(Shattered...) Dreams Fulfilled

"We're married..."

Derek placed his hand on her nape bringing her lips close to him, and circled her waist as he captured her mouth, while she placed one hand on his shoulder and her arm wrapped around his neck, barely holding on to the bouquet of flowers in her hand.

The wedding party walked behind them. Lexie removed the bouquet from Meredith's hand and everyone laughed as the newly married couple, oblivious to all but each other, was lost in a kiss filled with promises.

"Shep," Mark was the first to speak, "we know it's been a while..." he stopped, as he felt three consecutive slaps.

"Hey..." he said, rubbing the back of his head, "that hurt, are you women crazy?"

"Who are you calling crazy?" Ailene Shepherd asked.

"That wasn't you, I know your slaps, that was Kat," Mark said.

"Leave them alone, you're just jealous," Kathleen told him, and everyone laughed.

Meredith ran her hand through the curls at the nape of Derek's neck, while he did the same, his fingers playing with her hair, the back of her neck held firmly in his hand, and then they reluctantly released the other's lips and their eyes opened, their smiles as wide as those reflected in the shimmering gazes locked. "We're married," she whispered against his lips.

"We're married," he whispered back, and before kissing her lips softly, called out to the others, "leave us alone."

"Shep," Kevin laughed, "Mark's right you have all night..." and he too endured two gentler slaps.

"Mom," he complained, "that's not fair, you didn't hit Mark."

"Hush, they're entitled to kiss as long as they want," she answered, an indulgent smile on her lips.

"Hell, if you can't beat them," Kevin said mischievously, and grabbed Kathleen and kissed her, "I love you Kat...even if you hit me."

"That doesn't seem fair, now does it..."Mark commented, and for a brief moment looked over at Lexie, unexpectedly meeting Ailene's stare.

"Don't...even..." Ailene warned.

"I haven't done anything," Mark said defensively.

"Keep it that way," she said.

"What...now you have eyes in the back of your head," he laughed.

"I always did dear," she quipped, and walked to him and placed her arms through his, then kissed his cheek.

Derek's hands remained circled around Meredith's waist, as he whispered, "I love you."

"I love you..." she smiled, as she brushed her lips on his, both arms draped around his neck, "that's the first time Derek, our first married kiss..."

"Kisses," he chuckled, "more likely," and kissed her again.

"Yes...and the first time...we've said I love you..."

"As husband and wife," he finished for her, and again captured her mouth.

Ailene Shepherd cleared her throat, "the cameras are rolling."

"What..." both Meredith and Derek said, a bit startled.

"The video camera, they're still filming...maybe they should stop."

"Video camera," Meredith questioned.

"Yes dear, Kathleen asked them to, so we could share it with everyone back home."

"You mean..." Meredith started to say.

"Our kiss was on camera," Derek murmured for her ears only, making her giggle, "wonder if we should show that to the kids."

"I'm sure they'll be able to handle it," she laughed.

"You think..." he said, pressing her closer to him, "not," he paused, "if we don't stop soon, even the adults here...shouldn't be able to watch."

"Promises...promises..." she laughed.

"Payback...Meredith...payback..." he teased, before kissing her again, and then finally turned holding her close to his side, as everyone began to breach the small distance and offer congratulations.

"Welcome to the family dear," Ailene said hugging them both, "my son is a very lucky man."

"What about her..." Derek smiled, "you don't think she's lucky?" he teased.

"I think, you both know it was very much about fate...bringing two soul mates together " she said with heartfelt emotion, "just like your father and I... but this time, you will have that lifetime we wanted, Derek, I know you two will see your dreams come true."

"Mom..." he started to speak, aware of the others within hearing distance, but this was his wedding day, and he didn't care who heard his heart's deepest feelings, "the bracelet," he said, holding Meredith's wrist and gently running his fingers over the bracelet destined to become a priceless family heirloom, "thank you...when I saw it on Meredith, that you shared it...that she wore it...as my sisters did."

"I've a new daughter...I meant that...she's mine to mother now."

"Mother," he laughed, "or ..."

"Mothering," Kathleen interrupted, "Mer...get ready for full time harassment," and hugged her, "she knows we're kidding."

"Mothering..." Meredith murmured looking at Derek and then at his mother, as tears pooled in her eyes, "it's...something I don't know about, " and reached over and hugged Ailene Shepherd as she'd so rarely had a chance to hug her own mother, "thank you...for caring..."

"Meredith," Kathleen commented and hugged both women, "she is the best...the very best mother you could want...and now," she teased, "she can transfer all that...to you, and leave us alone for a while."

"Oh hush...you ungrateful child," Ailene laughed, "you know you love me."

"Mom...we love you...we all do," Derek said and hugged her, than his sister.

"So...we weren't wrong, were we?" he said to his sister.

"No...we were not..." Kathleen laughed.

"What are you two mumbling about, give us a chance here," Mark protested, and reached for Meredith.

"What weren't you wrong about," Cristina asked.

"We had a feeling..." Kathleen smiled, "we both did."

"We all did..." Meredith said, before she found herself in Mark's embrace.

"You look beautiful," Mark told her.

"You don't look so bad yourself," she smiled, "prettier indeed."

Derek watched the exchange between them, and heard what she said as she hugged him back and held on to him. "thank you, for being a good friend...to both of us...and for understanding how important it was for him to have his brother back."

"I feel the same way, thank you for making that possible," Mark said.

"It was you, Mark the two of you...that worked that out, not me."

"Because he loves you, Meredith, he was willing to forgive me...it wasn't until you..."

"Don't take the years of friendship for granted, she said. "You're a part of his life...and I know how much that meant to him."

"He loves you, and that is what made the difference. When we talked, when we knew...we could be brothers again, it was because of you...when I asked him what I could do...how I could help, it was me, acting as your friend that mattered to him."

"It was," she asked teary eyed, caught up in the memory of that morning when they found she was pregnant.

"It was all about you, don't ever doubt it...you are the love of his life, and truly precious to him," and kissed the top of her head as he released her.

"Shepherd," Cristina said, "are you going to allow him to monopolize your wife...not the best track record."

"Cristina, dear," Mrs. Shepherd commented, "do you need another sugar pill?"

"Mama Shep...he knows..."

"Yes dear, he does, he can trust him."

Derek approached Meredith, and Mark who had long released her from his embrace hugged his brother, both men visibly emotional. "This was the one...your once in a lifetime...thank you, for trusting me, for having me here."

"You're my brother...you had to be here," he said and each man patted the other on the back, and as their eyes met they knew the past would no longer interfere, and their childhood bond would withstand the trials of time.

"Welcome to the family, Meredith, on behalf of the in-laws," Kevin said as he kissed her cheek and hugged her. "Though you're officially a daughter, unlike us men who had to jump through hoops and," he winked at her, "there're still some "in laws" but, you'll hear about the dirty laundry soon enough," he chuckled turning to Derek. "Congratulations, I wish you both the happiness I've shared with your sister." And they exchanged a brotherly hug.

"Can't do any better than that," Derek said, smiling and turning to his sister.

"No," Kathleen said as she placed an arm around her husband's waist, and Kevin kissed her, "you cannot do any better," and looking at her mother added, "except for the kind of love Mom and Dad had."

"Still do dear," Ailene responded, melancholy clearly detected in her voice, and felt Mark's embrace immediately.

"Yang...Lex..." Mark said, "your turn to congratulate the newlyweds."

"Mer," Cristina said as she joined them, "Shepherd."

"Cristina," Meredith said softly, "surely...today...he can be Derek."

"Yes..." Cristina agreed, "he can. Derek, I may have been wrong about you...but I'm still going to keep an eye on you...she's my person."

"You were wrong about me," he said with a grin.

"Derek," Meredith said slipping her arm around his waist, "that grin...too cocky."

"Don't nag, just because you're married," Cristina joked, surprising her friend. "We have a truce...of sorts...right Derek?"

"We do..." he said hugging Meredith closer to him. "We're glad you're here."

"Ok...that we thing..." Cristina smirked.

Derek laughed, "I'm glad you're here Cristina, it would not be the same without you."

"That's an understatement," she quipped, and added more seriously, "Derek...thank you...for thinking to bring us here, including me, I do know how much it's meant to Meredith."

"You're her person...I get that...you're here, and I thank you."

"Enough with the mutual admiration," Meredith said, "I'm standing right here."

"Derek," Cristina turned to him first, "congratulations," and then to her friend, "Mer, I wish you happiness...that all the sadness and crap be behind you."

"Thank you Cristina," Derek said, as he took the first step and kissed her cheek, and she acknowledged it with a nod.

"I know you can make her happy."

"I'll spend the rest of my life doing that," he said to Cristina.

Cristina admitted reluctantly, "you are truly her McDreamy."

"Cristina," Meredith teased her, "are you feeling ok?"

"Don't mention it, just a moment of weakness, with all these soft touchy feely emotions going around, "Cristina told her. "Don't expect to hear that again," and before she finished, Meredith reached out and embraced her.

"I love you Cristina, what you've said, that you're here sharing my wedding day."

"Mer...after this...no more hugging...I love you too."

"After this," Meredith said as she pulled away, "no more hugging."

Mark's looming voice carried through," seems I'm the official Grey knight. Come on Lexie, you're the last one to greet your sister," he said as he placed his hand on the small of her back and gently pushed her forward.

"Mer," she smiled, unshed tears making her dark eyes shine brighter than usual, but it was Meredith that reached out and hugged her.

"Lexie," Meredith said quietly, "you were right...that night, about Derek..."

"I knew you were meant to be together," she said as both sisters sniffled.

"My wedding day Lexie, it's so very special that you're here."

"Thanks to Derek," Lexie said, "he made it all happen," and they held each other briefly, both remembering the same night when their relationship had truly began, a night filled with doubts and pain for Meredith. The night she had believed there was no hope left for her and Derek, her sister had offered unconditional love and support, and now as they embraced, their hearts were at peace in the knowledge that unpredictable familial ties and bonds would be further strengthened throughout the rest of their lives.

"Lex," Meredith whispered, "could you feel it...Mom...and Susan...I think they know, that I'm married...that my sister is with me."

Meredith's words were Lexie's undoing as she allowed the tears to fall, "oh...Mer...I did...I felt Mom was here...and I sat there, and told her...I knew she was happy, that we're in each other's lives...as sisters."

"I believe you're right," Meredith hugged her, and felt Derek's gaze on her as she opened her eyes, and he wiped her tears.

"Hey...you two, Venice is already sinking ...we don't need more water added," and had both sisters smiling.

"Derek," Lexie said, "thank you, again for bringing me here."

"Xena," he teased, "you were my only fan for a while..."

"Derek," Meredith winked at him, but Lexie did not see that, "this is the only day you're allowed to hug and kiss her."

"Mer...it was a mistake...only once, and you have to know by now, I would never...he's my brother in law...even before that...it was nothing, and you're kidding right...you know that, because..."

"Mark, do something...no rambling today..." Kathleen said suddenly, as she'd been observing him keep an eye on Lexie.

"What do you propose I do," he smiled, raising an eyebrow, and walked to Lexie and kissed her, catching everyone completely off guard, and the women's reactions registered immediately.

Cristina's mouth involuntary opened as she stared. Kathleen laughed in amusement. Ailene held back a smile. Meredith voiced her opinion. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Shutting her up, just like Kathleen asked me, and it seems to work with you and Derek."

"Well, it doesn't work with my sister."

"I think you're wrong Mer," Mark smiled, "she stopped rambling."

"Probably because she's never had someone so old kiss her," Meredith said, purposely provoking him.

"Ouch..." he said mockingly, "I like feisty."

"Oh, shut up," Meredith joked, "but..." she also warned, "do not mess with my sister."

"Yes, Xena 2," Mark teased her.

Lexie remained quiet, and was the only one whose reaction was not revealed.

"Lexie," Derek hugged her as the other conversations took place, "you can ramble all you want," and then kissed her cheek, "Mer was teasing you...she knows and trusts you."

"I do trust you," Meredith said, hugging her sister again and then kissed Derek, "both, but I don't trust Mark...so...Derek, make sure you talk to him."

"Derek...congratulations," Lexie said speaking to them both, "Mer...when Derek told me how he felt about you...what he wanted for you...I had no idea how things would turn out, but ...all that's happened since then, this morning... your vows, it's the love of legends ... there is no doubt about that."

"The love of legends..." Meredith smiled.

"Without a doubt..." Derek smiled.

Fifteen minutes had passed, since they'd walked toward the largest of the rooms at Palazzo Cavalli and shared their first married kiss, and received well wishes from their family, before Lucia approached.

"Congratulations Dr. Shepherd," she said, "Mrs. Shepherd," she smiled, "I wish you both much happiness, and so pleased we were able to help you with this very beautiful wedding, it was very sentimental."

"Thank you Lucia," Derek told her, "all has been perfect."

"There's still more, as you know Dr. Shepherd, and we need to move along. There is another wedding party, and we want to make sure you have photos taken here, it is a very beautiful room, and the balcony has spectacular views of the Grand Canal and the Rialto Bridge in the background."

"Lucia," Meredith said, "the music and flowers, thank you for all you did to help make this a very special moment for us."

"I only helped coordinate," she said, "it was Dr. Shepherd and his sister, and your friends."

"My friends..." Meredith looked at Derek surprised, "what...did they do..."

"Mer," Derek said before he brushed her lips, "the day is not over," and smiled, "let's have some photos taken."

Lucia guided them with the corresponding expertise of a very professional wedding planner, well used to foreigners getting married in Venice.

The large high style Venetian windows led to the balcony where the first photos of the bride and groom where taken, while the Rialto Bridge provided the renowned backdrop and the Grand Canal displayed its blue covered gondolas as well as those gently navigating the waterway.

Derek held Meredith closer to him, as she shivered when they first walked onto the balcony and felt the already warmer temperatures nearing fifty degrees, "uhmmm," he murmured, "Mrs. Shepherd, you are absolutely beautiful, I love the dress..."

"We match," she said giggling, "Derek, you look beautiful too..."

"Mer...I can't be beautiful...besides, married less than an hour and you've already found Mark to be prettier," he teased.

"Just feeding his ego, you know I have eyes for you only, and you are beautiful in all the ways that matter," she said kissing him softly while wrapping her arms around him and resting her head on his shoulder, "Derek...today, our wedding...thank you, you thought of everything."

"I wanted this day to be special for you," he said quietly, "I only wish I could have done more."

"There is nothing more I needed...you and I...together, that's all that matters, and then you made it magical...with our family here."

"I love you Meredith, and I'll keep my vow...to spend the rest of my life doing all I can to make you happy...to help make your dreams come true."

"Our dreams..." she said, "Derek...they are our dreams now."

"Yes, they are," he said and kissed her deeply, unaware the video continued to record their wedding morning, and the photographer was not the only one snapping pictures.

"Derek..."

"Uhmmm...."

"I won't get mad...but..."

"I don't recognize that word," he teased her.

"Did you steal a sneak at my dress before today?"

"What...why would you think that?"

"Derek...we really do match, your suit...and the tie exactly the same shade as my dress," she smiled, as she ran her finger over the lighter blue shade of the two toned silk tie.

He laughed. "No, I did not, you can thank Mark for the attire. I was in no mood for shopping but he was relentless, I think he just wanted a new suit. He told the tailor mine should be blue because it was the bride's favorite color."

Meredith giggled. "And I chose blue for you..."

"Thank God," Derek said, "he did not know you have a preference for lavender," and both joined each other in heartfelt laughter.

"You look very...very hot...and sexy...and..." she teased him, whispering the last of the sentence, as she lightly touched the delicate lily of the valley sprigs on the boutonniere he wore on the lapel of his blue suit. Then added, the tone of her voice just a bit hoarse, "and... I can't wait to see you without anything on..."

"Mer..." he joked, "wives don't tease..."

"You mean I'm supposed to become boring now..." she asked in mock innocence, "Derek... we've talked about this... married sex...and you..."

"You," he said, "are going to pay...dearly...my beautiful and enchanting tease..."

"Promise," she said.

"Slow...and..."

"Derek," she nipped his lower lip, "there will be nothing slow about..."

"What's good for the goose..." he said.

"Oh God," she giggled, "another animal for the zoo."

He responded in kind, and all turned as he roared with laughter at her comment, "I love you Meredith."

"I love you, Derek," she said and was swept in his embrace.

"Hey, you two...stop with the foreplay till you're alone."

"Mark," Lexie told him, taking hold of his arm and leading him away, "leave them alone."

Lucia had allowed them their moments of privacy, but the time factor was of the essence, and she asked that they pose for several photos and then lead the rest of the wedding guests to pose for a group photo on the balcony, and several others.

All six of their guests had their own photos to snap as each had a phone or camera to record their wedding, including their own ideas about must take photos.

"That's a beautiful background," Ailene commented regarding the view from the balcony. "Kat, Kevin let me take your photo," and then, "ok, the three musketeers from Seattle...pose for me."

"Mama Shep," Cristina protested, "we're not at Disney World, that we all have to pose for the same photos."

"Oh, be a sourpuss," Aileen told her as she met Cristina's gaze, "fine, Mark, Lexie stand there," she ordered, and noticed Lexie was not acting relaxed around him.

"Three...lighten up," Cristina told her, "you're supposed to be happy...relax, Sloan, do something, get her to smile."

"Like this," he said, and stood behind her and placed his arms around her and murmured something that made her laugh, just as the photos were snapped.

"Mama Shep," Cristina said as she stood next to her, "you're going to owe me money..."

"We'll see about that, won't we...I think you're wrong."

"Cold and calculating," Cristina remarked.

"All right, I'm here and I'm old and probably not coming back here, so Cristina take a picture of me and that backdrop as well," Ailene Shepherd joked.

"By yourself? That's not normal, you don't appear on photos by yourself."

"Fine, you come stand with me," she told her and Cristina obliged as the camera was handed to Kevin.

"God help them," Kevin whispered to his mother in law, "wily old fox indeed."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ailene replied.

"I love you Mom, but I know you...he's doomed."

"Kathleen, tell your husband to behave," she said smiling, "he's calling me names again."

"I'm sure they are well deserved," her daughter replied.

"That's beside the point dear," she admitted.

"Ok," they heard Lucia said, "if you can all stand in the balcony we will have one shot of everyone and then move to the other area of the room for the rest of the photos. She positioned Mark, Kathleen, Kevin and Cristina in the back row, Meredith and Derek in the middle, his mom to his left, Meredith on his right with Lexie next to her and Mark behind her, and as the photo was snapped his hand had instinctively rested at Lexie's hip.

The last photos, Lucia told them were a much favored selection for couples, as she pointed to the painting by famous Venetian artist Luigi Nono, whom she said was also grandfather to a well known Italian composer of the same name. Titled "The Golden Wedding" and dating from 1909, it depicted a small village wedding celebration, with children and mothers holding infants gathering to watch the procession led by the bride and groom, followed by family and friends on the way to celebrate a golden anniversary.

"Mer," Derek whispered, as she held her close to him, "she was also wearing blue," and smiled, "and I may need a cane like he did, but, I can see us...celebrating our golden anniversary, with our children and grandchildren."

"We can recreate our own village..." she said softly, clearly emotional about his comment, "on our forty acres..."

"You tease..." he smiled, cupping her face and kissing her softly.

"No...it's fitting Derek, this painting holds a bit of our dream. Derek...don't forget those hundred years you promised, I'm holding you to them...not one year less ..." she said before kissing him back, ignoring everyone around them.

"I promise...to do my best..."

"As I do..." she said and wrapped her arms around him, "I love you, with all my heart."

"My mushy and sentimental bride..." he said, eyes shining brightly.

"We agreed...it was ok...on our wedding day..."

"We agreed it was ok...anytime..." he said and kissed her softly before she interrupted.

"You'll love me even when the hair's turned white...and I'll wear it in a bun..." she murmured describing the woman in the painting.

"You'll love me even when I've got my hair covered by a hat and use a walking stick, and my shoulders aren't as straight..."

"I'll love you ...always..." she said.

"For always and beyond..." he said.

"Dr. Shepherd, I'm sorry but we only have ten minutes, we need to vacate the hall for the next wedding party."

"Of course Lucia," he said, "we realize we were very lucky to have found this much time available."

"Oh, yes, it is very rare to find something so quickly, most couples reserve a year in advance, but fortunately your time was a duplicate booking and the couple actually married on the same day last month."

They completed the photographic session. Meredith and Derek sitting, then standing in front of the painting, the entire group, the ladies only and many more including the staircase, yet some of the most poignant were those randomly taken by Kathleen, Lexie and Aileen as they captured some of the most intimate first married moments between Meredith and Derek.

They were escorted to a smaller room on the main floor of the palazzo where they received their marriage certificate, before they were advised their transportation was waiting for them.

Meredith took the envelope and retrieved the document, "Derek...we're married, it's all official...and we'll have to register it at home, but...we're married...oh my God, Derek, there's an error...your mother's name...someone made an error...it says..."

"Carolyn," he stated, and four pairs of eyes turned to him.

"Yes...how could they make that mistake...I thought she signed and they had to authenticate to make it official...but...wait," she said realizing, his mother had indeed signed the certificate, "she signed...and..."

"Mom...want to explain?"

"Not really, too long a story right now...."

"Carolyn...your name is Carolyn...but you said..."

"It's both dear," her mother in law conceded, "originally, Carolyn Ailene Maloney."

"Mama Shep," Cristina spoke first, "you're holding out on us...did you commit a crime and need an alias," and Derek, Kathleen, Kevin and Mark roared with laughter.

"No dear...just that I had my ideas about what I should be called."

"I'll bet," Cristina said.

"But, you won't guess," Ailene answered with a dead pan expression.

"So..." Meredith interrupted, "what name do we use..."

"Up to you dear...you can decide later...Carolyn, Ailene...and at some point...I'd much prefer Mom."

"Mer," Mark told her, "don't pay attention to her...she's just a crazy old broad."

"I take offense to that, Mark Sloan," Ailene told him.

"Sorry...I'll drop the old," he laughed.

"Much better," she said, and her children laughed, while Meredith, Cristina and Lexie exchanged similar questioning looks.

"It's not a big deal Mer," Derek murmured, "she loves it...she'll tell you later."

"Derek..."

"Let her tell you," he laughed and kissed her.

Lucia directed them toward the narrow wooden peer, where the transport that had brought them from the hotel awaited just beyond the dock. "We're ready to go, the married couple will go first, and then we will follow."

"Ah...Lucia," Meredith said, noticing the transport was still several meters away from the dock, "doesn't it have to come a little closer to the dock?"

"Of course, Meredith, but that's not your transportation," Lucia smiled and continued to walk just as a blanket was placed in her hands. "Yours is waiting for you already."

"Just go with it," Derek murmured in her ear, and Meredith held back just a little.

"Derek...we haven't had much luck with that," she said raising an eyebrow.

"All of that is behind us," he said as he stopped to look at her, and took his scarf and wrapped it around her neck after securing the top button of her coat, and kissed her, "trust me."

"I've been doing that a long while now," she smiled upon his lips, giving in to another kiss, "but..."

"But," he chuckled, right before they reach the end of the peer.

"I didn't want to test my pole vaulting skills."

"You won't have to," he laughed as he wrapped his arms around her, "your gondola awaits...my lady..."

"My gondola," she giggled, "isn't it a chariot...or something..."

"Fine time for you to get this right," he laughed, "legends require gondolas...in Venice," and smiled as he saw the expression on her face as they were greeted by a familiar voice.

"Signorina Meredith...felicitazioni, now...it is Signora Shepherd," the gondolier exclaimed happily from his gondola.

"Derek," she turned to him and hugged him, "you ...even this ...is special..."

"I told you...I wanted your wedding day to be..."

"Our wedding day," she corrected him, as she reached out to caress his face, and her hand pushed back the lock of hair ruffled by the wind, "our wedding day...magical from the stroke of midnight..."

"Uhmmm..." he whispered, "engagements...and marriage suit you...all mushy and sentimental..."

"I'm just following your lead," she said placing her lips on his.

"Are you ready, Mrs. Shepherd," he said, "to embark on our journey," and locking gazes with her first and then with his lips on hers, "for a lifetime..."

"For always...Derek..." she said and he briefly deepened their kiss, and then heard a childish giggle they traced to the gondola.

"Signora," the gondolier smiled, "your husband he holds your hand, and I help you to board," he said as he extended his hand and led her on to the gondola, quickly followed by Derek.

"Signore, you are very lucky man, you have a beautiful bride...bellisima...and all happened in my gondola...so I must take you to your wedding celebration."

The childish giggles were heard again as Salvatore kissed Meredith on both cheeks, "Meredith...I wish you all the happiness, just as with my Maria."

"Salvatore," she said kissing his cheek, "grazie, this is very special...to see you this morning, on our wedding."

"But of course, when Dottore Shepherd called, I told him...my wedding gift..."

"Derek...you can't let him keep doing this..."

"Salvatore, you see...my wife...already....bossing me around," he laughed, as he extended his hand, "grazie...this means a lot to us, that you could take us to our wedding celebration," Derek said using the same words the older man had used, "and please, call me Derek."

"Derek," the older man smiled, "I was so happy...except I had to bring this silly boy along," he said pointing to the child in the gondola, as he ruffled his hair, and proceeded to argue in rapid Italian with his grandfather, "no school today and I have...what do you call it baby sit duties."

"We don't mind, Salvatore," Meredith smiled, "he is adorable."

"One of the younger ones," he said as the boy continued to speak in rapid Italian, and gesturing to what amounted to wanting to help his grandfather.

Meredith and Derek had settled in their seats and he'd placed his arm around her, and the small boy reluctantly sat down in front of them, an impish grin on his face.

"I'm Derek, and this is Meredith," he said extending his hand to the boy, which the boy took and shook firmly, again beginning to giggle.

"Say hello," his grandfather said, "you can speak English. Meredith, Derek, this is Luciano Salvatore, my grandson."

"I'm Luke," the boy said, "you kiss girls," he said and laughed.

"It's that stage," Salvatore said, as he guided the gondola away from the dock where all their guests were now waiting and waving and cheering them along.

"You'd think they weren't going to see us again in a few minutes," Derek laughed as he and Meredith went along with the merriment and waved goodbye.

"Mio nonno," Luke said proudly, and in perfect English, "he is best gondola driver in Venice."

"I think he is," Meredith smiled, "you have a wonderful grandfather."

"He's mio nonno, but my other nonno he is grandpa."

"Where is your other grandpa," Derek asked.

"He is in ..." he paused and spoke rapidly in Italian, "Ireland," he said after his grandfather smiled indulgently.

"And he teaches you to speak English," Derek said.

"My daddy, he teaches me...and mommy. Why do you kiss girls?"

"Well, I only kissed one girl," Derek said and kissed Meredith on the lips, again eliciting the little boy's giggles followed by "yuck, my mommy and daddy to that."

Meredith and Derek laughed and she said, "I agree with you," she said scrunching her nose, "it's yuck..."

"What..." Derek turned to her, "my kiss is yuck..." he teased and kissed her again, as laughter filled the air.

"I love your kisses," she said upon his lips.

"Really..." Derek challenged.

"We have a young audience," she giggled.

"Always an excuse," he teased.

"Just you wait," she smiled and continued talking to the child, "Luke, how old are you?"

"I be five," he said holding up his hand, "I'm the big brother, cause my baby sister is one."

The light conversation and laughter amongst the four continued, as the gondola navigated through the canals of Venice, water gently lapping against its side, as Meredith and Derek settled into a comforting and loving embrace, on their way to the first of many celebrations of their married life.

"Derek," she said softly, and reached for his hand after he had yet again made sure the blanket covered her legs against the cold winter wind, "you've outdone yourself...and this," she whispered, "even Luke here was the perfect touch."

"That," he murmured, "I had nothing to do with."

"I know," she said, warming his hand in hers, aware of their tiny audience, "think of it as our very own ring boy, or something like that..."

"Salvatore, are you and Maria going to join us?" Derek asked.

"Derek...it is a private celebration...so we will not stay..."

"Salvatore, we'd love to have you," Meredith insisted.

"We will celebrate with you next year, remember your one year anniversary...you must be here...and you will be our guests, but today...also, she has his baby sister, my daughter and son in law they go away last night for a few days, but Maria, she made special gift for you."

"Derek," Luke said, "you live in America?"

"Yes, in a city called Seattle."

"Like New York...with big buildings?"

"Luciano," his grandfather said, "you must not say Derek, you must say Dottore Shepherd."

"It's ok Salvatore," Derek said.

"You are dottore, like my nonno," he said forgetting all about the city, "he takes care of babies, like my mommy, I'm going to be a dottore when I grows up just like my grandpa."

"What kind of dottore do you want to be," Meredith asked him.

"I oprate on people," he said, and had Meredith and Derek smiling at the word, "that means you use a special knife to cut them and make them better."

"Like a surgeon," Derek told him.

"Yes, that's the word...that's like grandpa."

"I'm a surgeon and so is Meredith."

"Are you good dottores?"

"Luke," his grandfather reprimanded, "that is rude."

"Nonno, they have to be good dottores to make people get better," the child argued.

"Yes, Luke," Meredith said, "we are good dottores, and Derek is a very good neurosurgeon."

"I'm going to oprate on brains," he said with a completely serious look, yet filled with anticipation at the prospect of his future adventure.

The three adults laughed when he spoke of operating on brains.

"It's not funny," Luke argued, "dottores do that...oprate on brains and make people better."

"We know sweetie," Meredith told him, and reached for his hand, "I think you'll be wonderful, you have very good hands for that, just like Derek, that is what he does...he operates on brains, and that's why it's called neurosurgeon."

"Wow," the little boy exclaimed, "you do...can you show me?"

"You know what, Luke," Derek told him, "we're going to be back gain next year, and I'll bring you some pictures, how's that?"

"Wow..." he said, and certain he'd found his new hero, continued to talk nonstop throughout the journey across the lagoon.

"We are almost there," Salvatore smiled at the couple so obviously in love, and they sailed across the final meters towards the hotel Cipriani, "the Giardino Antico, Antique Gardens are well known for hundreds of years," he told them, "you must also visit the Casanova Gardens, those are filled with romance," he smiled and reveled in mentioning the renowned Venetian lover, "back to the 1750's, so it is the perfect place for your wedding, not the tryst," he cautioned, "the history...the legends...the legends filled with love and romance."

Meredith and Derek became lost in each other as the gondola sailed slowly, gently as it approached the Antique Gardens, their family waiting for their arrival, "Derek," her eyes filled with tears, "my husband," she whispered reverently, "I have never loved you more...and yet my heart knows...this is merely the beginning of a love so powerful, one day, I will look back and wonder...how it was ever possible to believe...I could love you even more than this moment."