Ever The Same

41

Her husband was smiling, or kind of giggling, just not in the obvious giggling way. In the way that let her know just how happy he was, even if she had managed to drive him completely insane with each task she attempted to take on. Apparently she was going to give him gray hair because he had walked in the night before to find her on a ladder, measuring the windows in the nursery. But he had been working late. She needed measurements. They had a lot to do, he knew that. She just also knew that he was entirely concerned.

Along with his concern about the stress on her body, the way she worked and ate, came his stress on making sure she stayed healthy and in shape, which led him to enforcing their regimen of walking. Even in the cold, he made she they would walk. Currently, they had to move it inside, do to the freezing rain. Thus forcing them into the overly crowded New York Mall.

"Tired yet?" Derek asked, holding her hand as they walked through the mall.

"No...." She whispered, her hand feeling small in his hand.

"You should be...We were up all night." He smirked.

"Just because I have a particular craving for you....doesn't mean I'm entirely worn out."

"A craving for me...That sounds funny."

"It's not funny."

"It kind of is." Derek laughed, squeezing her hand.

"Not it's not it's natural or something."

"I'm not complaining."

"You better not complain." She breathed, leaning into him as they walked by a man carrying a large stuffed monkey.

"Is Sam behaving today?" Derek asked, smiling as he kissed the side of her head.

"He is."

"Maybe we should get him a toy."

"We should?" She whispered, running a hand over her stomach.

"Why not? We haven't really gotten any toys yet." Derek replied.

"We haven't."

"Mark said he'll come help me put together the crib."

"He just wants to get you out for drinks after."

"Am I allowed?"

"Well....I...." Meredith bit her lip, as Derek pulled her to the side of the busy mall walkway. "Who am I going to play with?"

"Me...before...and after..." Derek smiled, kissing her.

"Hmm...."

"And...tonight..."

"Before....soon." She smiled, her nose against his.

"I love you so much." He whispered, kissing her nose.

"I love you." She scrunched her nose.

"Should we...walk?"

"Uh huh."

"Okay." He smiled, kissing her again quickly before talking her hand and beginning to walk with the crowd again.

"What should we get him?"

"Stuffed animals."

"But not girly....and not scary...."

"A teddy bear?"

"Yeah." Meredith's eyes lit up.

"We could get matching ones for Sam and for Tara's baby."

"We could...." Meredith smiled.