"Derek," Meredith breathed as she stepped into the tiny room at the bed and breakfast in Tipperary a few days later. "This is so adorable!"

Derek smiled as he set her suitcase on the ground beside the door. "I'll be right back, I'm going to get my suitcase from downstairs," he said.

"Okay," Meredith said distractedly as she opened the curtains to look out over the garden outside.

Derek looked at her for a moment, taking in the soft smile spread across her face as she took in the scenery before her. He inhaled sharply, wondering how in the world he had managed to live without her for so long, and said a prayer of thanks that it was never going to happen ever again. Hs turned to walk down the stairs of the small bed and breakfast, smiling politely at the woman working behind the desk.

"Mr. Shepherd," she said with a smiling, handing him a piece of paper. "I forgot to give you and your wife this information about our local pubs and restaurants. It may come in useful when you're hungry later."

"Oh," Derek smiled, reaching for the paper. That had been the second person who had assumed that he and Meredith were married, and he was already beginning to think that this was perhaps a sign. Maybe his Irish grandmother who had always believed in true love. "Thank you."

He made his way back up to their room, smiling when he opened the door and saw Meredith digging through her suitcase. "Hey," he said, moving forward and pulling her into his arms, kissing her passionately.

"Hi," she giggled against his lips, her hands moving through his hair. "You were gone for two minutes, Der. I barely had time to miss you."

"I know," Derek laughed. "I just needed to kiss you."

"Oh," Meredith smiled. "Well, feel free to do so anytime you need to."

"I'll remember that," Derek said, squeezing her tightly.

"So I was going to take a bath before we go out to dinner," Meredith said, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Are you interested?"

Derek smile as he kissed her again. "You relax," he said. "I'm going to run out and grab some stuff I forgot."

Meredith frowned. "What do you need?" she asked.

"I…condoms," Derek heard himself say.

"We've been having sex for three days without condoms," Meredith pointed out. "I'm on the pill, Derek."

"I know," he said. "I'm just trying to make sure we do everything we can. I love you, Mer, but I'm not ready to have a baby while I'm an intern."

"Okay," Meredith frowned, pulling out of his arms and moving towards the bathroom. "Go buy your condoms."

"Please don't be mad," Derek sighed.

"I'm not mad," she shook her head, turning to smile at him slightly. "Just confused. But whatever."

"I'm just trying to be as cautious as possible," he said.

"I know," she nodded. "I don't want a baby right now either."

"Well, at least we're on the same page with that," Derek sighed. "I'll be back. Enjoy your bath."

"Okay," Meredith smiled as he kissed her quickly. She sighed as she turned into the bathroom, starting the water and pinning her hair up above her neck. Her boyfriend was up to something, something he didn't want her to know about. She wasn't sure she wanted to know either, but she had to trust him. She loved him, and she'd promised him that she'd work on trusting him.

XXXXX

Derek sighed as he stepped out of the bed and breakfast, making his way towards the main street they'd ridden down in the taxi less than an hour earlier. He couldn't believe that he'd told her he was going to buy condoms. It had been the first thing that had popped into his mind, but it was so far from the truth. But he had to keep this a surprise for her, he needed to do it by himself and not let her find out.

He stepped into the first jewelry store he saw, smiling at the attendant behind the counter. "Hi," he said. "I'm looking for claddagh rings."

"Certainly," the woman said with a smile, moving towards a case at the other end of the store. "Gold or silver?"

"Silver," Derek nodded.

"For a girlfriend?" the woman asked with a small smile.

"Yes," Derek nodded.

"Alright, well these are the standard claddagh rings, with an emerald," she said. "Over here we have more modern ones with diamonds, and we also have a selection of rings with birthstones in the center."

"Hmmm," Derek nodded, staring down at the rings in the case, suddenly overwhelmed with all the options before him. He hadn't anticipated this. "I think…either a diamond or an emerald. Meredith hates birthdays, so…no birthstones."

"Alright," she smiled, pulling both the emerald and the diamond out of the case. "Take your time."

"Thanks," Derek said, examining each of the rings closely as he tried to picture them resting on Meredith's long finger. As he held the emerald up into the light, he saw it sparkle and was suddenly reminded of Meredith's beautiful green eyes. "I think I'll take the emerald," he smiled. "It matches her eyes."

The attendant smiled as she reached for the ring. "That's sweet," she said. "Will that be all for you today?"

"Yes," Derek nodded, his heart pounding wildly in his chest. He paid quickly for the ring and stepped onto the sidewalk, opening the box slowly to examine in closely. It was perfect for Meredith, and he couldn't wait to put it on her finger. He had a plan, and he knew that it was going to be perfect. He just had to wait for tomorrow.

"Hey," Meredith called from the bathroom as he entered the room. "That had to be the longest condom run ever."

Derek froze, suddenly realizing that his alibi had a complete hole in it. "Um…yeah," he said, taking advantage of her wrapping herself in a towel to shove the ring to the bottom of his suitcase.

"I was thinking," she sighed, coming into the bedroom. "You're right. I don't know why I got all weird earlier, but we can't have a baby. We're not married, you're starting your internship and I have like no money, so you're right, we should be taking every precaution we should."

"Oh," Derek nodded. "Good. I'm glad you get it."

"So," Meredith smiled, dropping her towel and moving towards him seductively. "What do you say we…skip dinner and just stay here instead? After all, it would have been a waste if we didn't put those condoms to good use."

Derek sighed, trying to think quickly. "Mer, we really should go out and experience the town," he said. "That's why we came."

Meredith frowned as she snatched the towel up off the floor. "What the hell is wrong with you?" she asked. "You've been acting weird ever since we got here and the woman downstairs called me Mrs. Shepherd. What's going on?"

"Nothing, Mer," he sighed, leaning forward to kiss her. "I couldn't find any condoms. That's what took so long."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "What are you up to?" she asked.

"Nothing," he shrugged. "We're in Ireland, Mer. And I love sex with you, you know that. But the point of coming to Europe was to see it, not to jump from hotel to hotel and have sex all the time."

"You're right," she nodded. "I'm sorry. I'm just still trying to trust you. And remind myself that you're you and you're not going to leave."

"Never leaving," Derek shook his head. "I promise."

"Okay," she sighed. "Just let me get dressed, and then we can go grab dinner."

Derek smiled as he collapsed onto the bed, watching her closely as she dressed quickly. He knew that he wasn't exactly the most sneaky person in the world, but he had to make sure that he could hold onto this surprise until tomorrow.

XXXXX

"Derek, do you even know where we are?" Meredith frowned as he dragged her off a bus and down the road of a small town, past houses and shops before he stopped in front of a small white church.

"Of course I do," he smiled, looking up at the church. "This is where my parents got married."

"What?" Meredith breathed. "Your parents got married in Ireland?"

Derek smiled as he took in the church he'd only ever seen pictures of. "They got married here thirty years ago," he said. "And then went to Killarney for their honeymoon."

Meredith smiled as she squeezed his hand. "That's amazing, Der," she breathed.

"Yeah," he nodded softly, turning to look at her. "Come here."

Meredith followed him as he guided her to the steps of the church, smiling nervously as her eyes searched his. "Derek, what's going on?" she asked.

He smiled as he leaned forward to kiss her softly before he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box, handing it to her. She stared at him as she took it slowly, opening the box and inhaling sharply. "Derek," she breathed.

"I'm not proposing," Derek said, taking the box from her. "Not officially. But I love you, Mer. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I'm not ready to get married, and I don't think you are either, but I want you to wear this. You can wear it on your right hand if you want, but I want you to wear it as a promise ring."

"Promise ring," Meredith breathed, looking down at it. "Derek."

"You don't have to," Derek said softly. "But I'd really like you to."

"Okay," she said, holding her right hand out to him.

"Okay?" Derek asked.

"I want to be promised to you or whatever," Meredith smiled.

"Good," Derek smiled softly as he slid the ring onto her right ring finger. "Does it fit okay?"

Meredith smiled down at her hand as she opened and closed her fist a couple times. "Yeah," she said. "It's beautiful, Derek."

"It's a claddagh ring," Derek said. "It means…"

"Friendship loyalty and love," Meredith smiled. "I know."

"Oh," Derek nodded. "Okay, then."

"Thank you," Meredith sighed. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Meredith leaned forward to kiss him softly before she pulled back to look around the green scenery around them. "This is beautiful," she breathed. "I can't believe your parents got married here."

"It's where my dad's dad grew up," Derek said, looking around the small town. "I've always wanted to see it."

Meredith smiled as she moved her hand to run her fingers through his hair. "Are you glad you're here now?"

"I can't imagine sharing it with anyone else," he whispered.

"Do you still have family here?" she asked.

"Maybe," Derek sighed. "But I'm good here."

"We came all this way so we could sit outside a church?" Meredith giggled.

"It's more than that," Derek sighed. "It's where my parents promised each other forever. We're not getting married today, but this ring is me promising you forever. I wanted to make sure that it was special. And you should know that you that I'm going to propose. Someday. Relatively soon."

Meredith smiled. "You're corny," she sighed. "But I love it."

"I'm glad."

"But we should walk around or something," Meredith smiled. "See if there are any other Shepherds with hot Irish accents."

"You think Irish accents are hot?" Derek frowned.

Meredith smiled as she stood, pulling him to his feet as well. "You know there's only one Irish man I'll ever be with," she giggled.

"Good," Derek nodded.

"Derek?" she whispered, pressing her lips against his for a moment.

"Hmmm?"

"When you propose," Meredith whispered. "I'll say yes."

Derek pulled back to smile widely at her. "I'm glad," he replied.

"Now come on," she giggled, pulling him down the street. "I want to go to a pub and see what people remember about the Shepherds."

Derek smiled as he followed her down the street. She was completely adorable, and he couldn't help but love her enthusiasm for learning more about his family. And she was wearing his ring, which made him happier than he'd ever been.

XXXXX

Meredith giggled as she sat down at the table beside Derek in the pub later that night, two more beers in her hand. "I love Ireland," she announced.

"I'm glad," Derek laughed, reaching for one of the beers.

"And I'm telling you, that bar tender has got to be related to you," she said. "Look at him."

"He has red hair," Derek pointed out.

"I know," Meredith rolled her eyes. "But he's corny. And he flirted with me. Which means he's related to you."

"I think you're drunker than you realize," Derek laughed. "And I don't like the fact that he hit on you."

"Relax," Meredith sighed. "It got us free drinks. And then I showed him my ring."

"Okay," Derek laughed.

Meredith was silent for a moment as her attention turned to the band playing in the corner of the pub. "You should play the guitar," she said to him.

"Mer, I'm not going to play the guitar," Derek laughed.

"Why not?" she asked. "You're hot when you play the guitar."

"I know I am," Derek said. "But people don't just let random strangers play in their band."

Meredith frowned. "Well, you should ask them," she said, standing up. "I'll do it if you want."

"Meredith," he laughed, pulling her to sit down again. "You have had way too much beer."

"I can't help it," she giggled. "I never realized how amazing Guinness is. I mean, it's like completely delicious."

"Of course," Derek nodded. "How about we finish this one and go back to the bed and breakfast?"

Meredith took another sip of her beer before she leaned closer. "Can we have sex?" she asked.

"That's the point," Derek laughed.

"Okay," Meredith smiled, returning the glass to her lips. Derek watched in fascination as she downed the rest of her beer in one tilt of her head. "Let's go," she giggled.

"Wow," Derek breathed, downing the last of his beer as he followed her towards the door. Ireland was amazing.