Carolyn was happy to see Derek as soon as she came down the escalator to baggage claim. She hated waiting to be picked up. She greeted him and hugged him. "I hope you had a good week-end."

"It was marvelous. We spent the entire weekend at the trailer. We went on a few hikes and had picnics and barbecues. Chrissy and Meredith loved making s'mores."

"I'm glad you had a good time. Everyone missed you and Chrissy at graduation. This was our first special Shepherd family event since Chrissy entered our lives, and everyone wished she could be there – with you of course."

"We would love to have been able to come. Maybe next year we can go to Rob's graduation and meet everyone."

"If all goes well, maybe we can have an earlier get together. Everyone could come to Seattle. They all want to meet Chrissy."

"Mom, we'll have to see. Right now, we're in a happy bubble, but we don't know what's going to happen next. I don't want to plan ahead right now. We're living in the moment."

"That's good," Carolyn noted as she watched the luggage come out. "I see my bag."

"I'll get it, Mom," Derek said as he grabbed her familiar suitcase. "Let's go. I'm parked pretty close." They walked to the car. After they got in, Carolyn turned to Derek and said, "Before we go, I want to show you what I brought you."

"Okay, Mom, what is it?" A tone of exasperation entered Derek's voice, as he was eager to get home.

Carolyn opened her purse and took out a small jewelry box. Derek was speechless as she opened it and showed him her engagement ring. "This is for you. Dad wanted you to have it for the right girl. Addison wasn't the right girl. Meredith is what you need."

"Mom, we're not even really dating."

"You spent the week-end with her and Chrissy at the trailer, right?"

"Yes," he nodded, surprised that his mother assumed Meredith was with them the entire time. "But the key word there is Chrissy. Meredith and I have hardly spent any time together just the two of us since I came to Seattle. I'm sure she would think this is the wrong time to get engaged."

"Derek, you just said you live for the moment now. Love is rare, and you need to treasure it. I loved your dad, and I lost him too soon. There's never enough time for the people we love."

"Mom, do you think we should get married now?" Derek looked into his mother's eyes.

"If it were me, I'd want to get married while you're in your happy bubble now. I'm sure Chrissy would love it."

Derek laughed. "I'm sure Little Miss Matchmaker would love it if we got married. She could be a flower girl."

"Yes, she could."

"But Meredith doesn't want to spoil her."

"Marrying the child's father isn't spoiling the child."

"Mom, I know you're a traditionalist, and you think marriage should come before having a child." Derek frowned as he realized he was married when Chrissy was born – just not to her mother.

"Derek, I'm delighted that Chrissy was born. I'm not criticizing you for the circumstances of her conception. I'm just telling you that since you love her mother and her mother loves you, you might as well get married now, when you know Chrissy can be here for the ceremony."

"I'm not sure that's a good enough reason to get married now."

"You'll be able to move out of the trundle bed and into Meredith's lovely queen bed," his mother said with a mischievous smile. "When I cleaned the house, I cleaned her room."

"I know that, Mom. I'll think about it. But we're going to have to think about phase 2. Meredith wants to go to a parent support group tomorrow night. Can you stay late to take care of Chrissy?"

"Derek, I don't have anything else to do in Seattle. I'm here to help. And I've missed Chrissy for the past few days, so I'm happy to have her to myself help."

"We might want to have dinner after the support group. It's probably going to be pretty depressing."

"Is it at Seattle Grace?"

"Yes. It's convenient. It'll be weird with us being doctors there, but our being doctors would make it weird anywhere."

"It's a good thing you haven't started working there."

"The therapist, Dr. Wyatt, told me that none of the group members have children with brain tumors at this point, so I'm glad about that. And I don't specialize in pediatric cases, anyway." Derek started driving.

"Derek, you're one of the best neurosurgeons in America . . ."

"Mom, you're my mother."

"I'm quoting the New York Times. You're a great doctor. And I'm sure you'd have insight to any pediatric brain tumor. You will probably know a lot about the medical part of the cancer. But the parent support group is to help you with the emotional part, and that's something that's entirely beyond your experience, apart from the last couple of months with Chrissy."

"I know. That's why Meredith wants to go."

"You say Meredith wants to go. What about you? Do you want to go?"

"I'd rather stay in my happy bubble right now," Derek confessed.

"That's understandable. But Meredith is probably right. You're going to have to prepare for the next step. It may be harder for you than Meredith because this is the first time you've spent with Chrissy outside the hospital."

"Still we don't know if she's going to survive the bone marrow transplant. And that has to be just as tough for Meredith as me."

"I'm sure. I've been so lucky. All my children are healthy, and, apart from Chrissy, all my grandchildren are healthy, at least now. Where are we going?"

"Chrissy's in bed now, so I figure I'll take you home."

"And are you going to sleep in your own bed?"

"Yes, I told Chrissy I'd be hanging out with you tonight. She understand why I would want to spend time with my mom."

"She's a great kid."

"Yes."