Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's Anatomy...I only wish

Author's note: I'm sure you'll like the next chapter...I'm keeping Shonda's words in my mind...the next season will be world changing...well, this next chapter sure is! Please enjoy reading it and if you don't mind, take the time to comment.

Wishing you a nice weekend,

McJinx

Chapter 3

More than two weeks have passed since the shooting as Christiana and I walk down the long hallway of the surgical ward. I nervously chew my nails when Cristina's slender but strong hand whacks my fingers away from my mouth.

"CRISTINA!" I snap as I blow on my fingers, willing them to stop hurting.

"Would you please stop being so nervous? I'm going to remove Derek's sutures, not crack his chest open…again," she huffs at me.

"You can be a real bitch sometimes…you know that?" I scowl at her.

"Oh…come on…I know you love me," Cristina urges, as she pulls my sleeve. "I'm just trying to calm you down a bit. Once Derek's stitches are gone…He's ready to go home!"

"Why do you think I'm so nervous," I mumble as I resume chewing my nails.

"Don't sweat it Mere…I remove his stitches...you give him a sponge bath…and then you take him home," she advises. "…And then – if I were you - I'd have sex…lots of sex. Just so you know," she adds with a grin.

"You have a dirty mind," I reply…rolling my eyes.

"Yeah…I know," she giggles as we enter Derek's room. He sitting upright in his bed and smiles as we come in, "Hey…there are my two favorite girls!"

Cristina chuckles, "I'm one of your favorites?"

"Sure," Derek grins…"You deserved that title when you saved my life."

I kiss Derek's cheek and help him opening his hospital gown.

Cristina leans over Derek and thoroughly examines the scars in his chest. She makes a few scribbles in his chart before she washes her hands and starts to remove his sutures.

"There are no signs of infection, Doctor Shepherd," she mumbles while she accurately removes stitch after stitch. When she has removed the last suture, she swabs the area with an antiseptic.

"Everything's looking good. I'll ask Doctor Bailey to sign your discharge papers so Mere can take you home later today!"

"OK…thanks Doctor Yang!" Derek extends his hand to shake Cristina's. She chuckles but still takes his hand. He holds hers longer than intended and nods approvingly, "You're an excellent Doctor Yang…and thanks again for saving my life!"

"Now…I have to go," Cristina stammers, blinking rapidly. She picks up the tray with medical instruments and leaves the room without looking back.

"She's not good at taking compliments," I smile before sitting down on Derek's bed. I gaze in his eyes as he takes my hand, "I can't wait to get home…sleep in my own bed…preferably with you next to me," Derek smiles.

"Hmm…me too!" Without realizing, my gaze slowly travels to his chest, particularly to the dark purple scar, close to 6 inches, running down his sternum. It's still strange…a dark line separating his chest in two and faint black and yellow bruises surrounding the healing hole from the gunshot wound.

"Does it still hurt?" I ask hesitantly.

"A little bit. Not so much anymore. It'll heal," he says. "The scar…everything. It will heal."

I nod and watch Derek's chest rise and fall with each breath. The scar moves with it, a part of Derek now, like his slender fingers, his blue eyes, his perfect hair and his recovering heart.

"Can I?" I softly whisper as I lean forward and touch his chest.

Derek nods and I brush my fingertips gently over the scar. Derek's stomach muscles contract and his breaths grow startlingly louder. My eyes flicker to his face because I'm afraid I'm hurting him but his eyes are closed and his breaths come out slightly out of control.

"Am I hurting you?" I ask innocently.

"Not particularly," Derek says with a smirk on his face.

I slowly run my fingers down his chest and finally rest my hand over his heart, feeling the rapid thudding that's too fast to be normal.

"Cristina was in here," I whisper, "She held your heart…she touched it and…she fixed it… she fixed you!"

Derek looks at me; his pupils so dilated that only tiny rings of his blue irises remain. He smiles and we press our foreheads together.

"If you touch me any longer like this…you're gonna give me a heart attack for sure!" Derek whispers, sliding his hand into my hair.

"Oh really," I giggle but Derek pulls me closer and a slow kiss follows. A slow, sexy, hungry kiss. When he lets go of me, we smile but we both feel that magnetic pull bringing us together again. Neither of us can resist as our lips meet again. As the door to Derek's room opens, we pull away, smirking at each other. Derek takes my hand, "Let's get organized so we can go home!"

I smile and lean against his shoulder, "Whatever you say Doctor Shepherd!"

"Lovebirds," I hear Doctor Bailey mumble as she hands Derek his discharge papers and I turn to hide my blushing face.

In a few houres…I'm going to take my husband home!

After unpacking Derek's things, I quietly enter the living room where I find him - eyes closed - on the couch. Looking down on his softened features, I can't help but smile, realizing how thankful I am that he's back. I sink down to my knees next to him until my face is level with his. I sigh and let my hand travel to his hair, weaving my fingers through his thick, black curls.

"Do you remember the day we signed your post-it?" Derek whispers, turning his head and looking at me.

"Hmm," I sigh softly while I continue playing with his hair. Derek sighs audibly and there is a slightly concerned look on his face as he slowly sits up.

"We need to talk!"

I look up at Derek but he looks away before I can get a good look at his face. I frown and then cup his face with my hands forcing him to look at me.

"What's going on?"

A deep, serious frown appears on Derek's face as he looks into my eyes.

"Why do you look at me like this?"

Without answering, he clamps his mouth over my lips and forces his tongue between them. A strong, minty taste fills my mouth and with my hands held down and my body trapped between his knees, I quickly surrender. God how I've missed this!

But…no matter how much I like the kissing; I sense something's going on, so I free myself from his embrace.

"Derek?"

"OK…I'm sorry!" The takes in a deep, frustrated breath; "It's hard to explain…I don't want you to take it the wrong way."

"Just give it a try," I softly say.

He nods and rubs the back of his hand across his forehead as if he wonders how he has to say the things he wants to say.

"Meredith…," he whispers tenderly, reaching forward and tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "…You know what the post-it means to me."

I nod and frown at the same time. What is trying to say?

"God…," Derek rakes his hands through his dark hair before he lounges forward and takes my face in his hands, "I love you Meredith Grey," he assures me, pressing his lips onto mine.

I wind my arms around his neck, drawing him closer and covering his mouth with a feather light kiss until he pries my arms away and rests his forehead against mine, "When I got shot…I suddenly realized our post-it isn't worth anything…yeah…to us it means everything…but if I die…," Derek shakes his head. "What I want to say is…either, we get married for real or you accept that I put you in my will!"

I look at the floor and I see it needs sweeping...

"Mere…?" Derek lifts my chin to meet his gaze, "…It'll take not more than an hour at the notary's office?"

"NO…no notary," I hurry to say. Derek sighs and I see how a shadow crosses over his face, "Why not? Don't you get that I want to take care of you. Why won't you let me?" Derek sighs wearily.

It is all so simple…so very simple.

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I nod and squeeze his hand, "If you don't mind…I rather go for the first option! Will you marry me…Derek?" I ask spontaneously, never more sure of myself.

"Marry you…for real?" Derek softly whispers, truly surprised. His eyes widen slightly as he sits back on the couch finally realizing what I've just said. I watch him and he slowly shakes his head, "I'm saying YES…definitely a YES!"

"Good," I smile, carefully crawling onto his lap. He wraps his arms around my waist and burrows his head in the crook of my neck, "You're really amazing…you know that…huh?"

I giggle, "I have my moments!"

Derek smiles and keeps his gaze locked on me as one of his hands travels upward to unbutton my blouse. His voice is hardly a whisper as he says;" You're making my heart skip some beats."

I bite my lower lip as Derek takes the opportunity to open another button…and another. I look up through my lashes as his hand reaches for the last one. My skin begins to heat and I shift and swallow audibly.

"Derek," I whisper, gripping his shirt and pulling him closer, lips inches away from each other. He breathes out softly, nodding slowly, "I know…it's too soon," he admits quietly.

I slide off his lap and extend my hand invitingly, "Let's get upstairs…I'll fix you a nice, hot bath!"

To be continued in chapter 4