Is Forever Enough?

Chapter 101

The bed and breakfast was cozy and charming and the restaurant attached to it was just as charming. The small restaurant wasn't overly fancy. In fact, it was probably the least fanciest place Derek had ever brought her to, and that made Meredith enjoy it even more. There were only three other couples at tables around them, and none of them were dressed as formally as Meredith and Derek, but neither of them minded in the least.

Meredith had first noticed the bed and breakfast on her very first daytime visit out to the trailer. It seemed like so long ago. So much had changed since then, but the tiny place remained unchanged. She had mentioned a few times in their daily travels over the year that she had wanted to stay there. There were a lot of things she had mentioned like that. So, Meredith was surprised when Derek had made the arrangements.

Unlike the other tables, theirs sat next to a window that looked out over the harbor. It was dark outside, but beyond the darkness, they could see the distant lights of the light house blinking back and fourth across the water.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked, after he had chewed a piece of steak. They had been eating in relative silence, but it was normal, comfortable even. Meredith's steak was smaller than his, but her loaded mashed potatoes took up half of her plate and she took large bites of them without any shame. At his question, she looked up at him and softly smiled.

She didn't know exactly what she had been thinking about. Fragments of thoughts traveled through her brain like a summer breeze. They were there for a second, vibrant and real, and then left...as if they hadn't been there at all. Realizing he was expecting an answer, she spoke to alleviate his concerns, even though, she wasn't exactly sure what to tell him. Finally she settled on something, and her eyes twinkled as she said, "how nice it is here."

Derek seemed relieved at her answer, though he's never say it out loud. He had been nervous that she would worry over the kids all night and not have a good time. Nothing could ever be perfect, but he wanted their night to be. She deserved it, and a night away was the least he could do after all she had been through.

"It is nice here." He nodded. "We should come more often."

"I think we can arrange that." Meredith giggled, and then took small sips of her wine. Just enough to enhance the steak, she wasn't trying to get drunk. She went back to her food, enjoying it, until she realized he was still staring at her, and she let her fork hang in mid air. "Why are you staring at me?" Her forehead crinkled in confusion as she spoke.

"You're my beautiful wife, why shouldn't I stare?"

Arching a brow in amusement, she replied, "you're really buttering me up to get into my pants huh?"

His playful smirk made her laugh even more. "You're not wearing pants. Now if you said to get into your panties...than maybe."

"I'm not wearing those either." She hinted and his eyes widened. Shooting him a challenging look, his heart started to race in anticipation.

"Jesus, you're killing me. As if that dress wasn't enough." Meredith was still shocked at how much he enjoyed her simple cocktail dress. It made her feel better than ever. Especially since she wasn't even sure the dress would fit before putting it on.

Sitting up straight, she rested her fork against her plate. "This was pre me being pregnant with twins dress, I really wasn't expecting it to fit."

"Oh, it definitely fits. Although, you'll have to forgive me, but I can't wait to get it off of you."

"I think you can be forgiven for that." The air around them was filled with the energy their chemistry created, that she was sure everyone else could feel it. Her phone which was sitting beside her plate vibrated, and she was shaken out of her thoughts as her hand reached for it automatically.

Derek hadn't said anything when she had insisted on keeping the phone on the table and she hadn't thought much of it at the time, but as she read the text in silence, she realized Derek had probably been just as nervous to leave the babies as she had been.

Her theory was validated when Derek's hand found hers across the table and he stared at her in concern. "Is everything alright?"

"Oh..." Meredith hadn't realized he had even been paying attention to her, and she looked at him in confusion. Staring at the phone in her hand, she put it back down and let him take both of her hands in his. "Oh, yeah...it was Izzie, she just wanted to let us know that everything is fine."

"Hmmm..." He hummed low in his throat. "I'm glad to hear it."

"Yeah, me too." The phone vibrated again, and Derek took it off the table before she could reach for it. "Derek!" She warned, nervous that something had suddenly come up.

Batting her hands away, he read the message and rolled his eyes. "Cristina says you better be back on the pill, because she refuses to watch more than three kids at a time."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, you know it was your friends who insisted on coming over to watch the girls so we could have a night alone...you'd never know it by how much they have been interrupting us..."

"They are just trying to make me feel better." Meredith defended, and held out her hand so that he could place the phone in it.

"Oh no. I'm holding on to this."

"Derek..." She almost whined, making a grab for the phone. He pulled it away from her before she could.

"I'll keep it."

"But Derek..." Meredith couldn't help but argue. She had been doing well all night in trying not to worry, but the cell phone was her only life line to her kids, and she felt so much more confident with her phone at her side.

"Mer..." Derek pleaded in reply, "let me keep this." Meredith opened her mouth to protest as he shoved the phone into his pocket, but his head tilt kept her from saying anything. "If something is wrong they will call, and I will tell you. But, checking the phone every ten minutes is not exactly adding to the romantic atmosphere."

Meredith was about to argue, he could see the objection in her eyes, but something kept her from speaking. "I'm sorry." She replied after several seconds of staring at him. "I'm just...worried...but I'm having fun...I'm glad we're here." She told him honestly, and he felt bad. He hadn't thought she was having a bad time.

"I know." He assured with a shake of his head. "Meredith, I know you're worried, I'm worried too. But they're in good hands, and they wont hesitate to tell us if something happens." Reaching across the table, he took her hand in his. "We'll be home by lunchtime tomorrow."

"I know." Replied Meredith with a smile. "So...do you want to get dessert?" She asked, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

Smirking, he pushed his plate away and leaned in closer to her. "I think we can make our own dessert upstairs."

"I think we can." She agreed, with a bright smile.