Post prom

"Chapter 20-Forever and for Always"

Song is optional :)

February 12 2007

"I'm making a mistake. I shouldn't be doing this. I just need to leave," Meredith was pacing the small dressing room. It was the day of the wedding and she was shaking like a leaf,

"I mean, if I can perform freakin brain surgery, shouldn't I be able to go through with me wedding day?"

"I swear Mer, if you say one more thing about this being a mistake, I'm going to stuff your face into this bouquet," Meredith turned around and looked at her maid-of-honor, Christina. "Look in a month, you'll be saying the exact freakin thing to me, so just shut up," Christina smiled at Meredith trying to calm her down as best as she could, but it wasn't going well, "Relax, you and McDreamy love each other. Just think in an hour you will be Mrs. McDreamy,"

"Thanks, that's real comforting!" Meredith was still pacing

"MER...WHY AREN'T YOU DRESSED YET?" Izzy came in from the church "Everyone is waiting and Derek is a wreck,"

"That would make two of us! Izz I can't go out there. I'm not ready!"

"Oh Mer!" Izzy came over and gave her friend of huge hug "Trust me, you won't regret this. I mean you do surgeries for god sake, this is so much easier. You love him and he loves you. How easier and straight forward can it be? You're doing a right thing that you SO won't regret," Meredith looked into Izzy's eyes she knew Izzy probably practiced these things in the mirror in the morning or something.

"Thanks Izz,"

"Okay are we going to do this or not?" Christina asked. Izzy and Meredith laughed at seeing her standing in the corner

"C'mon guys, lets go before I change my mind!" said Meredith full of confidence

Izzy laughed and went through the door to alert the church.

"Ready?" asked Christina as she came over to Meredith, helping her put on her veil

"I think so,"

"Trust me Mer, it'll be great,"

Both girls hugged

"Trust me, I don't say that often!"

"Awww, I think Burke is turning you into a softie!"

"WHAT-"

They were interrupted by the music

"I guess this is it,"

"I guess so,"

Christina exited the room and headed for the church. Meredith took one last at herself in the mirror. Her skinny body was bathed in her white wedding gown. She stringy blonde hair was made up nicely into a bun ontop of her head with her veil covering her usually tired face. Meredith smiled and then sighed. The voice of Christina rang in her head: Relax, you and McDreamy love each other. Just think, in an hour you will be Mrs. Meredith McDreamy.

Mrs. Meredith McDreamy...hey it's has a better ring then Satan or Meredith Grey-Shepherd, so I think I can live with it.

Meredith smiled again as she left to what was hopefully going to be the best day of her life.

"Do you Meredith Grey take Derek Shepherd to be your lawfully wedded husband to have and to hold? To love and cherish? In sickness and in health? Till death to you part?"

Meredith heard the preacher ask her the demanding question. She knew she wanted to say 'yes'. She looked into Derek's eyes. They looked so happy and loving. She knew those eyes loved her. She knew those eyes would never hurt her again. She knew that she could stay with those eyes and live with them for the rest of her life. She wanted to turn towards Christina and Izzy but she knew she couldn't

"Mer?" she heard Derek whisper her name

"Oh sorry," Meredith realized she took too long to answer. "Yes, I do," announced Meredith

"And do you Derek Shepherd take Meredith Grey to be your lawfully wedded husband to love and to hold? To love and cherish? In sickness and in health? Till death to you part?"

"I do," Meredith was kinda surprised to see how quickly Derek answered the question. Those eyes were still staring at her. She couldn't break from that stare. I wonder if this was the way he looked at Addison at their wedding. wonder if this is how she felt standing up here, thinking this was the man she was going to spend the rest of her life with. I just hope the rest of my life is going to last more than 11 years.

"Then I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride,"

Derek took Meredith and kissed her with such passion and force, Meredith took it by total surprise. Hand in hand they turned towards the rest of the church. Meredith just now realized how many eyes were staring at her even though there weren't that many people. Besides Izzy, Christina and Burke (the best man) there was The Chief, Bailey and George along with Alex, Olivia (she heard about it somehow), Calli (came with George of course) and a couple other surgeons and nurses. Small, but nice.

"May I have the pleasure of presenting Mr. and Mrs. Shepherd to you,"

The whole church erupted in cheers. Meredith and Derek walked down the aisle. The way he held her hand, she never wanted him to let go. She knew these hands would protect her and their baby forever and for always.

The reception was held at Meredith's house that night. Everyone from the wedding was there. Meredith had changed out of her wedding dress and was in a pair of jeans and a nice shirt. Everyone was dancing and eating. Izzy, along with baking cookies and dinner, baked the 5-layer wedding cake that was practically gone

"Izz, where did you find the time to make this?" asked Meredith getting another slice

"Well, Mer, I've been up for an extra 4 hours this morning baking it," seeing Meredith's shocked face she added "It was no trouble. Burke helped me with it," Meredith laughed as she took her slice and headed over to her new husband,

"Hey," she said. It was pretty loud because of the music so she practically had to yell

"Hey yourself," Derek took a bite out of Meredith's cake "I have a couple things to run by you. C'mon let's go out here,"

Derek led Meredith outback to the moon lit night.

"What's up?" she asked.

"First, do you want to go on a honeymoon?"

Meredith laughed

"What's the point. I mean we're already having a baby. And with our demanding jobs, Derek we can't,"

"Okay. Then we'll just go on a really romantic vacation after the baby comes," he pulled Meredith into a kiss

"Derek!" she playfully yelled at him pulling away, "I'm only planning on having one baby thank you very much,"

"We'll see about that" He kissed her again

"Okay, you're second thing?"

"Oh ya. Hey Mer, what do you say about a house? Not a trailer or not somewhere that you share with 2 other doctors. A real house?"

"Derek! You don't mean it? A house?"

"I know this guy that's a really good architect. He could build a house for us Mer. I a house. Big or small. Wide or skinny. It could have a pool or just a big huge yard. Whatever you want Mer. Just say the word and we could have a house to raise the baby. What do you say?"

"I say, yes Derek Shepherd. A house sounds just wonderful to me. Getting away from George and Izzy will be great. But, I will miss Izzy's baking at 4 a.m. or her cleaning rages,"

Derek and Meredith laughed.

"We can always hire her as a maid!"

"DEREK!"

Both newly weds laughed all the way back into the house. Derek held her close as they walked back. At that moment Meredith knew that this marriage was special. He did love her more than he loved Addison. She knew that his hurting her was a HUGE mistake. She knew that he never did mean to hurt her, he was just trying to make his marriage work. But now, he's in a new marriage that would work. She knew that this marriage would last forever and for always.