It Came Upon A Midnight Clear

11.

The trip to the ice skating rink was in silence. It was a comfortable silence, but silent nonetheless. They followed the troupe of Shepherds down the long driveway and through the streets of Christmas lights and lightly fallen snow. She wiggled her fingers lightly in his grasp, feeling his warm hand grasp hers tighter, assuring that his grip was solid. She watched out the windshield, totally aware that his gaze kept shifting to her beside him, to their hands, and then back to the road.

He smiled softly as they pulled into the parking lot of the outdoor rink, the ice was less than busy with a few Christmas day skaters, only to be multiplied by the number as the Shepherd clan pulled in. Everyone had their own skates and mothers and fathers both helped to secure the skates and help their wobbly children to the ice as Derek and Meredith sat silently in the car looking out at them all.

"I don't know how to skate." She whispered.

"Neither do I." Derek said, glancing to her with a small smile.

"You know how to skate... don't give me that..." She said, giving him a sideways glance.

"Okay... I... may be able to skate... but I said I couldn't so that you wouldn't feel bad." He smiled as he watched her shake her head. "What?" He asked with a humored smile as she watched him.

"You don't have to try to impress me..." She said with a tiny giggle.

"Meredith... I do believe that you have made me blush." Derek laughed as he touched his face.

"Just get out of the stupid car and help me figure out how to make a total ass out of myself in front of your family..." She shook her head and laughed as she opened the door and climbed out.

"Okay..." He laughed, unbuckling his seatbelt and climbing out of the car himself.

He walked around the car and followed her as she walked towards the rink. Some of the Shepherd children were already out on the ice, showing off their ice skating skills as they skated in circles, and around the beautiful outdoor rink. Meredith walked to the edge and leaned slightly on the Plexiglas walls as she watched the children skate expertly around the rink. She looked up at the Christmas tree, standing high and bright at the other end of the rink, looming delicately over the brightly lit ice. "You come here every Christmas?" Meredith asked, watching as Derek walked up along side her, leaning against the wall as well.

"Every Christmas that I've been home." He said softly, chuckling as one of his nephews slid onto his butt on the ice, laughing as his sister helped him stand back up again.

"So you're pretty good at ice skating...?" She asked suspiciously.

"I'm alright..." he shrugged, watching as her eyes met his mischievous gaze.

"You're being modest..." She smirked. "You're being modest and it's killing me... did you take ice ballet or something?" She asked, laughing out loud at the disgusted look on his face, followed by a grin.

"Hockey..." He said, sticking his tongue out at her. "I played ice hockey..." He shook his head. "Ice ballet..." He mumbled in a disapproving tone as he chuckled. "Let's get you some skates..." He said as he reached for her hand.

She looked up into his eyes for a moment and down at his hand again. Her eyes lifted to his and she giggled a little as she reached for his hand, letting her hand become tightened in his grip. "How did you get to be so charming?" She asked softly as she tilted her head and smiled softly.

"I learned at an early age that a way to a woman's heart is through laughter and politeness." He replied as he led her towards the building where the rental skates were stored.

"Wait... wait..." She said, tugging back on his hand, turning him around to face her for a moment. "If that's true... then why aren't you already snatched up? If you have already figured out the way to a woman's heart, why aren't you taken already?"

"Because I had never found anyone who had a laugh that I couldn't live without... a smile that could just... warm the coldest heart... a giggle that could send shivers down my spine." He replied, tugging her hand. "Now are we going to go get those stupid skates, or do I have to throw you over my shoulder again?" He asked with a smile.

"Lead the way, Igor..." She laughed, watching his eyes sparkle happily as they walked towards the building together.

🎄🎄🎄

"Alright..." Derek said as he looked up at her sitting on the bench as he knelt before her. "I'm going to tie these really tight... just let me know if it's too tight, alright?" he said as he watched her nod her head as he expertly laced up the boot of the ice skate. "You want to make sure your ankles are secure and safe..."

"So when I fall on my butt, they don't snap like twigs..." She replied, watching him give her a sly smile and shake his head.

"You're not going to fall... you're going to do fine..." He smiled. "The little ones can skate, you'll be able to skate too..." He replied.

"Oh... so... that's supposed to make me feel better... the children that are much younger than you have more experience, so they're not going to be falling... it's the big klutz on the ice we're going to have to worry about."

"Oh hush... You're not big..." He laughed at her faux shocked look as he grabbed hold of her other foot. "You have very cute feet, by the way." He said as he slid the other skate on her foot. He looked up at her with a sly grin and watched her cheeks turn crimson. "What?" He asked, shaking his head. "You do..." He shrugged as he tied up the other boot tightly.

"Derek Shepherd..." Meredith said with a smile. "I do believe that you're flirting with me." She grinned, watching as his face turned crimson as well.

"Be that as it may..." He said with a sly grin as he stood up before her, holding his hand out to her. "I only speak the truth... and your feet... my dear... may not be the only cute thing about you."

She shook her hand and laughed, grasping his hand as she stood up on the ice skates, a bit wobbly at first. "If you don't stop it with the sweetness, I may sink into the sugar that you've poured onto the floor..." She giggled as he held her tightly in his embrace, walking expertly on his own skates.

"Tight enough?" He asked, glancing into her eyes as he stopped them.

"Your grip on me is just fine... thank you." She laughed.

"I meant the skates." He replied, turning to face her as he ignored the snickers and looks from his family as the exited the building and were making their way towards the ice.

"I know what you meant." She giggled, looking up into his eyes.

"Where are your mittens?" He asked.

"Right here." She said, pulling her mittens from her pockets. She showed them to him and grinned like a little girl.

"Well, a lot of good they're doing in your pockets..." He said, snatching them from her grip, he gave her a wide eyed expression as he held the first one open for her hand. She slid her hand in slowly, her eyes never leaving his as her fingertips entered the warm confines of the mitten. "There... fits like a glove..." he said with a little sparkle in his eye as she smiled at him, sliding her other hand into the warmth of the other mitten.

"Alright..." She said as she smiled softly, averting her gaze for a moment. "I think I'm ready..." She said, glancing around him to see all of the children skating expertly around the ice, some of the littler ones with their parents helping them along as Derek's mother sat beside the rink with a cup of hot cocoa, her eyes glancing now and then to her son and his new friend.

"You think you're ready... you have to be sure you're ready..." He laughed.

"Don't pressure me Derek... I'm not so sure that I know what I've gotten myself into just yet..." She said, smiling sweetly at him as he wrapped his arms around her once again and helped her towards the ice.