Chapter 15 – 'D's and 'M's
"I am not sure about this trip you want to take Daniel in," Meredith expressed her concern, while Derek tossed the last of his stuff in his backpack.
He stood up, smiling at her, and leaned in for a kiss. "You're just pregnant."
"I am not just pregnant," Meredith frowned.
"You're also a mother, already," he replied, rushing around the room for his watch and wallet.
Meredith sighed and followed Derek outside their room. "I'm going to wake him up," she whispered, but followed Derek downstairs.
"With a little bit of luck, he won't show up," Derek smiled smugly, checking his watch.
It was past 5 o'clock in the morning and the noises Derek was making with his packing were giving her a headache. She had felt much better for the last 2 days, but this morning she was feeling pregnant again.
"Are you ok?" Derek put a hand on her belly when he noticed the tired expression on her face. "Go back to bed and let mom take care of you," he advised her.
Meredith smiled wearily and received a kiss from Derek.
A car was pulling outside their house.
"He found his way here," Derek sighed as he glanced outside the window to see Damon's car.
"That's why I am not sure about this trip," Meredith pointed out, scowling Derek.
He put on a dreamy smile and kissed her again before he went to greet Damon.
"Ready?" Damon breathed heavily and propped himself against the door frame.
"You're definitely not a mountain man," Derek chuckled smugly.
"Well… I had sex last night," Damon excused himself, grinning sarcastically at Derek.
"Yeah? Me too."
"Mine was hot," Damon replied.
Derek grinned. "Mine was hotter."
"Ugh," Meredith groaned. "Rules!" she announced. "You need rules for this trip. Do not bicker around Daniel, do not call each other names with Daniel witnessing, do not let him out of your sight, make sure he doesn't fall into the water or he gets soaked and please bring him back."
Derek and Damon looked at each other and then started to laugh.
"Mommies," Damon laughed.
"Yeah," Derek agreed with him.
"Here's the food," Carolyn showed up with two papers bags.
"Morning, Mrs. Shepherd!" Damon grinned. "You're the best."
Carolyn laughed and shook her head. "I am so glad I have just one son. What's going on here? I can feel Meredith's pain from the other room."
"Meredith is no pain. She's just pregnant," Damon replied, Derek's chuckle following and Meredith's glare. "Isn't it?" he asked, acting innocently.
"Are you some kind of... BFF now?" Carolyn asked Damon and looking at Derek, too.
"Oh. Do not dare to ask them that. They will never admit it," Meredith replied sarcastically.
"We don't have time, do we?" Damon asked Derek.
"No, we don't," Derek agreed. "Let's load my car."
"We're not taking mine?" Damon asked.
Meredith and Carolyn looked at each other, knowing where they were going with this.
"No," Derek frowned. "Mine's bigger."
"Yes, but mine is safer. It's designed for mountain roads."
"Mine's designed for all kind of roads," Derek replied.
"Take both cars, please," Meredith asked, already tired with their presence there. "If one breaks down, then you'll have the other."
"Mine's brand new," Damon muttered.
"And mine never had a flat tire..."
"Just leave!" Carolyn snapped at them, making them start.
While the men went to take their luggage to the cars, Meredith and Carolyn went to wake Daniel up.
He was sleeping almost too peacefully to disturb him, but they knew how excited he was to spend a day out in the woods with Derek and Damon. Meredith gently shook him, whispering his name. Daniel rubbed his eyes and sleepily opened them.
"Daddy?" he asked quietly.
"He's outside, getting ready. Do you still want to go with them?" his mother asked him.
Daniel nodded his head once and stood up, crawling to his mother's lap. Carolyn brought his clothes and together dressed him. Daniel was still too sleepy and too tired to fully enjoy the morning, and he was probably going to sleep during the whole ride to the camp place Derek had in mind for them.
Derek arrived upstairs just when Meredith and Carolyn had finished dressing Daniel. Meredith stood up, carefully picking her son. Derek hurried to her and took Daniel from her. "He's too heavy for you, now," he told her, holding her by the waist and kissing her softly. He patted her belly, chuckling.
"Derek," Meredith sighed.
"Mer, I promise I will take care of him."
"Call me if you can," she asked.
Derek nodded and kissed her once more. "Let mom spoil you."
Carolyn walked up to them and gave her grandson a kiss. "Come back if it starts raining."
"Of course," Derek rolled his eyes, smiling. "We're leaving now. Before you start crying or... something."
"Just leave," Carolyn chuckling, walking them outside.
...
It was a perfect day for camping and fishing. The sun shone above the trees, feeling its heat when they were out of the trees' shadow. Derek was the one that carried, a still sleepy, Daniel, and it took Damon to carry the most of the stuff. It took them just a few minutes to set up the tent, where they set a sleeping bag for Daniel. It was near by a lake, so he could easily find them when he would wake up.
They weren't really that far from the city, but still it felt like they were hundred miles away. The birds were singing their songs and the trees were brushing the air with morning freshness. Everything was perfect.
Derek and Damon set by the lake, with the fishing lines already floating into the water.
"I am worried about Daniel," Derek stated quietly, while watching the water. He knew Damon was listening, so he went on. "He's refusing to accept the idea of having baby into the house."
"He just found out. He has time to get used to it."
Derek shrugged his shoulders, not convinced.
"I didn't jump with joy when I found out I was going to be a big brother, either," Damon continued. "But I still beat two guys who tried to mess with my sister."
Derek smiled. That sounded like the perfect scenario between a brother and his baby sister. "I'll see how he enjoys this day. Maybe I will bring him more often into the woods. We could make this our thing."
"That sounds like a good plan," Damon agreed. After a short moment of silence, Damon stated, "I decided."
Derek looked at him.
"I am moving to New York. I am taking the job there."
Something unexpected happened to Derek in that moment. He felt that news like it was a really bad one. "Why?" he asked.
Damon smiled. "You left New York for Seattle. Someone needs to fill your place there."
Derek chuckled at Damon's words and joked, "I could give you my ex's phone number, too."
"That's not a bad idea. You don't have bad taste in women."
"Seriously now. Why?" Derek asked. "Is it because of Cristina?"
"No!" Damon denied firmly. "She's past, already." He let out a sigh and muttered, "You'd laugh."
"No, I wouldn't," Derek chuckled.
Damon looked up, glaring at Derek.
"Sorry," Derek apologized. "So?"
"I am depressed," Damon stated with a sigh.
Derek could laugh at that, because it seemed to him that Damon could never be depressed. This time, though, Damon looked a little down, indeed. "Haven't you talked to your mother?"
"I am not that depressed," Damon replied.
Derek didn't know what to say to that, except for... "You can talk to me."
Damon's features became smug.
"This is a special offer," Derek replied, rolling his eyes.
Damon became serious again. He pulled the hook out of the water to check it and then threw it back. "Everyone's life has changed or is changing. Meredith's, Daniel's, yours, my sister's. Everyone seems to move on but me. It's depressing. Maybe I'll find new things in New York."
"I am sure you will," Derek reassured him. "A change is always good. It took me a few years to get the courage to change my life. I should have done it sooner."
"Will you give me your ex's number?" Damon asked again.
Derek started to laugh. "I don't think she'll be thrilled to hear news from me, but I can tell you where you find her."
"She's a doctor, right? Then I can get sick and go look for her help."
"She's a neonatologist," Derek laughed. "But you can try. Who's going to give Danny the news?"
"I don't know," Damon answered frankly. "This time, he should take the news like a man."
"At 4 year-old," Derek replied sarcastically.
"No one said it was easy to be a parent," Damon pointed out.
Derek knew he was right. Ever since he came back in Seattle, he sought for someone's help when he needed it with Daniel. This time it was on him and Meredith.
They heard the tent moving and looked together towards its direction. Daniel crawled out, sleepily rubbing his eyes when he was out. A smile grew on his face when he looked around him and found out the place he was at.
"Morning, Danny," Derek called him.
Daniel ran off to his father, stopping by his side and hugging on his arm.
"Did you sleep well?" Derek asked, kissing his head.
"Uh-huh," Daniel nodded. He looked at their fishing lines and then in the bucket they had between them.
"We just sit down," Damon explained.
"I'm hungry," he stated.
"I'll bring you a sandwich," Derek said. "Come and sit here with the fishing line," he brought Daniel on his chair and put the fishing line in his hand. "Can you hold it?" Daniel nodded. "Watch him for me," Derek asked Damon, anyway.
When Derek came back with a few sandwiches and bottles of water, Damon was standing by Daniel's side, helping him with the line.
"I think he caught something," he told Derek.
Daniel was watching with excitement how Damon pull the fish out of the water.
"Look Daddy! Look!" Daniel started to squeal with excitement. "It's a fish. A real one!"
Derek laughed and took the fish from the hook, kneeling then at Daniel's level so he could take it and put it into the bucket. Daniel squealed when he touched the fish and felt it fighting in his hands.
"I want more," Daniel asked.
"Ok, but sit down and eat something. I'll fix the bait for you."
"No! I want!" Daniel seemed determined to learn as much as possible about fishing. He stayed by the lake, waiting for the fish to catch right away. Derek had to convince him that it could take a while until the next fish would find the hook and he'd better sit down and eat his sandwich.
"Did you think about the name you want your baby brother or sister to have?" Damon asked Daniel.
Daniel furrowed his brows in a glare.
Derek looked at Damon. He still had reasons to be worried.
"Did you think about the 'D's and 'M's?" Damon asked Derek, then.
"'D's and 'M's?" Derek looked confused.
"Daniel, Derek for boy," Damon pointed out. "And 'M's like Meredith, for girl."
Derek smiled. He hadn't noticed that and he was sure it was just a coincidence, but it sounded like a good idea. "Melissa?"
"Not bad. What if they're twins?"
"Then, Melissa and... Morgan?"
Damon laughed. "It seems to me that you've already thought about names."
Derek grinned. "I did. A little," he admitted. "And if it's a boy... David?"
"No," Damon disagreed.
"Damon?"
Damon chuckled smugly. "Don't cheat by copying names of famous people."
"Right," Derek laughed. "How about Darren?"
Damon considered it for a moment and then approved with a nod. "And if they're twins?"
"Darren and... Denis?"
"Not bad. What do you think, Daniel?" Damon asked Daniel.
Daniel shook his head. "I don't like Denis."
"I think Denis is a boy from kindergarten," Derek explained. "I'll have to talk to Meredith about the names, anyway."
Damon laughed. "You don't have ba..."
"Don't use that expression with Daniel around. Meredith's rule," Derek demanded.
"She has you wrapped around her little finger," Damon snickered.
"So what?" Derek shrugged his shoulders, sincerely not bothered by the comment. "Did you invite all your friends for your party tomorrow?" he asked Daniel, changing the subject.
Daniel nodded.
"Is Sarah coming?" Damon grinned.
"No," Daniel frowned.
"Why not?" his father asked. "Isn't she your girlfriend?"
Daniel shook his head. "Her name is Jess."
"No, it's not," Derek disagreed. "It's Sarah. I helped you write it down."
Daniel shook his head again. "It's Jess now."
Derek and Damon looked at each other, impressed. "She's new."
"Why isn't Sarah your girlfriend anymore?" Damon asked. "She dumped you or you dumped her?"
"Sarah is annoying," Daniel explained. "I like Jess."
"So you dumped her," Damon concluded.
And so they went on with the chat about girls and then about fishing and fire camp, continuing their day very boyish. That was definitely the best present for Daniel.
...
N/A: This chapter is much of a filler as I am wrapping up the story and nothing major will happen. I hope you're going to enjoy these last chapters.
