Chapter 24

Ten weeks later.

Cristina is looking out of the airplane window. The sky is blue but there is a grey cloud covering the ground. From sun to rain, why did she choose to work in Seattle? She is not complaining but baffled. She looks at her left hand with a small golden wedding band that is covering a similar ring on Owen's hand. His hand is resting on her stomach, feeling the baby moving around. Their baby, she never thought she would get married or become a mother. Not after the almost wedding to Burke. But she did, in Geneva, a month ago. They went to the embassy with Meredith and Derek as their witnesses and celebrated with a nice dinner. Owen took her to Istanbul for a week long honeymoon. It was on their last two week vacation from the MSF. Now she will become Head of Cardio thorax and Owen Head of Trauma at Seattle Grace Hospital.

Izzy and Lexie are at Joe's preparing for a welcome and wedding party. They didn't have the opportunity to be at Cristina and Owen's wedding and wants to celebrate them now.
"Who have you invited?" Lexie asks Izzy.
"Not that many… just some guys that started internship with us and some nurses… oh and some of our residents… and attendings… and the Webbers… and the Sloans."
"Izzy, this party is huge. Do you think they'll like it?"
Alex is coming to fetch them and drive them home.
"Are you not going a little too far? He asks ogling the white banners, bows and balloons.
"It's a wedding party" Izzy defends herself.
"Joe, we will be back with the happy couple in a couple of hours."
"Bye Alex, bye ladies"

Derek is leaving his mother's attorney and Rose has nothing to gain on a retrial. Rose is sentenced to 25 years in prison and she will never walk again. She can not lift her arms and can only control her fingers in her left hand. He feels relieved that it is finally over. The last ten weeks has been pure stress and hell. He spent hours after hours in court. His mother recovered nicely but had to stay for four weeks at the Webbers until the hearing amd trial was over. They flew together to New York and he had continued to Geneva to attend Cristina and Owen's wedding. After hours on the phone Meredith finally accepted that the hostage situation was not her fault and understood that no one blamed her. His mother has also had a long talk with her about the subject. He got her to accept his love and after Yang and Hunt's wedding they had celebrated their own commitment for hours in her bed. Tomorrow morning is he booked on a flight to Paris to meet Meredith there for a week vacation. She has one more session with the MSF before she can leave due to the fact that she didn't resign until Rose's sentence was final. This afternoon is he to pick up Cristina and Owen at the airport, since all of their friends are scheduled to work. If he doesn't hurry he'll be late.

When he arrives to the airport he sees a black Jaguar that speeds off and leaves a perfect parking lot for him. He makes his way towards arrivals. He knows he is late but can't see them. They must have a lot of luggage and are probably waiting for their last bags. He finds an empty seat and starts fiddling with his blackberry in an attempt to IM Meredith. The phone signals an incoming IM from Meredith.
'Do you want to marry me?'
'Yes'
Suddenly, the air smells of lavender.
'When?'
'As soon as possible'
"Lets go to City Hall" he hears from behind. He turns around and there is the most beautiful woman in the world. Meredith is dressed in a lavender dress holding her blackberry. He jumps over the bench and wraps his arms around her.
"You are here!" he says and captures her lips in lingering kiss. Her hair smells of lavender and she fits so perfectly in his arms. "When did you decide to come? What about Paris?"
"Last week when my boss let me out of my contract a month earlier then planned. I don't want Paris. I want you in the trailer" she says with a seductive smile.
"You don't have to go back?"
"No, I'm here ready to start as soon as my new boss wants me to."
"Where are Cristina and Owen? I'm supposed to pick them up."
"Addison picked them up a couple of minutes ago."
"She did! She knew you were coming?"
"Yes" she smiles and continues "do you still want to marry me?"
He kisses her again and whispers with his forehead resting against her forehead.
"I do, yes I do."
"Then we have to go. We have an appointment in City Hall in 40 minutes.
"We do?" he says with a smile and continues "yes, we do" and pulls her along towards the car.

Derek has trouble driving as he has difficulties to let go of her left hand. She amazes him. They make it in time and in the wedding room is Mark waiting along with Cristina. Mark hands him a small box containing two wedding bands and Cristina hands Meredith a lovely bouquet of lavender and baby breathe. Seated are Richard and Adele Webber, Addison, Owen and Lexie together with the largest surprise, his mother. She sends him a smile. Derek's eyes starts to water. He can't believe Meredith has done this for him. When he looks at her smile he can't help but smiling back while tears of joy slides down his cheek. Meredith leans into him and whispers.
"If you don't stop crying everybody will believe that I'm forcing you into this marriage."
"I'm just so happy, I can't believe that you made all this for me, for us."
"I love you" Meredith simply replies.

After the ceremony they all arrive to Joe's bar where the rest of their friends meet them, celebrating not one but two wedding couples. Meredith is nursing her glass of champagne as does Cristina. When Derek tries to refill her glass she puts her hand over it and whispers in his ear.
"Pregnancy is not compatible with alcohol."
She can see him process the information so she adds.
"5 weeks tomorrow and I will need a stand in for Head of Neuro during a couple of month next spring and summer. Derek places his left hand, adorn with a wedding band in platinum, on her stomach, tilts his head a little and says with a McDreamy smile.
"You are the love of my life."

The End

~mcanna~