Wish You Were Here

Chapter 16

Meredith lies in bed. It is early too early. It is still dark outside, but she can feel him. She can feel him staring at her. She can feel the excitement bubbling from his pores as he stares at her. She refuses to open her eyes. She simply refuses. She hates Christmas. She has always hated Christmas. Growing up she was always alone. Her mother never even bothered to buy her gifts, she just gave her money. Her mother couldn't be bothered with shopping. Her mother couldn't be bothered with her.

Meredith has made sure that this year is different. Although the twins are too young to know what Christmas is, she wants their first Christmas to be perfect. She wants everything to be perfect, but that doesn't mean she wants to open her eyes. Not yet. So, she pretends to be asleep. She pretends but she doesn't fool Derek. He leans in and she can feel his hot breath on her ear. He places a soft kiss on her cheek before whispering to her.

Derek: I know that you are awake.

Meredith groans in response, earning a chuckle from Derek. Derek runs his hand down Meredith's side, allowing it to come to a rest on her hip.

Derek: Merry Christmas, Meredith.

Meredith can't help but smile as she turns to face him. She opens her eyes and her seas of green meet his oceans of blue.

Meredith: Merry Christmas, Derek.

Derek runs his forefinger over Meredith's cheek.

Derek: I love you.

Meredith leans in and brushes her lips across Derek's.

Meredith: I love you too, but why in the hell are you up so early?

Derek chuckles as he pulls Meredith's body closer to his.

Derek: It's a Shepherd family tradition.

Meredith arches her eyebrow.

Meredith: It's a Shepherd family tradition to get up before the sun on Christmas morning?

Derek nods seriously.

Derek: We wake up early because the kids are always eager to open gifts and then eat a huge breakfast after all of the presents have been opened.

Meredith giggles.

Meredith: Derek, our kids are too young to open gifts.

Derek smirks.

Derek: I know that, smartass. But it is still tradition. Our family tradition.

Meredith can't help but smile at the fact that Derek is including her in the Shepherd family. Ever since she met his family a couple of weeks ago, things have been great. They have all accepted her and the twins with open arms and hearts and instantly made them a part of the clan. Meredith belongs to a clan. She belongs to a clan and it feels absolutely amazing.

Derek: What?

Meredith: I was just thinking.

Derek: About?
Meredith: About how absolutely perfect this is.

Derek can't help but smile back at her, a smile that reaches all the way to his eyes.

Derek: It is, isn't it?

Before Meredith can reply their door bursts open and several toddlers run into their room and jump on the bed. Meredith and Derek sit up as the children begin to ruffle Derek's hair.

Tyler: Uncle Derek! Uncle Derek! Aunt Meri! Get up!! It's Christmas!! Santa came!!

Derek can't help but chuckle as he thinks about this being his children in a couple of years. The sounds of Meredith's giggles as she tickles one of his nieces warms him even more. This is perfect. Everything is perfect.

Meredith: Well, Uncle Derek, I guess we should get the twins and head downstairs.

Derek turns to Meredith and smiles at her.

Derek: Yes, Aunt Meri, I guess we should.

Meredith smirks at Derek before climbing out of bed. The twins are in their room since they are staying with Derek's mom. Meredith had agreed to come to New York for Christmas. She knew that is was important for him to spend their first Christmas as a family with his family.

Derek: Hey guys, why don't you go ahead and run downstairs. Aunt Meri and I will be right down.

Tyler stands up and kisses Derek on the cheek.

Tyler: Okay, Uncle Derek. Love you.

Derek chuckles.

Derek: Love you too, bud.

Derek watches as the horde of munchkins exit his and Meredith's room. He climbs out of bed and walks over to Meredith. He wraps his arms around her and pulls her body into his.

Derek: Thank you for this. It really means a lot to me to have you and the twins here.

Meredith smiles up at him as she wraps her arms around his neck. She opens her mouth to respond, but a voice calling them from downstairs stops her. She leans up and kisses him quickly on the lips.

Meredith: We had better get down there.

Derek responds by walking over and picking up Maddie from the crib.

Derek: Mom has bouncy chairs down there for them, so we can sit them there.

He then turns his attention to his young daughter is staring up at him with bright blue eyes.

Derek: Hello little girl, are you ready for your first Christmas?

Meredith giggles as she reaches down and picks up Michael.

Meredith: They don't even know that today is any different than yesterday.

Derek smirks at her as they begin to head downstairs.

Derek: I know that, but that doesn't mean that we can't celebrate their first Christmas.

Just as they reach the bottom of the stairs, Derek's mom runs up to meet them.

Mrs. Shepherd: There you guys are. The kids are going absolutely crazy.

She turns her attention to Derek.

Mrs. Shepherd: Do you want to pass out the gifts this year?

Derek looks at Meredith, who smiles at him and nods.

Derek (smiling): I would love to.

Mrs. Shepherd: Well, hand Maddie to me and go sit by the tree. Don't forget to put on the Santa hat.

Derek chuckles as he kisses his daughter on the head before handing her to his mother.

Derek: I know, Mom.

Derek turns and kisses Meredith quickly before going and taking his position amidst the huge piles of gifts that litter the family den. Meredith knows most of the gifts that are under that tree, as she helped wrap them, but there is one gift that is carefully hidden in the back that she knows nothing about. She knows nothing about it, but Derek knows all about it. He knows all about it and he can't wait for her to share in his knowledge. He is determined to make their first Christmas together unforgettable, and he is sure that his gift will do just that.

Meredith sits down on the couch to Mrs. Shepherd.

Mrs. Shepherd turns to her.

Mrs. Shepherd: I am so glad that you were able to join us for Christmas.

Meredith looks at the elderly woman and smiles.

Meredith: So am I.

Derek watches the two most important women in his life interacting as they hold his children and he can't help but feel he has already received the perfect gift.
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Meredith watches as Derek hands out the gifts to his young nieces and nephews. He is such a natural. She can only imagine the future Christmases spent with him. She can see him sitting under the tree, Santa hat on head, as he hands out the gifts and plays with their children. A warm, fuzzy feeling works its way throughout her body as she plays with the edges of the wrapping paper of the gift that is in her hands. She is so busy watching Derek and his family that she hasn't even opened her own gifts. Being here, being with him, being with them, that is the perfect gift.

Derek looks up and meets her eyes. He cocks his head to the side and smiles at her. She can't help but smile back and giggle as the end of the hat sways in the air with his movement. Derek pushes several piles of paper out of the way as he makes his way over to her on his knees. He reaches her and places his hands on her knees as he gazes up into her eyes.

Derek: Is everything okay?

Meredith cups Derek's cheek with her hand. He leans into her touch.

Meredith: Everything is perfect.

Derek leans in and kisses her quickly on the lips.

Tyler: Eeeeww, Uncle Derek!

Meredith giggles against Derek's lips as he runs his fingers through her hair.

Meredith: You aren't done handing out gifts yet.

Derek smiles at her.

Derek: I know that, but I heard your giggle and I needed to kiss you and tell you I love you. So, I love you.

Meredith blushes as she feels Derek's family watching them.

Meredith: I love you too.

Meredith watches Derek crawl back to his spot under the tree as her heart beats rapidly. She loves him. She really loves him. Through everything she has always loved him. He has her heart. He does. She can't wait to give him his gift. She hopes that he likes it. She consulted his mom about it, so she really hopes he likes it.

Mrs. Shepherd: Is everything all right, dear?

Meredith looks at the elderly woman sitting next to her and smiles warmly at her.

Meredith: It's perfect.

Meredith's eyes tear up as she sees love in the eyes of Derek's mother. Love that is directed towards her.

Mrs. Shepherd: Are you sure?

Meredith nods as she blinks away the building tears.

Meredith: I've just never had a real Christmas before, or a real family for that matter.

Mrs. Shepherd smiles warmly at her as she places a hand on her shoulder.

Mrs. Shepherd: You and Derek are always welcome here anytime you like and you are already a member of this family. You became a member of this family the moment my son fell in love with you.

Before Meredith can respond, Derek's voice catches her attention. He is holding up the gift that she got him.

Derek: What is this?

Meredith blushes slightly as she glances around. Derek arches his eyebrow at her.

Meredith: It's a gift.

Derek rolls his eyes at her.

Derek: I know that, smart a...smarty pants.

Meredith giggles at Derek's self-censorship.

Derek: I mean, I thought I had already opened your gift.

Meredith smiles at him.

Meredith: I guess I'm just full of surprises.

Derek's mouth falls open as he stares at her.

Derek: I guess you are.

Meredith giggles as she begins to grow impatient.

Meredith: Open it already.

Derek chuckles as he begins to unwrap his gift. Meredith watches his every move and his every expression as she tries to read his reaction. She watches the confusion on his face as he looks at the elongated velvet box. He looks up at her, the confusion apparent. Meredith smiles at him before he looks back down and opens the box. Tears immediately begin to fill his eyes. He runs his finger over the antique watch, the gold soft and smooth under his touch. Derek looks up at Meredith and sees her eyes mirror his, full of love and of tears.

Derek (choked up): How did you know?

Meredith: Your mom.

Derek looks back down at the watch. His father's watch. His father's watch that is ticking. His father's watch that Meredith had fixed for him. His father's watch that his father had given him just days before he had died. His father's watch that had stopped ticking the same day his father's heart had stopped beating. His father's watch that he had thought he had lost.

He looks back up at Meredith.

Derek: Where did you find it?

Meredith: I was going through some things with you Mom. I...I mean...do you like it?

Derek doesn't respond with words. Instead he grabs the last small box from under the tree and crawls back over to Meredith. He hides the box in his pocket before cupping her face with his hands.

Derek: It's perfect. No one has ever done anything like that for me. Ever. So thank you. Thank you so much. I love you.

Meredith smiles at him through her tears. She doesn't bother wiping them away. Derek is crying as well, but neither care. In fact, the only people in the room who aren't crying are the children who are too wrapped up in their new toys to understand the magnitude of the situation.

Meredith: I wanted to give time back to you. I want you to know that the past doesn't matter and that we have the future. You, me, and the twins. We have a future together.

Derek reaches up and wipes away a few of Meredith's tears as he leans in and captures her lips. The kiss isn't sexual, but it does express his love that he is unable to articulate in words. And Meredith understands this language. Derek reaches into his pocket and pulls out the velvet box. He hadn't bothered wrapping it. He knew she wouldn't look under the tree.

Meredith is so focused on his eyes that she doesn't notices the box in his hands.

Derek: I love you, Meredith. I love you so much that I can't even put it into words. I want to spend forever with you. I want to spend forever with you and our family. I want to be the one to wipe away your tears. When I'm having a bad day, I want to hear your giggle and see your smile, because those things turn a bad day into a good day. You are the good. You are the good in my life, even when it has been hell. Even when it has been hard, you have always been the good. I told you that you saved me from drowning once, and I wasn't lying. You saved me and you continue to save me everyday.

Derek opens the box and lifts it up. Meredith gasps as she notices the diamond ring. She places her hand over her mouth as she stifles a sob.

Derek: So, what I'm asking, again, is if you, Meredith Grey, will marry me, Derek Shepherd, and continue to be my life support as I will be yours, for the rest of our lives?

Meredith begins to nod her head vigorously.

Meredith: Yes! Of course! Yes!

Meredith giggles as she lunges off of the couch and wraps her arms around Derek's neck, sending him falling back onto the floor with her on top of him. Her hair falls down and tickles him on the face. He reaches up and brushes her hair out of her eyes.

Meredith: I love you.

Derek: I love you.

Meredith leans down and kisses Derek passionately as his family files out of the living room, leaving the two alone for a moment. His entire family has tears running down their eyes as they are all happy to see their brother, their son, truly happy for the first time.

Later that night, Meredith and Derek are sitting in front of the fire in the family room. They have just put the twins to sleep and are cuddled together as they drink a hot cup of cocoa. The rest of Derek's family is dispersed through the large room, some talking, some watching television, some dozing off to sleep. Meredith looks around at all of the various people and can't help but smile. Derek notices this and squeezes her shoulders. She places her hand on his chest, her ring sparkling in the firelight.

Derek: What is it?

Meredith: Thank you.

Derek: For what?

Meredith: For giving me a family.

Derek smiles at her as he leans down and kisses her on the forehead.

Derek: And thank you.

Meredith: For what?

Derek: For giving me back time.

Fin.
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EPILOGUE

Meredith smiles as the door to the elevator opens. It is still their elevator. After all of this time, the memories still pervade the walls and reflect so many chapters to the story of their life together. Together. Meredith and Derek. Meredith looks up at her husband, the love of her life and smiles at him. He smiles back down at her as he readjusts their now two year old son who is sleeping on his shoulder.

Derek (in a whisper): What?

Meredith answers in a whisper, so as not to wake her daughter who is sleeping on her shoulder.

Meredith: It's our elevator.

Derek smiles as he manages to lean down and kiss his wife on the lips briefly. It appears like something they do everyday, because it is something that they do everyday. It is something that they do everyday and that they plan to do everyday for the rest of their lives.
Ever since that Christmas morning when Derek proposed, Meredith has found herself living the fairytale life. Not the fairytale life that is found in children's books or in movies. Her fairytale life. For the first time in her life there was always someone there. There was always someone to wake up to, someone to hold her as she falls asleep. Derek has kept his promise. Derek is always there. Derek is always there and she couldn't love him anymore.

The white gold band of his wedding ring sparkles in the light as he reaches up and runs his fingers through his son's dark, curly hair, the spitting image of his own. In fact, both of the twins are spitting images of their father and Meredith couldn't be happier. When she looks at her children she sees her husband. The husband who has saved her so many times and who continues to save her everyday.

Derek told her when he proposed again in front of his family that amazing Christmas morning that she was his life support, but the truth was and remains to be that of symbiosis, beneficial and necessary to both.

They married six months after that morning. Six wonderful months in which they built their own home on Derek's land and began to really make their own family and life. Six wonderful months in which Meredith watched her fiancé and children form wonderful bonds that made and continues to make her heart soar. Derek is a wonderful father. He is a wonderful lover. He is a wonderful husband. He is a wonderful soul mate. He is wonderful.

Meredith glances at Derek out of the corner of her eye as the elevator ascends to its destination. He moves their son to his other shoulder so that he can wrap his arm around Meredith's waist, allowing his hand to rest on her growing abdomen. Meredith looks up at him and smiles once again, their love permeating the air around them as it cannot be contained within their own bodies.

Derek: I love you.

Meredith: I love you too.

Derek runs his hand over Meredith's stomach, thrilled to be here during this pregnancy, vowing not to miss anything. It hadn't been planned but neither consider it a mistake. In fact, Meredith found herself thrilled at the prospect and could barely contain her excitement as she informed Derek of the possibility. Of course, Derek was extremely excited and insisted on a test immediately. When the test had shown positive, Derek immediately picked Meredith up and lifted her above him before kissing her passionately, her lips tasting his salty tears as they ran down his face.

They fight occasionally but their love always leads them to a resolution. They fight but Meredith no longer runs from Derek as running from Derek now is like running from herself. Derek and Meredith still maintain their individuality in certain respects, but have also melded into a single unit. An entity that conquer anything together but ceases to function when apart. And they are both okay with this.

Meredith gasps as the baby kicks. She quickly glances at Derek, whose mouth has now fallen agape.

Meredith: Did you feel that?

Derek looks down at her with tears trailing down his eyes.

Derek: That...wow...I...

Meredith giggles as she leans her body into Derek's. This is perfect. Everything is perfect. She couldn't ask for a better life. She couldn't ask for better children. She couldn't ask for a better husband.

Through all of the adversity that came their way, Meredith and Derek finally found each other and allowed their souls to mate and become one. Through everything they persisted and excelled and now both are the happiest they have ever been and the happiest they could ever be.

The elevator doors open to reveal the framed picture of the perfect family. The husband holding his infant son, his hand on his wife's growing belly. The wife holding her infant daughter as she leans into her husband. Love is evident even to the outside observer.

Derek moves his hand to Meredith's lower back as he guides her out of the elevator and to Meredith's doctor's appointment. Derek and Meredith are about to meet the next addition to their little for the first time and this time, this time they are doing everything together. Derek has already begun to wait on her hand and foot, eager to fulfill every craving and every wish of his wife.

In the end, they both upheld their promises that they made to each other on that perfect Christmas. Derek has made Meredith a part of his family while also giving her one of her own and Meredith has given Derek forever and is giving him the opportunity to experience her pregnancy along side her when he missed it once before. Neither could ask for anything more as they wait patiently for the doctor. Neither could ask for anything more because this ending is only their beginning. They have forever to write sidelines and plots. They have forever to fight and make up. They have forever to fall asleep and wake up. They have forever to kiss each other and to make love. They have forever to love each other. They have forever together as their happily-ever-after is not an ending, but a constant work in progress. Their happily-ever-after is everyday and they are only just beginning a new chapter in a love story that promises to be epic.