A/N-So, this isn't quite midweek, but life got in the way of my plan to update on Tuesday or Wednesday! It's a bit of Mark/Derek banter really, because they were at their best when they were like that on the show. I'll try and get my usual update tomorrow, ready for the proposal in a couple chapters. Enjoy :)
Disclaimer- I don't own Grey's Anatomy but I am super excited for the season premiere in a week. I'm stuck in England and don't get to watch it until the following day once my lecture is over but the sneaks alone have got me on the edge of my seat!
The day had arrived, Derek was going to see the ring. He'd tried to hide his excitement from Meredith, which was far easier when she was hung-over and not quite functioning just yet, so when the pair left the house, he practically jumped into Mark's 4x4, eager to get a look at the jeweller's handiwork for himself. Mark looked at his best friend's animated face and decided to steer the questions away from Derek's look of needing to pee with excitement, and talk about his call to the contractor instead.
"So," Mark probed as the pair set off for downtown Seattle. "Meredith finally finished designing the dirty mistresses club headquarters, huh? Lots of spare rooms for my adoring fan club to lay naked waiting for me, right?" Derek scoffed and put his head in hands dramatically.
"Meredith finished editing our house," he emphasised, "And we both decided that six rooms upstairs would be ideal if we ever had the family over to stay, and a huge upstairs means that our living area is enormous, so we have an excuse to build a big deck, and have the whole back yard available for eating out or having parties and stuff, but there's also enough room that we can have absolutely massive audiences to watch the game. There will be no dirty mistresses club. I'm not married, and we're in a committed relationship. It'll be more like a place to entertain guests, eat food, watch sports and movies. You know Sloan, eventually we had to grow up, and the sooner we move out there, the sooner I can stop feeling like I live in a brothel." Mark mirrored Derek's grin and nodded his head, clearly impressed by Derek's plans.
"So your bedroom is like what, a porny little love nest, lots of drawers for a lot of fun stuff?" He wiggled his eyebrows, causing Derek to frown at him in disgust.
"No, it's just a simple room with a nice big closet so she can fill it with navy converse. Meredith wanted ensuite, so we have the world's largest bathtub planned. She wanted deep, I wanted enough room to share, and then the other side of the room we have a shower that I swear two couples could shower in and have no idea the other is there." He sighed at the enormous grin that had taken over Mark's face, knowing immediately that he had put the wrong image inside his friends head.
"Nice, so you can share the fun. It's like a classy brothel." Mark laughed and Derek punched him playfully in the ribs, the way he had done since he was a kid.
"No, so we can both get in and shower, saving time before work and much water, we're all about caring for the planet. We have two sinks as well, I figured Mer would want her own little space to get ready in the morning." Derek tried to make his and Meredith's future family friendly home seem rather less like the whorehouse of Mark's dreams.
"And all your hair products wouldn't fit in a cupboard on their own..." Mark jibed, knowing that Derek had always been sensitive about his hair.
"Oh whatever, she likes the hair, then the products stay." Derek knew that his image would be rather different if he didn't make the effort to have his hair looking perfect. He'd been the band geek in high school, but out here in the real world he was the popular guy, so he made a real effort to make his image reflect that.
"Yeah, I don't think she'd feel quite the same way about you if you still had the afro." Mark joked, having bear witness to Derek's many failings with women before he figured out hair products.
"Thanks Mark, that really fills me with hope, anyway, she wants a big bed, she says that she always wanted to be one of those families that do the crossword in bed on Sundays when she was a kid, so she wanted to make sure that her own kids had that. I didn't want to argue, the family thing is hard for her to talk about, I want her to have everything she wants, needs or even just dreamed about. I'm not sure how I feel about our kids sharing the bed I make love to her in, but I guess it'll make us both more creative. It does mean when she decides to sleep sideways across the bed there's less of a chance that one of us will fall out which is always a bonus." He laughed.
"Kids? Grey wants kids now?" Mark looked at his friend, wide eyed, almost in disbelief. Meredith made fleeting suggestions about children, but he had assumed it was Derek's idea, and she was thinking it over. But it seemed that the Meredith Mark had hit on back when he had first visited Seattle had transformed into a creature that was actually willing to have a family.
"We spoke about it, she wants two, I'm open to a few more. Mom brought up the six of us so I figured we could maybe deal with four or five maybe." He let Mark in on the secret that he hadn't really told anyone before.
"Good luck convincing any woman to go through it all that many times! I can't even picture Grey going through it once let alone four or five times. And I'd've thought you of all people would want her vagina in tip top shape, instead of stretched out by the heads of your half dozen children."
"Okay, that's enough of a visual Mark, I get it. I guess we'll see what happens, it's years away yet, let me propose first before you have us with a football team of kids emerging from my girlfriend's perfect and very accommodating vagina."
"So house?" Mark said steering the conversation away from the slightly uncomfortable territory he'd found himself in.
"Yeah, the guestroom has a half bath, enough to sort yourself out at night, but no shower or tub. We figured a big bathroom upstairs would suffice. Just a regular tub and shower, a couple sinks, so if the two imaginary kids are girls, they can share."
"Like Nancy pants and Kate, oh yeah. Good luck with that one in twenty years or so."
"Well, we'll see what happens, maybe we'll have Shepherd boys."
"One boy, out of 8 Greys and Shepherds, you really think you'll have boys?"
"Well, one can hope, my sisters have boys, it could happen. Anyway downstairs..." Derek reeled of the details of the downstairs living space, Mark making comments to throw him off or make him laugh. Soon enough they were across the water and parking up a few blocks from the store. Derek felt his heart began to race as they got closer and closer to the moment where they'd see the ring, his happy ending being made real before his eyes.
"And you're sure they said they could do it just like the picture? You're sure?" Derek prods Mark as they walk towards the jewellery store after their short drive.
"How many times Derek?" mark retorts exasperated, "you gave me the picture, you gave me the ring, I went to the store that you requested, I spoke to the guy you wanted me to, who assured me that not only could he make the ring look like the picture, but he could also add the extra diamonds and make it all look like it wasn't done by a neurosurgeon who draws like a four year old! God, you used to be a man about this stuff!"
"Meredith's special." Derek answered. "She's different from Addison." He sighed at Mark when he sniggered at Derek's revelation. "She makes me feel like, like I'm alive again. Like I've been in the dark for my whole life, just sort of stumbling through, going through the motions. Acting on what little I can see ahead of me. Then I met Meredith and now there's just this pure and amazing light, and I'm just seeing everything like it's for the first time. I'm seeing the bigger picture, I'm making plans for the next few decades instead of the next few days. She's the light Mark, she's my hope. She is everything I ever wanted and so much more. And she loves me back, every bit as much. It's like she's a part of me now. And she's made me feel all…"
"Bright and shiny." Mark finished for him as Derek nodded, wiping his eyes before the tears escaped. "You don't have to justify this thing you two have. I see it every time I look at the two of you, that was never there with Addison. Sure she was taller, hotter in a more obvious way, but Grey has the whole package. Beauty, brains, and she seems totally immune to my charm. She's perfect for you, man. Here we are." He said pointing to the door of brightly lit store emblazoned with diamonds of every shape and size and leading the way in.
"Mark!" an older gentleman exclaimed as the pair walked in, extending his hand as Mark did, and pulling him in for a hug. Derek looked on, taking in the display of rings and jewellery that the man in front of him had created. He was impressed to say the least, his mother was right about him being an artist. From the simplest one diamond engagement ring right up to multi stoned platinum necklaces, each one was meticulously designed, and no two were completely the same. Meredith's ring would be one of a kind, just like her, and that made his heart swell.
"And you must be Derek, here to collect the ring for your Meredith?" The old man looked at him as if he were trying to measure up the man who sent his best friend to order his engagement ring. As though by looking at Derek, he could measure up how good of a marriage he'd have.
"That'd be me." He grinned at the old man, extending his hand for a handshake and feeling himself too being drawn in for a hug.
"I'll go get it." Said the man, "It takes pride of place in my store room." Derek took several deep breaths as he waited for the clerk to return with the ring he intended to give Meredith in just a few days' time. He knew that it probably didn't matter to Meredith what the ring looked like or how many carats each of the diamonds was, but she'd been thinking about something when she drew the picture, it had meant something to her, and that meant something to him. He wanted her to have one perfect thing in her life. He couldn't promise her a perfect career or a perfect marriage or even the perfect family, but he could give her the perfect ring, and he could give her his heart, and his word that no matter what, he would never leave her side.
"Chill dude, the man's an artist." Mark reassured him, breathing a sigh of relief as the man returned with a blue velvet box, handing the box to Derek without a word. Derek braced himself, and took another cleansing breath as he opened the lid, his face breaking into a huge smile as he saw his ring for the very first time.
"I must say this ring was a challenge." The jeweller informed him. "The artist, who drew your picture, their talent needs work. But Mark here showed me a picture of the two of you, told me about you both, and I think I was able to capture that in the ring. It's an imperfect cut, as the picture showed, I think maybe that's symbolic of the pair of you. Whoever sketched this though, obviously loves their partner very much. It's hard to see with an untrained eye, but after a few years in this business you get a feel for these things. You'll be wanting this back no doubt." He said handing the original picture to Derek who graciously accepted it. He stared at the words written almost illegibly on the inside of Meredith's sketch, he'd not paid much attention to it before, thinking that maybe it was a hallmark, a jumble of symbols that didn't really say anything. Yet when he squinted at it, he could just make out the words 'this is forever'. He picked up the ring from its tiny stand and looked to the inside of the band. There in tiny letters were the three words that Meredith had written weeks ago, lost until that very minute.
"I did the engraving like the drawing, it's okay, yes?" The jeweller said, looking slightly concerned that such a thing hadn't been planned for.
"It's perfect." He choked out. "She'll love it!" he exclaimed, as he fought the tears that were forming in his eyes. "What you've done it's... I never could've imagined... Thank you."
"She's a lucky lady." Handing Derek several tissues along with the bill for the adjustments on his mother's engagement ring. "And clearly she means a great deal to you. I don't see many guys coming in here with such a passion for making their woman happy. But you Dr. Shepherd, you're rather different. I spoke to you briefly but you have both pain and joy in your voice when you speak of her, and that's a rare thing. There's only one place it can come from. So keep a hold of her, and remind her just how lucky she is to have such a wonderful man in her life."
"Oh, I'm the lucky one." He answered back handing over his credit card, placing the ring box into his breast pocket after giving mark a glimpse at the jeweller's handiwork. "She's my world, my entire world." The man smiled knowingly as he handed back Derek's card after making the transaction, and the two men walked towards the door.
"Good luck Dr. Shepherd, and congratulations!" the old man waved at the pair before they exited the shop, "I'm sure I'll see you soon."
As they began the walk back to Mark's car, mark clapped his hand on his friend's back,
"You did good man." He praised. "I know mom said the guy was an artist but he did a damn fine job on that ring, I can't wait to see Meredith's face when you get down on one knee. It's perfect Derek, dad'd be proud." The two walked the rest of the way in silence, Mark appreciating the need for quiet his friend had as his impending engagement began to fall into place for him, only needing a yes from Meredith to complete it all. As they headed back towards the hospital mark finally broke the silence. "You want a ride home? I don't know how much I trust you to find your way home with your head in a totally different place to your body." He chuckled at his own joke until he realised Derek hadn't heard a word. "Shepherd!" he called, snapping Derek out of his daydream.
"Oh no, I have to pick up Meredith's car, so I'll just jump out at Joe's." He mumbled, trying to decipher what Mark had said when he was barely listening. He went back to looking aimlessly out of his window again. He couldn't believe how smoothly everything had gone so far, he and Meredith rarely did smoothly, it was the bumps in the road that pushed them forwards, towards bigger and better things. It was almost too much plain sailing for his liking, and seeds of doubt began to cloud his mind.
"What is it?" Mark asked, "You can talk to me." Derek sighed.
"What if she says no?" He splurged out almost by accident. "What if she says she doesn't want to spend the rest of her life with me? And then…"
"Derek." Mark interrupts. "Not even the queen of darkness herself is going to be able to resist this proposal. You've been planning it for weeks; you went and got your mom's ring. You never did that for Addie. You got her that awful ring that you found in the antique store, and spun her that line about it coming all the way from some royal family in that country no one had heard of. Meredith is the one, and she feels the exact same way you do. You're worrying for nothing man. Did she run when you showed her the blueprints to your house? No, she stayed and she came up with that porny bathtub thing. Even when you told her you wanted four extra bedrooms, 'just in case? No, she got that look in her eye when she's imagining how perfect it'll be. It'll be perfect Derek, you'll see."
"Yeah, you're probably right." Derek said as the car pulled to a stop outside the Emerald City bar opposite the hospital. "Thanks, man it was good having you there. I just love her so much and I guess I'm just waiting for it all to turn to crap. She's the best thing that ever happened to me, and I know that if I ever lose her then..." Derek squeezed his eyes shut, willing the tears not to fall. "I need her Mark, I can't breathe without her, she's it. This is it."
"I know, Derek. But she's not going anywhere, she talks about having your babies all the time, she's grown up for you, she is ready for you because of you. You're made for each other. You spent your whole lives looking for each other, and the world has stopped because you found each other. That's true love Derek, that's real."
"Thanks Mark, I never pegged you as the voice of reason, but you're right. Thanks for the ride, I'll check in later." Derek shut the door and smiled at his friend.
"No problem," Mark said rolling down the window "and Derek, I'm always right, I'm a freaking god!" he called before driving away. Derek extended his arm into the air and chuckled as he walked towards the bar's entrance.
Derek walked into the bar, peeking his head through the door to see if Joe was around. Spotting him behind the bar, he hopped onto a stool.
"Hey Joe!" he greeted as the bartender looked up and walked over to him. Smiling at the doctor, who given the time of day was his only customer.
"Can I get you something to drink Derek?" he asked smiling as his eyes rested on the ring box in Derek's pocket.
"No thanks, I'll just take Meredith's, or should that be lady Tallulah's keys."
"Is that sticking?" Joe laughed as he handed Derek the keys to Meredith's 4x4 which was still parked alone at the front of the bar.
"I think she forgot everything way before that point." He chuckled back "which reminds me, I don't want her to drink too much on Friday, so after the first few, could you slip her a few virgin cocktails, I want her to remember very second of that day, and I hope that she'll want to as well."
"Sure dr. S." Joe assured him. "And just so you know, I'm reserving the bar for your private function, so you can pick exactly who you want there. My treat to the pair of you. It can get a little hairy on a Friday, and I don't want that to ruin all that you've worked for."
"Thanks Joe, you didn't have to do that, I really appreciate it though, and I'm sure her ladyship will too when she finds out. Speaking of whom, I'd better get back to her, the four of them were braving coffee when I left, I imagine they'll be slightly less nauseous by the time I get home. I said I'd bring lunch, so I'd go before I have to suffer another of Meredith's kitchen nightmares or pizza with some weird topping that she's found in the menu's small print!" Derek told Joe waving Meredith keys.
"Sure thing doc." Joe smiled, "and Shepherd, if I don't see you before, then good luck on Friday."
"Thanks Joe." Derek replied "I'm gonna need it."
He got into Meredith's beaten up old car and breathed in the scent that lingered anywhere that she spent any length of time. He adjusted the mirrors and caught sight of himself, looking daunted and afraid instead of happy and excited to be spending the rest of his life with the woman he loved. Deep down he knew they were ready, and this was just last minute nerves, his father always said that if you're nervous it means you have something to lose, something worth fighting for, and if nothing else, the proposal should prove to her that no matter what had happened and what may happen in the future, he had never stopped fighting for her, and he never wanted to.
A/N-The proposal is coming, I promise, I'm just trying to fit in a few little things to get to know each other a tiny bit more.