Say when

48

Derek spent all day having a hard time paying attention in class, he had butterflies in his stomach and kept looking at his watch waiting for his classes to be over.. as soon as his last class finished he hurried home, walking the 7 blocks leaving Meredith the car so that she wouldn't have to walk when she got out of her class that night..

He took the bus down to the docks and saw Mark waiting for him in front of the small shopping area of the side walk and frowned as he approached him seeing him in a pair of khaki slacks, a white button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up and doc martens on his feet sporting a pair of slick sun glasses as well..

"I thought I said casual." Derek frowned as he stopped in front of him..

Mark turned his attention looking Derek up and down mirroring his own expression seeing Derek in a pair of dark jeans, work boots, a thermal under a plaid flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and a ball cap over his mess raven locks..

"Yeah, but I didn't think you meant dress like the Brawny man." He copped back.. Derek just pressed his lips together and rolled his eyes "So what are we doing here anyways?"

"Well." Derek grins "I'll show you."

He motions for Mark to follow him as he walks up the side walk a ways and stops in front of a well known jewelry shop.. he stops in front of the window and points at one of the items in the window and Mark raises his brow..

"So am I helping you knock over a jewelry store because you should have warned me, I would have at least brought along a ski mask." Mark groaned out.. Derek smacks his arm and shakes his head..

"No, dumbass." He groans before a smile spills onto his lips "I'm going to ask Meredith to marry me."

"Wow." Mark says with a raised expression and a smile crosses his lips "Congrats.. but what's this have to do with me being here and you looking like the poster boy for paper towels?" Derek shakes his head and starts walking back towards the docks..

"I told Meredith that I am studying with you so she wouldn't know what I'm really doing.. but if you want, you can go.. just don't go home.. maybe get a manicure to polish off your metro-sexual look.."

"Wait a sec.. what are you really doing?" he asks curiously brushing off his remark as Derek makes his way down the docs towards the fishery.

"Working." He says with a sigh as he grabs a rubber apron and a shovel "I took a part time job shoveling fish guts off the docks for the extra money, next month is our birthday and by then I'll have enough money for the ring."

Mark turns up his nose at the disgusting smell as Derek starts shoveling the crap off the dock and into a garbage can and looks at Derek with a frown..

"Derek.. why don't you just let me loan you the money man.. You can pay me back whenever you can and then you wont have to worry about showering 5 times before you get home at night."

"Thanks." Derek says with an unamused glance "I appreciate the offer but my point of spending my multi million dollar trust fund on med school and living expenses for 4 years for Meredith and I was so that we can start our new life debt free, and even though its only a month's salary shoveling fish guts.. its still a month's salary shoveling fish guts."

"Right." Mark says looking at him like he was out of his mind "Well why don't I just give you the money.. its no shirt off my back."

Derek stopped shoveling and leaned against it as he let out a sigh and looked at Mark with a distant smile in his eyes..

"Because.. when I see that ring on her finger, and her eyes sparkle when she looks at it.. I want to know that I alone put it there."

"Derek." Mark says with a heavy sigh shaking his head "You are without a doubt the most stubborn man I know... but also the man I respect the most."

Derek let out a smirk as he continued on with his work.. he noticed out of the corner of his eye Mark pick up an apron and a shovel and turn starting to help him and stopped with a frown on his face..

"What are you doing?"

"Hey if you're going to include me in a lie I at least want some truth to it.. and hey if I help you work it'll get done quicker and you don't have to worry your wife to-be wont get all suspicious about there being another woman."

"Mark." He says shaking his head "You don't have to."

"I want to."

"Really.. a plastic surgeon shoveling fish guts, that's a new one.."

"So is a man turning down free money for earning it shoveling fish guts." Mark retorted.. they both shook their heads with laughter...

"Can you keep a secret?"

"Well you know we cant tell Addison.. I mean I love the woman but she cant keep a secret worth a damn.. I'll just tell her I'm helping you study.. keep them on the same page."

"You know we're going to have to do our own laundry too right.. or they'll really start to think something is fishy."

They both laugh before getting back to work but both with a smile on their face.. Derek's beaming.