Perfect strangers

Chpater 30

Meredith was in complete awe of the man that stood in front of her. Her eyes followed every move that he made as he stood at the sink washing their dishes from dinner up. The glistening of the diamonds on her bracelet that now decorated her wrist caused her to look down and smile.

"Do you like it? Because if you don't like it then I kept the receipt so we can go and exchange if you like?" Derek rambled as he dried his hands on the tea towel.

"Derek." Meredith giggled before standing up before standing up and walking over to Derek, wrapping her arms around his neck as she brushed her lips against his. "I love it, it's perfect."

"Good, good." He smiled back before wrapping his arms around her lower back. "Ready for bed?"

"Hmm." Meredith hummed before yawning. "This has been the best birthday." She leaned her head down and lay it down on his chest, cuddling him to him tight.

Derek didn't say a word as he leaned down and pressed his lips to the top of her head.

"You head upstairs and I'll finishing cleaning up down here." He said as she pulled back and squeezed her hand in his.

"No, leave it, we will do it in the morning." Meredith took her hands and ran down his body before moving into his pocket. "What's this?" She frowned as she pulled a small box of his pocket.

"Meredith, no..." he reached to take it out of her hand but she was too quick and move it out of his reach before slowly opening it. "I can explain..."

"Derek." Meredith gasped as she opened the box and gasped at the ring that was resting in there. "Wh...what is...Derek?" She finally tore her eyes off the ring and lifted her eyes to meet his, tears glistening in her eyes.

"Ok, this isn't how I planned on doing this." Derek laughed nervously as he ran his fingers through his hair. "Meredith..."

"I ruined it, you had it all planned out didn't you?" Meredith asked, gasping as Derek nodded his head in response. "Oh."

Meredith placed the box down and immediately began pacing the kitchen, her hands running through her hair and she bit her lower lip.

"Meredith." Derek said softly as he took the small box into his hands. He watched as she continued to pace before he finally reached out and placed his hands on her shoulders, stopping her in his tracks. "Meredith, look at me."

She finally lifted her eyes from the floor to meet his.

"You didn't ruin it, you just changed my plans that's all." Derek laughed softly. "Ok." He prepared himself for what was about to be one of the biggest yet scariest moments of his life.

"Meredith Grey, the day you walked into my life was the day I realised there was more to life than work. You gave me a purpose, a reason to come home and a reason...to live. It was like I was drowning and you saved me, so..." he started to get down on one knee when Meredith stopped him.

"No, don't. Just carry on..." she said as the tears pooled in her eyes and her arms continued to rest on his arms.

"Oh ok." Derek smiled. "Meredith, will you marry me?" He opened the box and held it out in front of them.

Meredith was left speechless as she simply nodded her head.

"Yes." She finally got out.

"Yeah?" Derek asked as his own tears started to pool in his own eyes and Meredith nodded her head again.

"Yes, I would love to be your wife." Meredith reached up and ran her own fingers through his hair as Derek took her left hand in his and slipped the ring onto her finger.

They confirmed their engagement with one another by pressing their lips together softly, as tears streamed down their faces. Finally, they pulled apart but kept their foreheads leaning against one another's as Meredith moved her hand to rest on his chest with Derek moving his hand up to rest on top of it, the ring sparkling in the light.

"If you don't like the ring then..." Meredith placed her finger on Derek's lip, silencing him.

"It's perfect, all of this..." she looked round and before turning back to smile at him. "Was perfect."

"Good, I wanted to do it just before we left but not today, I wanted it to be a separate celebration from your birthday but as long as your happy." He said as he took his free hand and cupped her face with it.

"It was the perfect way to celebrate my birthday." Meredith smiled as she leaned into his hand. "Now can we go to bed?" Both of their eyes darkened as they stared into one another's eyes before Derek moved down to pick Meredith up, her legs wrapping around his waist as he moved upstairs.

*************

"Hmm." Derek sighed happily that evening as he lay his head back on his pillow as he smiled at Meredith who was now sitting up, facing him, wrapped in one of his shirts.

"What?" Meredith laughed as she linked her hand with his.

"Nothing..." he shook his head. "Just...happy."

"Yeah, me too." She squeezed his hand before moving it up to press her lips against the back of his hand. "We are not having a big wedding." Meredith pointed at him.

Derek laughed before Meredith playfully pushed his chest.

"I mean it Derek. I'm not a big wedding kind of girl, actually I've never ever thought about having any kind of wedding because I didn't think I would ever get married." Meredith shrugged. "So, we keep small, simplistic..."

"I was thinking of just getting married naked in a huge field..." Derek laughed as Meredith rolled her eyes before laughing with him.

"I'm not the naked kind of bride type."

"Look." Derek sat up and kissed her quick. "We don't have to think about the wedding now, we can have a long engagement, there's no rush. But now this ring on your finger let's everyone know that you are taken."

"Ohh." Meredith sighed as she moved to straddle his waist, her arms going round his neck and his hands moving to run up and down her back. "You're going all caveman on me."

"No." Derek frowned as Meredith giggled and hummed. "I just don't like it when men hit on you, now they can't or if they do then this..." he grabbed her hand and held it up in front of them, her ring sparkling in the light. "Will stop them."

"Hmm, jealous you, very hot." Meredith winked at him before laughing as she saw the serious expression on his face before she leaned down to press her lips to his. "I love you."

"I love you too." Derek finally cracked and smiled back at her.

He flipped them over causing Meredith to squeal and laugh before he silenced her with his own lips before they got lost in one another's body for the second time that night.