"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Meredith asked from the passenger side of Derek's car as he maneuvered the streets towards his parents' house.

"Of course," Derek frowned, glancing quickly at her. "Why wouldn't it be a good idea? It's just dinner."

"Because…it's your family."

"My family loves you, Mer," Derek said.

"Loved," Meredith corrected. "Your family loved me before we broke up and I made you completely miserable for months and then dragged you to Europe for two months so they couldn't see you."

"You're being ridiculous," Derek rolled his eyes. "Every time I called home you were the first thing they asked about."

"Okay, will obviously your dad still likes me," Meredith said. "Because I gave him the tickets, and if he didn't like me he never would have given them to you and I would have been in Europe all by myself. But your mom and your sisters…"

"Still adore you," Derek said. "And we don't have to hide from Meg anymore. She'll be thrilled."

Meredith smiled as she thought about her favorite student. "That will be nice," she admitted.

Derek pulled into his parents' driveway and turned the car off, turning to look at her, reaching for her hand. "I love you, Mer," he said. "And my family loves you. My mom's going to be so thrilled that you're here."

"Okay," she said softly, taking a deep breath. "Let's go."

Derek pressed a kiss to her forehead before he reached for his door handle. "It'll be fine, Mer," he said.

"Fine," she said. "It'll be fine."

Derek took her hand as he led her around the house to the backyard, smiling when he saw his parents standing above the grill, laughing quietly. He squeezed Meredith's hand tightly, hoping that one day this would be them, grilling together as their kids arrived for a late summer barbeque at their house.

"Derek!" Emma exclaimed as she laid eyes on the couple on the lawn in front of them. "Meredith!"

"Hi Mom," Derek laughed, returning her hug tightly as he kissed her cheek. "I missed you."

"We missed you too," Emma exclaimed before she turned to Meredith. "And Meredith, dear, it's so good to see you."

"Oh," Meredith breathed, returning Emma's hug after a moment of surprise. "It's good to see you too."

"I was so glad to hear that you and Derek both finally came to your senses," Emma said with a warm smile, wrapping her arm around Meredith. "Now, I want to hear all about your trip."

Meredith smiled as Emma walked her back into the house. Derek shook his head as he watched Meredith walk into the house with his mother who had welcomed her back as if nothing had ever happened between the two of them.

"I see the two of you are better than ever," Michael smiled as he leaned against the railing of the porch beside the grill.

"That we are," Derek said as he climbed the steps to hug his father. "Good to see you, Dad."

"You too, son," Michael said, clapping Derek on the back. "How was the trip? Did you make it to the Motherland?"

"Absolutely amazing," Derek sighed, reaching for a beer from the cooler. "We saw the church."

"Amazing, isn't it?" Michael asked.

"It was something else," Derek nodded. "And everywhere we went…Mer was just completely in love with every single place we went and it was completely amazing, just watching her enjoy it."

"I'm glad you had fun," Michael nodded.

"I don't really remember if I ever said thanks for that day," Derek said. "Bringing me the tickets. If you hadn't found me, I would have missed the plane, and I would have no idea what I would have done."

"You're welcome," Michael laughed. "I'm just glad to see the two of you back together again. And now your mother can stop worrying about you becoming an alcoholic."

"I wasn't an alcoholic," Derek rolled his eyes.

"Pretty damn close," Michael shook his head. "Can't say I'd blame you, though. If anything ever happened between your mom and me…well, I'd probably clean out the entire liquor store in one stop."

"You and Mom love each other, nothing will happen," Derek smiled. "Just like Mer and me."

"You're right," Michael nodded. "God knows I'd be lost without that woman."

"Are the burgers done yet, Mike?" Emma called from the doorway.

"Pretty much, Em-jem," he said. "We'll be right in."

Derek smiled as he helped his dad pull the burgers off the grill. "I hope Mer and I will be like you two in thirty years," he said.

"You will be," Michael nodded. "I have faith in that."

Derek opened the door to the kitchen, smiling as he saw Meredith sitting at the table, Meg in her lap as his sisters gathered around her, admiring her hand.

"Uncle Derek!" Meg cried, jumping off of Meredith's lap to run into his arm.

"Wow, you've gotten so big!" Derek exclaimed scooping her into his arms. "I don't think you can be my favorite little girl anymore. More like my favorite big girl."

"Aunt Meredith says that you loooooooove her," Meg said.

"I do," Derek smiled as he shifted his gaze to Meredith.

"That's the bestest news ever!" Meg exclaimed. "Even better than my new brother or sister."

The room went silent, despite the clattering of Emma's knife to the counter, as all eyes turned to Kathleen who looked at Meg with stern eyes.

"Megan Elizabeth, I thought we had a deal," she said sternly.

"Sorry Mommy," Meg said softly.

"You're pregnant?" Emma asked, wiping her hands on a dish towel before she moved to her daughter's side.

"Yes," Kathleen said, unable to hide her smile as she reached for Chris's hand. "Six weeks. We were going to wait until we reached the second trimester, but we have a little blabbermouth living with us."

Meg scrambled out of Derek's arms to reach her mother's side. "I'm sorry, Mommy," she whispered, climbing onto her lap and rubbing her stomach. "Sorry baby brother."

"It's okay," Kathleen sighed, pressing a kiss to her daughter's head.

"And remember sweetheart, we don't know if it's a boy or a girl," Chris added, reaching out to tug gently on his daughter's pigtail.

"I know," Meg sighed.

"Keep up with the hoping for a boy," Derek said, moving to press a kiss to the top of Kathleen's head. "We need more testosterone around here."

"Stop being an idiot," Meredith giggled.

"I'm offended," Derek frowned.

"Well, maybe I'd stop saying it if you stopped being stupid," Meredith smiled, reaching up to kiss him.

"So are you just going to let her talk to you like that?" Nancy asked as she held her son against her shoulder.

"What?" Derek asked.

"Nancy Elaine, don't start," Emma warned.

"Mom, she's totally degrading him," Nancy replied. "She broke up with him for months, then takes advantage of him so she can get a free trip to Europe, and then she talks to him like she hates him. It's totally unfair."

"I was just kidding," Meredith whispered.

"Don't worry about Nancy," Derek said, squeezing her hand. "She's just bitter."

"Nance, Derek's happy," Michael said, squeezing his daughter's shoulder. "That should make you happy."

"Whatever," Nancy shrugged. "I have to change him."

Caitlin watched her older sister walk out of the room before she turned to Meredith. "Don't worry, Meredith," she said. "Nancy's always been the mean one."

"Don't make fun of your sister," Michael said.

"No, she has every reason to hate me," Meredith said. "I hurt Derek, and you don't have to pretend to be nice to me. You all probably hate me, and if you want….I'll just leave and Derek can come here by himself. Cause I love him and I'm not leaving, but you all hate me so…he can just come here by himself."

"Nonsense," Emma rolled her eyes as she sat down at the table, a plate of burgers in the middle of the table beside the macaroni salad and the Caesar salad. "You belong here just as much as anyone else at this table."

"And I like you more than Nancy anyways," Liz laughed.

"Me too," Derek laughed as he pressed a kiss to the side of her head.

"Now, let's stop making fun of your sister," Michael said. "We want to hear all about the trip."

"How was Paris?" Caitlin breathed.

"Oh, Paris was great," Derek smirked, winking at Meredith. "One of our favorites."

"Nice, Shep," Chris nodded, clearing his throat as Kathleen slapped the back of his head. "I mean…I hear that's a great city."

"It is," Meredith blushed.

"My favorite is the Eiffel tower," Derek announced.

"I so don't want to know why," Liz breathed.

"Okay, new conversation," Meredith blushed. "Baby. Kathleen's having a baby. Let's talk about that."

Derek laughed as he leaned closer to Meredith, wrapping an arm around her as they caught up with his family. Despite Nancy's reaction to Meredith being back in his life, she had fit in again perfectly into his life, into his family.

XXXXX

"I'm telling you, she hates me," Meredith sighed as she walked up to her house, Derek trailing her suitcase behind him.

"Nancy hates everyone," Derek rolled his eyes. "Don't worry about it."

"How can I not worry about it?" Meredith asked. "Your family hates me."

"Mer, my mom spent more time talking to you than me," Derek laughed as she dug through her purse for her keys. "And Meg refused to leave your lap after dinner. And I'm pretty sure if Chris wasn't completely in love with my sister, I'd have some serious competition."

"That's disturbing," Meredith stated as she opened the door.

"Oh my God, you're back!" Lexie squealed as she ran into the foyer.

"Hi Lex," Meredith giggled as she hugged her sister. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, but I want to hear about you," Lexie giggled, moving to hug Derek. "How was your trip? And you're back together for good, right? Everything's okay now?"

"Everything's fine," Meredith smiled. "The trip was amazing."

"Show her the ring, Mer," Derek grinned.

"There's a ring?" Lexie squealed, reaching for Meredith's left hand. "You guys are engaged?"

"No," Meredith smiled, holding out her right hand. "We're promised or something."

"Derek," Lexie gasped. "This is beautiful. It's from Ireland?"

"It is," Derek smiled, leaning closer to examine the ring closer himself. "I snuck out and bought it one afternoon."

"You didn't sneak, you said you were going to buy condoms," Meredith rolled her eyes.

"Well…I made up for it by giving it to you in a completely romantic way," Derek defended.

"Tell me about it," Lexie breathed, reaching for Meredith's hand and pulling her towards the living room.

"Don't worry about me, I'll just unpack for you," Derek said, left alone in the middle of the hallway.

"Don't be dramatic," Meredith rolled her eyes. "Lex, would you be okay if it was just you and Izzie in the house?"

"Where are you going?" Lexie asked.

"Derek and I want to move in together," Meredith smiled, reaching for Derek's hand. "We're going to get an apartment in between the hospital and the school."

"That's so exciting," Lexie sighed. "Iz and I will have to get another roommate, but we'll make it work."

"Are you sure?' Meredith asked.

"Definitely," Lexie smiled. "And this way I'll be sure to get sleep every night."

"Why do I think that was a sarcastic remark about me?" Derek frowned.

"You're just loud," Lexie sighed. "And seeing as I don't have a boyfriend right now, the last thing I need is to listen to my sister scream all night long."

"Okay, why is everyone interested in talking about my sex life?" Meredith asked.

"Maybe because you have a lot of sex," Lexie pointed out.

"She's right, Mer," Derek laughed.

"We so need our own place," Meredith muttered. "And we're not having sex until we get one."

"What?" Derek frowned as Lexie laughed.

"I'm sick of people making those stupid comments," Meredith shrugged, a sparkle in her eyes. "So no sex."

Derek frowned before he leaned forward, cupping her cheek gently as he pressed his lips against hers in a passionate kiss. "Now what do you think?" he asked when he pulled away.

"I think…I'm ready for bed," Meredith smiled. "To sleep."

"Fine," Derek scowled. "I can go without it longer than you can anyways."

"Yeah right," Meredith rolled her eyes.

"You think you'll last longer than me?" Derek laughed.

"I do," Meredith nodded. "And we'll bet on it."

"Bet?" Derek asked.

"Two weeks," Meredith said. "Whoever breaks first is the other's sex slave for a month."

Derek stared at her for a moment before he nodded. "You're on," he said, reaching out to shake her hand. "And I'm so going to win."