look.
"A very, very big one!" Derek said as he eyes returned to the road. "So are you excited about school?"
"Yeah. I haven't been to school is a long time." Anna explained as he played with her stuffed horse.
"Are you nervous?" He asked as he turned onto the freeway.
"No. Maybe a little. But I like school. I will be okay." She said, reassuringly.
"I'm sure you will be fine." Derek said with a faint smile. "Meredith goes back to work soon." He told her. "She will be very busy, so I will be spending more time with you. What do you think about that?"
"That's good." Anna said with a smile.
"Good." Derek said as he pulled into the BMW dealership.
"Why are we stopping here?" Anna asked.
"We are here to get Meredith's present." Derek said as he opened her door.
"But all they have is a bunch of cars..." She said as she looked around.
"That is Meredith's present." Derek said as he looked around.
"A car?" She asked, Derek, nodded. "Wow."
"Can I help you, Sir?" A salesperson asked as he walked up and shook Derek's hand.
"Well, actually I think you can. I want to buy a car." Derek said.
"Well, as you can see, we have cars." He said as he motioned around the lot. "Do you know what you're interested in?"
"Actually, I do." He said as he pulled out the sales book from Meredith's bedside table. "This." He said as he pointed to the picture.
"Oh, the X5, very nice." The man said as he nodded. "We have several on the lot."
"Good." Derek returned with a smile. He looked down to see Anna paying close attention to them. "She wants the dark gray. The 4.8i." Derek mentioned.
"Oh, now that could be a problem." He said as he paused and looked at the book.
"We don't have that on the lot." The man said as he stopped and looked at Derek.
"Look. I need this car today. Not just today, within the next couple of hours." Derek said as he stared into the man's eyes.
"I don't know if that's possible." He said quickly.
"Then I guess I need to go somewhere else then." Derek said as he walked away.
"No wait. Let me see what you want again." He said as he walked up to Derek. Derek handed him the book.
"This car is for the love of my life." She said with a smile. Anna looked up and him and grinned.
The salesperson had the car on the lot within and hour. Derek was satisfied with it and knew it was exactly what Meredith wanted. They made arrangements and the car was going to be delivered right after Derek got home. Anna went on about how happy Meredith would be the whole way.
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Meredith took a nice, long, hot shower. It was nice to know that no one was waiting for her. Not that she didn't like having Anna waiting for her. But she worried. She didn't have anyone to play with, and Meredith didn't like to leave her sitting alone. She felt like she needed to, she wanted to entertain her. She sighed as she laid her head back and let the hot water run down her back. She heard a knock on the door. Not the doorbell, which strangers rang, but a knock.
"Damn-it, Derek." She spat as she threw her robe on and walked downstairs. She just knew it was him, and he locked himself out. She shook her head when she opened the door.
"What are you doing here, bitch?" She laughed. "I thought Anna kept you away like a pesticide. A really handy pesticide, I might add."
"Shut up and let me in, whore." Cristina said as she pushed the door opened.
"Seriously, why are you here?" Meredith said as she followed Cristina into the living room.
"Geez, you really are a whore. You don't even put clothes on anymore." Cristina said with a laugh.
"Shut up!" Meredith said as she sat down next to her.
"So where is miss sticky?" Cristina asked.
"What?" Meredith said with a puzzled look.
"Kids are always sticky. And smelly." Cristina said with frankly. "So where is she?"
"She went with Derek for breakfast and errands, I guess." Meredith explained.
"So you guys are like some freaking Rockwell family now?" Cristina spat.
"Uh, not even close." Meredith explained. "But seriously, why are you here?"
"I can't come just to talk to my person?" Cristina asked.
"Yeah...I guess..." Meredith said, not believing her.
"Fine. My mom is in town. She and Burke are freaks. They freaking like each other. They are like bonding. I had to leave before I stabbed one of them with a freaking scalpel." Cristina finally admitted.
"I knew it." Meredith said, shaking her head. "So I am stuck with you for the day?"
"Pretty much." Cristina said with a shrug.
"Well, I guess you could help me clean the house." Meredith said, and then began laughing hysterically.
"Yeah, I think you know me better than that!" Cristina said with a chuckle.
"Mer, I'm home!" Derek shouted from the door.
"That's nice." Meredith said quickly as she glanced over.
"You didn't miss me?" He asked as he walked over to her and kissed her.
"No. But I did miss you!" Meredith said as Anna walked up and hugged her. Cristina pretended to gag and Meredith gave her a glare. "Anna, this is my best friend, Cristina." Meredith told her. Anna immediately hid behind Meredith.
"The kid's smart, she's hiding." Cristina said with a chuckle. Anna finally peeked her head out.
"So what did you guys do? You have been gone forever..." Meredith said as she looked between the two of them.
"Mr. Derek and I---" Anna started to say. Derek quickly covered her mouth.
"Shhh. Not yet." Derek said as he looked at her.
"What's going on?" Meredith asked as she looked at Derek. He just shrugged like he had no idea. Meredith watched as he walked over to the window and looked out.
"Hey, Mer-" He said loudly. "Come here for a second..."
"What?" She asked as she walked towards him.
"Anna and I...we got you something this morning." He said with a grin.
"What?" She said with confusion. "I told you, I didn't need anything."
"Ah, but you do." He said as he walked her to the front door. Her face lit up.
"Oh my God. Derek! Did you--- Why?" She asked as she opened the door and walked out.
"Oh my God! McDreamy bought you a car?" Cristina said in shock.
"Derek, are you crazy?" Meredith asked as she opened the door and looked.
"The Jeep wasn't safe. I don't want you driving our children around in an unsafe car. I saw that you were looking at this. I got everything you wanted. Dark gray paint, two toned seats. Everything." Derek explained as he looked into her eyes.
"Did you say children?" Cristina asked.
"Yeah. Mr. Derek told the man that he wanted this one. And the man said they didn't have it. Then Mr. Derek said he would leave cause he had to have it. And he told the man it was for the love of his life. Then the man found one. And now you have it!" Anna explained with excitement.
"Did you say children?" Cristina asked again.
"Derek. It's too much. I love it, and it's perfect. But it is way too much. Like fifty thousand dollars plus too much!" Meredith said as she looked into his eyes.
"Mer- If I bought you a hundred of these, it wouldn't be too much!" He said as he lifted her chin, looked into her green eyes, and pulled her into a kiss.
"You told them I was the love of your life?" She asked as she pulled away.
"You are..." He said with a smile.
"HEY! I am talking here!" Cristina yelled, causing everyone to look at her. "Did you say children?" Derek and Meredith looked at each other. Derek read Meredith.
"Yeah, I did." Derek said with a smile.
"Derek and I are trying. I want to get pregnant." Meredith said with a smile. "You are the only one that knows." She explained.
"Oh you have got to be kidding me!" Cristina said as if it were the end of the world.
"What's going on?" Anna asked as she looked at all the adults with confusion.
"Nothing." Meredith said as she pulled her close. "Cris, it's not the end of the world."
"You are going to get all soft and gooey inside." Cristina pouted. "God, I think I was better off with Burke and my mother!" She said with a huff.
"Cristina!" Derek snapped.
"Derek, it's fine." Meredith said with a shrug.
"Is this what you want?" She asked Meredith. Meredith returned with a nod. "I am not changing diapers! And I never babysit!" She said with a faint smile.
"Okay." Meredith said as s smile crept up on her face. "Let's take this thing for a ride." Meredith said as she climbed in.
"Aren't you going to get dressed?" He asked as he looked at her in her red robe.
"Honey, will you be embarrassed?" Meredith asked Derek with a cocked head.
"Not at all..." He said with a grin and he ran around to the other side.
"Hey...where is my Jeep?" Meredith said as she looked over at Derek.
"Uhh." Derek stammered as he tried to figure out what he was going to tell her.
"Derek!" She said as she pulled off to the side of the road. "Where is my Jeep?" She asked again with force.
"It's in a good place." Derek finally replied.
"What do you mean, a good place?" She snapped. "Like the dump, or a junk yard? Derek?"
"Meredith, don't worry about it." He said, trying to calm her down.
"Don't worry? Don't worry?" She said in shock.
"Mer- It's just a car!" Cristina said from the back seat.
"That was not just a car. It was my first car. That was the first car that I had--" She started and then looked back at Anna. "That I had ever driven to school." She said. Derek raised his eyebrows.
"Meredith...trust me..." Derek said, not wanting to tell her what he did with the Jeep. "You are starting a new life, with me. Right?" He asked.
"Yes." She said with a sigh.
"It's time to move on." He told her as he lifted her chin and looked into her eyes.
"I just would have liked to say goodbye." She muttered as she pulled back onto the road.
"You are nuts. Who acts like this over a car?" Cristina said as she rolled her eyes.
"Merediff, that's who." Anna snapped. Everyone looked at her in shock. "What?" She asked innocently.
"I think we found someone who can keep up with you." Meredith shouted to Cristina.
"So how does the car drive?" Derek asked as he looked over at her.
"It's great, Derek. Thank you." She said as she pulled into the driveway. She leaned ever and pulled him into a kiss.
"Oh mush!" Anna spat, as she covered her eyes.
"No kidding." Cristina agreed as she jumped out of the car. "Well, as much fun as it's been hanging out with the Walton's, I think I am going to get the he-- heck out of here." She said as she looked at all of them.
"I thought you were here for the day?" Meredith asked.
"Yeah, I changed my mind." Cristina said as she threw on her helmet, and jumped on her bike.
"Bye." Anna shouted. "That girl is strange." Anna pointed out. Meredith and Derek just chuckled.
"So, Anna, what would you like to do today?" Meredith asked as she made her way to the front door.
"Um..." Anna thought.
"I know what I would like to do..." Derek muttered. "I love the robe, by the way."
"Why don't we go hiking at the park?" Meredith asked.
"We could do that." Derek agreed. "We can go spend time with nature." He told Anna, she shook her head yes.
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Derek and Meredith had another busy night. They were determined to get the ball rolling. Part of Derek was afraid that Meredith would change her mind. At the same time, she seemed so driven, so happy. Nonetheless, they were determined to create a a life, a piece of both of them. Derek had surgery early in the morning. He gave Meredith a kiss before he left, but she never even stirred. She had become quite a sound sleeper in her time off. Meredith could feel something. She could sense that someone was watching her.
"Good morning, sleepy head!" Anna said as Meredith opened her eyes.
"Good morning!" Meredith said as Anna jumped into the bed with her and gave her a hug. "You are up early."
"Yeah, I heard Mr. Derek. He told me to go back to sleep. I couldn't cause today is my first day of school!" Anna said excitedly.
"Yes it is." Meredith said as she looked over at the clock and realized she needed to get up.
"Did you decide what you are going to wear?" Meredith asked.
"No. I want you to pick." Anna said as she looked up into Meredith's eyes.
"I can do that." Meredith replied as she climbed out of the bed.
"Am I having cereal?" Anna asked with a disappointed face.
"What do you want?" Meredith asked.
"Scrambled eggs." Anna answered.
"I think I can do that!" Meredith said happily.
"Yay!" Anna returned.
"Well, I need to brush my teeth and get ready. Did you brush yours?" Meredith asked.
"No..." She answered. "I'm going..." She whined a she walked off with heavy feet. Meredith continued on with her morning routine. She and Anna picked out a cute outfit and went to the kitchen.
"So, would you like to wear a hat?" Meredith asked as she cracked the eggs in the pan.
"No." Anna said simply. "I just wanna be me."
"I think that is just who you should be." Meredith said with a smile. She made the eggs and toast and poured them both a glass of juice. "Are you scared?"
"A little. I hope the kids aren't mean." Anna answered.
"I don't think they will be." Meredith told her.
"Can you stay?" Anna asked with hope in her eyes.
"You know I can't. You have to do this on your own. You're growing up." Meredith explained.
"I don't want to." Anna pouted.
"Neither do I." Meredith muttered. Meredith watched as Ann quickly ate her food and drank her juice.
"I'm ready." She said as she stood up.
"Okay." Meredith said as she sat the dishes in the sink and grabbed her purse.
"I like your new car." Anna stated as they walked up to the BMW.
"So do I." Meredith answered as she opened the door and let her in. She walked to her own door and climbed in. "Did you have fun with Derek?" Meredith asked.
"Yeah. Mr. Derek is fun." Anna said. "He's like a dad. A fun dad. He's never mean." Anna said happily.
"No. He's never mean." Meredith repeated. They both drove the rest of the way in silence. Meredith felt a little sadness when she pulled into the school's parking lot. "We're here." Meredith said as she parked the car and climbed out.
Meredith talked to the teacher about Anna's condition as Anna wallked around the classroom and looked around. She was excited about her desk. She seemed really happy to be there. As the other kids began to fill the classroom, Meredith watched how they reacted to her. It seemed like all was going to be okay. She said her goodbye to both the teacher and Anna and walked out. As she heard the kids giggling, she wiped a single tear from her eye. She looked back to see a big smile on her face.
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Meredith smiled as she walked up to the surgical floor. She was so happy to be there, even if it was just for a visit. She couldn't wait to be back to work tomorrow. She didn't care if was in surgery or doing scut, she couldn't wait. She glanced down the hall, seeing Derek leaned up against the wall. He took her breath away. She slowly walked up with a smile on her face, and a bag in her hand.
"Hey." He said as he glanced up. He could sense her getting near.
"Hey." She returned. "I brought you lunch."
"And I am hungry." He said as he leaned in and kissed her. "Let's go outside."
"Sounds good." Meredith said as they walked downstairs and found a table.
"So how was she?" He asked as he opened up the take out container.
"She looked so happy. I was like it was some big adventure. She actually woke me up this morning. She grabbed her little backpack and marched right in there. Her teacher is wonderful. Anna really liked her. And the other kids were great. They were so accepting to her. And it's a small class, which is good." She rambled nervously. "She was fine..." Meredith said sadly.
"But you aren't." Derek said, somewhat in shock.
"I know. It's stupid, right?" Meredith asked as she took a bite of her grilled chicken salad.
"Not at all." Derek answered sympathetically.
"She hasn't been here very long, Derek." She explained. "I don't know what we are going to do. I love her. She has been here a week, and I love her. We can't get attached..." She said as her eyes teared up.
"Meredith--" Derek started.
"No, Derek. She could leave anytime. She could go home, and we will never see her again." Meredith muttered.
"But we're already attached." He said as he looked up, and matched her sad gaze.
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So they have come to the realization that Anna could leave. She really could! And Derek went McDreamy and bought Mer a car. There will me less surrounding Anna, and more Mer and Der now...