(Shattered...) Dreams Fulfilled

Not you too...

The house was strangely quiet when Meredith and Derek walked in and headed for the kitchen, both craving the early morning caffeine fix.

"Let me make coffee, I know you have to get going pretty soon."

"I have time, don't really need to be at the hospital before nine," Derek told her while sitting on the stool at the kitchen island.

"Someone's still home, there's a fresh pot brewing," she said and went to stand in front of him, "I guess we have a little time...to play."

"Are you purposely trying to drive me crazy..." he teased her.

"Not purposely," she giggled. "I've missed us."

"Uhmm..."

"Derek...you know what that does to me..."

"Hoping you haven't forgotten," he said as he drew her close to embrace her and kissed the top of her head.

"I haven't forgotten anything about how you make me feel," she told him, as she lightly and teasingly nipped his bottom lip.

"How can you miss us," he murmured "we've been spending a lot of time together...the last few days, and this morning..."

"I miss how things were...at the beginning...no dark and twisty...you were here for a week, without even realizing it...waking up with you every morning."

"We'll get all of that back...it's coming back..."

"Yeah...it is..." she said, placing both hands on the sides of his face and leaning in to kiss him. "It's just beginning."

"What are you doing today?"

"First, I'm going to take a nice hot shower and get a couple hours sleep, and then go with Lexie and see the apartment ...and I was planning on going to your place...well...that is...I mean...if you don't mind...that I'm there early...cause I wanted to..."

"Hey," he silenced her with a kiss, "you have your key...you know that's not a problem...I like the idea of you at my place...but I had thought I'd pick you up on the way home...and you can stay the night."

"Well...I figured that I'd go early...and...well, I wanted to have dinner ready for you when you got there..."

"Meredith, you don't have to do that...I've already made plans..."

"Coward," she said and punched him playfully.

"WHAT!"

"I'm not doing the cooking, you jerk, I was just planning on picking something up."

Meredith, you have to admit...your cooking skills...aren't exactly..."

"I make up for that in lots of different ways..."

"You most certainly do..." he said as he brought his mouth to hers and captured her lips in a lingering kiss that left them both breathless.

"Remember that..." she whispered.

"How can I ever forget," he murmured against her lips as they found themselves lost in each other again, and oblivious to the distant sound of a cell phone ring.

"Molly, I'm not going to totally desert him, I have been keeping an eye on him," Lexie was saying as she walked in to the kitchen, "of course I'm not...oh... no...sorry."

Meredith and Derek pulled apart at the sound of an intruding voice.

"Sorry...I'll go, I didn't ...realize..."

"Don't go, Derek has to leave soon anyway, he needs to be at the hospital by nine."

"Molly, I'll call you later...yes, after I see Dad...no, I won't forget...yes, I know...I'll call you, give Laura a kiss for me."

"Coffee Lex?" Meredith commented after she handed Derek a cup.

"Sorry guys, I didn't know you were here yet, in fact...I made coffee and was leaving it for you...figuring you'd be here soon... but I was getting ready to leave..."

"Lex, it's early...no rambling...coffee or not?"

"Yes, please."

Derek witnessed the exchange and smiled at the easy camaraderie that was developing between them, they were good for each other.

"Derek, what are you smiling at?"

"My future sister in law," he said chuckling.

"That would certainly imply you'll have a wife," Meredith challenged.

"Absolutely no doubt in my mind."

"You may want to ask her...you know...she may not want to be your wife."

"She thinks that now..." he teased, and wrapped his arms around her, laying his hand gently on her stomach imagining what it would be like if she did turn out to be pregnant.

Meredith giggled and whispered, "she actually has no doubts...that she wants to be your wife, she just needs a bit more time to be ready."

"As I said earlier...you have the absolute worst timing to say certain things."

"It's actually perfect timing..."

"You think"

"I know so..."

"And why is that," he said, both totally oblivious to the fact that Lexie had been in the kitchen with them or that she had discreetly exited after the perfect timing comment.

"Because," she said, as she turned around to face him and wrapped her arms around his waist drawing him close to her, "I don't want you to go off to work with any doubts in your mind...that you're mine."

"You are an evil woman...who's going to pay for all her teasing manners..."

"But you love me."

"I adore you."

"Derek..."

"Uhmmm...."

"I'm going to love payback..."

"Not as much as I am..." he teased.

They stood enjoying being in each other's arms, forgetting anything else but the simple moments of pleasure.

They heard an intruding voice, "Derek, I'm sorry...but...I think you may want to know it's past eight thirty."

"What, it can't be that late."

"I didn't want to disturb you...but..."

"No, it's ok, I do need to be at the hospital by nine."

"Lexie, where did you disappear to," she asked.

"I had some calls to make."

"You didn't have to leave on our account," Derek commented.

"Of course not, but I figured it was better to leave you two alone and let you keep trying to convince Mer to be your wife," she smiled at him.

"Hello, I'm still here."

"We know," they both said simultaneously, as she rolled her eyes and walked out of the kitchen.

"Derek, I'll be right back."

"Lexie," he said, "would you mind, keeping an eye on her today."

"Is something wrong...I mean, she seems ok...but...what to you think..." he interrupted her as he heard Meredith walking back.

"I'm not sure, but she had a dizzy spell this morning, and I'm worried about her."

"Where did you go?" he asked when she came in to the kitchen.

"Wanted to make sure I had my key."

"I have to go. I'll see you around six."

"Ok...have a good day," she told him and kissed him goodbye.

"Bye Xena."

"Bye Derek."

"Derek...thanks again, for the grilled cheese, it was a wonderful breakfast."

"Anytime," he said smiling at her from the door.

"Lexie, where's everyone?"

"Alex and Izzie had early shifts, and George told me he was going over to his Mom's and tell her about the new apartment and just spend some time with her...with the move he wont have another day off for a while."

"Are we still going to see your apartment?"

"Yes... that would be great, I wasn't sure if you were ...if you still wanted to go..."

"I want to get a few hours sleep, but thought we could go after that."

"That's perfect...I'm going to go and take care of some things ...and then I can stopb by for you and we can go."

"Lex, do you have a few minutes now...that we can talk?"

"Of course..."

"Come on, I'm tired, and want to put my feet up," she said leading the way to the couch.

"Mer, is everything ok?"

"Yes, I just want...want to talk to you...earlier...when you were on the phone, with Molly."

"She told me to say hello to you..."

"I haven't forgotten Lexie, the three of us will get together, let her know."

"She'll be happy Meredith...to have the chance to know you."

"Lexie, you mentioned...well, I couldn't help it.. not that I wanted to eavesdrop, but...when you were talking...you said something about my...about Thatcher..."

"I'm going to go over there today...and it will probably get ugly...but she doesn't see it... she's not here..."

"Would you like me to go with you?"

"Oh...oh...no, I don't...I can't...can't put you in that...situation."

"You're not, Lexie, I'm offering to go with you."

"No, you...no, you don't understand... Meredith, he gets...no, I don't want you to go."

"And what if I insist."

"No, he gets nasty, Meredith...so nasty, and you don't have to... you shouldn't have to..." she said while tears pooled in her eyes threatening to spill.

Meredith reached out for her hand. "You don't have to do this alone...not anymore."

"Oh...Meredith," she said while giving up any attempt to hide her tears, and looked at her sister and found she too had tears in her eyes, "it's so nasty, when he's drunk, I just...just don't want you to see it...and you've been through enough lately, I rather you don't go."

"Are you ever going to let me be the older sister..." she questioned, and at that moment both understood the bond that had so recently formed would last forever.

"Yes," she smiled, they both did through their tears, "but, you have to promise me, if he gets really nasty, you'll just go and wait outside in the car for me."

"We'll see."

"I'm not going with you otherwise."

"Fine. Now, tell me about this apartment," she said and listened to Lexie's details.

"It's really not the greatest Mer, so don't expect too much."

"Lex, are you happy with it? Because, it doesn't sound like it."

"It's ok...not great...but, it's ok."

"Then why don't you wait till you find something that you really like."

"Well, the price range is sort of an issue and we kind have to stick to George's budget."

"But, you have to live there too."

"It will be fine, really. It's fine."

"Oh no."

"What?"

"Please...of all the traits we share...don't pick up on the fine," Meredith told her and they both laughed.

"I'll be sure to remember that."

"Lexie, why do you have to be on such a tight budget...I mean, you told me, Thatcher wrote you a check for $20,000 dollars...can't you use that?"

"You remember that...Meredith...I'm sorry, for that day...I'm so sorry...for all I said.."

"Hey, it's over...I understand...I do."

"I didn't realize...really...I'm sorry."

"Lexie, it's over. Now, if you have that money, why don't you use it to help you with that?"

"It's not my money Mer, I couldn't take that from him, while he was drunk...and that money, really belongs to his daughters, not just me."

"Listen, I don't need or want that...so I'd rather you use it..."

"Meredith, it wasn't Mom's money...she left us, both Molly and I a small amount, but this is Dad's and he has three daughters."

"Look, I don't want it...I'm fine, I have this house, but you and Molly and Laura, that's yours."

"We're not going to argue about this...not now...ok."

"We'll talk about it again. Now, I'm tired and want to take a shower and get a few hours sleep, are you going to stick around or have things to do?"

"No, I'll stick around, since we'll go to Dad's and the apartment together."

"Ok then, " she said and started to get up from the couch when an all too familiar sensation of dizziness forced her to sit back down and laid her head back.

"Meredith, are you all right?"

"Yes, I'm fine...most have gotten up too fast, " she said as both sisters remained sitting next to each other for several minutes of silence.

"Mer, can I ask you something....but... I don't... want you to get upset..."

"That's really not the best way to approach something...warning me I'm going to be upset in advance...."

"I hope you won't be... but I've been thinking about it...and I think... I should... maybe just bring it up..."

"Lexie..."

"The other night...I was concerned about you...you didn't look well, and right now...this dizzy spell and you're really pale...well, maybe...maybe you should have..."

"What? I'm fine...I've just been exhausted and tired...and that's probably all it is."

"Meredith, could...could you be pregnant?"

"What? ...Are you serious? Not you too..."

"Me too...so I'm not the only one that's noticed..."

"Lexie! Are you trying to give me a heart attack ...I'm not pregnant...bite your tongue... why would you even think such a thing?"

"You said I'm not the only one who's thought about it..."

"Well, I'm not... and I can't imagine why you think that."

"It's not such a long shot... you and Derek...look you know what... I'm sorry, it's none of my business.''

"No, Lexie, it's ok... I don't mind that you ask... really, it's just funny, because that's almost impossible..."

"What you and Derek have been celibate and you can't be pregnant," she smiled.

"You know we have not...but we're incredibly careful, and I had my period last month and about to get it again...the cramping and all, it's just PMS."

"Just do me a favor...if you still aren't feeling well...and the cramping and dizziness continues... will you check it out?"

"Have you and Derek been talking, did he put you up to this?"

"No...and oh... he also thinks you're pregnant....oh Mer...he would know...maybe ...you...well...you'd know best," she smiled and Meredith could see the excitement in her voice.

Meredith laughed, "it's absolutely unbelievable."

"What?"

"You and Derek...thinking that I'm pregnant...and the more I rationalize the possibility...the more the two of you are determined to humor my presumed denial."

"So...you admit, you're in denial...about the possibility that is... "

"Lex," she laughed, "you want to be an aunt again, anytime soon...you're going to have to talk to Molly..."

"Just...ok...if you're sure...but it couldn't hurt if you..."

"I promise..." she teased, "if your brother in law and I know you're going to be an aunt, you'll be the first one we tell."

"When...Mer...not if...I'm sure of it."

"Lexie, you did talk to Derek, didn't you...he said something."

"No, he didn't...really, Meredith...he..."

"You are such a bad liar...I can't believe him..."

"Mer, really he didn't say anything about you being pregnant...maybe being pregnant..."

"Then what did he say?" she insisted.

"He only said to keep an eye on you....that you had a dizzy spell and he was worried about you."

"I should have known... and from that you came up with your own conclusions."

"No...I'd come up with them before..."

"What? Why?"

"You've got lots of symptoms..."

"I do not."

"Did you say something about denial?"

"Fine, like what?"

"Bitchy..."

"I have not been..."

"Mer, I'm teasing you...well, not since you were really mean to me...but not lately."

"Lexie...it's not funny."

"I'm sorry...but cramping, dizziness...feeling faint...it's not good."

"Lexie, I had my period last month, and I'm just about to get it...probably by tomorrow...and these things can also happen when you're under a lot of stress, and I've been under a lot of stress lately."

"You're right, and it was similar to your panic attacks, so it could be just that...but...Mer, if you're still dizzy and faint ...you have to check it out."

"Yes, if it still continues, I'll check it out, and I already promised Derek I would."

"You did...so you think... "

"I'm certain I'm not...but, well, I promised him, I'd take care of myself."

"Does...does anyone else know..."

"No, just the two of you...which it figures ...since you're the only two hung up on being in-laws."

"We just care about you."

"Yes, I know. I'm beginning to really understand that."

"Good."

"Come on, let's have breakfast, I'm starving... but, you can cook this time."

"Didn't you already eat breakfast..." Lexie questioned and raised her eyebrow, "you did say he brought you a grilled cheese sandwich."

"Lexie, stop thinking right now, and let's get some breakfast."

They spent the early afternoon hours together, looked at the apartment, had lunch and fortunately when they went to Thatcher's house he wasn't there, thus avoiding what would have surely been another emotional blow to Meredith's current vulnerability.