(Shattered...) Dreams Fulfilled

Faith, ferries, flirting...

Meredith rested her face on his chest as she was held in his embrace, her hand softly caressing him when she felt his lips lightly on her forehead and his hand gently massaging her back.

"Uhmm...that feels good..." she smiled as he continued, before kissing the top of her head and she wrapped her arm around his waist.

"You feel good too," he said absently.

"Derek," she said, immediately picking up on the tone of his voice, "what are you thinking?"

"Uhmmm...you're reading minds now?"

"You always say you feel my emotions," she said and placed a soft kiss on his chest, "guess it's contagious."

"Contagious...huh..."

"Yes...now that we're married," she said and lifted her face to look at him. "Tell me, what's made you turn all serious?"

"I'm not all serious...just thinking..."

"I know you're thinking...what about?"

"Us," he said and placed a finger under her chin to lift her face, and kissed her softly.

"Uhmmm..." she said after he'd kissed her, "us...and serious..."

"Not serious Meredith...almost in awe of all that's happened...how far we've come to be here...how we almost lost it all because of my ..."

"Ok," she said. "I knew it. Stop thinking. Seriously Derek...we are here now...and we're happy...and maybe we had to go through all that to get here...so...no more serious thoughts...we promised...last night...no more looking back with serious thoughts."

"You're really bossy Mer..." he teased her, a kiss sealing their bargain.

"You don't mind me being bossy," she smiled, and returned his kiss eagerly.

"You're right," he smiled upon her lips, "I don't."

They became lost in a playful kiss until they heard the now familiar sound of clock chimes, followed almost immediately by one they had not heard before as festive and joyous church bells rang.

"Derek...listen...it's as though there is a celebration."

"It's beautiful to hear church bells ring...I remember as a kid I thought it was the coolest thing...and the idea of course that there's this rope you pull and create those sounds, but then you realize some churches have automatic or digital systems now."

"What..." Meredith said, "Derek...those bells we heard...they are not automatic."

"Ah..." he said, "my sentimental romantic..." and kissed her softly. "You're right, they sounded like ancient bells."

"You're trying to appease me," she teased.

"No...I'm not...I forget, this is a very old city...and they have probably preserved the bell tower."

"I can ask Angela..." she smiled, and suddenly said. "Derek...do you realize they rang right after the clock chimed?"

"Yes..."

"What time is it?"

"Eleven," he said looking at his watch.

"Derek," she smiled at him. "We've got another anniversary..."

"So we do," he acknowledged. "Happy anniversary Mrs. Shepherd."

"Two whole days Derek..."

"Two whole days...and lots of sex...and kissing..." he teased.

"More sex..." she giggled, "more kissing...I say," she said as she captured his mouth.

"More kissing...I say..." he laughed, remembering the first time he'd said that. "You say that now Meredith, but you weren't always so agreeable."

"Oh please," she laughed. "I already admitted last night I wanted you desperately and was fighting it when I kissed you in the elevator."

"So you did..." he said as they shared an intimate smile. "I love you."

"I love you too," she said as she cuddled into him, her hands roaming his body, naked under the robe she parted.

"It's eleven," he said as her hands on him made him want to spend the rest of the day in bed, in fact the next forty eight uninterrupted hours before they flew home.

"Your point," she said, as she began to trail kisses on his chest.

"My point," he said, raising her face to meet his, "is we have two days left here and we should probably..." she interrupted him.

"Stay in bed for the next two days..."

"You'll kill me," he laughed.

"Derek..."

"Meredith..."

"You're no fun."

"I didn't hear any complaints last night."

She had a half smile on her face, "well...you were fun last night."

"And..." he said as he reached for her, "will be lots of fun again tonight...just as we talked about last night," he said and kissed her tenderly. A kiss that spoke volumes of his love for her."

"Unbelievable..." she teased him, but not before he saw the glimmer of tears in her eyes, "married two days and my husband continues to withhold sex."

"Meredith..."

"Derek," she said, silencing him with a kiss before continuing. "Do you have any idea how very much I love you?"

"Diversion again," he said softly, never more certain of her love for him.

"No," she said quietly, reaching for his hand and entwining their fingers. "Just needing to tell you the feelings in my heart...because...you are my knight in shining armor...and soon...I'll make it up to you."

"Meredith, there's nothing to make up."

"There is...all of our favorite things... when you're not worried about me...and for that...for your thoughtfulness...and just being you...I love you Derek."

"I love you...and there is not a single second I'd change of our honeymoon...and there is nothing you need to make up for."

"See," she said, as her eyes glimmered with unshed tears. "My McDreamy...my ...." she paused and smiled, "panther...old...and sexy...and making me wish I could keep up with him..."

He roared laughing, "old... you say..."

"Don't try to get me to flatter you anymore...I said...I wish I could keep up with you."

"Meredith..." he said and kissed her until they were both breathless.

"You love me..." she smiled.

"I adore you."

"Me too," she said and gave in to the pleasure and safety of his embrace.

"So...Mrs. Shepherd," he said as he kissed the top of her head, "we should get dressed, do a bit of sightseeing..."

"You think?"

"Uhmmm...I think you should indulge me..."

"Don't I always..." she said with an enticing smile.

"Yes...but this would be indulging this ...intense thing I have for ferry boats."

Their laughter filled the room and they exchanged one last kiss before he helped her up from the bed and they dressed casually for the day reserved for playing tourists.

"Derek, don't forget your gloves and scarf, it will be windy on the ferry."

"Nag," he said, as he walked up to her and placing his hand on her neck pulled her into him and kissed her before she had a chance to respond.

"Ass."

"Ah..." he smiled, "I'd miss that."

"Let's go," she giggled, "your job is to play tour guide."

"Tour guide?"

"Yes...you did all the research before we came here, so you should know exactly where we should visit."

"You make me sound like a geek."

"But I love my band geek," she said playfully, and nibbled his lips. "Admit it, you knew everything about this place and Venice before we got here."

"I..."

"Yes?"

"I did..." he laughed, "I wanted this to be special for you."

"It is...very special," she said and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You are very special."

"Meredith," he said as he lowered his mouth to hers, "we'll never get out of here."

"Nag," she joked, and after making sure they were not forgetting anything pulled on his hand and left their room.

"Do you want to walk around town before we head to Como?"

"We could," she said and placed her hand on his thigh," after we find out the ferry schedule."

They found parking near the picturesque lakeside square, beautifully framed by the Swiss Alps and Lombardy mountains, and walked holding hands toward the Piazza Risorgimento.

"Meredith, Angela and Antonio are sitting over there with the owner from the bar last night."

"You're right," she agreed, "we should say hello, and tell them we'll be gone all day."

"Dottore Shepherd," he heard his name called before they'd had a chance to approach them.

"Good morning," Derek smiled as they reached the foursome.

"We heard they had the most romantic evening ever, at the bar last night," Angela smiled at Meredith.

"It was a perfect evening," Meredith told her.

"I've owned that bar for many years," the other gentleman chimed in, "and never have I seen a more romantic couple. We had some wives complaining to the husbands after you left."

"Including me," his wife commented.

"Thank you for everything," Derek told the men, "we truly appreciated your help."

"Anything for romance," the bar owner smiled as he reached for his wife's hand.

"But next time," Derek laughed, "don't try to keep my wife away from me."

Meredith and Derek were surprised by the laughter, and realized the bar owner had made them aware of the teasing incident and thus joined in the humorous moment, but declined when asked to join them for coffee.

"Thank you," Meredith said, "but we just had breakfast," then felt herself blushing slightly at the knowing smiles between Angela and Antonio. "We're going to be away all day, so don't worry about us. I fixed breakfast for Derek today...but I'll call you tomorrow...don't want him to get used to that. We also left you a box of pastries for you from Münger's ."

"That is very thoughtful. It's a wonderful bakery, one of my favorites since I was a child. We'll be over at the house shortly, we did not want to disturb you earlier," Angela said.

"We're going to take the ferry to Como and Bellagio," Derek said, "we came over to find out the schedule."

They were promptly given the details they needed, including the recommendation they drive to Como and take the ferry from there given the limited frequency to the smaller town of Cernobbio but also encouraged they walk around their town before leaving.

"Angela," Meredith asked, "we heard church bells, very festive... was there a special event?"

"Yes, a beautiful wedding this morning and the bride chose the day of her grandparent's fiftieth anniversary in that same church and asked if they would ring the church bells in double celebration."

"That sounds lovely...Derek thought they may not be the original bells...and might be automated or digital."

"Not at all," Antonio told them. "The bell tower is the pride of the village and they are hundreds of centuries old."

Meredith reached for Derek's hand after they said goodbye and strolled along the narrow ancient streets.

"You just had to do that, didn't you? You had to be right," he said with a slight smile.

"She already knows I can't cook, it had to be you who had doubts about that." she teased him and they continued to enjoy the light banter that had become second nature as they entered a small quaint shop tucked away from the activity of the square. They each browsed before he walked over to stand beside her.

"My mom," she said quietly when she felt his presence, "she brought me a wooden comb after a trip to China and went on about how they'd been used since ancient times and how much better they were for your hair and had even been used to massage the scalp as a treatment for high blood pressure," she rambled while holding a half rounded shaped finely polished wooden comb slightly bigger that the palm of her hand. "I didn't pay attention to it, but she kept hers. Still had it at the nursing home. I used it once, after...when...I got her things, she was right...they are better for the hair...helps with split ends."

"Why don't you get one...they're nice...unique, and look to be hand made." The sales lady walked over to them at that moment, and mentioned they were very popular and made by a retired local gentleman.

"It would be a nice souvenir, don't you think?" she asked him. "Izzie would like this and maybe for Cristina she has lots of hair...and you," she smiled, "it would be good for you too, maybe you'll need less hair product."

"I only use one hair product," he told her, "it's not nice to make fun of your husband."

"I'm not making fun...I love your hair...even when it's unmanageable and messy first thing in the morning."

"Go ahead...have your fun," he joked, as she handed the lady a handful of combs and looked for her credit card.

"Derek, I forgot I had your phone...and there're messages," she said as she saw the tiny blinking red light on their blackberries.

"We don't have to reply."

"I know...but still curious. Here, look at yours," she said handing him the phone while she signed the credit card slip.

He smiled a she read his messages and waited till they walked out side and headed toward the piazza, "read your message Mer."

"You read it already, anything important."

"Don't know that it's important, but you'll be happy," he said, as they continued to walk the short distance to their car.

"Derek..." she said with a smile, "I forgot...she was going to get this today," she hugged him, "and she liked it."

"We got the same message...she copied us both," he laughed.

"She did," she giggled, "I've got to respond to her, let's sit over there," she told him as she walked to a nearby bench. "She did like it," she said as she read her email.

"OMG. Meredith sweetheart what a delightful surprise. You are so very thoughtful and it means so much to me that you would think of this. Especially because you and Nancy spoke and she wanted to make sure she did what you asked of her. I would never have thought of it, because I do just fine with my phone, but being here for the next two weeks and not have to worry about finding internet cafes or access to email to keep in touch with everyone is wonderful. Kat is looking over my shoulder and Mark is laughing at me, telling me that I'm rambling, and it's not meant to be a book I'm writing, but I have to get used to this...I never expected to have a blackberry, and you asked that it have a camera as well. I'll still use my camera, but this also has one. Yes, I'm rambling, God help me. But...thank you, both you and Derek for this surprise. Derek Christopher, I will be changing the billing when I get back home and pay for this from my account every month. I understand the international calls feature was also enabled, but that is just too expensive and unnecessary Derek. I shall not be answering any calls.