Keep The Faith

20.

Three Months Later

Derek looked over at Meredith and twisted her fingers into his. They smiled at each other, and Meredith rested her head on his shoulder, looking down at the ferryboats.

The last few months had been beyond crazy, and it was nice to know that for now, all she needed was this. Derek leaned down and kissed her.

She pulled away and smile at him, content. His expression changed.

"I have to tell you something." He said suddenly. She made a quizzical face at him, urging him to continue. "I love you." He said. "I've never been more sure of anything."

"I love you too." She whispered.

Before she knew what was happening, there was a box sparkling in her face. "Marry me." He said.

"What?" she breathed.

He smiled at her. "Marry me." He said, more confident this time. "I love you, and I want to love you forever. So marry me."

She blinked at him, bit her lip, and thought about everything they'd gone through in the past few months. There was no doubt in her mind that she loved him. "Yeah." She said, nodding. "Yeah, okay. Let's get married." Derek's face broke into a grin and he slid the sparkling diamond on her finger. He stood up and picked her clear off of the ground, spinning her around as he did it. She laughed and placed sloppy kisses on his face, aiming for his lips but continually missing.

He put her down and kissed her, really kissed her. He pulled away breathless, and ran a hand through her hair. "For a minute there, I was afraid you were going to say no." She smiled broadly and kissed him again.

"That's good for you." She said. "I don't want you getting too cocky."

He smirked at her. "You love me when I'm cocky."

She rolled her eyes. "I do love you." She said quietly. He took her hand and pulled her close to him, his arms settling around her again. They stood in silence, looking down at the ferryboats gliding over the glistening harbor.

"I love you too." He said, kissing her forehead. She smiled as he wrapped his arms around her a little tighter. She felt content, and at home. The realization that she had just been proposed to by Derek Shepherd began to sink in. Meredith's head was racing. Faith was a funny thing. She'd thought, at one point not too long ago, that she would never have faith in anything again. But now, here, on this night, she had just agreed to have faith in Derek forever.

Forever was a funny thing too. It was different for everyone. Forever could end in the next five minutes or fifty years down the line. She had no idea of knowing how long her forever was. She couldn't control time. But she could control who she spent her forever with, and he had his arms around her already.

💉🩺

Addison raised the glass to her lips, sighing as she sipped the vodka and tonic. Joe had recognized the look on her face when she had come in, and had known that the vodka ratio had to greatly outweigh that of the tonic. It was not easy being Addison on days like these. She felt like she had barely had time to blink, and all of a sudden her divorce was finalized. She barely sucked in a breath and Meredith and Derek had gone to Richard, had a talk with him, and were then engaging in public displays of affection all over the hospital.
Today was an awful day. Derek had something up his sleeve. She knew that twinkle he got in his eyes when he had a surprise or a plan. She had been in the lobby, watching dejectedly through the glass windows as Meredith had met him outside after work. She had all but jumped into his outstretched arms and Addison couldn't tear her eyes away as they kissed and smiled at each other. Derek had leaned down and said something into her ear, and she had followed him, hand in hand to his car. And to think, Addison thought bitterly as she took a long swallow from her glass, he used to love me.