MerDer: Make Your Heart Feel

Extraordinary Together.

25 weeks.

Meredith's POV:

I feel his eyes on me as I stand in front of our bathroom mirror curling iron in hand. I curl the hair around the barrel meticulously needing each wave to look perfect. Unease dances throughout my body and I am regretting the French toast I consumed during this morning's breakfast. He must sense my jitters as he steps nearer to me resting his hands on my hips and pressing his lips to the left side of my head.

I am enveloped in the wonderfully distinctive smell of his cologne and the coffee that he had been sipping on just moments prior. These past two weeks have been rocky, my insecurity over the kiss, and the stress over writing my valedictorian speech has not made me the easiest person to be around. Derek has been so patient and so wonderfully sweet to me, even though I very well know that I am undeserving.

"You are going to do wonderful Mer" he whispers reassuringly his fingertips softly stroking my sides, "I am so proud of you"

His words strike a chord with me and I curse these stupid pregnancy hormones for making me overly emotional. I set my curling iron down turning in his arms and burring my face into his dress shirt clad chest. He encircles me with his arms rubbing my back gently. After a much-needed embrace I pull my head from off his chest leaning up on my tip toes to kiss him.

"Thank you, but you are distracting me" I smirk shooting him a wink.

"You know you don't need to do all this, you are naturally stunning" He compliments, releasing me from his arms and allowing me to turn back towards the mirror.

"I am about to get one stage in front of hundreds of people, I need to look impeccable" I reply, the nerves once again prickling my skin.

"Is your mom coming?" he asks causing me to stop dead in my tracks.

I sigh setting down my curling iron once again as I try and think of something to say, "No she isn't coming".

"What kind of mother doesn't come watch their daughter graduate" he mutters shaking his head disdainfully.

"The kind who can't even remember what day it is let alone recognize her own daughter" I whisper looking at him over my shoulder sadly, "My mom has early onset Alzheimer's"

"Mer..." he sighs compassionately using the hand currently on my waist to turn me back around, "Why didn't you tell me."

"This is going to sound so silly, but when she was still lucid she asked me not too. I didn't mean to keep it from you. I don't want to ever keep anything from you" I apologize, trying to keep the tears out of my eyes and just focus my attention on the way his hand caresses my lower back.

"I understand Mer, I just want you to know that you can tell me anything, and I am sorry that she won't be there today" He softly soothes me with his words and gentle touch.

"I am not sure she would have come anyways," I chuckle, "But at least I will have you"

"I am always going to be here, this is forever" he smiles at me cornily.

"And if I get Alzheimer's and forget you?" I challenge, my tone is joking but my voice shakes slightly out of genuine fear of the future.

"I will remind you who I am everyday" he reassures me his blue eyes shining.

The happiness his words bring about in me set my heart jumping and Laela kicking. I take his hand a place on my stomach, I know how much he loves feeling her kick. We stay like this for a while before finally parting ways so that we can get finished getting ready. I take one last look in the mirror after pulling on my gown and can't help but smile at how obviously pregnant I look. I guess the whole world is about to find out my secret. But after today, I have come to the realization that while secrets can protect us, some secrets are meant to be shared.