(Shattered...) Dreams Fulfilled

My Surprise??

The early morning rays of sun shone through the bedroom window, their reflection gently warming the bodies of the two lovers sleeping. Today, unlike so many other recent mornings spent apart and longing for each other's embrace, the rising sun brought hope of a future together.

Derek was the first to wake and marveled at the simple pleasure of watching her sleep.
It had been so long since they had spent the night together, and he treasured the moment.

She was sleeping soundly and he decided not to wake her, and went to shower. She still had all his things in her bathroom, and it gave him a sense of comfort, reassurance that she hadn't discarded it all of it.

He joined her in bed a bit later, and pulled her close in his embrace. "Meredith," he murmured as he kissed her lips softly, "good morning...it's time to wake up."

"Still tired...more sleep..." she mumbled.

"You're going to be late if you don't get up."

"Don't care....sleep...need sleep..."

"What if I give you an incentive..." he said, as he kissed her again softly, and smiled when she moaned and instinctively gave in to the pressure of his lips.

"Uhmm...can't we just stay in bed," she whispered.

"We could..." he told her, deepening their kiss...and she instantly became alert.

"What...what are you doing?"

"You need me to explain," he teased.

"No...I mean...you're here...and it's late..."

"Yes..."

'It's late... and you're kissing me...and we can't...have to get up...Derek the sun's up...it's got to be close to 7 and I'm going to be so late."

"Relax," he said kissing her softly again, "you have plenty of time."

She kissed him back, "you're much nicer to wake up to than the shrill of the alarm clock"

"So are you."

"I'm glad you were here last night...and now..."

"Want to show me how glad..." he asked raising his eyebrow ever so slightly.

She kissed him softly, and laughed, "I'm not giving in to you that easily."

"Uhmmm...you say that now..." both laughed as he continued to lavish her with kisses, and playful caresses.

Both were surprised to hear a knock on the door and Meredith responded, "come in."

Lexie walked in and stopped, as she saw her sister and Derek in each others arms.

"Oh...I'm...sorry...I...it was late... and Mer... you have to be at the hospital...and I thought you overslept... sorry...Derek...sorry, you're up... so... oh... I mean...you're not sleeping...ok... I'm leaving..."

Meredith and Derek both burst out laughing, and he said, "Lexie, you actually knock."

"I told her the same thing."

"Yes...I knock...thank God!"

"It's ok Lex...thanks for coming to wake me."

"Doesn't look like you needed any waking up Mer," she winked, "there's coffee already made, if you'd like, I've got to head out."

"That's a welcome change, someone who knocks instead of just barging in."

"We could always lock the door...as she pointed out to me the other night."

"Come on, don't be lazy...get up..." he said giving her one last kiss.

"You shaved...and showered..."

"And brushed my teeth...needed to make sure I started off on the right foot."

"I'd say you definitely started off on the right foot last night."

"I'll go fix something for breakfast, hurry up."

"No muesli...please."

They were soon on their way to the hospital and arrived within minutes of one another, parking a few spaces apart. He walked over and opened her door, and they walked hand in hand through the front entrance of the hospital.

Their grand entrance, as some would comment, gave rise to the buzz that on day four, McDreamy was undoubtedly on his way back.

Waiting for the elevator and still lost in a world of their own, they're unaware of the curious glances from several directions.

"Grey, Shep... certainly looks like you had a good night."

"Mark," Derek said in warning, as they entered the elevator.

"Dr. Sloan, good morning."

"Grey, when are you going to get past that Dr. Sloan crap ...being co-founder of our club...entitles you to call me Mark."

She looked at Derek and rolled her eyes, and noticed a hint of annoyance, and she knew it was due to Mark's flirtatiousness. All three got off the surgical floor and walked to the nurse's station.

"Good morning Doctors."

"Good morning," each of them acknowledges with some form of greeting.

"Where's the rest of the FAB4...?"

"Dr. Sloan, what's the FAB4?"

"Amy...the fabulous 4 nurses...Steph, Lisette, Tracy and you."

"Dr. Sloan... that's really really bad...the Fab4..."

"Steph...that's how I think of you...4 fabulous nurses..." he winked, "that still like me," he said eliciting a laugh from them.

Meredith and Derek ignored the exchange taking place, and concentrated on each other.

"I've got to run. I'm going to be late."

"I'll see you later, maybe a late lunch?"

"Let me see how the day goes, but tonight...will... will you come over again..." she said with slight hesitation in her voice.

"Yes...but I'm planning on seeing you during the day."

"Ok."

"Run along, don't be late..." he said and kissed her.

"I'll ...see you...have a good day Derek."

"You too," he said as he continued to watch her walk away.

"Shep, what the hell was that about?"

"What are you talking about Mark?"

"You and Grey...shit, what was that 4 days? Stevens was right."

"What was she right about?"

"That you and Dr. Grey would be back together within six days, well that McDreamy would be back in six days."

"Really? Lisette, six days?"

"Don't let it go to your head Shep...ladies, don't worry, it's a work in progress. McDreamy's not back yet."

"What makes you the expert...what make you think we're not?"

"It's the look Shep... gives you away."

"The look...?"

"Yep... the I can't wait for sex look."

"Mark!"

"What, man...they know what sex's about...and they're keeping track of the betting pool."

"You're pathetic..."

"No, just having more fun...and look the rest of the fab 4 is here"

"Fab4?" echoed Tracy and Lisette.

"Don't ask...McSteamy is not in top shape this morning," Amy chuckled.

Derek ignored him and spoke to the 'fab 4' "Ladies, I need your help, and Mark, keep your mouth shut."

"I'm wounded Shep... is that any way to talk to your best friend..."

"There's a package that will arrive by 10:30 this morning, via Fed Ex from France. It's addressed to Meredith, and will be delivered at this desk, and I just want to make sure I'm here when she gets it."

"Of course Dr. Shepherd, what would you like us to do?"

"Amy, when it's delivered if one of you could page me, and then page her, and kind of stall giving it to her till I get here."

"That is lovely gesture, you've got her a gift."

"Yes Tracy, and I hope she's going to like it."

"McDreamy is being brought to his knees...this is going to be fun to watch."

"Mark, don't you have anything else to do, fix someone's nose or something... so you can keep your nose out of this."

"I'm not going to take offense, Shep...I'm just going to sit back and watch your attempts to regain your status, " he laughed as he walked away, and pulled Tracy aside. "I had a nice time last night, would you like to go out to dinner tonight?"

"I'd like that...I had a good time as well...no sense telling Amy you were in top shape last night," she teased.

"Nope... no sense at all," he winked.

Derek drove the nurses crazy as he checked at least three times that morning to see if the package had arrived, and when it hadn't by the promised time, got on the phone with Fed Ex to trace it, was told it was delayed but would be delivered before five.

Meredith had been in surgery most of the day and was just scrubbing out when she got a page to the nurse's station, and was not too pleased. It was likely some screw up by her interns, and after the day she'd had, had no desire to deal with incompetence. She was also not too happy she had not been able to join Derek for lunch, it was already close to three o'clock and she was starving, which did not do anything to help her mood.


She was tired and grouchy, and in spite of getting a good night's sleep the night before, she was exhausted. She smiled at the memory of waking up to Derek's kisses, and her mood improved slightly by the time she approached the nurse's station.

"Hi Tracy, I was paged," she greeted, bracing herself for what could have gone wrong.

"Yes, Dr. Grey, there was a package delivered for you."

"Oh... I wasn't expecting anything."

"Well, we're all dying of curiosity...it was delivered by Fed Ex a little while ago."

"Ok, I'll take it."

"Let me get it, " she said, and came back with a fairly big package that had international Fed Ex labels in various spots, as well as accompanied by a couple of other nurses, that just seemed to be hanging around.

"This is strange, I haven't ordered anything," she said, and was not attempting to open it.

"Dr. Grey, aren't you going to open it, we're dying of curiosity."

"I should have known," she laughed, "the reason all of you are suddenly here."

"Dr. Grey, not too many of these are delivered here."

"Steph, do you have a pair of scissors..." she asked without noticing Derek was walking toward her.

"Hey, how was your day?"

She was startled by his presence, "Derek...oh...ok...no...actually awful... but ...looks like I have a surprise..."she paused, and looked at him smiling.

"It looks like you do...are you going to open it?"

"Derek...it's ...it's my surprise...what you...you...got me?"

"Open it and find out..."

"It's from Provence...you ordered something from France."

"Unless it's from one of your secret admirers....yes...something from France."

"Oh...that was so sweet," she said, and felt herself getting all teary eyed.

"Meredith...open it..."

"Yes, Dr. Grey..." she heard one of the nurses stay. "Oh.. sorry..."

She took the scissors and sliced the tape, and when she opened the box and looked at the content, they heard a small gasp, as she looked up to meet his gaze.

"It's... beautiful...you...you....took...the time..." she said, and felt a tear slide down her cheek.

"Hey," he said and reached out to wipe the tear from her face. "It's just something I thought you'd like, not a big deal."

"Thank you," she said quietly, but he heard the catch in her voice.

"Aren't you going to look at the rest...?"

"There's more?"

"Yeah..."

She looked inside the box again and took out the item on top, and delicately laid it on the counter. "It's lovely."

"Well, I noticed you had one of those and thought you'd like this...maybe for your room"

"It's beautiful...and yes...for my bedroom," she said as she looked at the small label '14" Pure indigo blue French lavender' that also included the name of the shop in Provence.

"How did you find it...and get it here...?"

"My internet research..."

"Oh..." she noticed the nurses watching.... "ladies, you can look, Dr. Shepherd knows I love lavender..."

"Dr. Grey, it's a beautiful wreath...and it smells wonderful."

"Yes, Amy, it is...it does..."

"You know, Dr. Grey, the lavender scent on the wreath will last for years, my husband and I were in France for a second honeymoon, and I still have some of what I brought back...and two years later...the scent is still intact."

"Lisette, I didn't know you were married."

"We have a four year old daughter as well."

"Are you going to see if you like the rest of it?" Derek asked impatiently and a little nervous, he so hoped she would like her gift.

She looked inside the box and saw a variety of products; candles, bath gel, essential and massage oils, lavender water and white linen sachets she picked up and gently traced her fingers over the embroidered bouquet of lavender.

Meredith looked up at Derek smiling, but he saw a glimpse of tears, before she closed the distance between them, and raising herself on the tip of her toes placed both arms around his neck gathering him close in an embrace and he immediately wrapped his arms around her and held her tight.

The four nurses watched her reaction and looked at each other and smiled. McDreamy was most definitely regaining his status, and this was a bet, they would all be happy to lose. They couldn't wait to spread the good news on the Grey-Shepherd relationship, and they knew Dr. Shepherd would not mind.