(Shattered...) Dreams Fulfilled

Healing Laughter

The sound of rain against the trailer windows made her want to forget about going to work that morning and just snuggle closer with Derek, except he wasn't in bed.

"Derek," she called out groggily, and once she'd opened her eyes saw him sitting typing on the laptop.

"Hey," he answered, "it's early, you don't have to be up yet."

"Why are you," she questioned looking at the clock, "it's barely five."

"Had some work to do," he said as he strolled towards the bed and sat next to her, "good morning," he said and kissed her softly, "go back to sleep, I'll wake you at six."

"Derek, it's raining and cold in here, stay in bed with me," she pouted, "please..."

"It does make you want to stay in bed all day..." he said, and kissed her again feeling her smile against his lips, and then heard her giggle.

"What's so funny," he asked as he nuzzled her neck.

"That's what Mark said...when we first me..."

"Meredith..."

"Uh huh..."

"I'm not sure I want to hear about him propositioning you..."

"He didn't...you just ..."

"I've already admitted to you, I was jealous as hell that he was looking at you...talking to you, and when I saw you shake his hand..."

"You were watching us..."

"Why do you think I risked breaking my fist," he laughed, and slipped in bed next to her.

"You were jealous, really?"

"You don't have to be so smug about it...again."

"And I thought you didn't care..." she said, smiling at him and placing a quick kiss on his lips.

"The thought of anyone...looking at you...touching you...drove me insane..."

"Derek...after you...nobody else could ever take your place...in my heart."

"That's the way it was...and is...for me as well," he said, and hugged her, "you can sleep another hour, get some rest."

"Are you staying in bed with me?"

"Yes..."

"Keep me warm Derek...I missed you so much...for so long..."

"You won't ever have to feel that way again."

"Neither will you Derek...I'll be here too, no more cold nights alone...any night alone."

"But you're feet are freezing," he teased her, while he caressed her back.

"You ass," she giggled, and held him close to her, and before drifting off to sleep, "we're both becoming very sappy Derek..."

"Any complaints?"

"None at all," she said smiling.

He had not told her the work included emailing Kathleen to give her an update on his plans, and asked if she had been able to secure the hotel he wanted as well as emailing his mother.

Mom,

I'm going to call you later, Meredith's sleeping and I don't want to wake her, but I didn't want to wait any longer to tell you how much it's meant to me that you've been communicating with her and making her feel she's part of the family. She needed that right now.

Thanks for keeping her, us ...in your prayers. I think they are being answered, we're going to be ok now. I'm taking her away for a week, and I promise it won't be long before you meet her. I love you Mom, and I know I don't say it enough, but, thank you...for loving us and disciplining us, we forget what you taught us at time, but we always have those values to help us through the difficult times. Talk to you later, and don't give my sisters a hard time...LOL yes...I know you're all up to date in cyberspace.

An hour later he woke her with a kiss, "you realize," she said, "you're going to have to do that every morning."

"Be your alarm clock...your kissing alarm clock..." he joked.

"You are so..." he interrupted her with a kiss, "oh...yes...every morning," she said.

"Come on, don't be lazy, I'll fix breakfast," he said and started to get up.

"Derek," she said pulling his hand.

"What is it?"

"When we come back...next time we're here...we...we'll be..."

"Will be engaged..." he said interpreting her unfinished statement, "and there's no doubt about it, because you've promised to say..."

"Yes..." she finished, "you really...are going to propose this time?"

"Yes, but no more questions...just know that when we fly home...there will be no doubts that you and I are in this...for a lifetime."

"Derek...we'll have to celebrate...our engagement...engagement sex...here, where we fell in love...where we both knew...that night."

"You're going to make me wait till we come back...for engagement sex," he teased her.

"Not on your life...as soon as we can...and it can't be long now...payback Derek...I owe you...over and over," she laughed and kissed him before getting out of bed and heading for the shower.

They had breakfast and she cleaned up while he placed the suitcase and black leather carry on in the trunk of his car.

"Meredith, are you ready?"

"Yes, I even checked that all windows are closed...and nothing that can spoil in the fridge and here we need to discard the garbage..."

"Not even engaged yet, and already she's bossing me around and I'm delegated to throw away the garbage..."

"I thought you liked bossy," she said in a saucy tone.

"I love bossy...I love you," he said and gathered in his arms.

"Derek...kiss me....our last kiss..."

"Hey...what's this talk of a last kiss..."

"Our last kiss here ...before we come back engaged...and Derek...I'm scared as hell...me, all dark and twisty loving the thought of that ...of us being married one day."

"I think then, this is more our first kiss ," he said, "the first kiss, this time knowing it is something we'll do everyday for the rest of our lives," and captured her mouth.

"Our first kiss," she said, "not soft..." she smiled, "Derek...remember...that day...that night...I wanted to remember...our last kiss... when we'd been happy."

"The day you almost died," he said running his hand through her hair and brushing a loose curl behind her ear, "and now...our first kiss...of that lifetime, also a Thursday morning...and you...still smell of lavender," he smiled.

"Do you remember everything...everything about us..."

"Everything about us...all those memories...they are priceless..."

"I love you Derek...and I can't seem to get tired of telling you."

"I don't get tired of hearing it or saying it...we've got it right Meredith, finally, we've got it right."

"Well, Dr. Shepherd..."

"Yes, Dr. Grey..."

"Are you ready...to surprise me?"

"Like you've never been surprised before," he laughed and they walked out of the trailer.

"Derek, Meredith," they heard Richard call out to them, "good morning."

"Well...if it isn't the meddlesome busybody..."

"Derek, be nice."

"It's ok Meredith, I deserved that..."

"Damn right you did, almost ruined my surprise about our trip."

"How the hell am I supposed to know you're springing this on a woman a day before you travel, you just don't do that Derek, take my word for it, not if you want a relationship to survive. Then again, Adele accuses me of never taking a vacation, so she may like a surprise like that..." Richard pondered.

"It's ok Chief, you didn't give anything away...and you're probably right, surprise her," Meredith encouraged, "I'm not holding that one day notice against him."

"Don't let him off Meredith. Richard you still ruined part of my surprise...and I was forced to tell her about having bought a ring, thankfully you didn't spoil anything else."

"I'm sorry, truly, I just thought she knew."

"Anything else," Meredith said, "you mean, Chief you know where we're going?"

"No, he does not know anything else," Derek said warning him not to reveal any more details. "The rest of it, he'll find out when we get back, and not one minute before, he can't keep a secret," Derek told him grinning.

"Hey, that's not true."

"Good bye Richard," Derek said in warning again.

"Meredith...Derek, both of you, please enjoy this time away together. I'm glad this has worked out...have a safe trip. Email me when you get there Shep, at least tell me where you're going," he said attempting to cover up that he knew they were going to Italy.

"We just might do that," Derek laughed, extending his hand, "Richard, thanks. Thanks for arranging the time off."

"Don't mention it. It's working out the way it's meant to," he said and gave Meredith a kiss on the cheek, "if I don't see you later today, know I wish you all the best, and your Mother would be so very proud of you, how you've handled all of this."

"Thank you," she said, "that means a lot to me."

"Ok, get out of here, I'll hold the fort down," and seeing Derek picking up the garbage bag, walked up to him and took it, "I'll take care of it along with mine. I'll see you at the hospital later...or next Monday."

"I'm glad all's ok between you," Meredith said once they were on their way.

"Yeah...it's good."

They enjoyed the ferry ride while engaging in light banter throughout their conversation.

"Derek, the other day, I was going to tell Lexie about my dream, and...before I could tell her, seriously, I don't understand, why people always jump to conclusions," she said and was interrupted by his laughter.

"Seriously, Meredith, the pot calling the kettle black?"

"I don't get where both of you come up with and remember these quotes."

"Sign of genius," he joked.

"Apparently genius and brainless don't communicate too well," she said smiling and moved closer to him, placing her hand around his waist and resting her head on his shoulder.

"Uhmmm...bossiness...me taking out the garbage and insults...all within hours of finding out I bought your ring...I can't imagine what you'll expect after you actually have the ring on your finger," he taunted.

"Uhmm," she murmured and turned to stand in front him, her back against the guard rail on the ferry boat, "I was thinking..." she said lowering her voice to a whisper, "sex slave..." and loved seeing the expression on his face, before she saw his grin.

"Are you sure you can handle that," he teased.

"Wasn't it you ..." she gave him a mischievous smile, "who said I was handful enough..." she kissed him deeply, "so, Dr. Shepherd...who can't handle..."

He kissed her back, "you really...really...owe me..." he said and they both started laughing, and he held her close, her head resting on his chest.

"Derek..."

"Stop thinking..."

"See...you interrupted me too..."

"I was enjoying the idea of being your sex slave," he whispered, and she giggled.

"I'll be sure to remind you," she teased, and pulled away from him so she could look at him. "I was going to finish the story about Lexie..."

"Meredith...don't ruin it...let me enjoy...my fantasy..." he said and they both started laughing.

"I love you Derek."

"I love you too, and this feels so good...so right, holding you...both of us laughing."

"It does...we deserve this Derek..."

"Yes, we do," he said and kissed her lips lightly.

"So, I'm telling Lexie, trying to tell her about the dream, and I said, your brother in law and I..."

"You said," he interrupted again, "you started to tell her a story and referred to me as her brother in law," he laughed, "and she ran with it, she must have thought..."

"What is it with you two and interrupting me..." she said more amused than annoyed, "yes, she ran with it, and thought I meant you had proposed, which is another thing, everyone's jumped to that conclusion recently, which I get...but you haven't...so..."

"Meredith, stop rambling and finish the story, we only have 20 minutes before we have to go get the car."

She glared at him, "I don't hurry your stories along...but, anyway, yes, and I said, what I wanted to tell her is we'd had an unexpected experience, and Derek, her expression was priceless...almost as bad and horrified as mine was when George and Izzie both told me how bad their sexual experience had been, and oh God, Derek I really could have done without knowing about that."

"Wait...both George and Izzie told you about their bad sexual experience," he said trying to keep from laughing again.

"It was horrible Derek, I wanted to cover my ears...and then Izzie telling me George kissing her was like a chicken pecking..." she said scrunching her nose, and he roared laughing, and she could not help but join him.

"Meredith," he said, and paused, "I hope..." he laughed, "I was never like a chicken pecking..."

"Uhmm..."

"What...you...I was never..." he said hesitantly.

"I hope you were..." she said, "when you kissed that woman."

He responded very quickly, "I think...that time, I could be better described as a horse's ass."

She looked at him and giggled, "oh...yes...that is exactly what you were."

"I'm glad we could agree on that," he offered, hopefully putting that behind them.

"Derek...if you ever...ever...think of flirting with ...or kissing another woman, you're going to be a dead horse's ass."

"I value my life...specifically, my life with you...it won't ever happen again...I promise you..."

"Good...because I'd hate to be arrested for killing an animal," she said and laughed at her own ability to make light of a situation that had almost ended any hope of a future together.

"We've come a long way," he said, as he caressed her face and her lips gently with this thumb. "Being able to joke..."

"I love you Derek...I do...so much...and this, being with you like this...I'm not saying it was pleasant...but, getting here...to this moment, it's been worth it, knowing that finally...we are together."

"I love you too Meredith," he said and brushed her lips with his and hugged her.

"So," she kissed him softly, "when I told Lexie we'd had an unexpected experience," she paused and smiled, "she thought I was going to talk to her about sex..."

"She what...you mean you talk to her about our...our sex life..."

She looked at him and his reaction made her laugh, "of course...don't men talk about these things with each other?"

"No...I mean, we do...but not, when it's about the woman you love...I don't talk to Mark about our sex life," he said incredulous that she'd admitted it.

"Derek...the entire hospital seems to know about our sex life..."

"That's different."

"Really, enlighten me."

"Well it's one thing that they know we have sex...and well another, that you give details...to your sister...and oh my God, probably Cristina and Izzie...and ..."

She cut him off with a kiss, but he did not respond to her, "Derek..."

"I can't believe..."

"Derek, they all know we have sex...and are loud...and almost how often, but Derek...I don't ever give private details about us..."

"Oh, thank God..." he said.

"But..."

"But...there's a but...this is never good."

"If I did...you'd never qualify as a pecking chicken...or rooster for that matter," she murmured against his lips, and this time he captured her mouth and both were equally satisfied with the other's response.

"Hey, it's almost time to go get our car," he said just as his phone vibrated indicating a text message.

-is this a good time to talk, have info for you
-on the ferry with Meredith, we'll call in 10 min

"Who was that, that has you smiling," she asked.

"Look for yourself," he said handing her the phone.

"You're going to call her in 10 minutes, does that mean I get to hear some of the plans?"

"No, just that you get to talk to her, if you want...that's all."

"Jerk."

"Jerk that you're agreeing to marry..."

"None of us are perfect," she teased.

"You are...in my eyes, you're perfect for me."

Her eyes watered, "thank you...very corny...but thank you...you're perfect for me too," she said and walked with him holding hands towards the car.

He dialed Kathleen once they were off the ferry, "hey Kat, how's everyone," he asked and listened to her reply, "good, I've got Meredith listening to us, so she's going to talk to you, and I'll call you when I get to the hospital," he said and passed the phone on to her.

"Kathleen, your brother...really is so brainless, I told him I wanted to talk to you and he thinks I'm going to do that in front of him," she said and smiled.

"Why not...you, we're not keeping secrets," he interjected.

"Oh, voices from the peanut gallery," Kathleen said.

"That's the perfect description," Meredith laughed.

"What disparaging comment did she make and you agreed," he pouted.

"Derek, stop acting like a kid," Meredith told him.

"Are you ok Meredith? I know you had your first therapy session last night."

"One of the reasons I was going to call you, and I will...but, Kathleen," she said and he was pleased to hear the excitement in her voice, "Derek bought my ring..."

"He did..."

"Oh come on, I know you know, and he showed me your text message, that you've been helping him plan this trip..."

"How do I know you're not trying to get information out of me?"

"He's listening to us Kat, we're in the same car."

"I suppose that's true."

"Kathleen," she said, "he said he's going to propose," and paused, "for real this time," and reached for his hand, "and not taking it back."

"He is...I know ...and I'm glad you're happy...but, Mer why did he tell you he had a ring, I know he wanted to surprise you."

"I was upset with him, because I heard through the grapevine he was going away for a week, and I thought he just wanted to get away from me, and was avoiding telling me."

"Why would you think he would do that?"

"I've been encouraging to go home, to see your Mom, and I thought he'd decided to do it...and just wasn't telling me."

"Meredith...you both need to stop doing that...making assumptions."

"I know...but, I was very upset, even though I understood," she said squeezing his hand gently, "I've been kind of driving him crazy...my...emotions all over the place."

"Honey, he understands that, and with even more reason, he would not leave you alone right now, trust me, I know my brother."

"Yes, I know that now...Kathleen, thank you...for all your support, and for helping Derek with this...I can't wait to see what he has planned, I really do want to be surprised."

"You do...so you're not going to try to get it out of me...sneakily somehow?"

"Absolutely not...though, I can tell you his hints are driving me crazy."

"Hints...he gave you hints...what hints?"

"Stupid hints...only initials ..."

"What are they?"

"VIPB and then last night he added L."

"Oh..." she heard Kathleen laugh, "that is priceless...it's right under your nose Mer, well, the VIP...but...huh...the other two even I don't know."

"Well, I was going to call you, but since we're leaving tomorrow, I may not have time till I get back, but if you don't mind, I mean, if you want me to, the minute he proposes...I'll call and let you know."

"If I want," she heard Kathleen raise her voice, "are you out of your mind...I EXPECT you will be calling me, and I don't care what time it is, Meredith...you are to call me right away and tell me how he proposed, because even after all the work I've done... he has not let me in on that at all."

"Kathleen, thank you," she said and he heard the emotion in her voice, and squeezed her hand, "I'll call you...and..."

"What Meredith? You can ask..." she said.

"I was thinking...well, you know, your Mom and I...we've been emailing...and I thought...well, she said I should call her when Derek and I got back from the few days we took...and I wanted to call her, but that was before, you know just to talk to her, but now...I thought maybe...will she mind if she knows Derek's thinking of proposing?"

"What...Meredith, what are you talking about," Derek interrupted, "there's no thinking about it, you know, it's going to happen," he said just as he pulled up to his parking spot.

"He's right Meredith, there's no ifs...and if you're asking me if she'd like to talk to you, the answer is yes, she is very happy with the relationship you two have started to work on, and honey, if you call her and tell her ...that he got you a ring...she will be very pleased that you are trusting her and including her, she does know about his non-proposal and he's going to be teased to no ends when he comes to visit."

"Thanks Kat...I just didn't want to impose..."

"You're not imposing...it's being family...and you're going to be part of ours soon, so, yes, do call her, now let me talk to my brother."

"Kat...I'll give you a call in a little bit," he said and saw Meredith start to open her door, and stopped her.

"I'll let you have some privacy," she said.

"Kat, hold on. No, Meredith wait for me," he said and pulled on her hand, "Kat, yes, I heard, you're right Mom would love to hear that from her," he said and shortly after disconnected and went around to open her door.

"Hey," he leaned in before she got out of the car, "do you have any idea how proud I am of you..." he said and kissed her softly, uncaring of the snickering behind them as he saw out of the corner of his eye, the roommates walking behind them.

"You are..." she said, her gaze softly meeting his.

"Yes...that you'd want to call my Mother...Meredith...nothing would make me happier than for the two of you to have a close relationship."

"She offered Derek...she said...she wanted us to have that..."

"And she meant it..."

"Do you mind...would you mind...if I call her, and tell her...I mean, she already knows about your non-proposal...and I don't want her to hear this through the grapevine."

"She knows...already..." he laughed, "Kat's been doing lots of catching up."

"I don't have to call her...or tell her..." she said.

"Please do...I think it will be good for you both..."

"She should know...before the others..."

"She will like that, very much."

"I'll call her...later today..." she said and leaned in to him, kissing him softly.

"Ready for your last day at Seattle Grace...as a single woman...officially off the market."

"You ass..." she joked, "just remember you are off the market as well."

"First an animal, now a commodity," he joked.

"Derek...I'm thinking..."

"Oh..."

"You know ...about the bets..."

"What about them?"

"We should encourage Mark or Cristina to start one...and we'll get a cut...you know, earn back some money...for the engagement ring...engagement trip and all," she joked.

"That's not a bad idea..." he laughed, "uhmmm engagement trip...we may start a new tradition..." he said as he grabbed her hand and helped her out of the car and they walked towards the front entrance.

Meredith and Derek walked to the nurse's station, and greeted everyone, and were met with reserved enthusiasm, and she noticed Lisette walked away right after saying good morning.

"Is everything ok," Meredith asked, though she sensed she knew why there were acting out of character.

"Yes, of course, Dr. Grey," Steph said a bit too cheerful.

"Absolutely...honky dory..." Amy Lynn said.

"Honky Dory..." they heard Mark drawl, as he reached the counter "yeah...I'd have to agree with that, wouldn't you Trace...Mer...Derek..."

"Hell yes..." Tracy answered, and going along with his teasing added, "especially after last night, I could tell you stories..."

"Tracy, do tell..." Amy Lynn chimed in.

"Oh...I couldn't really," Tracy laughed and winked at Mark, and he roared laughing.

"Yep..." Derek commented getting a questioning look from Meredith, " I can agree with that too Mark.

"What...Grey, you're not going to be mad at him again...not when..."

"Mark," Derek warned.

"Not when what," Meredith asked him.

"I know as much as you do..." Marked smirked.

"When did you have time..." she asked Derek.

"Mer, the man was up at five o'clock this morning." Mark stated.

"What's going on..." Steph asked.

"That was my original question to you," Meredith said, "why are the four of you, well, Lisette walked away, being so reserved with us earlier?"

Nobody answered, so she took the lead, and reached for Derek's hand, "I think...and maybe I'm wrong, that it has something to do with what we shared with you...does it?"

"Yes," Amy Lynn Tracy answered, "we don't really know what to say, how to act, it's very recent."

"I thought so, but you just did the right thing, telling me that, and it's ok, Derek and I are dealing with things, and we really appreciate that you're being so sensitive. But, you supported me...us before, and that was enough for us to share our news. So please, just act as you always have...and know there's some days that aren't going to be as good as others for me...at least until my hormones get back to normal...ok?"

"Thank you Dr.Grey," Steph said.

"We'd like to help...if you're ever having a bad day, and we can help...please, let us know," Tracy said.

"I will Tracy, and now, I need to talk to Lisette," she said and walked to the back office, leaving Derek talking with while going through some charts.

"Lisette," Meredith said and walked over to sit next to her.

"Dr. Grey," she said startled, and Meredith heard the uncertainty in her voice.

"How are you feeling?" Meredith asked.

"I'm ok, thank you."

"Lisette," she said softly, "I lost my baby, but that doesn't mean you have to avoid me."

"Oh..." Lisette said, and Meredith saw the misty eyes, "I'm so sorry, and that I put my foot in my mouth when you told us, I did not mean to be insensitive."

"I know that...but you can't avoid me forever...and soon, you'll be showing...and feeling your baby kick...and I probably will wonder what it would be like, if my baby had survived...but it doesn't mean I want to avoid you... and that I'm not happy for you...and you know, Derek's sister, she's pregnant too, and would have been due around the same time...so maybe you can help me a little...be a little more ready for when I have to go home with Derek...and meet his new niece or nephew," she finished, and now both had tears in her eyes.

"Dr. Grey, I'm so sorry..." she said and was unable to avoid the tears.

"So am I Lisette," she said, wiping away her own tears, "but...I'm going to be fine...and I don't want to feel uncomfortable around you...ok?"

"Ok."

"Now," she said, "come with me, I've got a little scoop," and both walked over to the nurses station.

The recent tears did not go unnoticed by any in the group, and Derek put his arm around Meredith's waist and kissed her temple.

"Derek, I told Lisette we had a scoop for the FAB4 and Mark..."

"You did..." he commented.

"Uh huh...what we spoke about in the car."

"Uhmmm...."

"Shep, speak up," Mark insisted, "wait...Grey, you may be the better scoop provider."

"Well...I told Derek...we should feed you a little gossip, and you owe us a cut on the bets."

"What?" they heard a chorus of nurses and Mark.

"What's wrong with that," Meredith said, "you love bets Mark, and we'd be giving you a sure bet to win."

"It's a deal," he said, "what's your scoop."

"I can guarantee that within..." she paused, "the month, Derek and I will be engaged."

"What," the chorus now included Derek.

"Within the month," Derek whined.

"I'm not taking any chances," she smiled and leaned over to kiss him, "gives me time to convince you, in case you get cold feet again."

"Just you wait..." he said as he kissed her back.

"You're on," Mark said, "ladies...you in? You'll have to start the betting, if I do...there could be some..." he was interrupted by the FAB4 comments and t heir plan to make it even better.

"Ladies, Mark, I've got to get to my briefing, we'll see you in a week," she said and walked away smiling listening to Derek being bombarded with questions about her last comment.