Dark Passions

41.

Seven months later....

Derek paused at the doorway to their bedchamber, his eyes caught on the sight of Meredith. She was sitting up in bed, nude, her belly large with their child, due any day now. A shaft of golden light fell across her, bathing her in an aura of beauty. She looked luminous, her hair spilling across her shoulders, her hand resting on the curve of her belly. The sunlight sparkled in the large amethyst of her ring, the only jewelry she wore. She had just woken from a late morning nap, and he ached at the sight of her.

For a long moment, he watched her, before she became aware of him standing there. He remembered suddenly the dream he had of her, just like this, when he had been in London to buy her ring. The sunlight, the ring, her warm smile of welcome...it was all the same, and he blinked to clear away a sudden dampness that blurred his vision.

Meredith looked up then, and held her hand out to him. "Derek...are you all right? You look like you've seen a ghost."

He crossed the room swiftly, dropping down beside her, and catching the back of her neck in his hand. He kissed her softly, parting her lips, and she moaned in the back of her throat at the desire that bubbled up in her.

"I've seen a vision, and I'm just happy to see you," he murmured, covering her hand.

"I'm happy to see you too, my love," she whispered. "But your son here is kicking like mad today, I think he wants out..."

"It could be a girl," Derek grinned, planting a kiss on her stomach.

"No...Rose swears she can tell by the way I'm carrying it that it's a boy, and he is very active, so I think she's right." Meredith closed her eyes as she felt another shift of the baby. "Rose has eight brothers and sisters, and they have many babes of their own, so I feel she has some insight on this."

"We'll see," Derek laughed, catching her lips again, and pressing her back against the pillows. His fingers traced the luscious plumpness of her breasts, larger now, the nipples more sensitive than ever. Their lovemaking had not dimmed at all during her pregnancy, until the last little while. "My sweet wife, you are more beautiful than ever..." he murmured, stroking her warm skin. "You know that, don't you?"

"I am not sure some days," Meredith confessed, touching his face.

"Trust me..."

"I do, I just can't see my feet anymore, I can't stand up without help..."

Derek continued his lazy exploration along her skin, soothing her doubts away with his gentle touch. His mouth followed, licking and teasing, along her body, until he reached her thighs. "I love every inch of you..."

"Every enlarged inch you mean..." Meredith giggled, as he kissed her knees, and the curve of her calf. Then she gasped, and he looked up at her in concern. Her eyes went wide, and she clutched at the sheets, a look of sudden pain on her face. "Oh god, Derek..."

He moved quickly back to her side, taking her hands in his, and easing her back against the pillows. She relaxed, her chest rising and falling a little anxiously, as the pain subsided. "Meredith...is it..."

She nodded, clenching his hand tightly again. "Yes...oh...I wasn't prepared for this already...ohhh..."

Derek kissed her damp forehead, taking a deep breath. "Relax, little love, I'll call for Rose, and get Izzie for you...all right?" Izzie had arrived again to help with the birth, along with the midwife from the village. They just hadn't expected it already, and Derek's chest tightened in apprehension. But he masked his fear, kissing her again, and she nodded.

"Go...just hurry...Derek..." she whispered, closing her eyes.

He tore out of the bedchamber, yelling for Rose, who came running from nearby. "See to Meredith, the baby is coming!" he told her, and she wasted no time to enter the bedchamber to be with Meredith.

Meredith looked up gratefully to see Rose's calm face at the side of the bed, and she tried to smile bravely. "I fear it's time, Rose...."

"I believe it is, m'lady. The babe always has a mind of it's own when it's time," Rose said reassuringly. "We'll be right here with you..."

Derek stormed into the solarium in search of Izzie. He found her there with Marcus, and she jumped to her feet immediately at the sight of his worried face. "The baby..." she muttered, hurrying away without another word, summoning the midwife to come with her.

Leaving Derek staring at Marcus, unsure of what to do next. He wasn't accustomed to feeling useless, and he sank down onto the settee, with a muffled groan. "Damnation, Marcus...how am I supposed to wait here and do nothing?"

Before Marcus could answer, Derek jumped up again and began pacing the length of the solarium, raking his hands through his hair. "What if something happens? What if..."

"Derek...calm down...women have babies all the time..."

"But this is Meredith!" Derek shouted in frustration. "She's so tiny....and fragile..."

"She's stronger than you think, old friend," Marcus assured him, standing up to pour a strong drink for Derek. "Here...drink this and sit down."

"I should be with her, what if she needs me?" Derek asked, downing the drink in one gulp.

Marcus forced him into the chair, shocked at how shaken Derek was by the impending birth. "Meredith will be fine, and it won't help her at all if you become a raving lunatic."

Derek took a deep breath. "You're right, of course, she just means the world to me, Marcus...nothing would mean anything without her."

⚜️⚜️⚜️

Hours later, Meredith lay back against the fresh sheets Rose had helped to place on the bed. Izzie gently sponged the sweat from her body, and helped her into a fresh nightgown. She tied Meredith's hair back, with a little smile. "You look wonderful..."

Meredith took a shaky breath, looking down into the tiny bundle that the midwife placed in her arms. "Oh...my...Izzie..."

"He's fine...he's healthy..." Izzie assured her, as the baby looked up at Meredith. She stroked the tiny cheek, and marveled at the perfection of him.

"Where's Derek?" she asked.

"I sent Rose to fetch him," Izzie said. "Marcus stopped by awhile ago, and said Derek was a bundle of nerves, he wanted to be here with you, but the midwife shooed them both away."

The door burst open and Derek strode across the room, his hair wild, his shirt in disarray. "Meredith...thank god..." He dropped down beside her, and kissed her, and then looked down at the baby.

"It's a boy..." she whispered, seeing the love and happiness that filled his eyes, as he touched the tuft of black hair on the small head. "Just like Rose predicted..." She held out the child to him, and he gingerly cradled it against his chest, giving Meredith an adoring look.

"What shall we name him?"

"Michael Derek Shepherd..." she suggested softly. "For your father..."

Derek nodded in agreement. "He would like that..." He kissed the baby's forehead, and handed him back to Meredith. The baby promptly snuggled against Meredith's chest contentedly, and closed his eyes.

"I love you, my wife," Derek said, shifting closer, to wrap his arm around both of them. He kissed her lips, and she sighed happily.

"I love you, my husband..."

Meet Michael Derek Shepherd: