"Seriously?" Meredith heard Addison yell as she made her way up to her apartment a few months later. "Is this happening right now?"

That could not be good. Derek had told her he was going to have some fellow interns over to study for their test that was coming up in six short weeks, but from the sounds of it, there was very little studying going on. She rolled her eyes as she walked into the apartment, Derek, George, and Mark all lined up on the couch with beer bottles in hand while Addison stood in front of the TV, hands on her hips and her eyes flaring.

"Aw, they just scored!" Mark groaned. "Addie, we have to watch the game!"

"No you don't," she replied. "I guess I was stupid enough to think that you idiots would actually help me study! But of course not, you're sitting here watching some stupid baseball game."

"Whoa!" Derek interrupted, pointing an accusing finger at her. "That was just mean."

"You're an idiot," Addison shot back, reaching for the huge pile of textbooks on the table and storming towards Meredith. "All of you. I hope you all fail your intern exam. I hope this game is worth it."

"It is," the three of them said at the same time without tearing their eyes from the TV.

Addison rolled her eyes as she turned to Meredith. "They're out of control," she said. "Not one of them has opened a single book."

"Derek has," Meredith nodded. "I refuse to give him sex if he doesn't study."

"Well, at least you have time for sex," Addison rolled her eyes. "Seriously, can't you convince him that he needs to turn the stupid game off? Isn't he all like seize the day or whatever?"

"He was," Meredith nodded. "For a couple months. But he seemed to think having babies were the only thing that would really make him move on. When I told him if he asked me one more time I would go straight to the hospital to get my tubes tied…he kind of just became an idiot."

"Great," Addison rolled her eyes. "Well, you have to convince him to study. Because he and Mark do everything the other does, and George…well he just follows Derek around like a lost little puppy dog."

Meredith sighed. "There are so many reasons why it's wrong that Derek is the ringleader of the three stooges over there," she said. She stared at the back of their heads for a moment before she announced, "Addison and I are about to take off our shirts and make out."

Three heads immediately whipped around to face them, their eager expressions fading as they laid eyes on Meredith and Addison, fully clothed and staring back at them with not amused expressions on their face. "That's just mean," Mark said.

"Never ever joke about girl on girl," Derek pouted as they turned back to look at the TV.

"Well, that worked," Addison rolled her eyes.

"At least it got their attention," Meredith sighed.

"Yeah, instead of cheering over the baseball game they were drooling all over us," Addison stated.

"I know, hang on," Meredith bit her lower lip. "Maybe I can get Derek to think about the wedding, and then convince him that before we get married he has to take this test. That should get him to study."

Addison watched as Meredith moved towards the couch, sliding into Derek's lap and wrapping an arm around his neck. Hopefully this would work.

"Hey," Meredith murmured, leaning in to nibble on his earlobe.

"Mer," Derek shifted uncomfortably, his hands automatically going to her hips. "I'm trying to watch the game."

Meredith sighed dramatically as she pulled back from him. "I know," she said. "But… our wedding is six weeks away."

"I know," Derek nodded, his eyes on the TV.

"And you said you wanted to be involved in the planning."

"I do."

"So…you should turn off the TV and we can figure out the menu."

"Okay, Grey, here's the deal," Mark rolled his eyes. "Men watch baseball. Women plan weddings."

"Excuse me?" Meredith and Addison asked at the same time.

"Way to go," Derek muttered under his breath as Meredith slid out of his lap and she stood beside Addison, their eyes boring into Mark as he shifted uncomfortably.

"He uh…what Mark meant was that women just usually prefer…and men like baseball, and…oh, crap," George stammered.

"Okay, that's it," Meredith snapped, grabbing the remote out of Derek's hand and turning the TV off. "Addison, sit. The four of you are going to study. No beer breaks, no just checking the score, no nothing until you've got the entire limbic system down. Got it?"

"Shit, Shep," Mark muttered. "She's a hot teacher."

"Shut up, Mark," Meredith, Derek, and Addison said at the same time.

"Just…study," Meredith said. "I have work to do so just study the brain or whatever."

"Thank you, Meredith," Addison nodded as she opened a textbook and turned to the men on the couch. "I swear if one of you even utters the word baseball, I will castrate you with one of Mer's kitchen knives."

"Actually they're my knives," Derek spoke up. "Mer doesn't actually cook…okay, shutting up."

Meredith giggled as she watched Addison take control over the group. She spread some lesson plans out over the kitchen table, sitting down and sticking her headphones into her ears, hoping to not be distracted by the medical talk coming from the living room.

Over the past few months, things had gotten remarkably better. Derek had been completely annoying for a little while, insisting that they live in the moment and do some crazy things. She'd drawn the line at sky diving, but she had to admit that the spontaneity of a weekend in Palm Springs and hiking in Vancouver had been pretty fun. He'd eventually calmed down, returning to the Derek she knew and loved. She couldn't quite place a finger on what had changed about him, but she liked it. He was more compassionate, and he made a point every time he saw her to kiss her, every time he spoke to her to tell her he loved her. Something about wanting to always remember their last kiss, their last I love you.

His family was doing alright too. Kathleen had given birth to a healthy baby boy, surprising everyone, even the doctor who would have sworn that the sonogram predicted a girl. Michael Derek Shepherd was a beautiful baby, and Meg loved spoiling her new baby brother. Emma was still sad a majority of the time, but all of her children had taken to the tradition of Sunday night dinner, and each of them dropped by sporadically during the week.

Life was good, and she knew that not before too long, Derek would no longer be an intern, and she would be his wife. The wedding was almost completely planned, and all they had to do now was wait for the big day. It would be the day after Derek's intern exam, and she knew that he had to pass. He had to pass because if he had to repeat his intern year he would be completely depressed for their wedding and honeymoon, and she didn't want that at all. So he had to pass, which meant he had to stop being an idiot and start studying.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed before she felt a pair of lips on the top of her head and she turned to smile up at Derek. "Hey," she said as she pulled her headphones out of her ears. "What's up?"

"We're taking a break," he said. "You want some pizza?"

"A break?" Meredith frowned.

"Yes," Derek nodded. "And before you freak out, Miss Grey, we finished the entire neuro text. I've got outlines and flashcards to prove it. Would you like to grade my homework?"

"Don't mock me," she frowned. "Yes, I want pizza."

"Okay," he smiled pressing another kiss to the top of her head before moving towards the kitchen.

Meredith sighed as she turned to the living room, smiling as she settled into Derek's armchair. "How's the game?" she asked Mark with a smirk.

"Shut up, Grey," Mark rolled his eyes. "I don't even know why Shep's marrying you."

"Something to do with her being the love of my life," Derek laughed as he came out of the kitchen, shifting Meredith so he could sit beside her in the chair.

"Right," Mark rolled his eyes.

Before Derek could respond, the door burst open and Lexie stumbled in. "Mer, I…" she trailed off when she saw the large group of people in the living room. "Oh, sorry, I didn't realize you had company. I'll just…"

"No, Lex, it's fine," Meredith smiled. "Come on in, we've got pizza on the way."

"Okay," Lexie smiled softly, coming into the living room. "Hi Mark, Addison."

"Lex, this is George," Meredith said. "He works with Derek. George, this is my sister Lexie."

"Hi," George smiled. "It's nice to meet you."

"You too," Lexie smiled.

"Okay," Mark boomed, stopping his search through the TV channels. "Do we have permission to watch the Seahawks game?"

"Seriously?" Addison asked. "What is with your stupid obsession with sports?"

"It's not stupid," Mark frowned. "I'm a man. Men watch sports."

"You're an idiot," Addison rolled her eyes.

"Can we just watch the game?" Derek asked.

"Since when do you watch the Seahawks?" Meredith raised her eyebrows.

"I love hockey," Derek nodded.

"Oh really?" Meredith asked. "Because when their game was on the other day, you told me you were bored and wanted to go with me to pick out my bouquet for the wedding."

"Mer," Derek hissed. "That was so not nice."

"That game sucked," Mark shrugged. "They were up for the entire first half."

"Whatever," Meredith rolled her eyes.

"Besides…we definitely didn't end up going to the florist," Derek smirked.

"Nice," Mark laughed.

"Derek," Meredith groaned, her face turning pink.

"What?" Derek asked. "Did you think guys don't talk about sex?"

"Yeah, thanks for that Mer," Addison rolled her eyes. "Some of us aren't completely bendy."

"Oh God," George groaned, his face flushing.

"What did you say?" Meredith demanded, turning to Derek.

"Nothing!" he said. "Or…well…I may have mentioned some of your favorite positions to Mark. It's not my fault he tried to do them. And failed, by the way."

"We can stop discussing this now," Meredith stated.

"Why, you don't want Mark hearing about what a dirty girl you are?" Derek smirked.

"Things I don't want to know about my sister," Lexie muttered, moving to her feet. "I'm going to go throw up now."

"Derek, if you ever want sex again, I'd suggest stopping," Meredith muttered.

"Hmmm," Derek smirked. "That's not what you said in the laundry room last night."

"I'm going to um…Lexie!" George exclaimed, jumping off the couch and running towards the kitchen where Lexie had fled moments earlier.

"O'Malley's scared of sex," Mark laughed.

"He is not," Addison rolled her eyes. "He's just a gentleman. Unlike the two of you."

"Hey, I'm a gentleman," Derek argued. "I always cook for Mer."

On that note, the doorbell rang and Meredith giggled. "And by cooking, he means ordering pizza," she said.

"Be nice," Derek frowned, standing to reach for his wallet.

"Food's here," Meredith announced.

"Thank God," Lexie announced. "I'm starving."

Meredith smiled softly as she watched Derek pull a couple pieces onto a paper plate, laughing with Mark as he did so. He was back, really back. This was the Derek she loved. He teased her about sex in front of their friends, he played with her hair, he sat with her in their armchair as if there was nowhere else in the world he would rather be. This was her fiancé and she was completely happy that he was back.

XXXXX

"So I think Lexie likes George," Meredith smiled as she sat in bed later that night, watching Derek change into his pajamas.

"What gave you that impression?" Derek laughed. "The way he looked at her when Mark was talking about blow jobs? Or the way he held her hand when you made us watch that stupid chick flick?"

"Okay, first of all, I'm pretty sure you've seen Titanic more times than I have," Meredith giggled.

"Four sisters," Derek defended. "Four girly, annoying sisters. I was lucky if I even got sports scores."

"Whatever," Meredith rolled her eyes. "And yes, I think George and Lexie would be good together."

"Well you can't force it," Derek shrugged.

"Yes we can," Meredith nodded.

"Says who?"

"Everyone," Meredith rolled her eyes. "It's called setting them up."

"You want to set George and Lexie up?" Derek asked.

"Yes," Meredith said. "Because Lexie will never ever tell him how she feels. And George…well he's nice but he's never going to be McDreamy."

"No one else better be McDreamy," Derek said as he slid into bed beside her."

"I so need a new McNickname for you," Meredith rolled her eyes.

"Well, we could go with McSexy," Derek suggested.

"Or McIdiot."

"That's mean," Derek frowned.

"Are you going to help me fix my sister up with George or not?" Meredith asked.

"Well, what's in it for me?" Derek asked.

Meredith smiled as she straddled him, reaching for the waistband of his boxers. "Maybe it will be helpful to take sex advice from Mark," she purred. "He had some pretty… interesting ideas."

"He did," Derek choked as her hands brushed against his erection.

"Hmmm," Meredith smiled. "So…if you help, maybe I'll be willing to try out some of those suggestions."

"Okay," Derek nodded. "Mer…please."

"What do you want?" she whispered.

"Your mouth," he gasped. "Please…"

"Okay," she nodded as she slid his pants off before quickly moving her lips to trail over his hips. "Der…you're ready."

"For you," he nodded, bucking his hips slightly. "Please, Mer."

"Of course," she promised, slowly taking him into her mouth and sighing in pleasure as he thrashed above her. Her fiancé was really back, and this was the perfect way to start moving on with their lives.