(Shattered...) Dreams Fulfilled

Marry Me Now?

The gondola continued its journey gliding atop the golden waters lapping against its side, the current on the open lagoon a bit less gentle than the canal, as the sun found its resting place for the night into the depths of the water until the next morning when bright yellow hues would rise and shine again.

Meredith's head rested against his chest as he held her close to him, her right arm around his waist, while her left hand alternated between softly caressing the curls on the back of his neck, then placed gently on his chest and now extended in front of them as the last rays of sun shone on her ring, the overpowering emotions rendering them silent, unspoken joy the reflection on their faces.

Mutual sighs alerted the other to the magnitude of the moments they'd shared, the promises they'd made witnessed in silence by the soulful eyes of the gondolier, who now quietly hummed a tune that spoke of love everlasting as he made the final turn that would bring home the age old lover's conveyance.

"Derek," she spoke finally, looking at the ring on her finger again and reaching for his hand, entwining their fingers, "it's beautiful...but..."

"But..." he smiled, though the inner turmoil and doubts he'd been feeling resurfaced.

"It's beautiful...but even if there had been no ring, what you said," she looked at him, eyes shining brightly, "that was the most beautiful of all...and would have been enough to have made this ...this night..." she stopped, and wiped a tear away.

"I wasn't..." he paused and swallowed, "wasn't sure...I wanted, needed to make it special, make up all those times...I needed to make this special... something you would always remember..."

"I will never forget," she whispered against his lips and kissed him softly, "no more talking about making things up...it was the most beautiful and special moment of my life...an unforgettable surprise," she said, her voice full of love and heartfelt emotion, "except..." she said softly, and wasn't able to keep her lip from trembling, and brought her hand to rest gently on her necklace, "the day...we...we saw our baby."

"That day," he said kissing her gently, "that moment...was priceless..." and engulfed her in his embrace.

"Thank you...and I'm sorry, to bring something sad up...but...she..." she paused, "I can't forget her...not just yet..."

"We won't forget her...Meredith, she'll be always be part of us..." he said, lifting the hearts on her necklace and holding them between his fingers, "our hearts and hers entwined for always."

"Derek, you are the love of my life ...my soul mate...and tonight, you've made me feel like the most loved and special woman in the world."

"That's what you are to me..." he murmured against her ear, and then pulled away to lock gazes with her, "Meredith...I have been in love with you forever."

"You have..." she said smiling, "so have I Derek...for the first time in my life, when I met you...I thought...I knew I'd found that someone to spend the rest of my life with."

"So did I...Meredith...the first night we met...I knew...we were meant to meet."

"You were right, you know...but don't let it go to your head."

"About what?"

"If I knew you...I'd love you."

"I did say that, didn't I?"

"You did...and now..." she caressed his hand with gentle motions, "no more doubts, ever that we'll be together, for always," she whispered and both had tears in their eyes, and as the gondola glided gently to its dock, they gave in to the pleasure of a kiss that sealed the promises of lovers for eternity.

"Signore, we are here," the older man smiled indulgently.

Derek and Meredith pulled apart and smiled, "grazie," she said.

"Your camera," he said handing it to Derek, "beautiful...bellisima the story for your bambini and nipote...just like mia moglia ...forty years...and I tell you a secret, signorina, a special secret. Mia famiglia, all from Venice for two hundred years.
When you marry ...for your what do you call it...anniversary...but has to be the first one...you come back here...and you kiss again...under the Ponte...and you have a long married life...many years...mia famiglia all couples at least forty years together...but not for everybody, special couples only ...and I see many couples...and you...even if you don't come back...you have many years together," he added with a wink to her.

"His flirting with you," Derek mumbled as he helped her get up.

"Derek, he's adorable."

"Signorina, I help you..." he said as he quickly stepped outside the gondola and extended his hand to Meredith.


"Grazie...Signore..."

"Salvatore...signorina."

"Grazie Salvatore, you made this a very special evening," she said smiling at him.

"Very special couple...signorina, signore...I'm old but I see special love, I think I see you again...next year and you ride the gondola."

"Do we have to come back and see you, to get the forty years of happiness," Derek added a bit snappish and surprising Meredith.

"You don't trust me, signore," he said almost in a reprimanding fatherly tone, and speaking to him only, "you have a sadness in your heart, talk to her..." and then loud enough for her to here, "you need to believe me, trust signore. You have many years together ...and you come back...and anyone can take you on the gondola, not me...I do this because I have romance, but only on Sundays...I use the gondola only for the couples that believe the legend...of Ponte Dei Sospiri."

"You do this only on Sunday?" Derek asked him.

"Yes, I am retired, an old doctor with romance in his heart."

"You're a doctor..." Meredith commented, "so are we."

"Signorina you are a doctor, a beautiful doctor, and you signore, what kind of doctor?"

"A surgeon, we're both surgeons," Derek told him dismissing the skepticism that the gondolier was looking for additional tips.

"Me, I was pediatrician...only take care of our nipote, grandchildren now, I go now like all Sundays to eat dinner with my family."

"Grazie...Salvatore," Derek said as he tipped him generously.

"Signore...not necessary...you paid..."

"For you and your wife, a romantic dinner," Derek told him, "you made our evening very special."

"You're special couple, but you take this," he said placing the money back in Derek's hand, "for the poor, we have many beautiful churches in Venice, put in the box in the church, I do the same...Sunday money from the gondola...goes to the church."

"Salvatore...grazie," Meredith said and extended her hand, but the old doctor turned gondolier surprised her by kissing her on both cheeks as was customary, though not necessarily from strangers.

"You could be my daughter," the old man say, "and I want to wish you happiness, I tell my Maria tonight, I met two people in love just like us."

"Grazie," Derek told him, "you're very lucky, to have a beautiful family."

"You and la signorina, you come back...and you look for me...and I take you on the gondola...my gift...next year," he said, "no money, my gift...for how do you say...lovers...the legend of lovers," he said smiling.

"Salvatore, where do I find you," Derek asked, "when we come back."

"Ah...you believe me...the forty years. Here, my card says Dottore, you call me or now everybody sends email, and I take you, for your wedding...your anniversary."

Derek smiled with a sudden realization and extended his hand, "we'll see you again," he said and lowering his voice, "next year," and gave Salvatore his business card.

"Felicitazioni, dottores..." the old man told them as he waved them goodbye smiling, watching them walk holding hands towards St. Mark's Square.

"That," she said, "was the most incredibly romantic proposal a woman could ever want," she said, smiling, and stopped just as they rounded the corner of the Square to cup his face in her hands and kiss him, "Derek...it was the most beautiful night...and Salvatore, he brought a perfect touch ...the magic of romance."

"You're happy?" he asked, uncertainty in his tone.

"Of course, I'm happy...can't you see it..." she said and when she looked at the sadness in his face understood the comment made by the gondolier, and pulled him toward the arch covered breezeway of the old Doge's Palace.

"Derek, what's wrong...why ..." she asked softly as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "I love you...Derek...why are you sad? Did I say something...was it that I brought up the baby?"

"I..." he said, "I wasn't sure...wasn't sure if you would say yes..."

"You weren't sure," she asked incredulously, "I've been waiting and waiting for you...for you to ask me, and I didn't even let you propose before I said yes Derek," she said wrapping her arms around his waist.

"You..." his voice trembled slightly, "you said yes...that you'll marry me..."

"I love you, of course I said yes...Derek, you knew I'd say yes," she said gently, "why would you doubt that?" she continued, playing with the curls on the back of his neck, nibbling at his lips, teasing him.

"I've screwed up, I'd screwed up so much...let you down."

"We've been working on all our issues, you know we have...we've made progress...lots of it, to get to this...and I'm happy...very happy...but, I'm going to start thinking you're not happy, that I said yes."

"Oh God, no..." he said with almost desperation in his voice, "Meredith, I..." he stopped too choked up to continue, "I've ...I couldn't forget...when I asked you, when I mentioned it," he paused again, "that day, the first time I said something...and then, please don't doubt how very much I want this...how happy I am that you've forgiven me...that you want to be my wife."

"Well...I think I may need a little reassurance...that you want me to be your wife," she said as she drew him closer leaving no space between them, "I'm beginning to have some doubts myself," she whispered, "do you really want to ..." she started to say but was interrupted as he brought his lips to hers and ravished her mouth, leaving them both breathless and with no doubts in either of their minds that they desperately wanted and needed the other.

"Does that," he said, pulling away a bit short of breath, "reassure you..." and then as quickly brought his lips to hers again his tongue teasing lightly, playfully at first and then thrust fully in her mouth as they forgot the world around them and became lost in the moans and caresses of lovers longing for fulfillment.

"Derek," she said, "oh..." she moaned softly, "Derek... we have to stop," she said, panting softly, "we'll get arrested...if we don't stop..."

"It will be worth it," he teased bringing his mouth to her neck, biting softly, "completely worth it," he said as she felt his erection pressing against her.

"Let's go..." she said, "back...to the hotel..."

"Hotel...yes...let's," he agreed and stopped as he heard the laughter of teenagers passing by and cheering him on, "oh God, Meredith, we can't," he said.

"I know...not here, let's go..."

"No...we can't...we have to wait...I can't believe..."

"Derek..." she said and leaned against him, short of breath, "forget waiting."

He embraced her, caressing her back gently, "we wait...I can wait...I'm not a randy teenager..."

"Could have fooled me," she said, as they both held each other and their breathing slowly returned to normal.

"Let's go for a long walk," he said as he reached for her hand and pulled her along, satisfied smiles evidence of their mutual reassurances.
.
"Are you going to feed me," she asked him as they walked along St. Mark's, the famous landmark now bathed in the golden glow of street lamps.

"I was wondering when you'd ask, I know I rushed you through the snack earlier," he teased her about two slices of pizza being a snack.

"You ate part of it."

"I had one bite..." he laughed, "you had the rest and dessert."

"It doesn't count, that was ... well, I skipped lunch, and now it's dinner time."

"Yes, it is...what do you want to eat?"

"I don't know...let's find a quiet place...I have so many questions..."

"About what?"

"This whole trip, the proposal...my surprises...the ring Derek, I want to know all of it..."

"Well, I'm not sure I can tell you..."

"Derek...you've already proposed...you have to tell me...and we came here, and the gondola and the Bridge of Sighs...there can't be anything more..."

"You think?"

"There's more? Derek...there's more, what...I've been so patient...please..."

"Just one more surprise..."

"What is it," she insisted, teasing him, kissing him softly, "please."

"I suppose I can tell you..." he smiled, squeezing her hand.

"Yes, you can tell me, you should tell me," she said, teasing him while enjoying stolen kisses along the labyrinth of streets that was Venice.

"Let's find a place to satisfy your hunger," he told her.

"Well...I'm not sure dinner is going to do that," she teased him.

"Uhmmm...keep teasing the caged beast..."

"Derek...we're kind of...both teasing the other..."

"Uhmmm..." He answered with a smile, and continued walking and as they crossed over a couple of bridges, age old songs that spoke of romance drifted through the magic of a never to be forgotten Venetian night.

"Derek..." she said as she stopped in front of a shop window, simply to admire her ring, "it's a beautiful ring."

"I'm glad you like it," he said nuzzling her neck as she held her hand up to the lights of the window display.

"It's...well, I never expected this...but, now...it's perfect and beautiful and you spent a fortune I know...and," she laughed, "right now...at this very moment, I don't care."

"Ah..." he smiled, "she finally gets it...that I want to pamper her...and spoil her...and spend money on gifts for her...for the rest of her life."

"She gets it..." she giggled, "and she's going to let you...just as long as you promise to put money away for the kids education, before you blow it all away on her..."

"I think I can manage to do that...but, Meredith, they really should pull their own weight, we shouldn't hand them everything on a silver platter, and end up with soiled kids on our hands."

"What...you're going back on your word," she glared at him, "and you think we're going to have spoiled kids because we pay for their education, Derek, my babies are not going to be spoiled kids, they are going to be loved and pampered...and never...ever," she said turning a bit more sentimental, "doubt how much we love them."

"You are right," he said and kissed her, thankful she was openly talking about their future children, "and their mom is going to make sure I never forget it."

"You, are going to be the absolute worst offender in spoiling our kids rotten, I know it," she said with a serious tone, "but Derek," she said softly, "they will be the luckiest kids in the world, not because we can spoil them by giving them things, but because they will have you as their dad."

"They'll have the best mom in the world."

"They're just going to be very lucky kids, I guess...with us as parents," she giggled, "no doubts, according to this mutual admiration society..."

"Don't ever doubt it," he said and pulled her into his arms.

"Do you think we'll come back," she asked suddenly, "to Venice?"

"We are definitely coming back, I'm not giving up the chance of those forty years together," he told her before capturing her mouth.

"We've had many magical nights Derek...this is one of them..."

"Meredith..." he said, holding her face in his hand, caressing her softly, "every night with you...it's magical."

"McDreamy...in Venice," she said smiling.

"We're going to have to endure a new string of mcnames, I'm sure, if your friends have anything to do with it."

"Oh, no..."

"Oh no...what?"

"Derek," she gasped, "we didn't tell them that we got engaged...we said we'd let them know..."

"Well...it just happened, it's not like we're not going to tell them...it's only been an hour maybe."

"But, I said, we'd tell them the minute it happened, Lexie and Cristina and Kathleen, and your Mom Derek, she's going to think I'm the worst daughter in law, ever."

"I doubt that will happen, besides, you're going to be her only daughter in law, so she's stuck with whatever she gets."

"That, it is not nice, very mean in fact," she swatted his arm.

"I'm teasing you Meredith, she already loves you."

"We have to tell them, I said we'd tell them the minute I had my ring, and that I'd call your Mom and the rest, well Kathleen and Lexie and Cristina, probably Izzie, but your Mom, Derek and Kat and Lexie..."

"We can still do that you know...if you want we can skip dinner and we can call them and tell them."

"I'm not skipping dinner," she laughed, "let's find a place Derek, I want to hear all about how you planned this...and we can tell them, we'll email them I think, so they all hear at the same time..."

"It's good to know what your priorities are," he taunted.

"Always feed the appetite first..." she told him.

"Really...food is the priority..." he mocked her.

"Food...sex...whatever..." she teased him.

"In that order..."

"That depends..." she said.

"Uhmmm..."

"Uh huh..." she said and they both started laughing, "tomorrow night, Derek...I'm not waiting...not one more day."

"Meredith...I told you...we have all the time in the world, just...you need to be ok."

"Derek...tomorrow night...that's plenty of time...no more waiting," she said as she stopped their stroll again to circle his waist with her arms, "one night..."

"One more night..." he agreed, "no more waiting..." and wrapped his arms right around her waist, feeling her lean back just enough so that he could see the expressions on her face.

"I love you Derek."

"I adore you Meredith...and it feels so right to tell you over and over..."

"I love hearing it...so don't hold back," she told him and kissed him.

"Uhmmm...I could stay like this forever," he said, nuzzling her neck, while the arms around her waist found their way inside her coat, holding her closer to him while his hands enjoyed the feel of her body, the reaction of her body to his exploring hands.

"Me too...though it would be warmer indoors."

"I would..." he teased her, "argue that point, but...maybe we really should find a place to eat soon," he said as he reached for her hand and continued their romantic walk through the traffic free and narrow streets of Venice.

"Derek..." she laughed, "tomorrow night...payback..."

"You will," he laughed with her.

"Look," she said pointing to a quaint restaurant with a small outside area overlooking a canal, "it seems like they're locals, what do you think...do we try it?"

"I bring you to a beautiful romantic city...and the night we become engaged..."

"Derek," she laughed suddenly, "we...we're engaged..."

"Yes...you did say yes."

"No, yes, I mean we are, but that's the first time I think of it that way, that we're engaged," she said as she looked at her ring again, "let's eat here, I don't want to wait anymore to hear how you managed to plan this trip, all the details, and you said you'd tell me."

"I'll tell you, over dinner..." he answered by kissing her as they approached the door of the restaurant and soon were seated at a fairly private table facing the canal and the waitress asked if they cared for wine.

"Do you have champagne?"

"No...sorry only wine, it's family restaurant we drink more the wine of Italy," the waitress told him.

"Derek...wine...that is fine, " she said transporting herself back in time, "remember...our first night...the night overlooking the ferryboats."

"Yes," he said, "wine is definitely fine," he said and ordered.

"Ok...tell me...why did you think of Venice and when, wait, I know why, you told me already about remembering Esme...but what about the ring and the hotel...and you kept it a secret."

"Well, the ring was easy, sort of...I looked at a lot of rings, I admit I went online, and when I saw this one, I could see it on your finger, and I sent it to Kathleen and she liked...so...I went and got it, actually they had to make sure they had what I wanted."

"Where did you get it? When...did you go in and look at it, I mean you said you sent Kathleen a link."

"Same place as your necklace...and I did have to wait a couple of days."

"The didn't have it?"

"I wanted the perfect size."

"It is...I mean, I'd have chosen a small diamond, but it's perfect."

They brought their wine and he held his glass, "to our future...our lifetime of love."

"Cheers," they said in unison.

"Derek...let's drink to fate...to fate bringing us together...beyond this lifetime," she said with tears brimming as were his.

"Beyond this lifetime...I'll always love you Meredith."

"As I will," she said as their hand entwined.

"Did you know you were going to propose like you did ...the gondola at sunset..."

"Oh yes, once I knew we were coming here, that's how I envisioned it...did you like it...were you surprised?"

"Absolutely...I was..."

They were interrupted to get their order, and Derek was amazed that she ordered enough for three.

"Derek, you said Kathleen helped with the hotels and...did she know...did she give you some ideas about this..."

"Yes, about the hotel, but she knew nothing of my plans once we got here."

"So...it's just you and me...just us that know...and you didn't get ideas from anyone," she stated and asked at the same time, while delighted it had been all his idea.

"I told you, weeks ago, when I proposed ...it would only be me...remember?"

"Yes," she whispered her eyes on his, "you said, only the voice of my heart, and what I feel for you."

"That's what it is Meredith...that's what it's all about...what my heart feels for you."

Both leaned in at the same time, bridging across the small distance of the table between them and their lips touched, and then she insisted he tell her all the details of the planning of this trip and their proposal.

"Thank you...for everything...for caring this much about me," she said not letting go of his hand.

The waiter brought an appetizer and salad interrupting their conversation, which was easily picked up after he left and she began to open up emotionally even more than she had before.

"Derek, let's email them...I can't want to tell them."

"Ok," he agreed good naturedly, "go ahead."

"I need your phone, mine's at the hotel, I wasn't thinking I'd need it."

"We spent all that time setting it up, and you don't have email...maybe we should just wait till we get back to the hotel," he teased her.

"Derek...let me have your phone now..." she told him, making him smile.

"Bossy...very very sexy..."

"Don't be an ass," she smiled, "let's tell them now," she finished just as he was handing her the phone, "wait...first take a picture of my ring."

"You want me to take a picture of your ring, seriously?"

"Yes, Derek...that's the best way to tell them, and they can all see it, at the same time, except Kat, she'll know since she already saw it, but the rest it will be a surprise, and it's great that they can see it right away."

He obliged, and the photo was attached to the following email, with Finally the only word on the subject line.

"Finally...that's the subject?"

"You did take your sweet time Derek, and all those non-proposals..."

"Keep rubbing it in," he pouted.

"I love you Derek," she said and earned a laugh from him.

"Ok...Ms. Diversion...write your message..."

She addressed it to his Mom and Kathleen and the rest of her friends.

Derek proposed, here's the ring...on my finger and it was the most perfect and romantic proposal. Tell you about it when we see you next week.

The only way to do this was email you all at the same time

For now...he proposed at sunset under the Bridge of Sighs, you all found at the same time. Love, Meredith

Then she sent a text to them as well except Mrs. S, "Derek, they are going to be texting all night long," she joked.

-He proposed!!! Look for my email.

Like rapidly exploding fireworks, not five minutes had passed when their friends began bombarding them with questions, which they took turns answering as the other was usually laughing at the exchange of texts.

-what size is the diamond, can you see it?
-I don't know
-well ask
-Cristina!
-ask him
-2.25 carats, emerald cut baguettes on side
-about damn time McDreamy lived up to that name

"Ouch," he said, "she's not going to let me get off easy," he said speaking of Cristina.

"I'll handle her," she assured him.

-OMG Mer, that is beautiful, just read your email
-ths Iz it is wait till you see it
-how big is it...just to imagine what it looks like
-Derek just said 2.25 carats

-Shep...congrats, I'm going to cash in on some bets
-Mer...it looks beautiful on you
-ths Mark

-Mer it's gorgeous just out of surgery couldn't text before had to wait to ck emails so happy please call me and tell me all about it
-Xena she will, she's laughing at your rambling right now
-I am not Lexie he is call you later or tomorrow

They continued the text exchange with their friends until the brought their dinner, and at the same time his phone rang, it was Kathleen wanting to get all the details, and he told her she could speak to Meredith briefly but that they'd call her back from the hotel.

Meredith was worried they had not called his Mom, when her phone call came through.

"Mom," he answered.

"You've done it, have you?"

"Yes Mom," he smiled.

"Congratulations Derek, I'm very happy...and I can't wait to meet Meredith. The ring is lovely dear," she said and he handed Meredith the phone and they spoke longer than necessary, he thought as he wanted her undivided attention.

"The ring is beautiful Meredith, I'm very happy for both of you."

"That means a lot to me, thank you...and it is, and I'm happy, and thank you for keeping us in your prayers. Derek's giving me this look...it's not polite here to be on the phone at a restaurant, so we'll call you later, when we get back to the hotel.

"Of course dear, that is so true, you call me later, and...welcome to the family."

"Thank you...thank you..." she said as emotions overwhelmed her. His mother had welcomed her to the family.

"You ok?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm perfect," she said, "she welcomed me to the family," and he saw the tears in her eyes.

"I told you....she already loved you," he smiled, and uncaring of the audience leaned across the table and kissed her.

Their walk to the hotel, as on the way to the restaurant took about twenty minutes longer than necessary as they continued their light teasing and banter and the pleasure of stolen kisses, light and soft with laughter filling the air, and those that took their breath away.

"Oh, Derek," she said suddenly as she stopped in the middle of a centuries old small square small, a fountain in the middle the perfect touch on an evening filled with romance, "I am happy," she said and brought her arms up to circle his neck and leaned back to look at him secure in the way he held her, his arms wrapped around her waist, "you've made me so happy," and then leaned up to kiss him just barely brushing his lips with hers, "and I love you so much Derek...I love you so much," she said as her eyes were filled with hope and expectation.

"I love you...to absolute distraction," he said, and without warning lifted her off the ground and spun her around, and she raised her arms and wrapped them around his neck, "and you have made me so happy...tonight...you have made my life complete," he said, as put her down holding her body pressed to his and kissed her.

"Derek," she moaned softly, "I love you."

"Meredith," he said, his eyes looking at her intently at her, "marry me."

"Derek," she giggled, "I've already said yes."

"Marry me...marry me now," he said, their eyes a reflection of the other's love.

"Now...what does that mean...now?"

"Here...now, in Venice," he said, his eyes shining brightly, his heart beating rapidly in anticipation, his soul filled with love and bursting with joy.