Meredith stared in partial shock and mounting horror at Derek's surprised face. She didn't know what to expect—except the painfully obvious.

He'll think you're a freak… and that'll be that.. maybe I can transfer to the clinic in Forks…

Derek gave Meredith an up and down look and she was completely unaware when Shepard suddenly burst into a bout of nearly nonstop laughter.

"You- ha haha! A v- v-vampire! Ha ha ha! That has got to be the best line I've e- ever heard of in my entire life!" Derek said, nearly bent at the waist from chuckling so hard. At first relief flowed through her undead veins like water, but a cold finality stopped her.

He thinks it's a joke.. but it'll be better for him if I come clean…. I owe it to him….I owe it to myself.

"Derek… I'm telling you the truth….I'm a real… live… ha ha.. pardon the pun, vampire."

"So…what'll happen if I eat garlic for lunch tomorrow? Will you go nuts? Oh- wait! A mirror! You can't look in mirror? Do you morph into a bat to get to work everyday? Do you feast on human blood?" Derek said, resting against her car, nearly breathless with laughter.

"Noooo… firstly, the garlic thing is very much overrated. Secondly, mirrors don't repel us. Me…..whatever… and third and fourthly- no to the bat and blood thing. I don't drink human blood… only animal blood…. I'm… a vegetarian vampire…." Meredith said, slowly raising her eyes to meet his.

Derek took a deep breath.

"Oh man… a… what did you call it? A vegetarian vampire? Oh my god! Mer, I don't know where this sudden burst of humor came from, but I'm about ready to pee I'm laughing so hard! I don't know if my stomach can take much more! Ha ha!"

"Its… not…. Funny! Damm it Derek, I'm trying to be serious here!"

"Ha ha… ok sure… so…. Who's your daddy? Dracula?" Derek ribbed, wiping tears from his eyes. Meredith growled low, reaching for her car keys.

"Get in." she demanded softly. Derek nodded complying instantly.

"Bout time… so, wanna head to Joe's or something more romantic?" he suggested smoothly, slipping into the passenger's seat. Meredith slid into the driver's side, slamming the door shut, and pulling on her seatbelt.

"Buckle up, because this will be one hell of a ride, I can tell you that much." Meredith said, adjusting her mirror, and starting the engine.

"Yeah sure, and—whoa, Mer!"

Derek felt his entire body slam into the dashboard, as Meredith whipped out of the parking space, rounded the corner and made for the open road. Derek felt slightly uncomfortable as he watched the red needle of the speed gauge climbing past ninety miles per hour. Meredith kept her eyes on the road, her gaze never wavering nor her hands slipping from the wheel. She seemed almost immobile, like staring at a statue. There was something about her concentrated state, her inner resolve that Derek felt himself unable to look away.

"Uhh…. Where are we going?"

"To the outskirts of town… I've got to show you a few things." Meredith said, taking a corner rather quickly.

"Uhhh….alright…c- can we…. Possibly slow down?" Derek asked weakly. Meredith looked over at him briefly, flashing him a rougish smile.

" I never slow down, Derek."

Derek gave her a slightly intrigued yet worried thin lipped smile. He was shocked, when Meredith began driving up towards the private land where he had his trailer parked. The faintest rays of sunlight were breaking over the tops of the trees, casting the entire wooden area with a warm glow. Coming to a stop at his trailer's doorstep, Meredith suddenly turned off the engine, and quickly got out of the car.

"Uhh… I wouldn't care and all… but how do you know where I live?" Derek questioned, watching Meredith march determinedly towards the trees.

"Been up here plenty of times! Actually, last time I was here was back in 1915…and there were more trees and a shack where your trailer was."

"Heh… so, besides being a vampire you're telling me you've been around for a while? Just how old are you anyways?"

" Thirty-two. Why?"

"Well, how long?"

Meredith stopped at the base of the follage. "A while…." She replied with a curious twinkle in her eye. Derek stuffed his hands in his pockets, sauntering over to her.

"Ok… do you have some secret picnic or something stashed up here?" he inquired, eyes dancing. Meredith kissed him gently on the cheek, and jerked her head towards the trees.

"I'd take those hands out your pockets. You'll need to really hang on. I tend to get carried away running."

"What? I'm really lost now…." Derek slowly removed his hands from his pockets. Meredith took his arm, slinging him across her back in a piggyback style.

"Wow…. The strong type, I like that…" Derek said, momentarily confused.

"Just hang on, and please…. Don't barf on me, ok?"

"Sure…. Is there any special place we're going—ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Meredith bolted off through the trees at impossible human speed. Trees and shrubs whipped past his face as though they were merely green and brown blurs mixed in some distorted painting. He pressed himself against Meredith's back—never once did she seem out of breath nor sweaty in any way. He squeezed his eyes shut, his heart hammering against his ribcage.

"Wh- what is going on?! Is this some kind of joke?! Do you know where you're going?!"

"Yup, I've done this hundreds…. No, take that back… thousands of times….! We'll be stopping shortly…. Almost there…."

Derek was positive that his heart was about to explode from his chest, when suddenly Meredith stopped, and slowly released him onto the ground. Derek's legs felt like jelly when his feet touched the forest floor. In a flash, Meredith had caught him, and propped him upright.

"W- what…. Are you? I mean… shit… people can't… move that fast…. Y- you can't… possibly…m- move…"

Derek stopped, staring at her intently.

Because… I'm a vampire!

Do you drink human blood?

Vampire…..

Do you turn into a bat?

Vampire…..

What'll happen if I bring garlic for lunch?

Vampire….

Mirrors are overrated. I don't drink human blood, only animal blood. I'm a vegetarian vampire.

Derek felt the saliva in his mouth dry up and his throat constrict. Slowly, pieces began falling crazily into place.

She's never tired…. In fact, I rarely see her eat lunch…..she hardly cries when a patient dies… she speaks… with this untold wisdom….plus…. that speed….. that inhuman speed… she's pale, and her skin is always icy to the touch….

"My god…. Are you…r- really…..a… I mean….Mer… are you….a…?" he asked weakly. Meredith stood in the dense haze of the forest, her face looking both serene and troubled. A tormented angel. Slowly she walked towards him, placing her unnaturally cold hands on his warm, flushed face.

"Yes, I'm really a vampire Derek. I meant all of what I said before. I don't turn into a bat, I'm ok with garlic and mirrors, and I only drink the blood of animals."

"I…. I…. I…. I'm at a loss… I mean…..shit, you're a vampire Meredith!" Derek said, the cold finality of the words striking home.

Dear god… my girlfriend is a real vampire! An honest to goodness, straight from a horror movie, blood sucking vampire!

"Derek… you have to understand some things about me…. I'm not a monster, and I would never, ever hurt you!" Meredith said, looking directly into his gaze, and Derek found it hard to look away, his heart and mind battling with one another.

"So… since you are…. " Derek began, but Meredith looked steadily at him, eyes calm.

"Vampire. You can say it….. I'm a vampire…."

"Vampire…." Derek breathed, slowly. "You… Meredith Grey…. Are…. A vampire."

"There? Was it really so hard?" Meredith joked, sitting on a tree stump, crossing her legs. Derek slowly sat down next to her.

"We…. Need to talk…." He said, fumbling for any sort of words to come out of his beleaguered mouth. Meredith nodded, tucking a lock of hair behind her eyes.

"Yeah, we do. I think… I want to be totally honest and open about this… if you'll just hear me out…"

"I can't make any promises… but… I'll try." Derek ventured, and Meredith smiled softly.

"Thank you, thank you so much."

"F- For what?"

"This. Merely listening."

"Oh… no problem…. Uhhh…. What are we waiting for?"

"The morning sun."

"Why?"

"You'll see."

They didn't have to wait long. When the golden rays peeked over the treetops, Meredith shed her coat and laid it carefully on the log. Derek watched, partially mesmerized when Meredith walked into the faint traces of the rays-- and she dazzled him.

He watched, transfixed as her skin shone like diamonds. Like fresh droplets of fine rainwater on a blooming flower. Her face, arms and hands glittered brighter than the finest necklace ever could. In the morning sun, the richest jewels seemed worthless. She stood tall and proud, eyes burning with a quiet furious passion.

"So…. What do you think?" she quietly murmured.

"I….. I…. oh boy…."

The ground suddenly leapt up to greet him, as Derek swooned and passed out.

A/N: Ack! So sorry for the long wait! Moved cross country and sadly was without the internet for much longer than I would have liked! Please leave a review!