"Where's Meredith?" Kathleen demanded as she walked through the door to her parents' kitchen, pushing Derek out of the way as she made her way towards Meredith. "Let me see the ring," she demanded as she collapsed onto a chair beside Meredith, a hand resting on her swollen belly.
Meredith giggled as she held her hand out to show her future sister in law. "What do you think?" she asked.
"Wow," Kathleen breathed. "It looks beautiful."
"Thanks," Meredith said, smiling softly at Derek from across the room as he poured two glasses of wine.
"Hi, Kath, nice to see you too," Derek rolled his eyes as he moved to sit down beside Meredith, placing a glass of wine in front of her.
"Don't be dramatic, Derbear," Kathleen rolled her eyes. "I'm the last one here because of my stupid morning sickness, and I wanted to see Moms's ring on Mer's finger. Which makes it Mer's ring now, I guess."
"It's six o'clock at night."
Kathleen raised her eyebrows as she looked closely at him. "Well, one thing you should definitely learn before you knock Meredith up is that morning sickness lasts all day and night."
Meredith frowned. "All day?" she asked.
"Yeah, and that's not the worst of it," Kathleen nodded. "Factor in the forgetting everything you hear and the waddling, morning sickness is hardly the worst part of pregnancy."
"Oh," Meredith frowned, looking down at her hands.
"Do not turn my fiancé against pregnancy," Derek said pointedly at his sister. "She's going to give me babies."
"I'm just telling her the facts," Kathleen shrugged. "It's not my fault that all you men are stupidly obsessed with babies. You don't care that it makes the women you claim to love have heartburn for nine months."
Meredith frowned as she turned to Derek, her eyes wide with fear. "Derek..." she started.
"You promised me babies," Derek said firmly.
"I didn't realize it would be this bad," Meredith replied, fear taking over her eyes. "I don't know..."
"It's not," Derek rolled his eyes. "Kathleen's a drama queen always had been. She's overreacting."
Kathleen laughed as she leaned forward to squeeze Meredith's hand. "It's not really that bad," she said. "Especially when you finally get the end result. You forget the awfulness."
As if on cue, Meg raced into the kitchen, Emma following closely behind her. "Aunt Meredith! Aunt Meredith!" she cried. "Grandma says Uncle Derek gave you her 'gagement ring!"
"He did," Meredith smiled, pulling Meg to sit on her lap and holding her left hand out for inspection.
"Wow," Meg breathed, reaching out to touch the diamond reverently. "It's really pretty, Aunt Meredith."
"It is," Meredith agreed. "And you know what me wearing this ring from Uncle Derek means?"
"That you and Uncle Derek are getting married," Meg exclaimed. "And you'll be my aunt forever!"
"We are," Meredith nodded. "And you know what? We're going to need you to do something for us."
"What?" Meg asked.
"We're going to need a flower girl," Meredith whispered. "And we want you to be our flower girl."
"Really?" Meg asked, her eyes wide with excitement. "A flower girl? With a pretty dress?"
"Really," Meredith nodded. "And if it wasn't for you, I never would have met Uncle Derek. So we thought that you should have a special role on our special day."
"Wow," Meg exclaimed, turning to her mother. "I'm going to be a flower girl for Aunt Meredith, Mommy."
"I heard," Kathleen smiled.
"I've gotta go tell Aunt Liz and Aunt Nancy and Aunt Caitlin!" Meg exclaimed, scrambling off of Meredith's lap and heading towards the living room. Meredith turned back to Derek, smiling softly.
"So you guys have thought about the wedding?" Kathleen asked as she turned back to her brother and sister in law.
"A little," Meredith nodded.
"Well, it's going to take a long time to plan," Emma said. "We've got to call a hall and get a date, and then get you a dress and a tux, find a hall for the reception..."
"Mom," Derek interrupted, squeezing Meredith's hand in assurance. "We're not getting married like that."
"You're not?" Emma and Kathleen asked together.
"Kath and Nancy's weddings were beautiful," Derek nodded. "And perfect for them. But not for me and Mer."
"So how exactly are you planning to get married?" Emma asked.
"On Mer's land," Derek smiled, reaching out to push a strand of hair behind her ear. "No fancy dresses, no tuxes. Just some simple flowers, a family thing. We'll grill out for the reception, nothing fancy, just a simple ceremony. We're a simple couple, and we really just want to be married."
"It's Seattle, dear, you can't get married outside," Emma pointed out.
"We're waiting until June," Meredith said softly. "Derek will be done with his internship, it will be warmer and less wet then, so we can hold a wedding outside."
Emma blinked as she looked at them for a moment before she smiled warmly. "As long as it's what you both want," she nodded. "Now, I've got to get dinner onto the table."
Meredith turned to look at Derek as Emma walked back towards the oven. "You promised she wouldn't hate me," she hissed.
"She doesn't hate you," Derek laughed. "She just doesn't get it."
Meredith sighed as she leaned back into her seat. "Are your sisters going to get it?"
"Liz will," Derek nodded. "Nancy won't, but...she's Nancy. And no one can really predict what Caitlin will think about anything."
"Great," Meredith sighed. "So one person in your family likes me."
"No one hates you," Derek rolled his eyes. "It's very frightening how quickly you're turning into a Shepherd sister."
Kathleen laughed as she pulled herself to her feet. "You always said she would fit in well with us, baby brother," she said.
"I did," Derek nodded, wrapping an arm around Meredith's shoulders. "You okay?" he asked softly.
"Fine," Meredith nodded, smiling at him.
"Dinner's ready," Emma announced as she walked in from the living room.
Derek pulled Meredith into the dining room, smiling at the sight of the rest of his family already settled around the table, passing dishes and talking loudly.
"So, Derek," Michael said once everyone had been served. "When are you officially making this girl a Shepherd?"
"June," Derek smiled. "We don't have a date yet, but right now we just want to enjoy being engaged."
"That's sweet," Liz smiled. "I still can't believe you're the one who got Mom's ring. I thought I really had a chance to get it when neither Kath or Nance even asked for it."
"Oh," Meredith said. "I didn't realize...I mean, I guess you could have it, but Derek said his dad gave it to him, but it is your mom's ring, so he could just buy me a new one if you really want this one. I get why you'd want it because it's perfect and beautiful, so...when you get married you should take it. Because it's your mom's, and..."
"Mer," Derek laughed softly.
"Thanks," Meredith blushed, looking down at her plate.
"You're not giving that ring up," Liz smiled. "It's perfect for you. And Daddy always wanted it to become a Shepherd ring. You're the only one who will actually have the last name Shepherd anymore, so it makes sense."
"Plus, you love it," Derek laughed. "She hates to take it off, even to shower."
"Okay, you can shut up now," Meredith hissed.
"We should go shopping soon," Caitlin announced. "You need a dress, Mer."
"Oh," Meredith said, glancing at Derek with panicking eyes.
"She's not wearing a wedding dress wedding dress," Derek said. "It's going o be a simple wedding. Just us."
Nancy frowned. "You don't even want a wedding dress?" she asked.
"I'm not...I don't like weddings," Meredith shrugged. "Marriage. I like marriage, and I'm excited to get married, but I'm not excited about the wedding."
"How can you not be excited about your wedding?" Caitlin asked.
"Because she's not crazy," Liz defended. "She wants to marry our brother. Let's just be thankful that someone actually wants to do that."
"Hey!" Derek protested.
"It's true Derbear," Kathleen said.
"Not the thing I want my fiancé to hear," Derek said.
"Your fiancé already knows the truth," Meredith giggled. "And she doesn't care."
"You hold on to this one, Derek," Michael laughed. "She's pretty special."
"I know," Derek nodded, squeezing Meredith's shoulders gently. "Believe me, I know."
XXXXX
"Oh my god!"
Derek grimaced, pretty sure that his eardrums had been pierced at the sound of Izzie and Lexie's screaming.
"Mer, this ring looks amazing on you," Lexie breathed.
"It's perfect," Izzie nodded.
Derek smiled as he leaned against the doorframe of Lexie and Izzie's apartment. They'd been forced to move out after Ellis had moved back into her house, and had conveniently found an apartment in the same building as theirs. After they had finished dinner with his family, Meredith had insisted on showing her sister and best friend, and Derek couldn't resist the temptation of watching her show off the ring. She would never admit it, but he could tell that she was proud of her ring, and loved showing it off. She'd told him the day before that she still caught the girls in her class staring dreamily at the ring, and one had even asked told the rest of the boys in her class to be exactly like Dr. Shepherd when they grew up. Of course Meredith had rolled her eyes and told him she hoped that wouldn't happen, but she still thought it was adorable. She loved being engaged, and her eyes lit up whenever he brought up their life together. Even though they were practically married already, to her the thought of actually being married made her happier than anything else.
"....and you'll have to get a morning coat for Derek," he heard Izzie say, snapping him out of his daydreams.
"What?" Derek and Meredith asked at the same time.
"A morning coat," Izzie nodded. "Oh, and when my cousin got married she had this great teacher for ballroom dancing lessons, I might have his card around here somewhere..."
"No," Meredith said, reaching for Izzie's arm. "You are not taking over this wedding like you did for her. This is my wedding. Simple. Small. No church, no roses, and definitely no ballroom dancing or morning coats."
"But...that's what weddings are supposed to be," Izzie frowned.
"Not ours," Derek interjected.
"How can you have a wedding without flowers and dresses?" Izzie asked.
"It's their wedding," Lexie interrupted. "Let them have the wedding they want."
"But Meredith hates weddings," Izzie protested. "If it were up to her they'd get married at city hall and then have us over for a barbeque."
"No city hall," Meredith sighed. "Izzie, just let us take care of this. You'll have your perfect wedding when you get married."
"If Alex ever decides to suck it up and propose," Izzie sighed.
Meredith smiled softly. "He will," she said. "He's just...waiting until the time is right."
"It's okay," Izzie said. "You've got your special day. Even if you're not taking advantage of it, it will be your day."
"And it will be special to us," Derek said, tugging on Meredith's hand.
"Of course," Lexie smiled. "Congratulations."
"Thanks," Meredith smiled. "I'll talk to you guys tomorrow."
"Bye, Mer," Izzie sighed.
Derek pulled Meredith into the hall and into his arms as soon as the door had closed.
"You're quite impatient," Meredith giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"I happen to be engaged to the most beautiful woman in the world," Derek smiled. "And I've had to wait all day to do this."
Meredith gasped as he pressed his lips hard against hers, forcing his tongue into her mouth. He pressed her against the wall, forcing her to be completely at his mercy. She fisted her hand in his hair, tugging gently before he pulled away to catch his breath.
"Derek," she panted, looking up at him with wide eyes.
"Mer," he breathed, a hand going to the thigh that was wrapped around his waist and stroking it gently.
"We should...apartment," Meredith breathed.
"Definitely," Derek nodded, pulling away from her and tugging on her hand.
Meredith giggled as Derek dragged her down the hall. "Impatient are we?" she asked.
"I have a forty eight hour shift starting tomorrow morning," Derek sighed, pulling her close and inhaling the lavender scent of her hair. "I plan to absorb all the Meredith I can get until then."
Meredith smiled as she rested her head against his shoulder. "I hate internships," she sighed.
"Me too," Derek laughed, running a hand along her back.
"Maybe I'll stop by," Meredith smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck. "So...you know, you won't have to miss me too much."
"I like that plan," Derek smiled, squeezing her tightly.
"Good," she nodded, pressing her lips against his. "Now let's get inside."
"Inside is good," Derek nodded, pulling her into the apartment.
Meredith giggled as Derek dragged her towards the bedroom. She had an amazing fiancé and they were going to have an amazing future together. She just hoped that everyone would understand her desire to have a small wedding. Because she wanted a marriage, not a wedding, but no one seemed to understand that. She just wanted to be Derek's wife, but she didn't need to be his bride. No one but Derek seemed to understand that, but maybe that was enough. She hoped that was enough