"Miss Grey, Miss Grey!" Meg giggled as she ran towards her teacher. "We're twins!"

Meredith smiled as she reached down to pull Meg's cowboy hat back from her eyes. "That we are," she said, pushing her own hat to rest on her back. "I like your cowgirl hat there, partner."

Meg giggled as she held up a gold plastic star. "My daddy gave me a sheriff's badge," she said proudly.

"Well, then you're a much better cowgirl than I am," Meredith sighed. "Why don't you go and look at everyone else's costume and we'll start the parade soon."

"Okay!" Meg grinned as she turned towards the rest of her members.

Meredith smiled as she turned back to the pumpkin shaped cupcakes as she laid them out on the table in the back of the classroom. All the kids were already pretty excited, and they'd returned from lunch in their costumes and excited to walk through the school to show the rest of the classes their costumes.

She sighed as she turned to the doorway, smiling when she saw Meg's mom walk into the room. "Dr. Scott," she said, briefly wondering whether Derek had told his family about her. "Thanks for coming to help. I know you're really busy."

"Well, I have to put Meg first," Kathleen smiled, holding out a plastic shopping bag. "I didn't have enough time to bake, but I figured you'd need juice."

"Perfect," Meredith smiled, reaching for the offered juice. "The kids are still getting their costumes on, so maybe you could just help make sure all their parts are in the right places? I've got a couple more parents coming in soon, and I think your brother mentioned he might stop by too."

"Derek's coming?" Kathleen frowned.

Meredith smiled slightly, hoping she looked conspicuous enough. "He was here for the picnic last month and the kids really liked him," she said. "He's great with them."

Kathleen nodded, but before she could say anything else, Meg ran up to her. "Mommy, Mommy, Miss Grey's a cowgirl just like me!" she cried.

"She is," Kathleen nodded. "Are you ready for your party?"

"Yeah, come see the pumpkin I colored!" Meg cried, pulling her towards her desk.

Meredith sighed as she pulled the juice out of the shopping bag, glad that Kathleen had gotten distracted from the conversation about Derek. She just had to make sure that she didn't say anything else about him until he got there.

She continued to set up the table of sweets as a few more parents came in, deserts in tow. When the food was all set up, she moved quickly towards the bulletin board in the corner, reaching up to staple the Halloween drawings the students had created that morning. As she pressed the stapler into the wall, she heard a deep voice whisper in her ear, "Hello there, little lady."

Meredith raised her eyebrows as she turned to face Derek, finding him uncomfortably close to her in the middle of her classroom. "That was the worst western accent I've ever heard," she giggled as she pushed past him to moved towards her desk.

Derek frowned as he followed her. "I think I'm insulted."

"Okay," Meredith hissed, glancing around the classroom. "You can't flirt with me."

"What?" Derek frowned. "Why not?"

"Because I'm at work," Meredith replied. "And there are a million six year olds running around on sugar highs. And your sister is about twenty feet away."

"Sister?" Derek frowned, looking up with wide eyes when he saw Kathleen on the other side of the room. "Oh."

"I told her you were coming," Meredith sighed, grabbing a box of doughnuts from her desk. "And I don't think she has any idea that you're dating me."

"Mer, I didn't…"

Meredith shook her head. "It's fine," she said. "But we can't talk about it now anyways."

"Okay," Derek said. "What do you need me to do?"

"Well, do you have a costume?" she asked.

Derek frowned. "Of course I do," he said. "I'm wearing it."

Meredith stared at him for a moment. "You're wearing scrubs."

"I'm a doctor."

"That's not a costume, that's your job."

"I'm not a doctor yet," Derek argued.

Meredith rolled her eyes. "Whatever," she giggled. "I'm going to run across the hall if they have extra paper cups. Make sure no one tries to fly with their Superman cape or pretend one of the other kids is a dragon so they can slay each other?"

"Sure," Derek laughed. He watched as she moved quickly out the door, turning to look at the rest of the class, jumping when he saw his sister standing directly in front of him. "Kath, a little personal space would be nice," he said as he took a step back.

"You're sleeping with her," Kathleen stated.

"Okay, we are not going to have this conversation in the middle of a first grade classroom," Derek replied. "And for the record, I'm not."

"I'm not stupid, Derek," Kathleen snapped. "I saw the way you were flirting with her."

"Kath," Derek sighed. "Look, I don't want to get into this right now, but it's not that. I love her."

Kathleen stared at him for a moment, not knowing what to say. After a long moment, she grabbed his arm and hissed, "She's Meg's teacher."

"I know," Derek sighed. "Look, Kath, let's just talk about this later."

Kathleen stared at him for a moment before she sighed. "Fine," she said. "But I swear to God, Derek, if my daughter gets treated any differently…."

"She's not," Derek shook his head. "I've been seeing her for a month and a half."

Before Kathleen could answer, Meredith hurried back into the room, cups in hand. "Alright everyone," she announced, shoving the cups into Derek's hand without looking at him. "Who's ready to show off our costumes?"

A chorus of cheers rang through the classroom, and her students ran over to the door where she was standing. "Okay, line up and remember not to talk in the hallway," Meredith said. "Our parents are going to stay here and get ready for the apple dunking and games later this afternoon." She opened the door and smiled brightly at Derek before she turned to lead the class into the hall.

"Alright," Kathleen said as soon as the classroom was empty. "Derek, what is going on?"

"It's not a big deal," Derek shrugged. "Or it is, but…we've been seeing each other for about a month and a half, and I love her. It's not sex. We haven't even…it's not sex."

"Is that why you broke up with Rose?" Kathleen asked.

"Yes," Derek sighed.

"Does anyone know about it?" Kathleen asked.

"No," Derek replied. "Well, her roommates do. But Meg doesn't, and Mer doesn't want her to. She won't get it, and Mer's afraid that she'll want special attention."

"Fine," Kathleen sighed. "But Derek, you have to understand that I'm worried about how this will effect Meg. She's my main concern."

"I get it," Derek nodded. "And Mer and I are worried about her too. But has she acted any different in the past month? Mer's not treating her any differently than any of the other students, and it's really none of Meg's business who her uncle dates or who her teacher dates."

"You're right," Kathleen sighed. "Okay."

"And you can't tell Mom," Derek added. "Because she'll want me to bring Mer home and that's…we're just not ready for that."

"Fine," Kathleen sighed. "Let's just…get the games set up."

"Okay," Derek sighed, moving towards Meredith's desk to grab the pumpkin she'd set there earlier that morning and set it in the middle of the room for the raffle later that afternoon. He knew he was going to have to tell Meredith about his talk with Kathleen, and he had to make sure that she wouldn't completely freak out.

XXXXX

"Well, that was a success," Derek laughed as he leaned against Meredith's desk later that afternoon, the students all gone and the mess of the party cleaned up.

"Last year I had two students throw up from all the sugar," Meredith giggled as she pulled her cowgirl hat off her head. "So I'd say this year really was a success."

"So," Derek said. "What are your plans for tonight?"

Meredith shrugged coyly, leaning closer to him. "I heard a rumor," she whispered.

"Rumor?" Derek asked, raising his eyebrows in interest.

"Hmmm," Meredith nodded. "That you have a completely empty apartment tonight."

"Oh, that rumor," Derek nodded. "That rumor is completely true."

"And you know…Halloween can be a pretty scary holiday," Meredith sighed, reaching out to run a hand through his hair.

"It can be," Derek whispered, bracing himself on her desk as he looked deeply into her eyes.

"And I really don't want you to be scared," Meredith whispered.

"That's very…nice of you," Derek murmured.

"So if you'd like," Meredith continued. "I could come over and make sure you don't get scared. Or lonely."

"Hmm," Derek nodded. "I like that idea."

"Good," Meredith smiled as she pressed her lips against her. "And you know…I am a cowgirl today."

Derek swallowed hard as his eyes met hers. "I like cowgirls," he breathed.

Meredith smiled as she pressed her lips lightly against his. "I think you'll like them even more after tonight," she purred.

"God, Mer," Derek moaned. "You're killing me here."

Meredith pulled away from him and offered him a seductive smile. "But of course… that's tonight," she said.

Derek took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment before he asked, "Well… what are you doing until then?"

Meredith laughed. "I have things to do, Derek," she said. "But I'll be at your place around eight?"

"Fine," he sighed. "But if you feel the need to come over sooner, I'd be more than okay with that."

Meredith pulled her jacket on and pressed her lips against his. "I'll call you when I'm on my way over," she said. "Walk me to my car?"

"Always," Derek nodded, wrapping an arm around her shoulder, willing time to speed up so tonight could come faster.

XXXXX

When the doorbell rang way too long after they'd left school, Derek quickly stumbled across the apartment to let Meredith in. "Hi," he said.

"Hi," she giggled, holding out a pillowcase.

"What the hell are you doing?" he frowned.

"Trick or treat," Meredith giggled.

"Ahh," Derek nodded, grabbing her around the waist and pulling her close to him. "How about both?"

Meredith smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him quickly as he slammed the door closed behind them. "Hi."

"Hi," Derek laughed. "Mer…are you sure you're ready for this?"

Meredith smiled as she rested her forehead against his. "You're presuming a lot, Derek," she giggled. "But yes, I'm sure. I trust you. And I have no plans for you to meet my mother, ever, so she can't convince you that I'm not good enough for you."

"That's impossible," Derek shook his head. "Because it's not true."

Meredith sighed as she let go of him and moved towards the kitchen. "And I'm not just going to jump into bed with you," she called over her shoulder. "I want to be romanced."

Derek laughed as he followed her into the small kitchen. "Well, I've got chicken parmesan for dinner," he said. "And cheesecake for desert. Both of which will be consumed by candlelight and accompanied by wine."

"You're corny," Meredith giggled as she hopped onto the counter and watched him pull the chicken out of the oven.

"You love it," Derek laughed.

"I really don't."

"I think you do."

"Okay, I've had more stimulating conversations with my first graders," Meredith giggled as she reached out to thread her fingers through his hair.

"You're being awfully abusive tonight," Derek observed as he grabbed her hand and pulled her off the counter.

"Sorry," Meredith giggled. "I'll stop."

Derek smiled as they sat down at the table. "So are Lexie and Izzie going to call at six in the morning to demand details?" he asked as they started eating.

"Probably," Meredith giggled. "I'm sorry my friends are insane."

"I like them," Derek laughed.

"You like them because they call you McDreamy," Meredith rolled her eyes as she reached for her wine.

"Well….are you going to argue with them?" Derek asked.

"No," Meredith shrugged. "They're clearly delusional. It's not good to fight with crazy people."

"I'll show you crazy," Derek laughed, pulling her out of her chair and onto his lap. He stared into her eyes as she smiled down at him, brushing her hair away from her eyes before he leaned in and kissed him deeply.

"Derek," she breathed against his lips, moving to straddle him in the small kitchen chair.

"We should," Derek breathed as her lips moved to his neck. "Do you…"

"Full sentences, Der," Meredith giggled as she nibbled on his earlobe.

"Oh God," Derek moaned. "Bed."

"Bed," Meredith repeated, climbing off of his lap and holding out her hand, smiling coyly at him.

Derek swallowed hard as he stood, grabbing her into his arms and carrying her to his room, his heart soaring as she giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck. He laid her gently on the bed and hovered over her, his eyes searching hers for any signs of doubt. "Mer," he whispered, squeezing her hand gently. "If you're not ready…"

"I'm ready," she nodded, her hand going to his neck and bringing his lips down to hers. She played with the curls at the back of his neck for a moment before she pulled back and smiled slightly. "Now shut up and make love to me."

"Oh," Derek breathed, watching as she sat up and pulled her shirt over her head. "Gladly."

Meredith inhaled sharply as he reached out to undo her bra without any hesitation then pulled her in for another searing kiss. This was it. She'd never thought she'd trust anyone else again, but she did. She was going to let Derek Shepherd see every part of who she was, and as much as that scared her, she was ready for him to see her. All of her.