"Derek, I really don't understand why we have to do this," Meredith sighed as he pulled their car into his mother's driveway.
"It's just a cook out," Derek laughed, turning to look at her as he parked the car. He took in her concerned face and tilted his head to the side as he reached out to tug gently on a strand of her hair. "Mer, what's wrong?" he asked.
"Nothing," she sighed. "I just...the girls really shouldn't be outside for that long, so we should go home."
"We put sun block on them," Derek rolled his eyes as he moved out of the car to reach for Becky. "And they have their adorable little Yankees hats. They'll be completely fine."
"I guess," Meredith murmured as she reached for Melanie. She held her baby close to her, unable to resist a smile as Melanie nuzzled into her neck. "You didn't forget Mommy's birthday, did you sweetheart? Your daddy won't be getting any you know what from me for a long time, because he always remembers my birthday. So he's in big trouble this year."
"What are you two gossiping about?" Derek laughed as he walked around the car, Becky in one arm and diaper bag slung over his other shoulder, and he wrapped an arm around her waist.
"Nothing," Meredith sighed as she walked around the house to the backyard. As soon as they reached the backyard, she stopped short when she saw balloons and streamers, and the entire family gathered around a table that sat beside the porch. "What..." she blinked in surprise as Meg ran over to her, the rest of the family following with their own greetings.
"Happy birthday Aunt Meredith!" Meg cried, and a moment later Meredith found herself and Melanie engulfed in hugs and kisses and birthday wishes. She eventually found her bearings and returned the hugs with thanks.
"Happy birthday, Mer," Derek whispered when the family had backed away, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
Meredith blinked in surprise as she turned to him. "You remembered?" she breathed, moving closer to him.
"Of course I remembered," Derek frowned. "Have I ever forgotten your birthday? I'd never do that."
"Well...no," she sighed, leaning into him. "I just thought you did. Because we have kids now, and I don't know..."
"I'll never forget your birthday, Mer," Derek laughed, pulling her close. "And I did have a whole thing planned that included breakfast in bed, but then we had some excitement with our little girls starting to talk."
"They're not actually talking, Der," Meredith giggled. "Just making noise. To each other."
"Babbling," Derek sighed. "It's still exciting."
"Definitely," Meredith giggled.
"Basa nome bada," Melanie echoed Meredith's giggle, suddenly squirming in her arms. Meredith smiled as she saw Emma approaching and Melanie stretching her arms out for her grandmother.
"Someone wants to see Grandma," Meredith giggled as she handed Melanie over to Emma.
"Hello darling," Emma said, kissing the top of Melanie's head. "Happy birthday, Meredith, dear."
"Thank you," Meredith sighed.
"We've got plenty of food," Emma smiled. "And cake and presents of course. It's not a birthday party without presents."
"I can't believe you did this," Meredith said, leaning into Derek and rubbing a gentle hand along Becky's back.
"It was Derek's idea," Emma said, looking at her son. "He wanted to be sure that you could get out of the house and really enjoy your birthday. Not that you shouldn't celebrate with your daughters, but you should also allow your family to enjoy the day with you."
Meredith smiled as she turned to look at her husband. "Thank you," she whispered, leaning up to press her lips against his.
"You're welcome," Derek breathed against her lips. "And there will be a more private, less PG rated celebration later tonight."
"Hmm," Meredith giggled, running her hands through his hair. "Can't wait. It will be amazing."
"Good," Derek sighed. "Now let's go hand the girls off to our family and enjoy your birthday."
"She is much more social," Emma smiled down at Melanie. "And very talkative. That's a new development."
"They're starting to babble," Meredith sighed. "And they remember the family now, so they're not as scared to leave us."
"Meredith!" Kathleen called as she walked over to them. "Hi Becky," she giggled as her niece reached for her, squirming in Derek's arms. "Wow, you're getting so big. I can't believe this is my tiny niece."
"Well, it's official," Derek laughed, wrapping his arms around Meredith. "Our daughters officially love their aunts and grandma more than us. We can give them away now, they don't need us anymore."
Meredith giggled as she wrapped her arms around him as well. "At least we can feel like adults," she sighed.
"Food?" Derek asked.
"Definitely," Meredith nodded. "Um...feel free to pass them around," she said to Emma and Kathleen.
"As long as we get them back," Derek laughed.
"Don't worry, you'll get them back as soon as there's a dirty diaper," Kathleen nodded.
"Thanks Kath," Derek rolled his eyes.
"Hey, you did it to me," Kathleen smiled, looking down at Becky. "Come on sweetie, let's go play with your cousin Meg."
Meredith smiled as Derek led her to the table where the food was set up, breathing in deeply. "Real food," she breathed.
"Real food?" Derek asked, turning to her in amusement. "What do I cook for you?"
"Well...that's food, but I get sick of spaghetti," she shrugged. "It's the only thing I cook when you're at work."
Derek laughed as he handed her a plate with a cheeseburger on it. "Well, you can feel free to eat as much real food as you want," he laughed.
"Meredith!" Caitlin cried, hurrying over to her and Derek. "Happy birthday!"
"Thanks," Meredith smiled, handing Derek her plate to hug her sister in law tightly. "It's been too long since I've seen you."
"Well, it's about time you actually left the house," Caitlin smiled. "You look fantastic! Have you lost all your baby weight?"
"Most of it," Meredith nodded. "Although I don't think my boobs will ever be the same, but Derek doesn't seem to mind too much."
"Okay, things a little sister doesn't need to know," Caitlin grimaced.
"Sorry," Meredith smiled.
"Hey, I want you two to meet my new boyfriend," Caitlin said, eyeing Derek carefully. "Don't do anything stupid, Derbear."
"When have I ever done anything stupid?" Derek frowned.
"Just behave," Caitlin said. "I'll be right back."
Meredith smiled as she turned back to Derek. "You know, she's your only single sister now," she said.
"I know," Derek sighed.
"What are you going to do when she gets married?" Meredith teased. "There won't be anyone to harass."
"I have two daughters," Derek sighed. "And no man will ever be good enough for either of them."
Meredith giggled, but before she could say anything else, Caitlin returned.
"Meredith, Derek, I want you to meet my boyfriend, Andrew," she said, leaning into his arms.
Meredith dropped the fork she was holding into the bowl of macaroni salad and she felt Derek tense behind her, reaching out to wrap a protective arm around her waist.
"Andrew," Meredith breathed, staring at him in shock.
"Hey Mer," Andrew said softly. "It's um...it's good to see you."
"You two know each other?" Caitlin frowned.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Derek demanded as he stepped around Meredith to stand in front of Andrew.
"Derek," Meredith insisted, tugging on his hand.
"She's twenty two years old," Derek said, pointing to his sister. "And if you think you can use her to worm your way back to my wife..."
"Derek," Caitlin snapped, looking at Meredith. "What the hell is going on?"
"It's a long story," Meredith sighed. She started to pull Derek back, but rolled her eyes when she heard a loud cry come from somewhere in the yard. She whirled her head around to see Melanie struggling in Emma's arms as she reached for Derek. "Come here sweetheart," she sighed as she moved to take her screaming daughter from Emma. "Daddy's a little busy right now." Melanie continued to scream as Meredith attempted to comfort her, and she continued to reach for a fuming Derek. Meredith sighed as she rolled her eyes, wondering how her life had gotten to this point.
"Derek," Meredith sighed as she moved to stand beside him, struggling with a squirming Melanie. "She wants you."
Derek stared at Andrew for another long moment before he turned to take his daughter into his arms, his face melting as he gently spoke to her, rubbing her back as her screams calmed to soft whimpers. "Sorry if Daddy scared you, sweetheart," he whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
"You have a baby," Andrew stated, staring at the three of them.
Derek turned to look at him with anger in his eyes, but Melanie's babbles snapped him out of his anger and he nodded. "Two actually," he stated.
"Oh," Andrew blinked, looking at Meredith carefully. "Well...you look great, Mer. No one would ever know that you'd just had twins."
"You son of a..." Derek breathed, stepping closer and handing Melanie to Meredith.
"Derek," Meredith gasped as Melanie began to cry again and Meredith heard Becky's cries join her from somewhere behind her. "Derek, come with me. Now."
"Mer, he's..."
"Now," Meredith snapped, handing Melanie to him and moving to take Becky from Kathleen's arms. "We'll be right back," she said to Emma. "I just...have to talk some sense into him."
She pulled Derek towards the house, slamming the door closed behind him as she turned to look at him. "What in the world was that?" she asked as she leaned against the counter, holding Becky close to her.
"Mer, do you remember what he did?" Derek asked. "He tried to convince you not to marry me. And now he's dating my baby sister, and the way he looked at you..."
"I know," Meredith nodded. "He's horrible. But you can't just pick a fight with him, Derek. You terrified your daughters and you upset your sister."
"She should not be dating him," Derek argued.
"That's not up for you to decide," Meredith sighed. "It's my birthday, Derek. You don't have to go peeing all over your territory. You're my husband. You're the father of my babies. You're the only man I love, so Andrew...he can look as much as he wants. You're the one who gets to be with me."
Derek sighed as he leaned down to inhale Melanie's baby scent, knowing that his wife was right. "You're right," he sighed. "I'm sorry."
"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to," Meredith rolled her eyes. "Derek, you can't just do stuff like that without thinking. You terrified Melanie. And when she starts screaming, Becky starts screaming. You can't scare our daughters like that."
"I know," Derek sighed, kissing the top of Melanie's head softly. "Sorry princess."
"And your sister," Meredith nodded. "She didn't deserve to be humiliated like that, Derek."
"I'll apologize," Derek sighed. "I just...that guy's a sore spot for me."
"I know," Meredith sighed. "I'm sorry, Derek, I really am. You know that he's my biggest regret."
"You don't need to," Derek sighed. "I know that you never really felt anything for him."
Meredith nodded as she leaned up to kiss him. "It's always been you, Der," she whispered. "How else would I have gotten these beautiful little girls?"
"Oh, so now the truth comes out," Derek laughed against her lips.
"If we go back out there will you promise to behave?" Meredith asked as she pulled back.
"I promise," Derek nodded.
"Okay," Meredith smiled, reaching for his hand. "Let's go."
"Abo mea pasa," Becky giggled as Meredith carried her back out to the backyard.
"Oh really?" Meredith smiled as she looked down at her daughter. "That's very interesting."
"Abo gaga!" Melanie shouted from Derek's arms.
"You're a very good talked, Mellie," Derek laughed as he settled onto a lawn chair beside his mother.
"Chatty like her daddy," Meredith smiled as she sat down next to Liz.
"Derek," Caitlin said hesitantly, looking at him carefully.
Derek sighed as he bounced Melanie slightly on his lap. "I'm sorry, Caitie," he said softly.
"Me too," she breathed, glancing at Andrew. "I didn't know..."
"Not now," Derek shook his head. "I'm sorry for losing my temper, but we don't have to do this now. It's Mer's birthday, we should just have fun."
"Okay," Caitlin said softly.
"Derek," Meredith giggled as Becky reached up to grab her hair. "Shawn wants to hear about pregnancy from the husband's side."
"Oh," Derek laughed. "That might take awhile."
"Hmm," Meredith smiled as he moved to sit down beside her, laughing as Melanie and Becky began babbling to one another.
"Do you think they're making up one of those twin languages?" she giggled.
"They're not old enough for that yet," Derek laughed as he looked down at them. "But they certainly do seem to understand each other."
Meredith smiled as she leaned into Derek, holding Becky tightly in her lap as she kissed him deeply. "I love you," she whispered.
"I love you too," he murmured. "Happy birthday."
Meredith sighed as she settled into him, her eyes catching Andrew's for a moment. He was staring at them with wide eyes, as if really realizing that they were really happy. She blinked quickly as she turned her head down to look at her baby daughters. She wasn't sure how it would work with Andrew as apart of her family, but she knew it had to work. She was happy, Derek and her baby girls made her completely happy, and she wouldn't let her ex...whatever Andrew had been ruin that for her. Her family was together and happy, and that was completely perfect.