"I need to talk to you," Derek announced as he burst into his parents' kitchen a month later.

"Hello, son, it's nice to see you too," Michael laughed as he looked up from his paper. "Long time no see."

"Derek," Emma smiled, standing to hug her son. "We weren't expecting you. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," he breathed. "I just…I came here straight from work. Mer's still in school and I need to talk to you when she's not around. Which really isn't that much anymore, and that's kind of why I need to talk to you, because it has to be a surprise, and…oh, god, I'm rambling."

"You are," Michael shook his head. "I knew that girl must have had to have a flaw somewhere."

"The rambling's perfect," Derek countered before he turned to his mother. "I need your ring."

"What?" Emma's eyes widened, automatically cradling her ring against her chest. "What for?"

"To give to Mer," Derek said. "I'm going to propose. I don't know when, but I'm going to propose."

"Oh, Derek," Emma breathed, dropping her hand from her chest to pull her son into her arms. "That's wonderful."

"Congratulations, son," Michael smiled, clapping Derek on the back as he pulled his son into an embrace. "She's perfect for you."

"I know," Derek nodded. "But you promised I could have Mom's ring when I found the right girl."

"What?" Emma asked, turning to her husband with wide eyes. "When did you tell him that?"

"I…." Michael glanced between his wife and his son, obviously not having expected to be in this situation anytime soon. "Um…"

"Michael Aidan Shepherd, did you tell our son he could steal my engagement ring?" Emma demanded.

"I didn't say he could steal it," Michael defended. "I just thought it would be nice for the girl who's going to carry on the Shepherd name to have the ring that represents our love. It's brought us thirty years of happiness and five amazing children, six if you count that Sloan kid. I want Derek to have that kind of life, and I know it has more to do with how he approaches his life than the ring his wife wears, but I just thought it would be nice for Meredith to wear it."

"I love this ring, Michael," Emma said quietly. "It hasn't come off my finger in thirty years."

"I know," he smiled, bringing her hand to her lips to kiss the back of her hand. "I love it too. But I'll buy you a new ring. One that you can pick out yourself, as big as you want."

Emma stared down at her ring for a moment, tears filling her eyes. After a moment, she turned to Derek who was looking at her with curious eyes. "Meredith is a wonderful girl," she said softly. "She's very well suited for you. And she loves you a lot. It really means a lot to you to have this ring, doesn't it?"

"I want Mer to wear the ring that represents the love you and Dad have," Derek said softly. "But I don't want you to beat yourself up over this. If you really don't want to give it up, I'll get it."

Emma inhaled deeply as she looked closely at Michael for a moment, then reached down for her engagement ring. She had to twist it hard a few times to make it come off, but when it finally did, she looked down at it softly for a moment before she handed it to Derek. "Don't you dare taint what this ring means," she said. "She's the one, Derek. Don't let her go."

"Thank you," Derek whispered, pulling his mother into a tight hug. "I love you, Mom. Thank you."

"I love you too," Emma smiled. "When are you going to propose? Soon? By Christmass?"

"I don't know," Derek laughed softly. "I never really got past the part where I thought I'm ready to marry her and I need to get Mom's ring. Mer's complicated, I have to think of something she'll like."

"Well, I'm sure you will find a way to make it extra special," Emma said with a smile. "Just don't take any advice from your father."

"Hey, that was the time I finally convinced you to marry me," Michael quickly defended himself.

"Why, how did you propose?" Derek asked, amusement in his voice, knowing it would be a good story.

"Well, the time she finally accepted," Michael rolled his eyes at his wife. "I was trying to be romantic and took her to a bed and breakfast in Connecticut. But somehow we ended up on the wrong highway and just as we realized we were halfway to Canada, we got a flat tire."

"In the middle of the night," Emma interrupted.

"Yeah yeah," Michael continued. "So I'm changing the tire, and all of a sudden she hands me the wrench and the ring's on her finger, and she said that she'd go through with it so long as I never took her away for the weekend again. She proposed to herself, said I wasn't any good at it."

"It was the best worst road trip ever," Emma smiled at Michael, reaching for her husband's hand.

Derek laughed as he looked at the ring in his hands. "I think I can do better than that, Dad."

"Meredith's feisty, I wouldn't be surprised if you had to ask a few times," Michael warned.

"Unlike you, Dad, I didn't ask her on our first date," Derek laughed. "She's ready. She was talking about houses and babies, and…she's ready."

"Babies?" Emma's eyes narrowed.

"Mom," Derek groaned. "Seriously? She's not pregnant."

"Derek Christopher…"

"I swear she's not!" Derek replied. "We've talked about that. A few years. I want to be almost done with my residency so I'll have more time."

"Good," Emma said firmly.

"Grandma! Grandpa!" a small voice called from the front door, and a moment later Meg raced into the kitchen. "School let out early, Aunt Meredith brought me here cause Mommy and Daddy are working, and…Uncle Derek!"

Derek's eyes widened as he stared down at the ring in his hand before he shoved it into his pocket, hoping that Meredith wouldn't go through his pockets again and find the ring. "Hey Meg," he grinned as he pulled her into his arms. "Wow, you're getting heavy."

"I'm almost eight!" Meg said proudly.

"Hi," Meredith smiled as she walked into the kitchen a moment later, moving towards Derek. "You didn't tell me you were coming out here today."

"Oh, um, just a spur of the moment thing," Derek nodded with a wide smile, causing Michael to roll his eyes.

"The boy better propose soon or else she'll catch on based on that stupid grin on his face," he muttered to Emma.

She elbowed him in the side before moving to hug Meredith. "It's good to see you, dear," she said. "And you, my little angel, I'm so thrilled that you're here."

She reached to take Meg from Derek's arms and Meredith frowned as she stepped closer. "Emma, what happened to your ring?" she asked, looking at her left hand, strangely bare with only the simple gold wedding band resting there.

Derek's eyes widened, but Emma just smiled as she cradled her granddaughter close to her. "The diamond was just a little loose, dear," she said. "I took it to the jeweler to have it reset."

"Oh," Meredith nodded, smiling as she stepped into Derek's arms. "Hi."

"Hi," he smiled, leaning down to kiss her quickly. "To what do we owe the pleasure of school being let out early?"

"Power outage," she sighed. "Apparently the storm last night was worse than they thought, and the generator went out before lunch."

"Well, at least it's a beautiful day today," he sighed, looking out the window at the rare fall sunshine. "Sunny and warm."

"Hmm," Meredith nodded against his chest, for some reason needing to feel close to him right now.

"Uncle Derek," Meg sighed from Michael's lap. "Are you still a 'tern?"

"An intern?" Derek laughter. "Yes. Why?"

"Because Mommy said that I couldn't go to the zoo with you until you're not a 'tern anymore," Meg sighed. "Cause you're too busy."

Derek frowned as he looked down at his niece's pout, one that he was sure she'd learned from her teacher the previous year. "I'll tell you what," he said. "Why don't we have lunch here with Grandma and Grandpa, and then Aunt Meredith and I will take you to the zoo. How does that sound?"

"Really?" Meg cried, her face lighting up.

"As long as it's okay with Aunt Meredith," Derek said, turning to her.

"I'd love to," Meredith smiled.

"Yay!" Meg cried. "This is the bestest day ever!"

Derek laughed as he looked at his mom. "You mind us crashing for lunch?"

"Certainly not," Emma shook her head, moving towards the fridge. "I'll just heat up some leftovers from last night, and then you three can be on your way."

"Perfect," Derek smiled, pressing a kiss to the top of Meredith's head as he tried to ignore the ring that was burning a hole in his pocket.

XXXXX

"The polar bears are my favorite," Meg stated as they walked away from the exhibit. "And the monkeys, cause they're funny. And the elephants. And…"

"You having fun?" Derek asked, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close as Meg chattered away on his other side, holding his other hand tightly.

"Yeah," Meredith smiled, resting her head against her shoulder. "I come here every spring with my students but last year was bad, just because…well, everything."

"Hmm," Derek smiled, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "It's better now."

"It is," she nodded. "Perfect."

"Even though I made you go in the reptile house?" Derek smirked.

"Okay, that was just plane mean," Meredith replied. "You know snakes freak me out."

"You didn't even look at them, you had your head buried in my shoulder the entire time."

"Mean," Meredith frowned.

"Yes, I'm just the meanest boyfriend in the world," Derek nodded.

"Definitely," Meredith smiled.

"Uncle Derek," Meg sighed. "Can I get stuffed kangaroo from the gift shop?"

"Of course," Derek nodded. "Let's go."

"You spoil her," Meredith informed him.

"She's cute," Derek shrugged as they entered the gift shop and Meg made a bee line for the stuffed animals.

"Our kids will be cuter," Meredith said. "Will you buy them anything they ask for?"

Derek stopped walking, smiling softly at her. "Our kids," he said softly.

Meredith blinked in surprise. "Well…yeah," she said. "I mean, if we have kids. Because I just assumed that you did, and I want to have your babies, but maybe you don't because you're a doctor and doctors are busy, and I know I have crappy DNA, but we'd have really cute babies, and…"

She was cut off by the feeling of Derek's lips pressed firmly against his. "Meredith," he said. "We're going to have babies. Amazing babies, with my hair and your smile. I just like hearing you say it."

"Oh," Meredith said. "Right. Okay."

"And to answer your question, yes," Derek laughed. "Our kids will be spoiled."

"I refuse to let you spoil my children, Derek Christopher," she smiled. "I don't want to raise spoil brats."

"They won't be brats," Derek argued. "Just…well loved."

"Whatever," Meredith giggled, moving to crouch beside Meg and sort through the stuffed animals.

Derek stepped back and watched Meredith talk softly with his niece, smiling as he watched her play with the stuffed animals in front of them. She was amazing with children, you had to be to have the job she did. He laughed as he watched Meredith poke Meg in the nose with an elephant trunk, suddenly realizing how much he couldn't wait to have babies with her. She would be an incredible mother to his children, and the thought of making a baby with her made him want to kneel down on the ground beside her and beg her to marry him.

"Uncle Derek, Aunt Meredith says you'll get me a polar bear and a kangaroo!" Meg giggled, running over to him the two said items in her hand.

"Oh did she?" Derek laughed. "And what does Aunt Meredith want as a present?"

"I don't need a present," she rolled her eyes.

"I think you do," Derek nodded. "And if you don't pick one out, I may be force to buy you this rubber snake over here."

"You're mean," Meredith sighed.

"Just pick out a present, Mer."

"Fine," she sighed. She looked around for a moment before she reached out and grabbed a stuffed elephant.

"Nice," Derek smiled, reaching for the elephant. "Presents for my two favorite girls."

"Can I go look at the fish?" Meg asked, pointing to the large fish tank in the corner of the room.

"Sure," Meredith smiled, turning to Derek and holding up her elephant as they waited in line. "Thanks for the elephant."

"My pleasure," Derek smiled. "He's cute, like you."

"Are you saying I look like an elephant?" Meredith asked, a sparkle in her eyes.

"No," Derek said quickly. "Definitely not. Just…cuteness. That's where the similarities end."

Meredith giggled as she reached up to press a kiss to his cheek. "You're so fun to watch squirm."

Derek rolled his eyes as he set the stuffed animals on the counter. "Hi," he smiled at the girl behind the cashier.

"Hi," she said. "Your daughter's adorable."

"What?" Derek and Meredith asked together.

"Your daughter," the girl pointed to Meg, whose face was pushed up against the glass. "She hasn't stopped smiling since she got here. You've done a really good job with her."

Derek offered her a polite smile, hoping that in a few years they would receive that conversation for real. "Thanks," he said as he took the bag from her. "Have a nice evening."

"Seriously?" Meredith asked. "You just let her think that Meg was our daughter?"

"She was offering a compliment," Derek shrugged. "I didn't want to correct her."

Meredith smiled as she looked into his eyes, knowing that he was thinking far into the future. She reached up to push a stubborn strand of hair from his forehead, smiling softly. "We will do a good job, Der," she whispered. "With our kids."