A/N Hi! Thank you for all comments, your constant support never ceases to amaze me!. Now, about this chapter, it contains less Mama Shep than you probably expect but…. there's something we've been waiting for a long time if not since the beginning. I really hope you'll enjoy what I've got for you, I was on a roll writing it.

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"It's a beautiful piece of land," admitted Carolyn, bringing the neck of her jacket further upwards to protect herself from the strong wind raging at the edge of the cliff. "I can see why you're adamant to stay here. Although, I'd still prefer you living in a house that couldn't be stolen with you sleeping inside."

"It's completely safe here, Ma," sighed Derek. "Besides, I wanted to build a house here…"

"You wanted? What do you want now, Derek?" she asked firmly.

He looked at her uneasily. It was the first time they talked eye to eye since Carolyn's arrival two days ago. He wished had had a chance to speak with her sooner. After the dinner she had the previous night with Meredith and Cristina, she was looking at him with an unpleasant mixture of dissatisfaction and disappointment, probably a deep worry too.

"Now as we can finally talk without interruptions," started Carolyn seriously, "care to explain me what happened to you?"

"What do you mean?" he asked hiding his hands inside the pockets of his sweater.

"I mean what happened with my kind loving son to treat a woman, not any woman I should add, but the woman you love, the woman who is the mother of your child, to treat her the way you did?"

"You've been talking to Meredith a lot?" he was still impressed how easily Meredith and his mother found a common language.

"I have but she hasn't said a bad word about you yet," stated Carolyn starting to walk to the trailer. "Fortunately, her friend Cristina was more open."

"Of course, Yang," groaned Derek under his breath. "What did she tell you?"

"Oh, she told me enough," she replied harshly. "And I couldn't believe at first but one look at Meredith's face was enough to confirm."

"I'm not denying anything," he confessed. "I know how I behaved, you have every reason to be ashamed of me. You don't know how much I regret it."

"You're right, I don't know. I would if you apologized to Meredith."

Derek let out a heavy sigh but didn't answer as they reached the trailer and he opened the door to let his mother in.

"Son, I get that you feel hurt and angry," she said softly. "Meredith didn't tell you she was carrying your child, she practically hid Bessie from you. It's horrible, I know. But she didn't do it to hurt you."

"Why did she do it, Ma?" he asked sagging on the bed.

"Why don't you ask her?" she supplied. "You two are long overdue for an honest conversation."

"I… I don't know what to tell her," he rubbed his temples tiredly.

"She's not a monster, sweetie. She's an amazing strong woman but she's very lost too. And it seems to me you did little to help her."

Derek swallowed hardly and nodded.

"She was absolutely terrified at the prospect of meeting me," said Carolyn sitting beside Derek and rubbing his back slowly. "I overheard her conversation with Dr. Yang on my first day here. I've never heard anyone speaking in such a derogatory way about themselves. Slutty intern, a woman who wrecked your marriage… I think you had your input in what she thinks about herself."

"God, I know that, Mom," he brought his face to his hands. "And I hate myself for that."

"I don't want you to hate yourself, it's not about that," she explained patiently. "It's about turning to Meredith and making things right."

"I… I want to make things right," he breathed out. "You don't know how much I wish that. I… I love her, Ma."

"I know," she whispered patting his shoulder. "I bet she doesn't."

"I… probably not," he agreed.

"You need to tell her. After you've apologized. But you can't do any of that until…" she trailed off.

"Until what?" he looked at her sideways.

"Until you confront your feelings about Meredith's departure. Are you still angry she cut you off?"

"I… No, not so much," he said hollowly.

"Hurt?" went on Carolyn.

"It still hurts a bit. It was… it was getting better," he sighed staring at his hands. "And then she, Meredith gave me a scrapbook… with photos of Bessie and I… I said…"

"I know what you said. Why did you react so strongly?"

He stood up and went up to his desk to bring the album, untouched since the day when everything went downhill. He placed it on Carolyn's lap and said, "I couldn't get past the first picture, I… there are so many things I missed…"

Carolyn opened the cover and her eyes rested on the sonogram scan. She patted on the mattress beside her and said softly, "Sit down, Derbear."

"Mom, I can't-"

"Yes, you can. You have to. Come here, we'll do it together."

He plumped on the bed and glanced uneasily at the album.

Carolyn caught the corner of the page to turn it over, "Ready?"

"No, but you'll make me anyway, aren't you?"

Carolyn chuckled and turned the page, making Derek hold his breath.

"Meredith," he whispered bringing his hand over the page. The second photo in the album didn't show Bessie, or at the first sight, it didn't. It showed Meredith with a slightly pouty face. She was rolling her eyes at someone making the picture. But it was all just an act for her eyes were smiling. She was all glowing as she held her shirt up exposing her flat stomach and somewhat rounder hips. Carolyn's and Derek's eyes wandered to the tag placed beside the photo:

"Week 9. Our Cherry-pie is the size of a walnut. Heard the heartbeat for the first time… Still not showing but eating for two makes me fat…"

"Oh my…" Derek's voice croaked as he greedily turned another page, exposing another photo of Meredith's. She was once again showing off her stomach but this time from the profile and this time there was a little hardly noticeable bump…

"12 weeks and I already have a bump because I'm apparently so tiny and Cherry is a plum!"

"I…" sniffled Derek feeling his eyes moisten. "I don't know what to say…"

"Derbear," she passed a hand through his hair soothingly.

"…except that there's no way she's going to forgive me for what I said to her…"

"Derek, look at me, sweetie," she turned his head to make him look at her, her heart crumbling at the hopelessness in his voice. "Have you forgiven Meredith for what she did? Tell me, have you?"

"I… yes, God I have," he groaned.

"You have," repeated Carolyn. "Meredith gave you a reason to forgive. Now you need to give her a reason."

"She won't-" began Derek but was interrupted by the sound of his pager. "It's… It's the hospital, I need to-"

"You need to go," finished for him Carolyn closing the scrapbook. "Are you sure you're fine? Maybe you should ask somebody to fill in for you?"

"I'm good," he nodded. "Let's go, I'll drive you to Meredith's on the way."

"Ma, why are you taking this?" he asked her reluctantly as Carolyn got into the seat beside him carrying the album in her hands.

"You haven't finished," she stated the obvious putting the book onto the backseat.

"I don't… I can't," he muttered.

"It's not me you should be watching these photos with," she said simply. "Come over at Meredith's after you're finished with your patient. Take the scrapbook. I'll take Bessie for a walk so you two can talk freely."

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One craniotomy and several hours later, Derek sat immobilized in his office staring fixedly at the scrapbook lying on his desk. It wasn't that he didn't want to continue with the story written down by Meredith. In fact, his hand itched to immerse himself in those photos and descriptions. But he couldn't do it alone, he needed Meredith. He needed her to guide him through, to answer his burning questions, and he had so many of them. He knew though, that he would have to talk with Meredith beforehand, to make her unhate him. Only how would he do this?

"Are you trying to move this book by your willpower?" chuckled loudly Mark standing in the doorway to his office.

"I'm sorry," Derek rubbed his eyes. "I didn't hear you come in."

"So what's up?" agreed Mark. "You're hiding from your mother, aren't you? How's her stay at Meredith's going?"

"Fine, surprisingly," sighed Derek and continued with a hint of amazement in his voice. "She liked Meredith; she thinks she's good for me."

"I gather from that she's very proactive?"

"She not so subtly hinted that I'm to appear at Meredith's and make amends."

"Hence the sulking in the office," commented Mark. "You know, your mom's usually right."

"Are you giving me love advice?" joked Derek. "By the way, mom told me about Lexie."

"Oh?" Mark looked at his friend, suddenly nervous.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" frowned Mark.

"For being a crappy friend," admitted Derek. "Mark Sloan turned monogamous and I didn't notice. There must have been something seriously wrong with me."

"You had a crappy time."

"No, I didn't," disagreed Derek. "I had a good time. I was getting to know Bessie, I was getting somewhere with Meredith, just… didn't see it… again."

"Derek, you're running in circles, love and hate, on and off," took up Mark. "Drop your pride and fears, got to the love of your life and-"

Derek stared at him raising his eyebrows.

"Okay, don't look at me like that," warned Mark. "These are Little Grey's words, not mine! She's worried about Meredith and how it could influence our thing if you two don't make up."

"Mark," groaned Derek. "I'd rather be left alone."

"Derek-"

"Please," he sighed.

Mark looked as though he wasn't finished but thought better of it. If he knew one thing about Derek Shepherd, it was his stubbornness. However, it wasn't long before Derek's solitude was broken again this time by the Chief.

"Shep," said Richard opening the door. "It's the third time I've been passing by your office in the last couple of hours and you haven't moved an inch."

He took up again when Derek didn't answer, "Is there a reason why you're sitting idly at your office instead of enjoying a pleasant evening with your family? Have you talked to Meredith?"

"What am I gonna say?" asked Derek weakly, giving in to his apprehension. "After throwing all that anger in her face? I don't think I can get her back."

Richard sighed and sat down on the couch looking at the younger man. "I still do not approve the way you've been handling your personal affairs at workplace but… these were words, just harsh words…"

"No," Derek shook his head. "There's a bigger picture. The place me and Meredith are in, it's the result of everything that happened, everything, my lying to her about Addison, staying with her, Meredith's leave, every bump along the way…"

"And what about good things?" reminded Richard and followed with a grave voice. "Derek, I was drunk for years. I had an affair… for years. And when Adele found out, somehow, she…" he swallowed with difficulty, "she took me back. You can make your way back… from anything."

Derek nodded slightly and soon after Richard left his office, he picked up the scrapbook from his desk and hurried into the night, his mind set on getting out of the hole he and Meredith had dug for themselves.

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"Thanks for being here," said Meredith sitting at the table in the dimly lit kitchen.

Cristina shrugged her shoulders. "What would I be doing anyway? Besides, I'm having fun with McMama giving all the dirt on her son."

"The problem is that the dirt usually involves me," chuckled Meredith.

"You have one-tracked mind, Meredith Grey," stated her person grimacing at the content of her mug. "I can't believe you don't have any liquor on the house, you of all people."

"I regret it now as well," admitted Meredith. "A glass of wine would be perfect way to end another day of Carolyn's stay at my house…"

"You're so full of it," snorted Cristina. "Don't you think I don't see how you gloat every time McMama says that Addison was inadequate or when she hints that you're perfect for her precious son."

"No idea what you're talking about," giggled Meredith. "Although, I did enjoy hearing how she poisoned the McBitchy sister."

"I bet you-" Cristina trailed off at the sound of the door lock clicking. "What was that?" she glanced at Meredith apprehensively.

"I…" her eyes went round and she jumped to pull a container of tear gas from a drawer.

"Way to go, girl," whispered Cristina, clearly excited, taking an empty glass milk bottle as her weapon.

"I'm a single mother with a child," Meredith muttered back. "What would you expect?"

They crept up to the dark hall hearing the front door opening followed with some muffled footsteps. They halted soundlessly at the dark contour precariously making its way through the corridor.

"Now?" Meredith whispered to Cristina.

"Now."

"Take that, asshole!" she exclaimed and sprayed the gas at the intruder while Cristina pushed the light switch taking a swing with her bottle.

However, her hand was stopped in midair by Meredith who recognized the would-be thief now bent against the wall, groaning, with his hands over his face.

"Oh, God! Derek!" she ran up to him taking a closer at him. He was blinking madly as the tears ran freely from his eyes, the skin around which was furiously red. "Cristina, get some water!"

"Derek, God, I'm so sorry!" shot frantically Meredith, pulling him towards her, helping him to keep his balance. They stumbled into the living and she got him into a lying position on the couch.

"God…" he groaned breathing deeply.

"Derek, I'm gonna rinse your eyes," she said quickly taking the first bottle of water Cristina brought in. "Lie still for a moment, I know it's uncomfortable. Keep your mouth closed or you'll swallow the gas."

"I'm so sorry, Der," she whimpered with distress in her voice. "We thought it was a burglar!"

"It could be worse, McDreamy," consoled him Cristina trying to keep a straight face. "A glass bottle just missed your skull."

Derek mumbled some inarticulate sounds while Meredith rinsed his eyes profusely. "It's gonna get better soon… I hope…"

"So…" started Cristina. "Do you have a camera somewhere around maybe?"

"Cristina!" hissed Meredith. "It's not funny! I almost killed the man who's the lo… who's the father of my child!"

"Sweet Jesus," panted Derek. "What was that? Tears gas?"

"Yeah," murmured Meredith covering his bloodshot eyes with a soaked cloth, sitting down at the carpet at his side. "How does it feel? Any better?"

"My eyes sting like hell," he complained. "But at least the tear production stopped…"

"Well, who told you to steal into a house full of women in the dead of night?" Cristina rolled her eyes.

"I had a key," he ranted. "Meredith gave me the key weeks ago…"

"You keyed him?" demanded Cristina.

"I… I did," stammered Meredith. "He's just never used it… Why did you come this late?"

"I thought it was-"

"Mer," cut him off Cristina whispering dramatically. "It's a night of miracles – he thought!"

"I thought it was high time we talked," he went on nevertheless.

Meredith's head whipped to meet Cristina's puzzled regard.

"Talked?" she repeated. "What about?"

"Meredith," he added more softly. "We've got plenty to talk about."

"And that's my cue to leave," announced Cristina. "Don't yell and don't screw. There's a child and an old lady upstairs."

She left them alone only to reappear seconds later with the scrapbook in her hand. "I found it lying in the hall." She handed the book to Meredith and silently wished her good luck.

"You brought…" Meredith began insecurely.

"Yeah," he confirmed pulling the cloth from his face. "I wanted to look at it with you."

"W-what?" she stuttered, her heart beating wildly.

"Meredith," he faced her rising himself to sit. "I know how flat and meaningless it will sound but… I'm… so sorry."

"You're… what for?" she whispered.

"I'm sorry for so many things," he confessed quietly, tugging at the damp cloth in his hands. "For not being honest with you when we first met. For hurting you, for staying with Addison, for taking my anger at you, for not being there for you when I should have, for not trying to keep you in my life…" he trailed off to catch his breath. "And for what I said to you last week."

"I understand," she shrugged trying to remain collected even if her brain was getting fuzzy with warmth. He apologized , for the first time he apologized for all those things that happened years ago and which still caused a twinge going through her heart. "I hurt you, you returned the favour."

"No!" he denied strongly. "I didn't want to hurt you, God, I didn't! I forgave you."

"You forgave me?" she shook her head disbelievingly. "You said what I did was-"

"I know what I said. And you have no idea how I wish I could go back on some things I said. But I forgave you."

She nodded sniffing her nose imperceptibly. He forgave her, the relief was overwhelming. "Good," she replied taming emotion in her tone. "I forgave you, too. I guess we're both overdramatic."

"Maybe," he gave a watery chuckle.

"Thanks," she hesitated. "Thanks for coming. Bess noticed things," she added making to get up.

"Bessie wasn't the only thing on my mind," he hurried catching her wrist. God, it was too long since he touched her for the last time.

"She wasn't?" echoed Meredith biting her lip.

"You know she wasn't," his eyes bore into hers. "We're parents but we're still… us."

"Us," she repeated pensively. "You think we can be us, whatever that means? There's so much water-"

"Under the thing or whatever," he finished chuckling despite his heart dropping at her objections. "Why couldn't we?"

"Derek, we…" she sat back heavily on the floor, her hand still in his. "We… constantly end up hurting each other… whether we start with sex or slow. We're like… toxic or something."

"Meredith," he pleaded. "We're two really messed up people, we suck-"

"We definitely do," she smiled playfully against herself, making him laugh as well.

"But what I want to say," he went on soberly. "Is that we need two reasons to make this work."

"Just two reasons?" she frowned doubtfully.

"At least two. The two basic ones." That was it, that was the moment who would weigh on their lives. He only hoped… he wasn't exactly sure what for. "I'm giving one reason, you have to give another."

"Ok," she acquiesced reluctantly. "What's your reason?"

"I love you," he answered without hesitation. "What's you reason?"

He saw her eyes widen and her mouth open soundlessly. She was panicking and that practically made him regret his challenge. He didn't know what possessed him to pose that question. He should have known better; he had heard her confess her feelings for him only once in the course of their relationship. Only once did she really open up to him and bare her soul. And no need to say, he blew it big time, returning to Addison. She didn't really put trust in him ever since. She couldn't feel love for him after all their history.

She didn't hear anything than the rush of blood in her veins. He told her he loved her. He didn't lie, he would never lie about that; she saw that in his beautiful albeit gas-irritated eyes. But he expected her to say it back. The problem didn't lie in her feelings, they were perfectly obvious to her. Only, could she bring herself to confess them after all their mess?

She saw his eyes dropping to the floor dejectedly and the pain in them at the realization she didn't reciprocate his feelings. Her heart traitorously vocalized her feelings while her mind refused to give in and as a result she didn't let out more than an incomprehensible mumble.

"Sorry?" he looked up at her warily.

"I…" she trembled and breathed deeply. "I love you."

Before she even finished her statement, he took her in his arms with a sob and held for dear life breathing in her unmistakable lavender scent.

"How do we go on from here?" she asked weakly.

He pulled away and cupped her face in his hands, thinking furiously. "We need… rules."

"Rules?"

"Rules," he caressed her cheek as though physically reassuring himself that her confession wasn't just a figment of his imagination. "The ones we never made, a commitment, a contract. Give me… a piece of paper," he asked sending her a dreamy smile.

"I don't… I… I…" she stammered feverishly. "I don't. I have post-its," she reached to grab a pen and a little blue pad she had thrown carelessly at the coffee table earlier this day while making a shopping list.

"Ok," he nodded taking the pen and the pad from her with a small smile. "What do we want to promise to each other?"

She paused for a few seconds and the corners of her mouth twitched upwards, "That you'll love me… even when you hate me," she stipulated.

"To love each other even when we hate each other," he spoke writing down the vow. "No running," he said categorically, "Ever. Nobody walks out, no matter what happens."

"No running," she confirmed decidedly.

"What else?"

"We'll always be there for our little girl…" she paused biting her lip before continuing coyly, "or other… McBabies if they come along…"

His face cracked in a wide smile. "We'll always be there for our little girl… or other McBabies when they come along."

"This is forever," he concluded seriously and her entire face lit. "Sign," he asked after giving a signature of his own.

"This is it," she breathed out scribbling her name on the little piece of paper. "Now what?"

"Now," he grinned leaning to her, "a make-up kiss."

Their lips met halfway in a soft caress. The contact was chaste and almost shy but at the same time full of promise.

"And now," said Derek, sat with his back against the couch pulling Meredith with him and taking the scrapbook. "I need more of this."

**********************************************************************************As she slipped back to wakefulness, she felt a light but insistent force pulling at her hand. She didn't want to wake up. She was warm and comfortable with Derek spooning her from behind and she didn't feel like she had slept much.

They immersed themselves in the photos for hours, Derek listening avidly to the smallest detail she had to give. They didn't even look through the half of the scrapbook when the exhaustion of the emotional evening overtook them with Derek additionally suffering from the aftereffects of tear gas. Not letting go of each other's hands, they tiptoed to Meredith's bedroom and fell heavily on the bed, not bothering to change.

And now, all too soon, Meredith was being woken up.

"Mommy," the tiny voice of her daughter broke the silence.

"Cherry-pie?" Meredith's eyes momentarily cracked open and she made up the small silhouette in the dark.

"Sweetie," she tried to scoot closer to the edge of the bed slipping from Derek's tight embrace and hooked her hands around Bessie's waist. "What is it, Sweetie? Do we need to go to the bathroom?"

"No," replied Bessie hugging her favourite stuffed bunny. "Haved baaad dream."

"You had a bad dream?" asked Meredith worryingly rubbing her sides. "A very bad one?"

"Don't remember," mumbled the little girl, lying her head on her mommy's chest.

"Come here, Love," murmured Meredith and picked Bessie on the bed. "There'll be no bad dreams, mommy will protect you from anything."

"What… what's going on?" yawned Derek stirred up by the sudden movement .

"Bessie had a nightmare," replied Meredith turning to face him, bringing their daughter between them.

"Is she okay?" he asked with concern.

"Yeah, she's good," she assured as Bessie squirmed on the bed.

"Daddy?" asked Bessie upon recognizing Derek's voice. "Why Daddy here?"

"Daddy's here," he breathed out leaning to place a tender kiss on her head. "Daddy loves you and your Mommy, that's why Daddy's here. Daddy's always going to be here. Sleep tight, Angel."

He scooped closer to Bessie and Meredith, locking them in a one big hug, making Meredith giggle quietly as she pulled the comforter over the bodies. They lay in silence until Bessie's breathing regularized indicating she drifted off to sleep.

"Thank you," whispered Derek into the night.

"Er, for what?"

"For her," he answered simply. "She's amazing; you did a wonderful job, you do an amazing job."

"Derek, you don't have to say this to make me feel better," she stated firmly. "We're good, we're working through things… you don't have to say this."

"But I do," Derek shook his head. "These are not empty words, it's the truth. I've been around her for a short time and I was overwhelmed how much effort, how much attention you have to give to raise a child so they turn out like that. And you've done beautifully."

Meredith swallowed a lump in her throat; he didn't have the faintest idea how much his words meant to her.

"I was so… scared," she croaked. "All the time, when the stick turned blue… when my waters broke four weeks before the due term… when I held her for the first time… I was scared I was going to become the second Ellis Grey."

"You still did amazing," he whispered running little circles on the small of her back. "Meredith, was it the reason you left? Because you were scared. I'm not angry anymore, I just need to know."

"I…" she rubbed her forehead tiredly. "It felt as it was over at the time, over and done, between us. You started to show off with that nurse and I… couldn't stop thinking about you…"

"I'm so sorry," he breathed out.

"Me too… Anyway, the days went by I started noticing things, I was nauseous all the time, I missed my period, my boobs were sore, all the typical pregnancy symptoms. But I went on… lived in denial for some time I guess… until I couldn't ignore it any longer. I almost threw up in the OR. I bought the tests… and there it was, positive… blue line, pink line, red plus… I don't know how many I used… It was like… I… I totally freaked out, paced around the bathroom for hours… And then it felt… good… it felt wow… If someone had told me I'd feel like this about being pregnant, I would have laughed into their face."

"How did it feel?" he asked, his eyes beginning to sting once again.

"It was… breathtaking," she whispered, a small smile playing on her lips. "There was a life inside, another human being… created by us… We see it every day at the hospital but to actually experience it… it's... Such small thing but changing everything and it's dead frightening at the same time. I wanted to tell you the next day; I replayed in my head how I was going to tell you."

"What changed your mind?" he breathed out, his throat constricting.

"I got off my car in the morning, I went in the hospital and… I saw you… with her," she said blankly and his grip on her tightened. "You were waiting for the elevator, holding hands… and she gave you a pack on the cheek… and you… looked at her… and smile the McDreamy way or whatever."

"Meredith-"

"And out of a sudden, I got this flashback," she went on determinedly. "I just knew how it was gonna be, or I thought I knew. I saw the ridiculous love triangle, me, you and your prefect nurse who wasn't afraid to commit. And my child would be in the middle of it all, in the middle of this mess, in the middle of the gossip mill. I wanted something better for this defenseless person growing inside me, I wanted to be better for them, not just a lame resident who got knocked up fooling around with her attending. Plus, I was angry and unbelievably jealous. I couldn't stand seeing you building your life with her. I couldn't breathe in that place…" she took a deep breath feeling the tension in Derek's body.

"I went on-line, searched for the possibilities of an out. I contacted a few hospitals on the East Coast, got the details of Warren's program. I took my papers, not without some difficulties on Richard's part but he couldn't do anything to stop me, no one could at the moment. I paid a fortune for the last minute ticket to New York and I was… gone… that same evening. No one knew except Cristina. Izzie and Alex were on their shift when I packed my bags."

"So that is why and how I left… Are you angry?"

"No," he sighed. "It's just… sad… how everything spun out of control… I can't help thinking that somehow, the things turned out for the better the hard way. If you had come to me… we wouldn't have took it like adults, we wouldn't have sat down to talk…"

"Are we whole and healed now?"

"I don't know, maybe. I think we will be," he replied softly and added. "You got one thing wrong, though. I never looked at her… like that. She couldn't ever replaced you, no one could. I knew that the minute I realized you were gone. It was the scariest moment of my life… I asked one of your interns to page you and he said… you were no longer his resident. I knew something was off, I found Cristina and she didn't want to tell me anything else except that you were out of Seattle Grace, out of Seattle and apparently, out of my life. You changed your number; when I went to your house I only met Izzie and Alex fighting over whether they should be looking for a new place… God, it was like… all the air had been sucked from my lungs… I spent two years thinking I would never see you again…"

"I'm sorry," sobbed Meredith. "I didn't think it would hurt you that much."

"It's okay now," he moved his hand to her cheek and leaned over sleeping Bessie to brush the tears with his lips. "It's okay. Close your eyes, it's starting to dawn; we didn't get much sleep tonight."

"I'm not complaining," chuckled Meredith.

"Me neither."

They slowly relaxed which wasn't easy as their declarations and confessions kept ringing in their ears and souls. The step they were taking was grand, and rapid, considering the fact they hadn't even been on speaking terms a couple of hours earlier. But the thing was, they had waited for this moment for a long time and that was why the three of them cuddling together seemed the most natural thing in the world.

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A/N I was inspired by the post-it wedding and I hoped it worked for the making-up scene! I was also inspired by the 100th episode but that's for later… (no, there will be no dead Dennies or stolen weddings).

The tear gas thing wasn't planned, it's just popped up while I was typing the chapter on my laptop and I thought it was perfect to break the tension.

That was quite a lot of talking they did, wasn't it? So, thoughts, comments, suggestions, love/hate mail – I'm waiting.

In the next chapter, there'll be some fun, fluff, Mama Shep and Bessie showing her other not-so angelic face.

Have a good Sunday,

Em

P.S. Can you tell me what's the difference between a muffin and a cup cake? I'm not a native speaker of English nor do I come from an English-speaking country and I tried to use Wikipedia to grasp the difference between the two but to no avail… :)