Meredith giggled as she walked into her living room a week later to find Emma laying on the couch, a soap opera playing on TV while an empty carton of ice cream sat on the table in front of her. "Hi Mom," she said as she collapsed into Derek's armchair, immediately pulling up the footrest and kicking off her shoes to relieve the pressure on her aching feet.

"Hello dear," Emma sighed. "How was your day? Nothing too stressful, I hope. You need to be careful."

"Long," Meredith sighed. "Lots of questions about why I was still teaching when I could barely stand because my legs were cramping so much. My students don't really understand pregnancy."

"Having twins must intensify every symptom," Emma sighed. "I hope it's not too painful for you."

"I'm fine," Meredith nodded. "How are you feeling? Are you breathing any better? Less soreness?"

"Alright," Emma said. "The medicines seem to be working. Although your husband has banned me from eating anymore ice cream."

"Oh, he does that to me too," Meredith nodded. "Watch this." She straightened in her chair, leaning towards the door as she shouted Derek's name into the hallway, the door to his office opening a moment later.

He appeared in the doorway a moment later, smiling widely as he laid eyes on his wife. "I didn't know you were home," he said, moving to kiss her gently and run a hand over her belly.

"Just got home a second ago," she shrugged.

"How are you feeling?" Derek asked.

"Okay," Meredith sighed. "Leg cramps."

"You need something?" Derek frowned. "Calcium helps with cramps. I can get you some milk."

"You know what else has calcium in it?" Meredith asked, smiling sweetly at him, holding his hand on her stomach."

"I'm guessing you're not going to say milk or cheese or anything normal people eat when they want more calcium."

"Ice cream."

"Mer…" Derek sighed. "You had ice cream this morning. Don't think I didn't see you pretending it was cereal. I'm not stupid."

"I'm not so sure about that," Meredith pouted. "And it's not what I want. It's what Mel and Becky want. Are you going to deny your daughters their one simple request before they're even born?"

Derek rolled his eyes as he stood. "You know you don't need to do that," he said. "I was going to get you the ice cream anyways."

"Thank you," Meredith called after him. She turned to Emma with a smile as soon as Derek left the room.

"That was very impressive," Emma said with a smile. "I'm glad my son is taking care of you."

"He definitely is," Meredith nodded. "Did he work on his article at all today? It's due tomorrow."

"I believe he said that I was more important than writing an article," Emma nodded. "But he'll get it done."

"You're not the one he'll keep up all night complaining about it," Meredith sighed. "He needs to stop procrastinating."

"I put that boy through twenty years of school," Emma laughed. "I've had my fair share of witnessing him complain about homework."

"Well now he's almost thirty," Meredith sighed. "He should be used to it. Plus, it's his job."

"One would think so," Emma nodded. "But I'm quite certain that men never fully understand the importance of time management. His father was the same way, always doing things at the last moment."

"Here we go," Derek sighed as he came in with two bowls of ice cream. "Ice cream for the two most beautiful Shepherd women."

"Two?" Meredith asked, running a hand along her stomach.

"Sorry," Derek laughed. "Four."

"Thank you," Meredith giggled, reaching eagerly for the ice cream.

"Now what else can I do to help out with girl time?" Derek asked.

"Hmmm," Meredith sighed. "Chocolate sauce."

"There's already sauce on your ice cream."

"Not enough."

"Fine," Derek sighed. "What else?"

"Liz lent us a bunch of movies, dear," Emma sighed. "Would you mind putting one in?"

"Which one?" Derek asked, looking at the pile of DVDs sitting on top of the television.

"Notting Hill!" Meredith cried as Derek held up the case. "Hugh Grant is definitely a cure for boredom."

"He is a rather handsome man," Emma nodded.

"This is disturbing," Derek rolled his eyes as he put the DVD in. "I'm going to go drink beer and watch the hockey game."

"Of course," Meredith giggled. "Go be a manly man."

"You'll have to get used to being outnumbered, dear," Emma laughed. "Your father found a way to do it."

Derek frowned. "I'll have a boy," he nodded. "Next time. Three boys."

"You better not be expecting me to carry triplets," Meredith said. "I'm already allowing two of your children to tear my body apart, you'll be lucky if I let it happen again."

"You will," Derek smiled, kissing her quickly before he glanced at his mom. "Do either of you need anything else?"

"I'm alright, dear," Emma nodded.

"I…" Meredith started. "I know you want to go be a man, but my legs…do you mind massaging them?" Meredith asked, biting her lower lip.

"Of course not," Derek said, sitting on the floor in front of her and gently kneading the muscles in her shins. "Just never tell Mark I watched this movie."

"Well, Mark can't exactly talk," Emma said. "I came home the other day to find him watching General Hospital."

"Seriously?" Derek asked.

"Oh yes," Emma nodded. "He tried to say that he was watching it for the medical knowledge, but I've watched that show enough times to know that the medical procedures are completely inaccurate."

"Mark watches General Hospital," Derek laughed. "This information can take me places."

Before Meredith could respond, the front door opened and closed, and a moment later Addison hurried into the room, giggling loudly as Mark entered behind her. "Look," Addison cried, holding her hand out to Meredith.

"Oh," Meredith gasped, looking at the large diamond resting on Addison's finger. "Addison…"

"We're engaged," Addison giggled. "We're getting married. Not until after the baby gets here, but…we're engaged."

"That's amazing," Meredith breathed. "Congratulations."

"Thanks," Addison giggled before turning to Emma to show off the ring.

"Congrats, Mark," Derek said, standing and offering Mark a friendly handshake.

"She finally said yes," Mark grinned.

"That's great," Derek nodded.

"Listen," Mark said, pulling Derek to the side and speaking quietly. "She's driving me crazy. We've got to…I don't know, go to a strip club or something. Do something that men would do. Because at this rate O'Malley's going to have more balls than the two of us combined."

"Thanks for that disturbing picture," Derek rolled his eyes. "We can't leave them alone. Mom's ribs are still killing her, and even though Mer can still get around pretty well, her body's starting to move a little slower. We can't leave them to go to a strip club. As much as I would like to. Believe me."

Mark sighed as he looked at the three women, now gathered together on the couch and staring at Hugh Grant on the TV screen. "We can't stay here," he muttered. "Emasculating, Shep. That's what they're doing to us."

"I…" Derek sighed. "I have scotch."

"And internet," Mark nodded, grinning lewdly.

"Want to look up porn and tell the girls you're helping me with my article?"

"You get the scotch, I'll fire up the computer."

XXXXX

"You and Mark disappeared today," Meredith observed later that night as she rubbed lotion over her inflated belly.

"Oh," Derek nodded as he pulled a T-shirt over his head. "Yeah, um, he helped me finish my article."

"Ahh," Meredith nodded. "That's interesting."

"Why?" Derek asked.

"Well, he wants to specialize in plastics," Meredith said. "And I'm not a doctor or anything, but I didn't think your trial proposal had anything to do with skin grafts and boob jobs."

"Well…no," Derek fumbled. "But…he had some resources he thought I might use."

"Yeah, I saw some of those resources on your computer," Meredith giggled.

"What?" Derek asked.

"Next time you and Mark want to look at porn and jack off together without anyone knowing, make sure you close the internet window before anyone takes your computer," Meredith said.

"Okay, that's just…disturbing," Derek frowned. "Mark and I don't jack off together."

"Whatever," Meredith shrugged, pulling her shirt down over her stomach.

"Are you mad?" Derek asked, sliding into bed beside her.

"About the porn?" Meredith asked. "No, it's fine. I get that's what men do when they need to feel manly."

"Good," Derek nodded, trailing a hand over her swollen breasts. "You know you could help me out."

"Hmm," Meredith sighed. "Not tonight," she breathed. "Too tired."

"Okay," Derek nodded, kissing her softly. "I get it."

"Thanks," Meredith said, cuddling into him. "Mark and Addie are engaged."

"Our daughters are going to be amazing flower girls," Derek laughed.

"Who says they're going to be flower girls?" Meredith asked.

"Me."

"I'm pretty sure you have no control over the wedding," Meredith rolled her eyes.

"I'm the best man."

"And Mark had no control over our wedding," Meredith nodded. "Except for getting you drunk at your bachelor party."

"I wasn't drunk," Derek defended.

"Derek, I found you asleep in the hallway of our apartment the next morning because you couldn't figure out how to open the door."

"That was…being dramatic."

"It worked," she giggled.

Derek smiled as he ran a hand over her stomach. "Are they sleeping?"

"No," Meredith sighed. "Busy bees."

"That's good," Derek nodded.

"Not when Mommy needs to sleep," Meredith sighed.

"I have an idea," Derek whispered against her lips. "I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?" Meredith frowned, watching as Derek pulled on his robe and moved towards the door.

"You'll see," he promised.

Meredith frowned as she waited for her husband to return, her eyes widening when she saw the pile of picture books cradled in his arms. "Derek," she breathed.

"Mel and Becky need to know be well read babies," Derek smiled, setting the books on his nightstand as he climbed into bed and reached for the one on top.

"You're going to read to them?" Meredith asked.

"Hmm," Derek nodded. "We'll read them to sleep every night."

"Starting tonight?"

"Starting tonight," Derek nodded. "Now listen carefully girls. This is the first book Daddy will read to you, although there will be many more. It's called Good night Moon."

Meredith smiled as she watched Derek settle his head against her stomach, opening the small cardboard book. He was an amazing father, even though his children weren't born yet.

"Good night room," Derek murmured. "Good night moon. Good night cow jumping over the moon." He laughed slightly as he rubbed her stomach. "I'll tell you that story another time."

"Derek," Meredith smiled, running her hand through his hair.

"Good night light. And the red balloon. Good night bears. Good night chairs," he looked up from the book again as he smiled softly. "Your room is filled with bears," he murmured. "From Mommy and me and Grandma and Aunt Nancy."

"Hmmm," Meredith smiled, her eyes falling closed as she felt the girls in her stomach start to move less.

"Good night kittens, good night mittens. When you're old enough, I'm going to buy both of you a kitten."

Meredith's eyes were completely closed now, her breathing even. Her hand still rubbed lazily against her stomach as he felt soft kicks against the side of his face.

"Good night clocks and good night socks. Good night little house and good night little mouse. Good night comb and good night brush. Good night nobody, good night mush. Don't worry, girls, Daddy will never make you eat mush. Good night old lady, whispering hush. I think you're both asleep now, but you should hush anyways. Because Mommy needs her sleep. Good night stars, good night air, good night noises everywhere." He smiled softly, pressing a kiss to both sides of her stomach. "I love you both so much, Becky and Melanie. You're completely amazing, and I promise I'm going to keep you so safe and happy. I'm going to do my best to be the best daddy in the entire world." He moved closer to his wife to press a gentle kiss to Meredith's forehead, brushing her hair out of her eyes as he reached for her hand and linked their fingers together. "I love you, Mer," he whispered. "So incredibly much." He smiled softly as he settled down beside her, getting as close to his wife as her pregnant belly would allow. He was exhausted, completely exhausted from waiting on his mother and wife, but in that moment, as he held his wife close, their daughters in between them he wouldn't change anything about his life. This was perfection.