(Shattered...) Dreams Fulfilled

Yes...Venice...

"A lover's conveyance," she repeated deep in concentration, "7 words..." she said and then turned to look at him...and he knew she'd get it, "the first letter...the first of seven letters...is it a g..." she asked as her eyes began to water.

"Yes," he said without breaking eye contact.

"Derek..." she whispered, "we're going to Venice?"

"Yes," he answered as quietly as she had, and felt her fingers travel gently on his arm and then slowly squeeze his hand as he witnessed the inevitable emotional reaction.

She closed her eyes as she took a deep breath and he heard the quiet broken sob, biting her lower lip that trembled slightly, and then she met his gaze and instantly he thought, if that was the last vision in his life, he would forever remember it and know that in this lifetime, he had found and been unconditionally loved by his soul mate, the love of his life.

"You remembered..." she stated softly, her eyes shining, the grey of regrets turned to forgiveness; the light speckles of blue reflecting wonder and joy, and the green he loved best with hope...love...enchantment.

"How could I forget..." he said, humbled in the knowledge she had never loved anyone that way she loved him, that she had never told anyone other than him and he wanted her to know all that she meant to him, all that it meant to be loved by her.

"You...did this for me..." she said softly, still incredulous.

"Of course, for you...I told you there's nothing I wouldn't do to make you happy.
I have a lot to make up to you...for all the times I've screwed up," he said and lowered his gaze, remembering in shame.

"Don't do that," she asked softly, gently lifting his chin, "please don't look away from me... Derek, I need to look at your eyes...the depth of your feelings...that's where I find my strength...knowing you love me, looking at the reflection of your love in your eyes."

"I could get lost in your eyes forever, Meredith, and never need another thing in my life but to have you look at me...as you just did, and I know I don't deserve it."

"Derek...we both...deserve this...we've waited for so long, so long..." she said and buried her face in his chest and he felt her light trembling and did not need to look at her to know her tears would not be stopped.

"Hey," he said, as he ran his hands through her hair, and kissed the top of her head her temple, inexplicably unsure what came next, and tried to joke with her, "the flight attendants are going to think I'm a real jerk...making you cry."

"I don't care," she mumbled, "what they think, I can cry if I want to."

"I don't want you to be sad," he said softly.

"I'm not...but ...not a lot of controls of my tears right now."

"I know..." he said, holding her as close as he could with the armrest as an obstacle between them.

"You remembered Derek...you really did..." she murmured softly.

"I always intended...ever since that day...I always intended that we'd visit Venice, but now...there was no reason to wait...I wanted to give you something special..."

"Is this...going there, did you always plan to propose there..."

"No...I had thought maybe our honeymoon, but...after everything we've been through lately...the last few weeks, I had planned just asking you, maybe a weekend away after Kathleen went home, but then..."

"I lost the baby..." she said, snuggling closer.

"Yes."

"I really thought you'd forgotten, wanted to forget ...or changed your mind..."

"I could never forget Meredith, that's why I told you...that I had your ring."

"Derek," she said, sitting up and looking at him, yet their bodies were as close as they physically could be in their current environment, and the intimacy spoke of an impenetrable cocoon protecting them of all but the immensity of their emotions, "I didn't mean to ruin it ...your surprise, but I was scared...scared of losing you."

"You don't ever need to worry about that again" he told her as he bridged the inches between them and placed his lips on hers.

"How...when how did you think of this..."

"After...when..." he started, and she knew he was referring to the miscarriage, and recognized his struggle with their loss, though he was trying not to show it.

"When I had the miscarriage," she added, "you can say it, I'll be ok."

He held her chin, caressing her face with his thumb, "I wanted to propose right away, I did, I didn't want to wait any more but I thought I should wait, till you were feeling better...till we could enjoy the moment, and I don't mean sex, but without the sadness...so I waited a few days...so you could have a happy memory...something special...as special as you deserve...and then I thought, Venice would be the place...the one place I could truly make you understand my commitment to you...to us..."

"It's perfect...and I'm glad you waited...I'm getting better Derek...I am...the sadness, it's getting a little better...tell me when you decided..."

"When we dropped Kat off at the airport...it dawned on me...as I was driving there, that's what I needed to do, take you on a trip...and I thought Venice...I was driving remembering when you told me..."

"You were..." she said smiling and he was lost in a memory of months before.

"I was...remembering..." he said.

"How do you remember it..." she said, as they continued to build upon the intimacy of the moment.

"Uhmmm...it was raining, we were both off...and the house was quiet..."

"A Sunday morning alone...no roommates..."

"It had been a couple of weeks, since we'd gotten back together...in all ways," he said, as his eyes became darker...traveling back to that morning, to her in his arms, the look of fulfillment in her face, the look of yet unspoken words of love.

"We'd made love...during the night," she smiled lacing her fingers with his, "and that morning the rain had woken us and you reached for me and held me closer, and already I could feel your need for me..."

"And...we made love again," he said resting his forehead on hers, "and again," he smiled.

"Before you got up and made us breakfast...and brought it up...with the paper..."

"And you were lazy and feel asleep," he teased her.

"Lazy...I've never been lazy when it comes to..."

"Making love...no...you are not," he laughed softly, "but that morning, you fell asleep in my arms, and woke up, much later with the rain still splattering against the window and told me you could think of no reason to get out of bed that day and offered to help with the crossword puzzle...where I was apparently stuck."

"Today...that's how you knew I'd guess...when I took your crossword and wrote the letters down, trying to figure it out...you knew if you gave me that clue...hint, I'd guess the answer...again..." she smiled, "and you wanted me to guess...didn't you?"

"I did...I knew you'd remember the answer...and it would give you the hint you needed to put all the pieces of those letter together, and I did want you to know already...I wanted to see ...feel your reaction and hoped you would be pleased."

"I'm very pleased," she told him, "so going back...that Sunday morning...you had almost the completed puzzle and it was the same description, a lover's conveyance...and looking at the other answers I said...gondola..."

"You did...gondola, and it was...and you had this distant look in your eyes that I didn't understand...and then you told me...about Mrs. Sorrento, how that reminded you of the story she told you."

"You remember her name," Meredith asked truly surprised.

"Esme. Thanks to her, you acknowledged me that day, when you weren't speaking to me or looking at me."

"She was responsible for me admitting my feelings to you that day."

"I wanted so desperately for you to acknowledge I existed...and you wouldn't."

"After I spent time with them...when I saw you again, I had to tell you..."

"That you missed me...and I...couldn't..."

"Yeah...after you had asked me...you wouldn't even tell me that you missed me, she said and couldn't help remembering that moment with sadness.

"I'm sorry...I chose wrong...I never should have gone back to her, tried to make something work that had no future."

"Feeling you near me that day in the elevator...wanting to feel your touch, feeling guilty because I needed you so much, but after I told you that...that I missed you, you were farther apart from me than before."

"For a while...physically, but never away from my thoughts...from my heart," he said honestly.

"Neither were you."

"I could never forget her name...when you told me how she affected you, watching them...seeing what love could be like...with the love of your life. I wish I had met her, thank her for sharing her story her optimism with you. I was lost without you in my life, floundering, trying to make something work that had been over long before I met you, and longing for you. But, I thought, unable to do anything, and I hurt you...hurt all of us, and yet, she...Esme...her love story made you believe in us," he said with obvious emotion, "she made you want that kind of love for us, and here we are, on our way to Venice."

"On our way to Venice..."she said lovingly, "Esme and Jed, she was so sweet and gentle and she loved him so much. Now, do you believe Derek, do you think it's true...that they'll be together...for eternity."

"I'm counting on it," he said and kissed her softly.

"I believe they are," she said hopefully, "believe that we can be."

"I remember it all vividly, and then when you told me the whole story, and understood how much it had touched you, I knew that one day you and I would go to Venice..."

"Derek, if you could have seen how much they loved each other, they had been together sixty years and they were still holding hands and not wanting the other to know she was going to die," she said as tears gathered in her eyes, "you better promise me Derek...that you're not going to get sick and die...not till you're 110," she told him.

"And you'll still be in my arms..." he said, and brought her close to him, her face resting softly on him.

"Derek..." she said as she put all the pieces of the puzzles together... "you had more letters...B...I'm fairly certain I know," she smiled "but the L..."

"Do you want me to spell it out..." he teased.

"Actually...no...surprise me..." she said and looked up at him and kissed him softly.

"You're not mad anymore then...that I didn't tell you...didn't give you advance notice about the trip?"

"I was never really mad Derek...just the packing became a bit overwhelming, and knowing you had my ring and we were going way for a week, and that during the trip you'd propose, and there's changes Derek lots of changes...so, not mad...just, it's all new..."

"We don't have to rush anything you know...all that matters now is that we're together, we can take all those steps, Meredith...as slow or as quickly as you want."

The flight attendant approached them, and asked if they would like anything to drink. Meredith asked for water, "and you, Mr. Shepherd, what would you like?"

"Coffee please, and a glass of water."

"My pleasure, I'll be right back with your coffee," and as an afterthought, "and your water Ms. Grey."

"If...she flirts with you...again...I'm going to spill your coffee all over her."

"She wasn't flirting. Meredith they have the passenger list, they know our names, and they're supposed to use them."

"Derek, you are not that stupid."

"Here you go sweetie," the woman said placing a cup of coffee on his tray, as well as a glass of water, but did not bring Meredith's.

"Thank you," Derek said politely.

"Not a problem, let me know if there's anything else you need."

"Would it be too much trouble to bring my water?"

"Oh, I'm sorry...I'll bring that right away," the flight attendant told her.

"If you talk to her again..."

"Meredith, there's not reason to be jealous..." he teased her.

"You ass," she said, "you better not encourage her flirting...or..."

"Yes..."

"I'll think of something, it's too early in the morning."

"You know I have eyes for you only," he said using that McDreamy smile.

"Yes...I actually do know that," she admitted rolling her eyes.

"Here you go, Ms. Grey, sorry about that."

"Actually, it's Mrs. Shepherd."

"I'm sorry, the passenger list..."

"Don't worry...I just haven't changed my passport yet, we're on our honeymoon."

"Oh, congratulations..." she said and walked away.

"Our honeymoon ...uhmmm...Mark would be proud of you."

"Why?"

"Marking your territory again...Mrs. Shepherd..." he laughed.

"Oh shut up..." she said, laughing softly, "just don't forget it."

"You have nothing to worry about...I told you already, I don't want to be a dead horse's..."

She giggled, "actually...if I was really going to think of you as an animal...it would probably be a black panther...ready to pounce," she said, "or roar, then pounce," she laughed.

"Go ahead...tease the caged beast," he whispered against her lips, and her heart skipped a beat thinking about the moment they would actually be together.

"I'm not teasing..."

"Really...as we're 35,000 feet in the air...hundreds of people around and we can't ..."

"Derek..." she said quietly, "yesterday...and this morning...I'm only spotting, just a little...by tomorrow...it should have stopped."

"Tomorrow..." he said, caressing her arm gently, "then we wait...a couple more days."

"We...we may not need to wait..."

"Dr. Cameron said, wait a couple of days...Meredith...we'll wait...a couple of days...won't matter...we have a lifetime."

"I love you Derek," she said leaning in softly to brush his lips with hers.

"I love you too," he said and deepened the kissed.

"Derek...there's...people."

"Who cares, the flight attendants think we're on our honeymoon, and we don't have anyone sitting across the aisle to witness this..." he said and kissed her again.

"Derek, how...when did you make all the arrangements, you can tell me now."

"Let's see...we dropped Kat off the airport and I knew I was going to propose within weeks, as soon as we could get the time off and you felt better ...and in the back of my mind I started thinking Venice."

"Derek, Kathleen said something about a passport she already knew?"

"No, she said she had a feeling, or rather, she asked me if I still got them..."

"And you said yes..."

"I decided at that moment, I'd propose in Venice."

"The whole time we were at the spa, you already knew..."

"I did..."

"And I was thinking you might have proposed then, but you didn't so I went back to doubting you wanted to do this...and maybe you'd changed your mind...but I pushed it to the back of my mind...well kind of, till the other night when I had to say something."

"I'd looked at rings months ago, so I called her, while you were in the shower..."

"The day you called her you talked to her about my ring? You'd already looked at one?"

"Uh huh...asked her to look at it, see if she thought you would like it."

"How could she look at it?"

"I sent her a link of what I was thinking of getting you, I also asked her to help me look for a hotel in Venice, and she'd been working overtime on this."

"She never said a word...or a hint."

"She wasn't supposed to," he smiled.

"You...you've planned this...taken so much time."

"I wanted something special...something we'll always remember..."

"Derek...you could have proposed at home...anywhere, just you and I would have been special."

"But...I wanted to do more...make up for so much..."

"Please, don't talk about those things anymore...let's put that behind us...enjoy our future together...we can...we'll have enough to deal with as I go through therapy, but now, this next week...let's enjoy it without any of that..."

"We can do that," he said, holding her hand and gently caressing it.

"So, where are we staying?"

"That is a surprise..."

"Come on, Derek...you can tell me...it will still be a surprise."

"No...one thing at a time...patience is a virtue ..."

"Not necessarily in my book..." she said.

"Says the woman who wanted to take things slow..." he teased.

"That was different..." she said.

"Well...I've been very patient...for weeks..."

"Yes...but you don't have to wait much longer..." she told him, lowering her voice to a sexy whisper.

"I think...you can wait another 15 hours to find out, and I never quite found what I wanted, the hotels are all very ...well, I was looking for a five star hotel that was not so...how can I say this...a bit more modern...but I'm afraid we had no luck...so when in Rome...or Venice...we adapt...and go with the tradition and splendor, because simplicity was not to be found...so it's not my taste necessarily...but...I think you'll enjoy our second stop..."

"We...we're going somewhere else...where...it makes sense, I mean not to spend a week in Venice only, but where are we going Derek...you have to tell me..."

"Uhmmm..."

The captain's voice came on with an announcement, "this is Captain Cole again, we hope you are enjoying your flight and thank you for flying Delta. We have unexpected headwinds, so our flight to New York will take us a little longer than usual, about six hours which means we have another four of what we expect will be a smooth flight. But, we just found out we have two passengers on board celebrating a very special occasion and wanted to extend our congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Shepherd who are on their honeymoon and will be on our connecting flight to Venice."

Meredith looked at Derek with a shocked look on her face, "oh my God Derek," she said just as the flight attendant brought them two glasses of champagne.

"Thank you," Derek told her, "we appreciate this very much."

"We always try to do this if we're aware of it, make it a bit special for the passengers," she said as she walked away.

"Meredith...we should make a toast..." he teased.

"I feel like such a fraud..."

"Don't be...we'll be married...as soon as you want," he smiled, tilting his head in just the way that made her melt, "so...to our life together," he raised his glass.

"To our life together," she said and touched her flute to his, "I love you."

"I love you, Mrs. Shepherd," he smiled and leaned in to kiss her.

"You're going to tease me about this...aren't you...when we get back...I'll have to endure Mark's endless jokes...and Cristina and Lexie...and the rest of them, and add your own version of it...to amuse yourself."

"Probably."

"Derek..." she smiled, "I'm glad...happy that we can joke about it, all of this...I mean...imagine...the story you can tell our kids from this..."

"Imagine that...once upon a time...your Mommy proposed to Daddy on our way to Venice, not even giving him a chance to give her the ring he had, because she was so impatient..."

"Oh, you jerk..."

"I love you Meredith."

"I love you too Derek," she said and laid her head on his shoulder.

"Tired," he asked.

"Just a little."

"Get some sleep."

"Will you? You must be tired too."

"I'll get some sleep as well," he said, and they actually fell asleep for the next couple of hours, until the commotion began with the serving of beverages in the second cabin of the aircraft and the first class flight attendants brought them a snack.

"Derek, I didn't forget....my last question..."

"What?"

"Where else are we visiting?"

"Just go with it...go along with my plans..."

"And if I don't like it..." she taunted.

"Then we can visit someplace else," he said becoming serious, and she detected a pout.

"I can wait," she said, "I'm sure I will love what you've picked out."

"You know, I was talking to John and Colleen...and they have a place...the other place we're going, they offered for us to stay there..."

"Derek, you've talked to them a lot, I mean with John...and you don't usually, patients are not normally friends, but you've ..."

"I can't explain it to you, it's just happened, they are a very nice couple, we've talked, have good rapport. They are very grateful that their child is going to recuperate fully, and with him on the Board. I've told you he's offered to help with our house, and I don't see anything wrong with that, we discussed it, in terms of a conflict of interest, but we're not getting anything for free, so it should be fine, but it will help the timeframe."

"Our house..." she said.

"Our house...we can think about it, when we get back."

"We can talk about it you know... I'm not disagreeing with you on the need to build a house, not anymore...I want that for us, Derek...our home, our memories together."

"You do..."

"I do..."

"Well then...we can talk about it, and when we get back see the architect again, or get a new architect, I don't care...it's our house...whatever you want ...that's what I want."

"You said they offered you their place...how did they know we were coming?"

"I was on the phone to Kathleen about the hotel in Venice, and Colleen was walking down the hall and heard me, so we started talking and then later John offered for us to stay at their villa."

"We can't do that...Derek, it seems it wouldn't be right...their villa, that's private and we hardly know them."

"Actually, it looks more like an Italian palace, he insisted that I look at it. He sent me some photos and they wanted to do this for us, but I told him we could not accept. I really felt that could be misconstrued as a conflict later when contracts, both yours and mine, need to be negotiated."

"I think you made the right decision."

"Well, they insisted that we at least accept a dinner there, they've staff there all the time.
I have to get back to him. I did however, accept his recommendation for a couple of places to visit."

"And you're not going to tell me..."

"No, I'm not."

"Don't get used to me accepting all these secrets you know..."

"Aren't you enjoying it just a little," he asked.

"I think you really want me to enjoy your surprises, so I'm going along with it...to make you happy."

"Thank you...that means a lot to me, that you're trusting me."

"I admit...I'm enjoying it...just a little," she teased.

"What were you and Colleen talking about, before we left the other night, you were a bit emotional about it. You seem to get along with her well."

"I think it has to do with Kelly...her dream about Brianna, and she's so easy to talk to, and she guessed, she knew about our baby...almost as though we were supposed to meet them, you know...to help us...help us deal with our loss."

"What did she say to you?"

"That...she knew, one day she'd be knitting a baby blanket for me...a blue baby blanket."

"You ok," he asked.

"I told her I thought she was right...that it would be blue," she said and squeezed the hand in hers.

"Fate, my Mom would say, has a way of taking care of many things."

"Uhmm...she may be right," Meredith agreed.

"What did you talk about with her, you said she made you cry."

"Kathleen told us Derek, I'd be like this for weeks...and that's part of it, but she's been so sweet and caring, and I'm not used to that."

"She's not too bad," he admitted.

"She's been wonderful," she said wistfully.

"Hey...what are you thinking that's made you sad?"

"Do you think, I mean...she doesn't know me, that Nancy can change her mind, about me?"

"No."

"Derek..."

"Meredith, Kathleen loves you, I love you...Mom's affection is genuine, believe me, you can take it at face value."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. Stop doubting, I know her."

"Derek..."

"Uhmmm..."

"I did something...I hope you won't mind...I just wanted to do something nice for you..."

"How can I mind that you'd do something nice for me?"

"Maybe you won't think it's a nice thing...I probably should have asked you first, but I wasn't sure, and if she didn't agree it wouldn't matter anyway, but I did...I asked her...and she said yes, and I hope you won't be mad, because I think...I think, but I don't know, since you and..."

He silenced her with a gentle kiss. "What did you do?"

"I need to do something for you...I haven't...and you've done so much, and all this planning... I need, I have to show you how much it all means to me...how much...I want you to know how very much I love you."

"I know you love me...but now, I'm getting scared," he teased, "tell me."

"I asked your mother if she would come visit us after we got back from our trip even thought I didn't know where we were going I still asked her and I hope you don't mind but I want to meet her and I think you want to see her..."

He was speechless.

"Oh, God...you hate the idea," she said.

"No...no...I'm...speechless," he said but obviously moved by what she did, "did you pause at all to tell me that?"

"No...I had to get it all out, are you mad? Do you mind, you and Kathleen...you're always saying she's so strict, and I should be scared to meet her, but I'm not, I'm selfish in a way...but I could have waited to meet her and I don't want to wait, but most of all Derek, most of all I wanted to do this for you."

He took a deep breath and she saw him swallow before he spoke, "there is nothing, nothing you could have done that would have meant more to me...that means more to me than you asking her to visit."

"Really..." she asked hesitantly.

"Really," he said, not having let go of her hand and leaned over to kiss her.

"She said she'd come...I told her she could tell you..."

"She hasn't...not even when she replied to my email."

"She said, I should tell you...that it was something I should tell you..."

"She was right, I'm glad you did, glad that I heard it from you."

"We're making progress Derek, don't you think?"

"By leaps and bounds..."

"We are...and when we get back...Derek, I already changed my date with Dr.Wyatt, but...she may want to see you."

"I told you I would...that I'd support you...every step of the way."

"You realize...it may be a bit of a roller coaster ride...one step forward...and then things happen, cause there's still lots of things Derek, things I need to talk to her about growing up...as a kid, lots of things that got me to dark and twisty..."

"Whatever it is...we'll work through it together...and I know, we may take a step forward...and then couple of steps back...but, we'll get back on track, I have no doubts that we're going to do this together."

"Derek...I believe that too...just remember our promise...not to let the other pull away."

"We won't...we'll hold each other to that...and when one forgets..."

"The other one will be there to remember," she said, and rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, and fell asleep to tender words he whispered in her ear.

The captain was at the cockpit door and wished them his congratulations again as they exited the aircraft, and they made their way down jet way, Derek insisted that he carry her bag as well, and she let him, enjoying all the small ways he took care of her.

They checked in at the airline's lounge and left their bags, after he secured the ring in his pocket, and went for a walk around the airport; they had almost three hours before their flight, and grabbed a quick snack. He had a yogurt and some fruit he insisted she eat well. She had a strawberry ice cream, and then went to wait for their flight in the comfort of the lounge.

"Come on," he said, "we have some calls to make," and led her to the privacy of a small enclosed room a bit bigger than the old phone boots, with a chair and a desk top, specifically designed for that purpose, affording the other passengers the privacy and quiet desired without the endless chatter of cell phone conversations.

"What calls?"

"First, your blackberry, I forgot to talk to you about it before."

"What about it?"

"We need to call your carrier and tell them to connect the global plan, so it will be activated when we get to Italy, mine is activated, but imagine you'll want access to yours."

"I hadn't thought of that, what do I need to do?"

"Just call them, it's done while you're on the phone, and they will probably ask you for a year's contract commitment."

"I don't need that," Meredith said logically.

"No, but you'll want it this week, trust me, it's worth it," he told her.

"They probably rip you off Derek, and charge me an arm and a leg for the service."

"No they won't, and I'll take care of it..."

"You can't pay for my ...my phone service," she argued.

"I can, but we don't argue about it, so just do it, it's $ 20 a month."

"Oh, that's not bad," she agreed, "couple hundred dollars a year to let them know we're engaged...are you crazy, I can use yours."

"Just do it, you know you're going to want to be in touch."

"My world famous neurosurgeon...and his global connections," she teased.

"You tease and mock me...but it will come in handy," he retorted.

"I like to tease you," she said and leaned in to kiss him, and given the privacy the small room afforded they gave in to the kiss and savored it as long as they could, and had it not been for the fact they would have to stop, it would have ended a very different and satisfied encounter.

They made the call, and then he dialed another number.

"Mom, it's Derek."

"Derek, I know my son," she joked.

"Even after all that time you haven't seen him," he joked back.

"Don't play games with me Derek Christopher, where are you and why are you calling, shouldn't you be on your way to your destination?"

"We're in New York."

"You're in New York, Derek, and you didn't tell me I could have made arrangements to come and see you."

"Mom, we're at Kennedy it would not have been ideal, and I prefer that when we see you, we have more time to spend together. But, I do have some news I wanted to talk to you about."

"News...is something wrong, is Meredith ok, honey I'm so worried about her, about both of you."

"She's fine Mom, we both are...we are...she's here with me, and she told me she spoke with you, asked you to come to Seattle, and that you agreed."

"She did, and I agreed," she paused, "but, sweetheart, it's up to you...I can wait...I don't want to intrude."

"We don't want you to wait. Mom, I don't want you to wait, it's been too long since I've seen you," he paused and listened to her, "I'm glad she called you and that you want to visit. I love you Mom, I love you both."

"I love you too Derek, and I can't wait to see you and to meet Meredith, and Derek, I'm always ready to come see my children wherever they are. I'm a phone call away, even if you're half way across the world, I'm always ready, valid passport in hand...there's too many of you kids that travel...so I'm always ready any time, any of you may need me."

"Mom, when have you ever needed a passport to meet up with one of your kids," he joked.

"Listen smart aleck, just because you don't keep up with our news, doesn't mean things don't happen."

"What are you talking about?"

"Last year, when your brother in law broke his leg skiing in Europe, and I had to fly to stay with the kids and then bring them back here, so they could start school on time in January."

"I didn't know that, Kathleen didn't tell me."

"Well, I'm sure there's lots of things she didn't tell you...that will have to be up to me...to fill you in when I see you."

"Mom," he said quietly, "I've missed you and I can't wait to see you..."

"I've missed you too Derek. Now, tell me where are you going? You're at Kennedy, surely she knows where you're connecting to by now," Mrs. Shepherd told him.

"Here, talk to Meredith."

"Hi Mrs. S," she said accepting the phone from Derek.

"Hi dear, did he tell you yet? Where you're going?"

"He did..." she said and leaned in to him, letting him hold her, feeling his kiss on the top of her head, "we're going to Venice."

"Venice...oh, Meredith that is so romantic...I'm so happy, so happy he's doing this, making this a special trip for you, for both of you."

"It is...he is...making this very special," she said and they continued talking for a few minutes. "Yes, I promise I will let you know, as soon as I have the ring on my finger.
I'll tell him, and thank you," she said before disconnecting.

"What did she say?"

"That we would be in her prayers and to have a safe trip."

"You're ok...really ok...with her visiting?"

"I'm fine...good...really, with her visiting," she smiled, "just get ready for the nerves the night before her arrival."

"We can handle that..." he laughed and pulled her close to him, and then they walked out together.

Time went by quickly as they waited for the time to board their flight, especially the minute Meredith sent, first, an email and then a text to the long list of people that were waiting to hear where they were going and when he proposed, and everyone had a comment to make, at which she and Derek laughed while answering each of them.

We're in New York...waiting for a flight to Venice!!! You all found out at exactly the same time. Will let you know when I have my ring, LOL, love Meredith.

-NYC on way to Venice. Will let u know about ring.

After the exchange of messages she called Kathleen and they both spoke to her, Meredith spending longer on the phone, and thanking her for all she'd done to help Derek, and told her about Mrs. Shepherd coming to visit, leaving Kathleen a bit shocked but delighted Meredith had taken that first step.

He got their bags and they walked toward the boarding gate and as business class began to board he placed his hand in the small of her back and told her it was time to board.

"They're boarding business class first," she said.

"We're flying business class."

"What, why?"

"Let's go," he said, "you can ask questions later," and she did as soon as they were settled in their seats and the bags put away.

"Derek, this is crazy, this is thousands of dollars," she told him.

"Yes."

"Derek, we don't need to fly business..."

"Meredith, you do realize how much money I make..." he teased her, slightly raising an eyebrow.

"Yes...but...I'm not expecting you to spend thousands of dollars on a trip Derek, I'm not...I mean, I don't fly business class, well, I haven't flown lately really, but last time I went to Europe I didn't..."

"Meredith...I haven't flown anything but business or first class on a long trip in a very long time," he said simply.

"Snob," she countered.

"Snob..." he repeated, "you think I'm a snob?"

"No," she said honestly, "just, this is a lot of money Derek."

"And I make enough that I don't have to worry about it. It's a convenience or luxury if you will, that I can afford, and work very hard so I can travel in comfort if I want."

"I just don't want you to think that I expect this," she said.

"You should, because we're going to be traveling together a lot more and unless you're talking about a two or three hour flight, we'll travel in business or first class."

"It seems...I don't know, that it's ...I can't afford it on my salary, but I know my mom always did, but we didn't travel together much, but when we did, she always flew first class."

"She was a world renowned surgeon Meredith, traveling all over the world, that's the expectation, and one day...so will you...you're as good as she was...I know that."

"You really think so...that I can be good, a good surgeon like she was?"

"You are going to be better, I've told you...because you have the heart and compassion she forgot about," he said bluntly.

"Derek, she was my mother..."

"I know...and I hate how she treated you," he said.

"There's things you don't know."

"Then tell me."

"Not now, not here...but I will," she said, and he detected the sadness in her voice.

"I'm sorry, it was not intention to bring something up that hurts you," he said.

"I know...and we can talk about it, we will...at some point."

The announcements for boarding were still being made, and they were given an option of champagne, orange juice or a mimosa before take off, and they both settled for champagne.

"Cheers, Mrs. Shepherd," he said, changing the subject and he got her to smile.

"Cheers, Mr. Shepherd," she said as their glasses touched "I'm looking forward to our honeymoon."

"So am I, love, so am I..." he smiled back, and they continued the light and flirtatious banter until it was time to leave the gate, and again, as they approached the runway, ready for take off she reached for his hand and smiled, "I love you Derek."

"I love you too," he smiled and leaned in to kiss her softly.

They'd reached their cruising altitude and he got up to reach for two books, "do you want anything out of your bag? I think you had a book," he said.

"No...it's been a long day. I may sleep a bit or watch a movie, and sleep the rest of the way, this flight is almost ten hours."

"You should get some sleep. We get in around eleven and the best way to try to fight off jet-lag is to adapt to the local time, otherwise, if we get in to sleep we'll feel even worse."

"You're right about that, but we're going to be exhausted come night fall."

"I can't think of anything I'd like more than to turn in early, and fall asleep with you in my arms," he told her, and she responded by resting her head on his shoulder.

"You bought a book on Italy," she said looking at one of the two he'd placed on the arm rest, "did you look at it?"

"I did...that's how I was certain where I wanted to go to next, well, not the location but the hotel where we're staying."

"So, if I guess which one it is, will you tell me?"

"It's a possibility," he told her, and they continued their conversation throughout the first couple of hours of their flight until dinner had been served, while both settled in for the long flight and the comfort of fully reclining leather seats that provided lumbar support as well as the foot rests that allowed for them to sleep for long hours if desired.

She yawned a few times, and decided to try to get some sleep and settled the blanket around herself. "You're right, you know."

"Aren't I always," he joked.

"No...but you were, about flying business...it makes a big difference," she said, "especially since I walked through the coach cabin and I'd much rather have this, than sit in the back with very little leg room."

"I thought you might feel that way," he teased her.

"Derek, we need to talk about some things," she said a bit serious.

"Like what?"

"I know you have no issues with money, but I live on my salary."

"I know that, Meredith, but we're going to be living together, well building a house together first, and it isn't something you have to worry about."

"I'm not a freeloader Derek," she said simply.

"One day, you're going to be my wife, whatever I have is ours."

"But...it's not right, I mean right now, it's not that I need money, I have my mother's inheritance, the house is paid for as well."

"What are you really saying?"

"I don't know...I've never done this before, thinking of getting married...and what do you do with expenses and all of that, you're building a house, and I know it's your house...but there's kids...and I'm thinking my Mom's inheritance, it will go to them, but the rest Derek...I just don't make that kind of money, and it should be...things should be equal."

"First things first," he said and leaned over to kiss her. "Now, we are not going to worry about who has what, the fact is what I have, what I make, will be ours...and one day...it will belong to our kids, but meanwhile, and Meredith I do plan to be around for a long time...we're going to enjoy our money...what it can afford us...our house...a trip...what our children will need...and you don't have to worry about it."

"But, Derek...I make less than $ 50,000 dollars a year...you make two million."

"Are you saying you considered that before marrying me," he teased her.

"Of course not...you..."

"I know that...and I'm not worried about it, so please...let me spend it, I'm not careless...we can put money away now, if you want for our kids college education and there will be plenty left over, but it's all ours...that's all...and one day, you'll be making what I'm making...I'm certain of it."

"I could sell the house, Derek, my Mom's house and we could use that for the new house."

"You'll keep that house...and one day...when we need to deal with it, you can decide what you want to do."

"If it's ours, like you say...shouldn't we decide what to do?"

"Yes, when the time is right...we'll decide what to do, ok?"

"Ok."

"How about you get some sleep," he said and kissed her softly.

"Are you?"

"I'm going to watch this movie," he said setting up the individual video screen on his seat, "and then sleep a few hours."

"Kiss me good night Derek," she whispered, and as the lights in the cabin were off, he leaned over and kissed her softly at first then smiled when she deepened their kiss and sighed in contentment as she closed her eyes, and reached for his hand to hold.

"You're smiling," he said softly.

"Uh huh..."

"Why?"

She giggled, before telling him, "I can't believe you told me not to worry if I forgot to pack anything, that I could just go shopping when we got to our destination."

"You find that funny..." he asked.

"We're going to Italy, Derek...to Venice...do you have any idea how expensive Italian designer's clothes can be..." she said and laughed softly.

"I have a very good idea," he told her, "and it isn't a problem."

"That's true, I suppose," she said, and then grinned at him, "you had your share of paying for the wicked wicked witch's wardrobe," and he looked at her and cracked up, "all that flying in the broomstick had to be murder on wear and tear."


"Uhmmm, " he said amused and pleased she could joke about Addison, "I guess that is one part of the fairy tale that's not changing."

"Not on your life...the kids are going to find out about Addison some day, and they may as well get the story straight...about her flying in on her broom from New York to Seattle," she finished, and by the end of the sentence they were both laughing again.

"Derek..."

"I thought you were going to sleep," he said.

"I can still sleep another seven hours," she reasoned.

"What are you thinking about?"

"On the way back...do we also fly back through New York?"

"Uh huh..."

"I was thinking...maybe...if you want...we can stop for a day and see your mother & Kathleen...and I can meet your sisters, well not Nancy, I've already met Nancy, but if you want...we could...and get our engagement off on the right foot with your family."

"You'd do that...you'd want for us to stop in New York and meet my sisters..."

"If you want...I would...for you," she said and met his gaze unwavering.

"That's the nicest thing that you could do...other than inviting Mom, thank you...and I'll think about it...we can talk about it again...the next few days, we don't have to decide now, we can play it by ear," he said and leaned over to her and murmured against her lips, "thank you."

"I love you," she said.

"Thank God..." he said, "you've forgiven me I think..."

"I have...as I hope you have."

"I love you Meredith...the past...all of that...all those things that hurt us, we can put them behind, learn from it, but now, it's just our future together, the rest of our lives...our commitment...to nurture our relationship, and love each other."

"Derek, do you remember the rest of the story, what Esme said about...animals."

"Vaguely...bulls and otters...sea otters," he said.

"Yes," she smiled.

"Wait, are you telling me instead of a horse's ass...and then a panther...I'm now being compared to an otter," he asked with an amused grin.

She giggled quietly, "you'd never live that down," she said.

"You are probably right...McDreamy to McAss...to McOtter," he joked.

"I was going to tell you...if you had not interrupted...that after she told me that story, there was this really adorable video on You Tube, where they had otters floating on their backs holding hands, and I was going to send it to you...it was so cute and adorable, these little creatures...how they bond."

"Why didn't you?"

"Well, we kind of ...you know, things weren't great between us."

"Uhmmm..." he said and remained quiet.

"I'll find it and send it..."

"Ok," he said and his tone right away manifested some of his regrets.

"Derek," she said, and turned on her side to face him, and brought her hand to his face, "I like the stubble," she commented first, "our time...our past together, it has a little of everything...and we're ok...right now we are moving forward...but we can't hide from the past...those sad and painful memories are part of who we are today."

"I know...you're right, it still makes me wish I would have done things different."

"We're doing thins different now, that's what's important, Derek, we're making progress."

"That's what's important," he said and kissed her, "progress in leaps and bounds."

"The point of the story, Derek," she told him in a school teacher like voice.

"Ah...bossy's back," he joked.

"Otters...they mate for life..."

"Uhmmm..."

"I wanted...one day, I was looking for a gift for you..."

"You were?"

"Yes...I was...I wanted something special..."

"And you thought of otters..." he smiled.

"It's the symbolism Derek...keep up...and I didn't get it, so you don't get to make fun."

"Meredith, I'm not making fun...I'm enjoying this conversation...knowing what your thoughts were...are...it's priceless to me."

"Well, it made me laugh, because there was this painting, and etching I guess, with these two otters, and it reminded me of us...the description did."

"Are you going to leave it there?"

"No...it said something like they were gregarious, constantly at play...and they have mock fights," not that we have those, " but what really caught my attention, what I did not forget was that it said that even in repose they seem to want to touch one another."

"Ah..." he said, as he reached for her hand, "I believe that was appropriate...because I never want to stop touching you."

"I told you there was a reason for the story," she smiled, "if you hadn't pounced all over it to laugh and interrupt me," she smiled back at him and they were lost in each other's gaze and their smiles were filled with love.

"Speaking of leaps and bounds, and pouncing..." he said.

"I didn't say that..."

"Hours ago," he joked.

"Yes..." she turned her face slightly, questioning him while smiling, a secret smile.

"You realize there is really no such thing as a black panther," he said, teasingly, taunting a bit.

"Uh huh..." she replied.

"Well...that's what you called me..."

"I did...but I knew, that panthers ...there's a variety of animals, four actually all referred to as panthers...lions, tigers, jaguars, leopards...but black panther sounded right...don't you think...I mean it encompasses all of them...and what is it they say...variety is the spice of life."

He could not help but roar laughing, and she placed a hand over his mouth, "they're going to throw us out of this cabin," she said, her eyes dancing with humor, "uhmmm they do that too...you know," she said referring to his laugher, "they roar."

"You're determined to tease the caged best," he said inches away from her mouth, while he pushed the light button off, leaving them in darkness.

"I'm thinking I can tame the beast," she smiled and felt his breath on her lips.

"You sure you want to," he whispered, his voice low and seductive.

"Not on your life," she murmured feeling his lips upon hers, before he ravished her lips and with that kiss both gave in to the pleasure, if only briefly, of expressing their passion.