"Lex, no offense, but I really don't want to go anywhere," Meredith sighed as she followed her sister out of school. "Derek promised me a foot rub, and we're going to pick out paint colors for the nursery."
"I know," Lexie nodded. "But George is absolutely no help when it comes to decorating the apartment. And since Izzie moved back to Boston, you're the only one I've got to help me."
"Fine," Meredith sighed. "But only because you helped me convince Derek that he can't put a poster of the Clash in the girls' nursery."
"Yay," Lexie giggled, grabbing Meredith's arm. "Come on."
"I can't walk fast anymore," Meredith giggled slightly. "Two people in my stomach, Lex."
"Right," Lexie nodded. "My nieces. Who will get cake later."
"This is why you're the favorite aunt," Meredith nodded. "But don't tell Derek's sisters that."
"I won't," Lexie promised as they got into her car. "How have you been feeling?"
"Really good," Meredith nodded. "Big belly and swollen ankles, but other than that I feel perfectly normal."
"Derek says you can feel them," Lexie breathed.
"I can," Meredith smiled, running a hand over her ever expanding belly. "They're not strong enough for anyone else to feel, but it kind of feels like they're swimming or something in me."
"I bet Derek's driving you crazy," Lexie giggled as she pulled into her apartment parking lot.
"You have no idea," Meredith sighed as she pulled herself out of the car. "Apparently if he talks to my stomach constantly and never removes his hand from my stomach, they'll kick him sooner."
"He's going to be such an amazing dad."
"I know," Meredith smiled, looking down at her stomach. "They're the luckiest girls in the entire world."
"Okay," Lexie sighed as they reached her apartment door. "Just don't be mad."
"Mad?" Meredith frowned. "Why would I..." she trailed off as she stepped into the apartment, blinking in surprise at the large group of people that were gathered there, surrounded by streamers and presents and...pink. Lots and lots of pink. "What?"
"It's your baby shower, Mer," Lexie smiled. "We wanted to be sure we did it while you were still in the second trimester, but we waited until you found of the sexes."
"Congratulations, dear," Emma smiled as she stepped forward to hug a still shocked Meredith. "I'm so happy for you."
"Mer, do you feel okay?" Liz asked as she stepped forward. "Maybe you should sit down."
"I'm fine," Meredith smiled, reaching out to hug her. "Just...shock."
Before anyone else could reply, the door slammed open and Derek rushed in, his eyes immediately zeroing in on Meredith as he approached her, resting his hands on her belly.
"Mer," he breathed. "What's wrong? Lexie left me a message and said that I had to get over here right away for you. Are the girls okay?"
"They're fine," Meredith giggled, turning to look at her sisters and friends. "And we're having a baby shower."
"Baby...what?" Derek frowned, finally looking around the room.
"The first party for our girls," Meredith smiled, moving his hand to her stomach. "They'll get lots of presents."
"Oh," Derek smiled, looking down at her stomach. "You hear that, girls? You and Mommy are going to get spoiled today."
"Sorry we didn't tell you, Derbear," Caitlin giggled. "We knew you can't keep secrets, especially from Mer."
Derek frowned, but Meredith giggled as she patted his shoulder. "It's true," she nodded. "All I have to do is give you those eyes you love."
"That's...totally true," Derek sighed. "If my daughters inherit that, I'm doomed."
"Mark says you're already whipped," Addison laughed.
"Come sit, Mer," Kathleen said, guiding her to the armchair in the living room.
"I can't believe you guys did this," she sighed as Derek lowered himself onto the arm of the chair.
"We had to," Nancy said. "You're giving us more Shepherds."
"What..." Meredith sighed as she looked around the room. "I've never been to a baby shower before, so...what am I supposed to do?"
"You eat and open presents," Lexie laughed. "Oh, and we all took the liberty of suggesting names. We put them in a bowl, so it's more fun."
"Which would you like to do first, dear?" Emma asked.
"Names, definitely names," Meredith nodded, looking up at Derek.
"They need names," he nodded, taking the bowl from Liz. "You first, Mer."
She smiled as she looked down at the paper. "Alyse."
"Hmmm," Derek shook his head. "I don't think so." He reached in next. "Amanda."
Meredith didn't even respond as she reached into the bowl. "Andrea."
"Anna."
"Ashley."
"Becky."
Meredith paused as she ran a hand over her stomach. "Rebecca," she murmured. "Becky."
"Mer?"
"I love it," she said, looking up at him.
"I do too," Derek murmured, pressing a hand to her stomach.
"Should we...is that it?"
"Definitely," Derek nodded. "We're halfway there," he announced to the women in the room. "Rebecca Shepherd. Becky."
"Becky Shepherd," Caitlin smiled. "It's perfect."
"That was totally mine," Lexie giggled.
"Good job," Meredith nodded in approval.
"Mine's still in there!" Addison protested.
"Sorry," Meredith smiled, reaching into the bowl. "Caroline."
"Hmm," Derek sighed. "We'll keep it on the list."
"Thanks," Addison rolled her eyes.
"Picking names is hard," Meredith defended. "Wait until you have to do it."
"Oh, I already have names picked out," Addison said softly, running a hand over her flat stomach.
"What are they?" Meredith asked.
"Aaron for a boy," Addison said, pausing awkwardly. "And um...Melanie for a girl."
"Melanie," Meredith whispered, digging her hand into Derek's leg. "That's...amazing."
Addison looked at her for a moment. "You should take it," she said, reaching for Meredith's free hand.
"What?" Meredith frowned. "We can't do that."
"It's your name, Addie," Derek added.
"Melanie Shepherd sounds a lot better than Melanie Montgomery," Addison sighed. "Or Melanie Sloan. But Mark's convinced it's a boy anyways."
"Are you sure?" Meredith asked, biting her lower lip.
"Positive," Addison laughed. "It's obvious you want it."
"Thank you," Derek smiled before he turned to his wife. "Our daughters have names."
"Hmm," Meredith smiled. "Becky and Melanie. I think they like them."
"Are they moving?"
"A lot," she smiled. "Can you feel them?"
"No," he sighed. "Soon."
"Soon," she whispered, leaning up to kiss him.
"Okay, enough of that," Kathleen rolled her eyes. "Presents or food next, Mer?"
"Could we...maybe both?" she asked with a hopeful smile.
"Definitely," Nancy said. "That's the good thing about being pregnant."
"Lex, help me with the food," Addison requested, getting off the couch.
"We'll be right back," Lexie said. "You can start with someone else if you want."
"I'll start," Kathleen said, handing Derek a huge box.
"Kath," Meredith breathed. "What..."
"Just open it," she nodded. "You'll like it."
Derek helped Meredith tear off the paper and smiled as he opened the box. "Clothes," he said.
"All of Meg's," Kathleen nodded. "Obviously you'll want some new stuff for your girls, but this is enough to keep them both dressed for the first year or so."
"But what if you have another girl?" Meredith asked, reaching for a tiny flowered onesie.
"Then I'll take them back," Kathleen shrugged. "They've been sitting in our basement for seven years. Chris and I would rather have them be used, and we'd love for it to be our beautiful new nieces."
"Thanks," Derek smiled, kissing his sister's cheek.
"Anything for you, baby brother."
"I'll go next," Nancy said, pulling two baskets forward. "Diapers, baby wipes, and cleaning supplies. That's actually what you'll need most."
"Thanks, Nancy," Meredith laughed.
"There's a teddy bear in each basket too," Nancy added. "Now that they have names, I'll take them to get monogrammed."
"Me next," Liz said.
"And me!" Caitlin protested.
"Right," Liz nodded. "Now, we're poor students, so we went in on this together."
"Okay," Derek laughed, reaching to take the envelope from Caitlin.
"What is it?" Meredith asked.
"Gift certificates," Derek smiled. "Restaurants, movies, spas."
"It's so you can have time to be Derek and Meredith instead of just Mommy and Daddy," Caitlin explained.
"And whenever you want to use one of them, we'll watch the girls," Liz added. "We have to make sure they know what their daddy was like when he was younger."
"You cannot corrupt my daughters against me," Derek frowned.
"Derek," Meredith rolled her eyes. "Be nice."
"Here," Lexie laughed, handing Meredith a box. "It's not much, but...I thought it was a good idea."
"Books," Meredith breathed, flipping through the large box of children's books. "Wow, Lex."
"Now I have something to read to them so they'll know my voice," Derek grinned, flipping through a copy of The Giving Tree.
"Not happening," Meredith rolled her eyes.
"I just figured you'd want to start their love of reading early," Lexie smiled. "Although I'm sure they've already inherited that from you."
"Thanks," Meredith laughed as she reached for two large gift bags from Addison. "Oh," she breathed as she pulled out a soft purple blanket and a matching mint green one. "Addie..."
"They're Irish wool," Addison smiled. "Mark and I had them specially ordered. We know how much you two love Ireland, and the girls are half Irish, so it's fitting."
"They're amazing," Derek murmured. "Thanks, Addie."
"That just leaves me," Emma smiled, stepping into George and Lexie's room for a moment before she wheeled a faded white bassinet into the living room. "There's only one, but Nancy has informed me of the importance of co-bedding with twins."
"Mom," Derek breathed, grabbing Meredith's hand and leading her to look at the bassinet, filled with bibs, bottles, clothes, and toys. "It's perfect."
"It's yours," Emma said softly. "When you were born, your father insisted that we get an entirely new bassinet because the previous one was too girly. You're the only baby who has ever slept in it."
"Oh," Derek smiled, looking down at the wicker basket.
"It's perfect," Meredith whispered, wrapping her arms around Derek.
"I added a few things in that I thought you might need," Emma said, reaching into the basket. "And I have no idea if you want to give this to one or both of them, but I thought you might like it."
"Mr. Rory," Derek smiled, reaching for the frayed stuffed lion.
"Mr. Rory?" Meredith asked with a raised eyebrow.
"He was my security item," Derek frowned. "He came everywhere with me."
"Hmmm," Meredith smiled. "Are you going to leave it in there?"
"I don't know," he sighed. "I don't want them fighting over him."
"Of course," Meredith nodded. "No one would want Mr. Rory to get hurt."
Derek ignored her as he turned back to his mother. "Mom, this is amazing," he breathed, leaning in to hug her. "Thank you. So much. Becky and Melanie are going to love it."
"Your father would be so proud of you," Emma whispered in her son's ear. "And he's going to look out for these girls. He'll be their guardian angel."
Derek blinked back tears as he pulled back, rubbing Meredith's stomach. "They're very lucky girls," he smiled.
"Thanks Mom," Meredith said, leaning forward to hug Emma as well. "This is...well, it's amazing."
"It's my Shepherd granddaughters," Emma said, reaching to stroke Meredith's belly quickly. "And I'd be happy to care for them whenever you would like me to."
"We'll take you up on that," Derek nodded. "Probably not for a long time, but when they're old enough...they'll spend a lot of time at Grandma's."
"You're their only grandparent," Meredith added. "And we know you'll love them enough for all four."
Emma squeezed Meredith's hand tightly for a moment before she asked, "Now who would like cake? I'm sure Becky and Melanie are quite hungry." She moved to the kitchen with Lexie while Meredith leaned into Derek, a hand on her stomach. Her babies had names, and she had the best friends in the world. Life was good.