There Goes My Life

26.

Mark walked up to Derek and clasped his hand on his best friend's shoulder. "You ready to take the plunge?" Mark asked as he smiled at Derek.

"As ready as I will ever be." Derek said honestly. "I could not have imagined any of this a few months ago. I was just starting to grow facial hair and now I'm going to be a husband and a father." Derek said as he looked in the mirror adjusting the tie he added to his ensemble. "Speaking of which, you couldn't shave and look proper for my big day?" Derek asked glaring at his best friend.

"You're just jealous, 'cause I make this look good." He said as he ran his thumb and forefinger across his chin as a sly grin spread across his face. "I do admit though, Derek, you look good. I just look better." He said as he laughed.

"Get out." Derek said as he rolled his eyes and crossed the room to pick up his suit jacket. As he finished adjusting himself he turned to head out the door but stopped as Thatcher walked into the room.

"How you doing son?" He asked.

"I'm alright. A little nervous that I might mess up, but I guess that's to be expected huh?" Derek questioned.

"You will do wonderful, just treat my daughter and granddaughter right and we won't have any problems." Thatcher said with a warning glance.

"Then everything should be just perfect, because I don't intend to harm a single hair on either one of their heads sir." He told him honestly, looking him square in the eye.

"You don't have to call me sir Derek. Thatcher's fine, and maybe one day you might even get to dad. I just don't want you to think I'm pushing because your dad was a great man from what I have been told about him. That's how I know I'm right when I trust you with Meredith, your buddy, well I'm still watching out for him." He told Derek causing Derek to laugh.

"He's a good guy, he seems like a bad boy, but Lexie sure has changed that." Derek told him.

"Well then, that's settled. You head on down to the back yard and I'll go check on my daughter." He said as he stood up and offered Derek his hand. They shook and then embraced quickly before walking out the door, Derek leaving to his left and Thatcher to his right.

---

Lexie put the finishing touches of Meredith's make-up on and stood up. "I know you did it before you came but you also didn't think you were getting married." She said as she placed the brush on the dresser and looked at her sister. "Now you are perfect." She smiled.

"I can't believe all of this is happening. I just seemed to have lost track of time. Everything is just going a little crazy. I'm pregnant, and in one day I've gotten engaged and am going to be married. Graduation is going to be a month after I have the baby so I'm not even sure if I'm going to be able to do exams never mind graduate. I just need to take a breath." Meredith said as she walked towards the window in the room that looked over the backyard.

"Nope, no looking outside." Susan said as she stepped in front of the window. "It's all a surprise." She told her step-daughter. "Besides, we have a tradition to uphold." She said as she reached for a small box and handed it to Meredith. "Something borrowed and old." She told Meredith as she began to open the present.

"It's the earrings you wore on the day you married dad." Meredith smiled as she took them from the box and began to put them on. "Thank you." She said, her eyes watering as she began to get emotional.

"This is your something blue." Lexie said as she handed her another box. Meredith unwrapped the blue garter and Lexie giggled.

"Thanks." She said with a smile on her face as she turned at the sound of knocking at the door.