(Shattered...) Dreams Fulfilled

Our first...Godchild's Baptism... - Part 2

"Ok, you two..." Derek said as he hugged Meredith close to him, "you're going to turn me into Jenna..." and the two most important women in his life laughed, as they wiped away sentimental tears, and then went to join their family.

"About time," Patricia said, "even the kids have settled, or at least, we hope they have, and we have a lot of questions for you..." Carolyn just shook her head in amusement; like Maggie's s-e-x is candy, Meredith and Derek were never going to live this down.

"No more beating around the bush," Mary said, her husband had opted for a game of poker next door. "We want to know why three children all under the age of nine think there are vampires in our family."

Meredith immediately noticed Molly sitting next to Lexie, sharing something that made them laugh quietly. Momentarily, the past betrayed her, thoughts of growing up alone, her mother ultimately driving everyone away made her resent Ellis; unlike her childhood, her sisters shared cherished memories.

Derek, completely in tune with her emotions, noticed the distant look; reached for her hand and found a seat, pulling her down on his lap, whispering, "you ok?"

"I'm ok," she smiled softly, squeezing his hand gently; her turn to reassure him.

"Shep," Mark joked, "you're not setting a very good example for us kids," and everyone laughed at the ongoing bantering regarding Meredith and Derek's three children.

"Derek Christopher," Mary said, "get on with your explanation, your cousins are not too happy with you...they've been trying to keep the girls from reading those vampire books, so fess up, it's been a long time since we've discovered new family secrets..." she taunted jokingly.

"You mean," Cristina quipped, "other than secret wives and fist fight with manwhores."

"Cristina," Meredith warned.

"What," Cristina shrugged, "it's true...and you agreed he was McSteamy."

"We will get to that later," Mary said. "Now, on with the vampires...surely, you were not setting a bad example in front of the kids. We've had enough with Jenna's girls wanting candy," the entire room erupted with laugher.

Meredith felt the warmth of Derek's hug; their family was all there. Everyone in the immediate family remained; siblings, the Shepherd five and spouses; her sisters and Mark, and yes the Maloney sisters, definitely a night of sibling, old and new, bonds and laughter.

"Oh...God..." Meredith buried her face in the crook of Derek's neck as her shoulders shook with laughter.

"Why would we know about that?" Derek asked.

"Perhaps," Maggie said, delighting in teasing her brother; resigned to being teased about sex and candy for many years to come. "Let us refresh your memory..."

"It's a good memory," Derek whispered in Meredith's ear making her giggle.

"Grandma," Maggie imitated Mary's granddaughter, "we're not making up stories...we heard it...all three of us...and Cousin Derek said we had vampires and lion tamers in the family...he did Grandma. He was sucking on the pretty lady's neck...he was Mommy..."

"And," Cristina followed, with the perfect inflection, imitating Pat's grandson, "they were kissing a lot...like you and Daddy...but, I told him...it wasn't gross...not like you and Daddy...or kissing girls cause he's a vampire."

"Well," Derek cleared his throat, "Mer, should we tell them the truth?"

"I'm not sure...they can handle it..." she played along with her husband.

"We're actually Edward and Bella...and didn't know how to break the news to you. When I moved to Seattle, that's near where they lived you know, Mer bit me and..."

The room was silent. Completely. Including Meredith, but not for long.

"You are a moron," Nancy said and started laughing. "Do you even know what you're talking about?"

"Of course I do," Derek said and playfully sucked on Meredith's neck. "I told her I wanted to die when I was 110...that can only happen if you're a vampire."

"Actually," Lexie said, "if you're a vampire you don't die, and Edward's family does not drink human blood."

"Lexipedia," Cristina said, "you knowing that, is normal, but that Shepherd thinks he knows, is rather disturbing."

"He has no clue," Meredith laughed, "he got all that from Jen telling Amanda it was a ridiculous story and she was too young to read it."

"That's my girl," Nancy said proudly, "and the younger ones listen. They're pretty bad actually as well as the writing..." Nancy commented.

"I agree," Kathleen said, "but, I can see the appeal to the youth."

"Wait," Derek said, "you're calling me a moron and both of you have read those books?"

"Derek," Nancy told him, "we have kids that age, of course we have to read them, it's been a huge phenomenon and we need to know what they may be reading."

"I've got to know," Kathleen told them. "I have kids in therapy that think this is all real."

"So," Mary concluded, "in essence, you two were making out inappropriately in front of my granddaughter and great nephews and traumatized the kids."

"Pretty much," Derek admitted, "but we didn't know they were there, and they don't sound like they're traumatized."

"I won't even ask about the lion tamers," Mary smiled mischievously.

"That part is true," Derek brushed Meredith's lips, uncaring of their audience.

"We know dear," Mary told him. "Mark was right, we heard lions roaring."

"With absolutely no warning," his mother Carolyn said, "to get earplugs."

"Brainless," Patricia laughed. "Carolyn, we have our work cut out with him. We're going to have to visit Seattle and start with some parenting lessons..."

"No you don't," Mark said, "that's another secret they're keeping from you."

"Mark Sloan," Patricia said, "I'd watch myself if I were you...don't want you to have to give yourself stitches again."

"On the flight here," Mark ignored her; the familiarity of childhood memories intact. They actually admitted to having four kids already."

Cristina joined in the taunting, not giving Meredith and Derek any time to react. "It's true. They told the flight attendant they had four kids, under the age of five."

"Why," Rob laughed, as he hugged Jenna closer, and whispered in her ear, making her smile, her mother and aunts would swear she blushed.

"Grey's become an old jealous wife," Mark teased, "and doesn't have a lot of patience for flight attendants flirting with Derek."

"Not just any flight attendant," Meredith retorted, "the same one from our other trip, and Derek was lapping up all the attention."

"I was not," Derek defended himself, "and I can't help it if you're jealous and had to mark your territory."

"She was fawning all over him and he..." Meredith pretended she was serious.

"Mer," Lexie laughed, "you're not being fair...he was not paying any attention to her."

"Stop defending him," Mer told her with a smile, "just because you claimed you knew he was going to be your brother in law, while I wasn't even ready to think of marriage..."

"Meredith," Derek interrupted her, "there was never any question...that you were going to be my wife...it was more a matter of how long it would take me to convince you."

"Ma," Maggie smiled, "how did you raise such a cocky brainless..."

"Same way," Carolyn told her, "I raised four nosy...gossipy...lovely girls."

"Mer," Kevin said "you sound like Kathleen when she was pregnant and staked her..."

"Honey," Kathleen said, "leave that story..."

"They already know," Kevin laughed. "There are no secrets in this family."

"Kevin," Meredith told him. "Kathleen was right, putting that woman in her place, and this flight attendant was very judgmental."

"Because you had four kids?" Mary asked.

"No," Mark laughed, "because she remembered they had four kids under five, and thought they were horrible parents for leaving four year old twins, a two year old and a baby on Thanksgiving."

"Meredith," Patricia laughed, "you're setting yourself up..."

"I am not," Meredith smiled, "three kids...that's it ...and no twins!"

"The best part," Derek went along with the joking mood, "was that last time we flew the flight attendant was incredulous on how good she looked after having an eight week old baby, and Meredith told her the secret was sex...and that we'd be trying for a boy."

The guests had all left by six that evening and it was now nearly eight as the family enjoyed the teasing and joking that had been missed so terribly in the last several years.

"Jenna," Meredith asked, "isn't it time for Kerry to eat...she'll have her last feeding at eleven...and..."

"You've got her schedule down," Jenna smiled. "I expect one of the girls will bring her when she's got her hand in her mouth," and surely enough Laura did.

"Aunt Jenna," the young woman said, "she's probably five minutes away from a hungry tantrum and handed her aunt the baby and a blanket.

"Thanks sweetie," Jenna told her, "and for watching over the kids," and placing the blanket securely over Kerry, settled the baby on her breast.

"We're enjoying it," Laura told her, "Allie and I...we miss the family...a lot."

"You're feeding her," Mark said, "with everyone here."

"Mark," Kathleen teased, "you've been around long enough, there's been fourteen...now
fifteen kids."

"You didn't do that..." Mark argued, "when Allie and Laura were little..."

"No," Kathleen said, "but then...I became practical..."

"Mark," Nancy told him, "it's the most natural thing in the world."

"I never saw you either," Mark told her.

"That's," Mike shocked them all, "because I was jealous as hell of you."

"Laurie," Kathleen decided best to change the subject, not quite sure how serious her brother in law was. "You're ok with all the kids?"

"They're great Mom," her second daughter smiled, "watching a movie...the little ones playing with the doll house. Molly, your Laura is adorable and totally enthralled with it."

Meredith turned to Derek, "you think Mike's jealous of Mark?"

"Think they're ok," he said, as they both noticed Mike had reached for Nancy's hand, and whispered something in her ear, and Nancy had kissed him.

"Thank you for looking after her," Molly responded. "I wasn't sure how long she'd stay away from me."

"She's being very sociable," Laura told her, "and getting along great with Katie and Meghan."

"She's very girly and loves dolls," Molly commented. "She's probably still too little for a doll house, but maybe for her birthday."

Rob burped his daughter before giving her back to Jenna to finish feeding her.

"Cristina," Mary said, "before I forget..."

"Forget," Mike, Nancy's husband laughed, "you have the memory of an elephant."

"I couldn't very well say," Mary paused, "before I have to leave to indulge in candy with my husband," and the room erupted in laughter.

"Mama Shep," Cristina said. "I thought this was going to be boring...but Shepherdville rises to the occasion...every time."

"Maloney," Patricia said, "Cristina...it's the Maloney's..."

"Cristina," Mary insisted, "so ...Meredith thought Mark was...McSteamy..."

"She did," Cristina said, and related the birth of Mcsteamy and McDreamy in her own inimitable fashion.

"And," Kathleen teased her brother, "when he found out it was Meredith that gave him the nickname, almost started another argument...and then, poor Mark...his intended conquest turned him down...for...well, let's just say, there was no way he could ever compete, though she did something good, dubbing them pretty and prettier."

"You're a troublemaker," Derek told her, "just like Aunt Pat."

"Take that back," Kathleen said though she winked at her aunt.

"Carolyn," Patricia sighed, "you're in good company with the denials of our impertinent children," she said and the three Maloney sisters laughed.

"So," John joined in, "who was prettier?"

"Look at this face," Mark said, "who do you think?"

"Ass." Derek retorted.

"Mama Shep," Cristina quipped as she saw Derek smile at Meredith. "Did you also warn the family about the endless mcdreamied episode?"

"No need Cristina," Carolyn looked over to the couple, Meredith no longer on his lap, but snuggled in to him, and he'd just placed a tender kiss on her temple, and now shared a smile with her, "they've been witness to it since their first visit home."

"We're right here, you know," Meredith commented.

"The real question," Maggie teased, "is have you forgotten you're not alone? Really Derek, as much of a prude as you are sometimes, you have no qualms about displaying embarrassing mcdreamied moments ..."

"Leave them be, Maggie," their mother teased. "It's not as though you haven't caused
enough trouble with telling the kids sex is candy."

"Mom," Maggie turned to her, "you're taking his side?"

"No dear." Carolyn answered, but winked at Cristina, remembering their conversation the day before; feeling lighthearted and surrounded by all her family, she too was in a joking mood. "But, just imagine when Meggie tells Jenna it was unfair she didn't get candy, when she knows Uncle D and Aunty M was upstairs having s-e-x."

"She knows what..." Jenna asked, the alert baby in her arms cooing away at her, "she didn't say anything...Oh...God help me, when she decides to blurt it out."

"Ma," Derek gave in to the endless taunting, "you've become as big a troublemaker as the nun and the slutty aunt," and everyone laughed as he brought up certain embarrassing moments experienced by each of his sisters, providing an evening of laughter as past memories were recounted, leading to new ones to be shared in the years to come.

"By the way Mark," Jenna asked, as she got up with the baby and walked over to Meredith. "Why did Meredith scare the hell out of you?"

The baby gurgled and cooed at her mother's tone, and Jenna kissed her forehead before handing her over to Meredith who said, "it was about time, wasn't it Kerry...I've had to share you with everyone all day long," and the baby looked up at her godmother and grunted in protest, making Derek chuckle at the baby's perfect reaction, and then she smiled at her godmother, and Meredith was oblivious to all else around her.

"Jenna," Lexie laughed, "when the girls said Meredith was having a baby this morning, he thought he'd lost his pregnant radar."

"His pregnant radar," Maggie laughed, "surely...you're joking. Then again, it was probably survival of the fittest..."

"He's not joking, and it was survival," Kathleen laughed. "He reminded me he's guessed correctly many times...including with some of us, and when I was in Seattle, he was able to tell just by looking at one of the nurses...that she was pregnant and she didn't even know it yet."

Kathleen met and held Meredith's gaze, no words needed, as the silent acknowledgment of thanks was all that was necessary between them.

"It has been a very long day," Mary said, "and absolutely delightful...and now, it's time for me to go enjoy some...candy...before my own roaring lion...falls asleep," laughter followed as she said, "not to mention that Jenna and Rob have been dying to get out of here for a while..."

Derek shook his head, "I really don't remember all this sex talk before."

"We've never had so much time," Kathleen said, "without kids around listening."

"Derek," his aunt Patricia said as she too got ready to leave, "that's also because most of the time, the last few years...you were absent...a lot," and voiced what he'd said about his marriage; the emotional void lacking in his marriage to Addison had extended to this relationship with the family.

Kerry Beatrice chose that moment to exercise her lungs, louder than ever before, startling the entire family, as the newly baptized grandbaby made her presence known, to everyone but her godmother, she already had her full attention.

"Jen," Rob laughed, "that's the loudest she's ever been without crying," and walked over to his daughter and took her from Meredith. "You're nosy...and bossy now too...aren't you...telling your Uncle Derek he can't stay away too long from now on..." and the baby listened intently to her father's voice as he and Jenna snuggled and kissed her good night.

"You'll be ok," Jenna asked Meredith, "another night of this..."

"Two more nights," Meredith reminded her, "you've got a date tomorrow night."

"We'll see you in the morning," Jenna hugged her brother and sister in law. "I'm going to say good night to the girls," and with that, Derek's sisters made their way to the basement to say goodnight to the children, and parents made their way home.

"Meredith," Carolyn said, "sweetheart, why don't you leave Kerry with me tonight, you and Derek can get a good night's sleep."

"Mama Shep," Cristina joked, "you said it yourself...they're going to be up either way...baby or sex."

"Cristina," Carolyn hid a smile, Cristina had managed to make her say that, and she saw Derek shake his head. "Behave...it upsets your father when you talk that way," and Molly laughed at what had become an ongoing joke.

"Ma," Derek said as he walked over to her with Kerry, "don't encourage her."

"Let me take her," Carolyn said, "I'll change her and get ready for bed," she smiled at the granddaughter who'd been changed long ago from wearing the heirloom christening gown to more comfortable clothing, and now wore her pajamas.

"We'll be in the basement," Derek said, "till the kids settle tonight. Cristina, you heard earlier, you're on fairy tale duty," and surprisingly she would indeed follow them, though she ended up playing darts with the boys, who were in awe of the motorcycle driving doctor who'd promised to let them try it out when they visited Seattle.

Molly and Lexie had gone to check on Laura who was contentedly playing with her new older friends, though showing some signs of being tired, her bedtime usually eight, the little girl had wanted to play and Allie had assured them they could go spend some time together, and she'd bring Laura to her if she showed any signs at all of wanting her mother.

"Uncle Derek," several voices echoed, from various corners of the room, finally..."

"Finally, huh," Derek said, "what have you been waiting for?"

"We really want to visit your wilderness," one of the boys said.

"Even," Amanda, Nancy's daughter said, "if it's a godforsaken place..."

"Yeah...and we can camp out and hear horror stories," Michael, Nancy's almost fourteen year old said in hopes of eliminating all chances of any of the younger kids being allowed on that trip, "and be on the lookout for bears and wolves...you have those, right Uncle Derek."

Derek and Meredith had settled on the large sofa by the fireplace, and the younger kids began to gather around them.

"Michael," his sister Nicole said, "you're the first one that would run if you saw a wolf or a bear, stop being ...a boy..."

"You're really funny Nikki, what am I supposed to be," Michael laughed at her, "a girl...and afraid of horror movies and monsters like you..."

"Oh no," Katie ran to Derek, "Uncle Derek...I don't like monsters...and big scary wolves like in Little Red Riding Hood...he ate the grandmother, Uncle Derek...that's not a nice story...and..." Jenna's oldest was almost in tears.

Derek reached for her and sat her on his lap, "there are no monsters," he soothed the little girl and shot Michael a reprimanding look.

"Aunty M," Meghan followed her sister, "I not like monsters..."

"Sweetie," Meghan hugged her close to her, "Michael is playing around."

"Me scared," Meghan's eyes watered, though Meredith almost instantly realized with both Jenna's girls with them, Laura was alone and looked over to the younger child.

Laura, who'd been playing with the girls and was now suddenly deserted, looked around for her mother and reached for her doll and hugged her, curling up in the corner, though Allie was already on her way to her and picked her up. "Mamma...pease..."

"Derek," Meredith said, her heart breaking for the little girl, who'd reacted much as she had in her childhood, quietly retreating, though Laura immediately wanted her mother, and Meredith had known it was useless to ask and expect Ellis to comfort her. "Take her please," she said and passed Meghan to him.

"Meggie," Meredith quickly assured, "I'll be right back."

Merely seconds had passed from the moment Meredith has seen her niece's reaction and reaching her side. "Laura," Meredith sat on the floor next to Allie, "sweetie..."

"T...M..." the little girl's lips trembled as soon as she saw Meredith and extended her little arms to her.

"Oh, baby," Meredith hugged Laura close to her, "it's ok...I'm right here..." and the nineteen month old version of herself clung to her, no tears shed as she took a couple of broken breaths. "I'm right here," Meredith soothed her, kissing the top of her head, feeling her niece relax and then she felt it would be ok to pull her gently away from her, "all better?" Meredith asked her, kissing her forehead and her cheek.

Laura nodded, putting her hand on Meredith's face, "kiss," she said, and placed a kiss on Meredith's cheek, right on top of a stray tear she hadn't even realized she'd shed, "all better."

"Yes," Meredith said softly, "all better."

"Baby," Laura said, holding her doll close again, "kiss..."

Meredith kissed the doll's cheek as well, and her heart just about skipped a beat, as Laura wrapped her little arms around her neck.

"Aunty M," Meghan appeared, not too pleased with her aunt leaving her behind for Laura. "You not come back."

"You were with Uncle Derek," Meredith explained, "and Laura's still a baby...she was all by herself."

"But," Meghan was now certain she did not want to share Meredith. "You're MY Aunty M," she emphasized.

Laura lifted her head from Meredith's shoulder, and looked at Meghan, repetition a recently learned habit, and with the same emphasis looked at Meredith and said, "MY...T...M..." and snuggled back into her comfortable position.

"You," Meghan's eyes watered like her mother's, "love her more..."

"I love you both," Meredith told her, and pulled Meghan down on her lap. "I'm Aunt M to you both, but she's just a little girl, and her Mommy was not here."

"I forgots," Meghan told Meredith, "I tolds her Mommy I take care of her..."

"It's ok sweetie," Meredith soothed, "I'm here now..."

Derek watched the interaction and had a huge lump in his throat; the love of his life was indeed on her way to mastering families.

Carolyn Shepherd stood by the basement door unobserved; her granddaughter Laura had claimed Kerry over an hour before, both she and her sister wanted to enjoy the baby before going back to school the following afternoon.

"Irish," Carolyn spoke silently, "I wish you were here...I miss you so much...he's so much like you...love, he's weaving a story like you used to...and Daddy," she observed, lips pursed at the scene before her. Meredith and Derek sitting on the couch; Meredith holding Laura fast asleep with her tiny arms around her neck, Meghan on her lap, head resting against her trying not to fall asleep and Derek with Kerry, who was listening to his every word, cuddled against him.

"They've been through so much," Carolyn continued with the silent communication, "but...they're going to make it, you would love Meredith, her vulnerability and her strength, and he's happy," she wiped away a tear, "finally...I see it in his eyes, the way he looks at her, takes care of her...how I wish you were here with me now," she said, an a calming peacefulness came over her as she embraced the hope of eternity, of one day joining her soul mate, "look at them...all our grandchildren together."

"Then," Derek looked up instinctively, met his mother's gaze, "while we were sitting by the brook...you could see all the little fishes trying to catch up but someone had thrown away a big..." and the story went on; one Carolyn remembered well, and smiled at the way he'd changed it, just like his father and grandfather, making it current for the Shepherd grandchildren, "and Logan rushed to their rescue with his little cousin Katie."

"That was a lovely story," Carolyn announced her presence, "and now...it's way past some bedtimes."

"Granma," Emma, who'd found her way to her oldest sister's lap got up and rushed to her, "Uncle Derek tells the bestest stories."

"He certainly does," Carolyn agreed smiling down at the little girl who'd wrapped her arms around her. "Now it's time to get everyone ready for bed...it's almost ten o'clock," and with that began the rush of activity that would get fourteen kids settled in sleeping bags lined across the enormous basement, at the make pretend camp out.

"He added the little ones," Allie whispered to her grandmother, "and changed the story, just like you say Granpa used to," and then hugged her. "I love you Grandma...I bet he's watching over us right now...and knows...Uncle Derek remembered..."

"I bet he is too," Carolyn hugged her granddaughter tightly; her first granddaughter, the one she had a special bond with; the first tiny miracle that had become a sensitive caring amazing young woman.

Laura, like her mother Kathleen had an eye for capturing special moments and snapped away as the story had unfolded; then, one last photo of Meredith holding two sleeping children, Laura looking so much like her, it could have been her daughter, and she leaned into Derek cooing away at the newest member of the family as Kerry talked back to her, and Derek was absolutely mesmerized as he watched his wife lovingly kiss the baby's tiny hand.

Laura and Allie assured the three adults they would get everything under control as they'd had plenty of experience as summer camp counselors, and these were after all their cousins and siblings.

Promising they'd be spending the next day together again, Derek spent a little time with each of his nieces and nephews.

"Mer," Cristina joined her on the couch; unlike Mark who'd snuck out with Mary and played a few hands of poker over with the older group, had stayed. "This family thing...they're good for you."

"Yeah..." Meredith smiled softly at her friend, her person. "Right..."

"They are." Cristina acknowledged simply.

"Cristina," Meredith nudged her, "you're my family too."

"I know," she answered in typical Cristina fashion.

"Thank you," Meredith said, "for being here for me."

Cristina nodded slightly and leaned in to her friend and laid her hand on her shoulder.

Meredith smiled softly, the friends sitting in silence for several moments before Cristina spoke again.

"She looks just like you."

Meredith replied. "I can almost understand why he'd confused me with Molly, she looks more like me, and it really took me by surprise."

"Mer," her friend sat up when Laura shifted slightly in Meredith's arms; Meghan had been fast asleep by the end of the story and Allie had settled her in her small sleeping bag, and placed her on top of the sofa bed she intended to use, keeping her and Katie close as they were the youngest. Laura was using the other pull out bed, with the rest of the kids on the floor, the younger ones especially thrilled about their camp out. Kerry had suddenly decided to sleep and Derek had placed her in the portable.

"Cristina," Meredith replied, certain her friend had been thinking a long while about what she was going to say.

"You've got a Mommy magnet with all these little people..."

"At least," Meredith said, "I know I can't be as bad as my mother was."

"You're nothing like her," Cristina told her.

"That's a good thing," Meredith said.

"Yeah," Cristina acknowledged, not understanding how her friend didn't have the desire to follow in her mother's brilliant medical career, yet, the long buried vulnerability understood Meredith's stronger desire for the nurturing loving family she'd never had.

"Cristina," Meredith said and smiled when she saw this not often seen hard core unemotional person smile at her; certain it had to do with the way she'd so naturally breathed the sweet gentle powdery baby scent of her niece and hugged her just a little closer. "What aren't you saying?"

"I better get in line," Cristina said.

"For what?"

"Being godmother to one of my person's children."

"Really," Meredith's eyes glittered. "You'd want to..."

"Calling dibs on number two..."

"Oh really," Meredith laughed softly not to disturb her niece.

"It's going to be the middle kid, all sorts of issues...he'll need a hard core godmother."

"I may only have two you know," Meredith argued.

"Seriously," Cristina raised an eyebrow, "you've pretty much agreed to three...but Mer," she was serious now, "if Mcdreamy can convince you to have five chatty children, please make sure number two is not one of them."

"Cristina," Meredith opened her eyes in warning, "you are not calling my baby two..."

"Mer..." her friend smiled, "you're going to be a great Mom."

"You think," Meredith went along with the not often seen side to her friend, trying to keep her emotions in check; Cristina Yang was not often sentimental.

"Absolutely," Cristina smiled. "Lucky little ones..."

"I love you, Cristina Yang."

"Yeah," she smiled fondly at Meredith, unspoken words reiterating she felt the same.

"Mer," Derek said, "let me carry her upstairs, you can take Kerry."

"I'll do it," Meredith told him, "in case she wakes up...she may not recognize you and I don't want her to..."

Derek leaned down to her and kissed her, interrupting her, "I'll take Kerry," and he helped Meredith get up from the couch as she too bid the Shepherd grandkids goodnight.

Meredith knocked softly on the door of the room her sisters and niece would share that evening. "Meredith," Molly asked when she opened the door, "did she give you any trouble?"

"No," Meredith shook her head, "she was just fine," but went on to tell her sister about the small incident she'd called for her and wasn't sure if she'd want to stay with her.

"Meghan," Lexie said, "is very possessive of Meredith."

"Seems like," Molly said, "Laura will be too..."

"She's precious Molly..." Meredith told her, still holding the baby.

"She looks just like you Meredith," Molly said.

"Oh...but...that's not what I meant...at all...not that ...but her personality..."

"Mer," Lexie said, "stop rambling...we know what you meant, it's not like you're Cristina," and the two older sisters laughed at the very accurate description of Cristina, and the three went on to talk for a few minutes before Meredith laid Laura down on the bed and tenderly kissed her forehead.

"Sweet dreams baby," Meredith whispered before saying good night to her sisters and joining her husband.

"Hey," Derek smiled at her when she walked in the room, "you're just in time..."

"For what," Meredith raised an eyebrow and walked toward him; every step a promise of seduction.

"Whatever you want," Derek said huskily as she sat on the bed facing him, and leaned in to kiss him, both lost in the magical magnetism that existed only between them.

"I think..." Meredith said after both were left just a bit more breathless than the minutes before, "we may have to wait...for ..." she paused, her hand on his thigh caressing higher and higher until she placed her hand on him, his desire for her more than evident.

"Don't stop now," his breath caught, "don't you dare..."

"Derek...be serious."

"I'm damn serious," he told her quickly reaching for her and settling her on top of him.

"There's a baby on the bed next to you," she actually giggled at him.

"I'm talking seduction...and you... giggle."

"Derek, I was going to say, we may have to wait till we get home for lots of dirty sex..."

"Don't count on it," he captured her mouth, devouring her with unquenchable hunger.

"Kerry's about to wake up," she eventually pulled back. She'd known that's what he meant when she had walked in the room and saw him laying back against the pillows, already in pajamas, with Kerry on her side of the bed; though the baby would not be turning anywhere, he'd even thought to place two pillows between the baby and the edge of the bed, "and we're not having dirty sex with her in the room."

"Losing your...shall we say...flexibility," he teased often about her comment long ago.

"Derek," she bit his lip playfully, "be serious..."

"I am...we can do quiet...we've become experts at quiet while we're here."

"Not for what I have in mind," she smiled at him, "we'll never manage it..."

"Not nice to tease..." he chuckled, "beasts... of any age...they're very hard to tame."

"No pun intended," she was on top of him, his desire for her quite evident, and yet she deliberately pressed herself more intimately against him.

"Very hard," he emphasized, "and beasts aren't always tamable..."

"But, I'm pretty confident," she knew his body intimately, his every reaction to her touch, and set out to prove it to him, her hands expertly seducing him. "I can tame MY beast..."

"Stop," he said, reaching for her hands, "unless...you want to make the lion roar...now..."

Kerry chose that moment to let out a loud wail; she'd spent the last couple of minutes looking around frowning, her tiny hand finding its way to her mouth while her godparents had indulged in the pleasure of each other, she'd been ignored long enough.

Derek groaned, "perfect timing..."

Meredith reached for Kerry, cuddling her close and the baby quieted almost instantly, "sorry baby...your godfather was being very naughty..."

"I was being naughty," Derek smirked and then talked to the baby. "It's a good thing your Mommy's not around or there'd be hell to pay."

"Derek," Meredith shushed him, "stop using that language..."

"Mer, she has no idea what we're saying."

"Doesn't matter," she told him. "Hold her. I'll go get her bottle."

"I'll go."

"Grab your robe," she teased him as she sat back against the headboard.

"You're playing with fire..."

"I know," she smiled at him, "and can't wait to get burned..."

"You know Mer...teasing without ..."

"You love me," she said absolutely certain of the fact, ignoring his rather weak complaint.

"That...I do," he said and they leaned into each other again, lips meeting one more time; but this time the baby protested, her tiny fist making her presence felt.

"Derek," Meredith said as he got up from the bed, "after Kerry's fed and asleep..."

"Meredith..."

"We're really good...at quiet sex..." she smiled at him seductively.

"That we are... Mrs. Shepherd."

"Mrs. Shepherd," she called after him, laughing at the rarely used title.

Kerry Beatrice was determined to thwart her godparent's plans. She wanted to eat, but she was taking her time about it, becoming distracted by Derek's chatting, at times some very inappropriate chatting.

"Stop talking," Meredith told him, "you're distracting her," but neither could resist the baby's adorable cooing and gurgling, and it was a long while before she was ready to be put down in her bassinet, "and me...and she probably knows it...that I'm not paying full attention to her."

"Mer, she's a baby...she has no idea."

"Really, " she told him, "guess you don't mind if she keeps us up another hour, and then I'm too tired to do anything but sleep," she taunted, fully aware it was an empty observation, she full intended to have her way with him; they'd have their way with each other before the night was out.

"Mer ...you can't smile like that and expect me to ignore..."

"Ignore what..."

"Uhmmm...like you've seen me naked..."

"I cannot," she giggled, "believe you said that..."

"I've been waiting a long time to say that...remember...the staircase..." he cocked his head, then the Mcdreamy smile that was always here undoing, "when you were trying to deny you wanted me...badly..."

"Uhmm...I'm not denying it now..."

"I'll stop talking," he had heard the implicit insinuations in her voice.

"See Kerry," the baby was now fighting to keep her eyes open, "your godfather is not so brainless..." as always, the baby did react to that with a little gurgle, but then closed her eyes and Meredith continued to speak to her softly until she was lulled to sleep.

The day came to an end as two lovers expertly explored each other's bodies; familiar moans and sounds of pleasure further encouraging the beast to entice his lion tamer to have her way with him...while he rose to the occasion ...and fulfilled her every desire.

A/N: (Shattered...) Dreams Fulfilled - Part 2 is up now!