Chapter 76: What of the Future?

"Do you want me to help you?" Derek asked tenderly as she was getting dressed this morning. She was walking and moving around very slowly after 6 weeks of hard work and determination. She still needed help, but for the most part, was getting around on her own.

"Yeah, can you just clasp my bra?" Meredith smiled at him as she moved over. She grabbed her hair and moved it out of the way so that he could access the clasp easier.

He leaned down and kissed her bare shoulder softly before moving his lips up to her neck, smiling the entire time.

"Derek, not now, you have to drive me to base. You are on strict orders." Meredith breathed hard when his lips grazed her ear.

"Strict orders to be at your beckon call. This constitutes that." He continued his assault on her. The last 6 weeks had been challenging at times for them, but there was one thing that remained constant, their love for each other. Derek had to remind himself often that relationships were hard work, but Meredith was worth every bit of it.

"I have to be in the command conference room no later than 9am. This is my entire destiny, my future all rides on this meeting today." Meredith reminded him.

Derek pulled back, knowing Meredith was anxious. She still wasn't sure she was ok with the probable outcome, but she was learning to deal with it. She and Derek never mentioned to each other what exactly this could mean for them, but they both knew They had been careful over the last weeks to stay low profile. Derek left his car most of the time at his duplex so that his car wasn't always seen at Meredith's. He had returned to work, but was still to oversee her recovery. The retirement date for his dad had changed a few different times and Derek was due to fly out for the ceremony in 2 weeks. He wanted Meredith to come with him, but that was yet to be seen.

"Are you okay?" Derek asked, clasping the bra, knowing now wasn't the time to start something that couldn't be finished. They were still very careful when being intimate and he couldn't wait to fully have her in that way. It would be soon according to the doctor. She had an appointment later in the day and she was hoping to get the information she and Derek had been waiting for.

Meredith took a deep breath, "Surprisingly, I am. I have enjoyed these last few weeks with you. Whatever happens, we will be okay." She took her perfectly pressed uniform off of the hanger to put on, quite possibly for the last time. She continued, "I am just surprised how fast everything has moved. I figured it would be at least a year before I started any of this. But you know my mother."

"Yes, I do." Derek laughed, putting on his equally pressed uniform although completely different. His, the uniform of an enlisted man, hers, the uniform of an officer. In an ideal world, that wouldn't matter, but this was not an idea world.

"There are so many different possibilities. When the CO asked me the other day what I would prefer, I really couldn't tell him. I did tell him I didn't want to just work a desk job. He asked if I would be interested in teaching, maybe Top Gun. He thought young, hot shot pilots could learn a thing or two from me." Meredith smirked.

Derek shockingly turned his head to face her. This was the first mention of any of this, "Top Gun?"

"Yeah. It is just one of many different scenarios that could play out." Meredith explained.

"Your mother said when she was here; it would most likely be a medical retirement." Derek had been banking on this outcome. The plans were already set in motion, and he wasn't even considering a different outcome. Ellis had seemed so sure of it last week when they had talked on the phone.

Meredith knew Derek well enough to see the fear in his eyes. She walked to him with her blouse on and wrapped her arms around him, "No matter what, I am not going to hide us anymore. I am in love with you. So what if I get in trouble?" She explained.

"What about me? They will kick me out or knock me down a rank. If you stay in… damn it." Derek said, pulling away from Meredith a little bit. He had to think. This was just not an option he had even considered. What if she was transferred to somewhere like Fallon, NV, where Top Gun was now housed?

"Derek." She whispered.

He looked up to her and the words just started pouring out. "Meredith, I love you. I want to marry you. I had it all planned out but hell, I have to tell you know. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, have children with you, go through life with you and die in each other's arms when I am 110 years old. I want forever with you and that is going to be difficult if we are in different places or having to continue to hide this. I can't hide anymore but I can't just throw my career away."

Meredith was stunned by this sudden rush of emotion from Derek and had no idea what to say. "Derek, this, no, yes, I mean, let's see what happens today. This is because you are scared. Do you know what you just said?" Meredith said curiously.

Derek smiled and said, "Yes. I know exactly what I just said. But you said no then yes, so I am a little confused."

"Are you sure?"

"Meredith Grey. I have never been surer of anything. Are you not sure?" Derek asked amusingly.

"I am positive Derek. I want forever with you." She said quietly but confidently while she leaned into him, kissing him perfectly on the lips.

"We need to get going. However, I could stay like this forever." Derek hated to stop any of this.

"Yes, my future is about to be determined." Meredith went to grab the rest of her uniform to put on. She quickly corrected herself, "Not my future."

"What?" Derek asked as he finished getting dressed as well.

"Our future. This decision today, it affects both of us greatly. As much as I would enjoy teaching and/or doing another fascinating job, being medically retired may not be so bad. You and I… we could live a normal life." Meredith beamed up at him.

"Normal? Normal is what you define it to be." Derek laughed.

"True. We are far from normal given the standards of most."

"Yes, because no matter what, you will be married to an enlisted man in the navy and there is nothing normal about that life." Derek reminded her.

"You had to burst my bubble, didn't you?" Meredith giggled along with Derek but was stopped by Derek's phone ringing. He picked it up and looked at the number. He wondered why they would be calling him now of all times… knowing he was on his way.