Merder: Different Circumstances

Chapter Forty Three

With less than 24 hours until their official wedding, Meredith, Derek and Ashley had snuck away from the chaos their families were enduring upon them for their much more private exchange of vows. Although Ashley wanted to set up all sorts of flower paths and candles, Meredith had one simple request of a picnic for the three of them, and so she found herself placing the last of the food on the blanket when her father came through the clearing of trees.

It was the one part of their land that hadn't undergone construction in the past year, and Meredith was adamant to keep it that way. They had originally wanted to get married in the same spot that Derek proposed, but as the size of the wedding grew, thanks to Derek's family, it would no longer accommodate everyone, and secretly they were happy to keep it as their own hidden area.

Even though it wasn't a proper ceremony, Ashley insisted that her father and Meredith didn't see each other before they exchanged their supposed vows. This meant that a couple of minutes after Derek's come through the clearing, Meredith followed in a shorter white dress which fluttered in the wind just above her knees. A small squeal escaped Ashley and Derek smiled to himself, not just at his fiancée but also the bond she had developed with his daughter.

"Okay, I know this isn't your actual wedding and I have no right to actually marry the two of you, Aunt Amy told me to look on the internet but it looked too confusing." Ashley admitted. "But you both told me, without the other realising, that you have got each other a wedding gift to give the other after your supposed vows, so we'll act like they're rings."

"I though we promised no gifts?!"

"It's not just me that lied, you got me a gift as well."

"Well of course I had to get you a gift, it's tradition for the groom to do so."

"I wanted to get you this gift so you could wear it tomorrow, I don't care about tradition."

Ashley coughed slightly to regain their attention as the two of them started to bicker about whether or not the other should have got them a gift.

"You're not starting this marriage bickering, just both of you thank the other. Now Dad, you can go first."

"Meredith, when I first met you I wasn't ready to trust someone again, to let myself and Ash be hurt by another person..." Derek began his vows.

Ashley watched from beside them as her father took Meredith's hand into his and lost himself in her eyes. Although at first she was hesitant about her father dating, looking at the two of them now Ashley knew there was no one a better fit for her father than Meredith. As much as she had once wanted a conventional family, she could no longer imagine a life without Meredith.

"Dad, that was, wow." Ashley comments after he finishes his vows, knowing Meredith would need a moment to compile herself as a few tears trailed down her cheeks. "Mer, when you're ready you can go."

"Derek you know I love you, but Ashley's getting my attention first." Meredith started, getting a chuckle off the both of them. "Ashley, when your father first told me about you I never would have been able to imagine you as such a beautiful, lovely and mature young lady. You are incredible and I am so grateful that you have allowed me into your life and to marry your dad, even if sometimes he is a pain in both of our asses. I love you and I cannot wait to legally become your step-mum. This is a little something that I want you to wear tomorrow."