The Shepherd Legacy

Camping

Requested by  @sunshineeyesss 

In the dim light of the early Seattle morning, the Shepherd household was unusually lively for such an ungodly hour. The city was still asleep, its streets quiet and serene, yet within the walls of the sprawling home, chaos was about to ensue, courtesy of one Derek Shepherd. Known for his remarkable skill in the operating room, Derek was equally renowned for his ability to stir his family into action, regardless of the time of day. Today, he had set his sights on an adventure that was far removed from the sterile corridors of Seattle Grace Hospital: a camping trip with his siblings.

First on his agenda was waking Mary, his youngest sister and a prodigious second-year resident at the same hospital where he and their brother, Mark, had made their marks. Mary, at nineteen, was not only brilliant but also fiercely independent, a trait that Derek admired even as it tested his patience. As he barged into her room, he made no effort to be quiet, flipping on the lights and announcing the day's plans with a volume that could rival a marching band.

"Rise and shine, Mary! The great outdoors awaits!" Derek's voice boomed across the room, filled with an enthusiasm that was met with an immediate and less-than-enthusiastic response.

Mary, buried under her blankets, let out a string of curses that would have made a sailor blush. "Derek, it's 5 a.m.," she groaned, her voice muffled by the pillow she had pulled over her head in a futile attempt to block out the light and noise. "What the hell?"

Derek laughed, a rich, hearty sound that did nothing to soothe Mary's irritation. "Camping waits for no one, especially not the sun. Let's move it, little sis!"

In response, Mary grabbed a pillow and hurled it in his direction, a move that Derek anticipated and dodged with ease. He caught the pillow and tossed it back onto the bed, his grin widening. "Five minutes, Mary. If you're not up, I'm coming back with a bucket of water. And you know I'll do it."

Her reply was a defiant middle finger, peeking out from under the mountain of blankets as she buried herself deeper, hoping to ignore the inevitable.

Undeterred, Derek made his way to Mark's room, ready to face his next challenge. Mark Sloan-Shepherd, despite not sharing blood with Derek and Mary, was family in every sense of the word. Raised by Carolyn Shepherd alongside Derek, Mark had been an integral part of the Shepherd household for as long as anyone could remember. His relationship with Derek was complex, marked by brotherly love and rivalry in equal measure.

Barging into Mark's room with the same lack of subtlety he had shown with Mary, Derek announced, "Wakey, wakey, Mark! Nature is calling, and you're about to answer."

Mark, sprawled across his bed and tangled in sheets, groaned loudly, one arm flinging out to shield his eyes from the light. "For God's sake, Derek, it's the crack of dawn. What's wrong with you?"

Derek's laughter filled the room again, a sound that seemed to echo off the walls. "We're going on an adventure, remember? You, me, and Mary. It's going to be epic."

"Epic is sleeping in on my day off, not traipsing around in the woods," Mark shot back, his voice thick with sleep but sharpened with annoyance. He reached for a nearby pillow, throwing it with surprising accuracy given his groggy state. Derek caught it with a smirk, throwing it back onto the bed.

"Five minutes, or I'm sending Mary in with the water," Derek threatened, knowing full well that the mere idea of being woken up by their youngest sister wielding a bucket of water would spur Mark into action.

As Derek left Mark's room, the house was filled with the sounds of reluctant movement. Within minutes, both Mark and Mary emerged from their rooms, dressed in outdoor gear and looking as if they'd much rather be anywhere else. Derek, already dressed and practically vibrating with excitement, clapped his hands together.