Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's Anatomy, et al.

Author's Note: Just a quick note of thanks to all who submitted notes of encouragement to me throughout this story, while my readership continues to soar, sometimes the lack of commentary can real be a downer, so thank you so much to those of you who have opened those lines of communication and gave me a chance with this story! I truly hope you have enjoyed reading as much as I have enjoyed writing it.

###

Epilogue – Somewhere Over the Rainbow

"and I see your true colors
shining through"

Meredith pressed her head against the cool glass in front of her. She smiled to herself, sighing as she watched one of the babies, a little girl, wrinkle her nose … a reflex … her eyes still closed to the world, bundled up tightly in an abundance of soft, hospital-issue receiving blankets. Safe and warm … a moment of perfect peace and harmony, captured so vividly, so much so that Meredith couldn't look away if she tried. And it was like that every time she came up to the nursery – she found it harder and harder to look away from their little cherub faces – finally relaxing after their arduous journey.

She felt tears prick her eyes – they were gorgeous little miracles – and had their lives ahead of them where they lived now under a colorful wave of party streamers and balloons and flowers and endless, perfect rainbows … they were new, unruffled by life.

With a smile still etched along her face, she glanced to her friend, seeing now that his troubles had ebbed slightly, her mind wandering of course to her 'date' with Derek that night all those months ago – the night he was on call and she missed him so – and came here to fill that void, because he missed her too. Her mind deluge with him now and the point he proved to her that night … because good things do happen here, and this place didn't really have to pull a person down into the trenches of death and disease and surgery debacles. He was right … Seattle Grace could be a place of hope, a place with a prayer for a better tomorrow … a place where cures for the unimaginable were found.

And for that lesson she would be forever thankful. Because she loved him … even then, and was somehow drawn to the hope he felt radiating inside these walls and to that end – she needed that hope to do the research she was hired to do – for the depths of Alzheimer's was daunting and dark and woeful … and even egregious. And so when it became too much, she came up here … and she brought George with her once a few months ago – because everyone needed a break, a bubble of happiness to float upon for a brief moment in time – every now and again.

"Thanks for dragging me up here again, Meredith," George sighed, pressing his head against the cool glass. "I needed it … a break before tonight," he said softly. "I'm on-call this weekend," he said, half in an effort to remind himself.

"Sure thing," Meredith smiled, turning to watch her friend almost collapse against the window. She chuckled.

"Babies … if they only knew …," he chuckled weakly, rubbing his eyes with the backs of his hands. He smiled then. "Maybe we should tell them," he laughed, looking through the window again … boy, girl, boy, girl, pink, blue … blue, blue, blue … he snorted – he was good boy, a good kid – and a good man. He knew this … but … it sure didn't feel like it lately.

"Everyone makes mistakes, George," Meredith whispered, trying her best to reign him in, for he was still bothered by the moniker Cristina had given him some time ago … '007', it was cruel, but not surprising coming from her. "You're an intern … we're basically babies ourselves … we have no idea what we're doing," she reminded him softly.

George sighed and blinked, his eyes so fatigued he was convinced he could close them and they would never open again. He exhaled in frustration. "Maybe I'm not cut out for this after all," he breathed his confession, his hot breath ricocheting off the glass, hot, cold, hot, cold. "I should have joined the Army – I would look good in a uniform – and I might have been more inspired," he chuckled, turning to face Meredith, self-deprecation fueling his fire now.

"I keep saying this, but that patient won't be the only one you'll ever lose," she reasoned with him carefully, choosing to ignore the comment about the Army. "And as far as inspiration goes … at least you're inspired by more than your dead mother's taxing illness," she smirked playfully.

"Yeah …," he chuckled. "I just wish she could've given that asshole nickname to someone else," he snickered, pulling his PDA from his pocket. "I have to study," he mumbled as he looked up and found his friend … with her head tilted, her green eyes big and soft, moving from baby to baby.

Meredith sighed, one of those resigned sighs and for once it was necessarily a bad thing … she pushed fingertips against the cool glass of the window – this symbolic gateway to the future – and therein, she saw herself, her reflection and within that moment of reflection, she once again wondered how it was that she became this woman … the one who'd met and fallen in love with the man of her dreams … the one who would move in with that man into the home of her dreams … on this very night.

This home, this place that had become theirs as they watched it come to life, this place they created with the three extra bedrooms …

… and the dancing lavender that would bloom next spring …

… and the dandelions that would bloom again in the summer …

She breathed on these blessings then, still wondering, how and why … and how wonderful it was that she was this woman with a future to plan and to build upon.

Tiny tears of rejoice pricked her eyes then and though she'd grown quite used to the tears shed by this woman – she blinked them away with haste – moving closer to the window again, watching as her watery reflection disappeared, for now.

"They really are something, aren't they …," George murmured softly as he watched Meredith watch over the babies, her more serious physique softening as she did – imagining now that this was more true to the woman she actually was – soft, sincere … motherly. He smiled.

Meredith inhaled sharply, her eyes still vacillating over the babies … so new, so full of endless light and color. "They are … amazing," she agreed, her apron strings tugging at her heart. She exhaled and turned to George, shaking those whimsical feelings off, for now. "So … skipping dinner again?" she asked with a tight smile, well aware that he'd been studying up for his boards, really studying, putting much more into it than Izzie or even Alex.

"Yeah," George answered. "I'll grab something, head down to the tunnels," he smiled weakly. "I assume … you'll keep all of that to yourself …my crack about the Army," he prompted evenly as they turned away from the nursery, his careful reminder to Meredith hanging in the air between them.

"Of course, just want to make sure you remember to eat," she giggled as they stopped in front of the elevators, she pushed the up and down arrows. "And no, I won't tell anyone," she promised.

The elevator chimed, heading down. George smiled. "I'll talk to you later," he murmured as he stepped over the threshold and turned around, the doors closing as he saluted her ridiculously.

Meredith giggled at his antics, quickly deciding to take the stairs rather than wait. She turned around and looked down the hallway from whence they came, exhaling wistfully as she turned away and headed down the hallway en-route to the stairwell. She opened the door and glanced at her watch, the door closing behind her as she did. She had about an hour to get to the ferry dock, her mind instantly switching gears to Derek and then she smiled … a smile that wouldn't quit.

She rounded the last corner and exited the darkness of the stairwell, her eyes scanning the brightly lit hallways as she walked down to her office, spotting Izzie and Alex at the opposite end, their smiles beaming at one another as they chatted animatedly. She shook her head before she slipped inside her office sight unseen. She closed the door and peeled her lab coat off and hung it on the back of her door. She took her coat from the second hanger, her mind swiftly moving to George and his ambivalence – his smart-ass comment about the Army on instant replay – even now.

Exhaling, she gathered her bags and clicked her reading lamp off before she headed for the door and opened it, closing and locking it behind her. She made a beeline for the elevators – her thoughts circling around secrets and keeping them – though it was no secret between her and Derek that she'd mastered the boundaries of compartmentalization with regards to having friends who happened to be her boyfriend's interns.

Because the conflict was unavoidable – none of her friends wanted to look weak in front of their boss – and she couldn't really blame them … but she couldn't walk away from the lunch table every time they began to vent. So, as confidences were to remain confidential – she made it clear fromthe very beginning that her relationship with Derek was off the table – it was private … it was theirs … and he came first … and whatever happened between all of them and her surgical God of a boyfriend was between them.

She pushed the down arrow and waited, the elevator arrived and she slipped inside, her thoughts swirling around her friends now and their moments of extreme weakness … George and his apparent self-deprecation … and Izzie and her inferiority complex surrounding her beauty and her desire to be taken seriously … and Alex and his tough exterior, this bullish way he had about himself that only seemed to tamper with his bedside manner (which really was something else when his patient was a child) … and even Cristina, with her ultra-competitiveness and complete and utter fear of doing anything wrong … yeah, it was true … sometimes they were a mess … and sometimes so was she.

The elevator came to a stop and the doors opened to the lobby. She exited and made her way to the line of taxis that awaited, the damp night air clinging to her as she walked. She inhaled a deep breath of the fresh air, pushing the recycled, stale air from her lungs … out, out, out – she marked the official end to her day – a broad smile on her face now, her heart racing, for they would sleep in the house tonight, the waiting was over … tonight had finally arrived! She stopped at the first taxi in line and leaned down to see the driver.

"Let me guess, the docks," said the familiar driver with a wry grin.

Meredith smiled. "You know, one day I'm going to surprise you," she laughed as she slipped into the warmth of the taxicab, her phone chirping as she did. "Hang on a second," she mumbled, fishing into her pocket for her phone – it was Sissy – her face lit up as she pressed 'send' to accept the call.

"I hope you're on your way home …," came her voice over the line and Meredith could tell she was smiling.

"I am … and you?" she asked of her friend, the taxi pulled away from the curb.

"Charles is meeting me, we're going out for Thai, I'd ask for your company, but I know you and Derek have other … more pressing plans," Sissy cackled into the line.

"Yep … still have our plans," Meredith giggled. "At least it'll be fun, like a sleepover or something," she smiled wistfully.

"Yeah, something like that, you know, it'll be a great story to tell your kids one day," she laughed. "'Mom and dad were so excited to move into our house, the first night, we slept on the floor like a couple of teenagers …,'" she cackled, relentlessly teasing now.

Meredith giggled. "At least it's only for one night, our bedroom furniture will be delivered tomorrow … and I think everything else the day after that," she sighed with a smile.

"You secretly love it though, the idea of sleeping out, just you and Derek in that house … all alone," Sissy said softly, her voice reflective.

"I do," Meredith breathed.

Both women were silent then for a beat, the taxi rounded the corner and Meredith pulled her money from her pocket, just enough for the fare and a tip. He moved into the small line traffic, slowing down as he did.

"So, this weekend? You'll come out," Meredith prompted.

"Of course … and you know … Charles and I still want to throw a housewarming party for you –our treat – your friends from the hospital, that nice couple from the library … okay … we'll have it catered!" she giggled into the line.

"Catered, wow! You're pulling out all the stops," Meredith laughed, teasing her friend, for she could hear the wheels of her brain moving around the party she would plan for this occasion. Meredith's mind drifted to her mother and then to Derek's and then she smiled.

"Well, it's not everyday you move into your dream house," Sissy said softly then. "It means a lot to us … for you and Derek to build a life and a home together …," she whispered, her voice cracking slightly.

"I know," Meredith said in that same soft tone. "It means everything," she whispered.

"Well, call me tomorrow, let me know how sleeping on the floor went," Sissy giggled.

The taxi pulled up the dock and Meredith smiled … almost home. "I will, we just pulled up to the dock," she replied.

"Okay then, give that man of yours a hug from me," she said.

"I will and you do the same," Meredith answered and then snapped the phone shut. "Thank you," she said to the taxi driver as she passed the money to him.

"You're welcome," he answered as Meredith slipped from the warmth of the taxi … another step closer to home.

###

The day had moved swiftly for Derek and he realized now that he was leaving the small, relatively local country store that he hadn't bothered to eat since this morning. He smiled, the fragrant aromas filling the car now – his stomach growled – the bags situated on the backseat filled with all of their favorites from the country store … spinach pie, sweet potato casserole, roasted turkey breast … and cheesecake, plus a bottle of their favorite red wine.

He glanced at the clock on the console; he had about ten minutes until Meredith's scheduled arrival. Unable to stop smiling now, for he secretly loved this – having Meredith come home to him on his days off – picking her up from the ferry dock … it was domestic, but somehow it made their lives together feel less hectic. And as he navigated through the small side streets by rite, he realized he wouldn't have wanted it any other way … she was almost home.

###

"I see your true colors
and that's why I love you"

"It's so strange, bypassing the trailer like that," Meredith commented softly as they turned down and away from the trailer and drove toward the house … the sun setting, the sky high above the cloud cover, surely as pink and orange as sorbet.

"I know," Derek mused as he drove on. "We'll get used to it pretty quick though," he said, sighing into the peaceful quiet … until his stomach turned out a gnarly growl.

Meredith giggled. "Wow, you weren't kidding," she joked with a large smile. Derek chuckled, but kept his eyes on the terrain in front of them. Meredith snorted. "Well, in your defense … it does smell good in here," she offered happily, her eyes meeting his as he turned to her.

Derek smiled. "I bought a bottle of red wine too," he replied with a smile, suddenly excited for the meal that awaited them and even more excited that there was nothing to do but relax – 'no cooking for the first few nights' – that was Meredith's wish, one that he certainly remembered as he planned out the next several meals they would share over this first long weekend they would spend together at home.

"Perfect," Meredith beamed as Derek pulled alongside the house, the exterior lights on … welcoming them home.

"Looks like the timer worked for those lights," he observed as he turned the ignition off and everything became quiet. "Welcome home," he sighed with a smile tugging at his lips.

Meredith exhaled and turned to her lover. "Welcome home," she whispered, her tears ducts already clogging with unshed tears. "I'm so happy," she smiled, staring into his brilliant eyes.

"Me too," Derek answered, leaning forward, he pressed his lips to hers, pulsing his nerves over hers. "I love you," he whispered against her lips then – his hunger and tiny surprises for the night ahead disappearing as he melted into his lover's touch – he pulled away with a smile. "Let's get you inside," he said softly.

Meredith smiled and opened her car door, meeting Derek halfway as he exited and pulled the bags from the back seat. He closed the door and they walked together, up and along the illuminated walkway, pausing to stand at the steps of the porch for a moment in time … where they lingered upon this precipice and marveled at what they built … once a dream, now a reality.

"It really is gorgeous," Meredith sighed breathlessly, her hand on the small of Derek's back.

"Yeah … it's something else," he replied, leaning into her steadfast touch.

She blinked then, testing herself, much like she typically had over the course of the last few months when they would invariably walk out and make their way down to the house and just look on. At first a frame, then a retaining wall or two … then a roof, then some windows – and on and on and she would blink and blink – and hope that when she opened her eyes, it would still be there, and it always was. She sighed and smiled and then she did it again … one last time.

She blinked and prayed and opened her eyes – to find her dream was alive and well – and presently lit up via those blessed exterior lights. She stepped forward and once again took a brief private moment to feel awe inspired.

Taking in the nuances of their two-story Dutch Colonial Revival home (popularized from about 1890-1940), a picturesque hill-top replica of that iconic style – the Gambrel roof's distinguishing feature … those flared eaves, turning up and into the darker sky, the perfect symmetry of the façade … a standout for any generation. Catching her breath, she set her sights on the doorway – the portico, so humble and inviting with its columnar flanks – it was a classic home with its ecru siding and decorative windows. And even though brand new and designed with every modern convenience, it looked as if it had withstood the test of time. And therein, it matched its landscape – it was their homestead, their foundation – the very place where they would make their collective dreams come true.

###

"so don't be afraid to let them show
your true colors"

Derek smiled at Meredith as she sat ensconced in the light of what would become the hub of their home – the large kitchen; one of his favorite spots in the house – and with the fireplace ablaze in the corner behind her and the bouncing shadows of the flames moving all over the walls (even more so with the absence of furniture) – she looked ethereal, just like an angel – as she sat perched upon one of four high barstools, the only place to sit, for now.

She sighed and watched him clear the plates, also new, bright and white and simple … which matched their décor – clean lines, hard-wood floors throughout, simple well made furnishings of dark mahogany and cherry woods – brightened and accented with walls of celadon and baby blue, all finished with decorative crown molding.

He inhaled then, taking in the newness of their home into his lungs – paint, lacquer, sawdust – the fire crackling and hissing behind him as he turned around to load the dishwasher, smiling when he felt Meredith's keen eyes linger upon him.

"So … cheesecake, now or … later," he chuckled as he closed the dishwasher and turned around to face her.

Meredith felt her cheeks heat and it wasn't from the wine (or the warmth of the fire behind her). She smirked. "Later … much later," she giggled, her eyes brazenly moving over his body.

"I like where your head is …," he mused as he crossed the room. "I have something for you first though," he smiled as he came to stand in front of her, his eyes moving over hers … green, sparkling, even in the relative darkness.

"Oh …," she smiled, raising her brow. "Where do you want me?" she asked, slipping from her stool, her palms comfortably pressed against his chest.

Derek snorted, spotting the saucy mischief in her eyes. "It's not where …," he husked playfully as he palmed her tush and drew her near.

It was Meredith's turn to snort, her breathless cackle caught between them now. "It's when …I know," she breathed, batting her lashes, her lips brushing against his. "And I can't wait …," she whispered into his mouth as she kissed him again; he tasted of wine and sweet potatoes. She giggled and pulled back.

"Wait right here," Derek chuckled as he looked down at her.

He smirked and turned out of her arms then, making his way to the coat closet where he retrieved the package – a medium-sized cylinder he had yet to open – his mind wild with the implications of what was inside. Beaming now, he rounded the corner and met Meredith's eyes where a flash of recognition breezed across her features.

"This came a couple days ago," he smiled. "I thought tonight –"

"Nicole's painting …," Meredith breathed as her eyes landed on the mailing label to confirm her instincts. Unforeseen tears pricked her eyes.

"The one and only," Derek answered. "Let's open it," he encouraged, grabbing his keys from the counter, he ran one of them along the rim at the top, breaking the seal as he did.

Meredith watched him work, her eyes misting as he pulled the rolled canvas from the container, bringing with it, a card and folded newspaper. He set the items aside and they moved to the center island of the kitchen. She turned the lights up, just a fraction on the dimmer; the flicker of the flames blending into their surroundings now as Derek carefully laid the canvas on themarble countertop.

Derek muttered something indiscernible then and Meredith turned to him, her eyes already pricked with tears as she watched him for a long second before she turned back to the canvas and was instantly swept back to that moment, perched upon that hilltop in France with her lover's arm wrapped around her – the fragrant lavender padding her lungs and anesthetizing her brain – the rest of the world falling away, even now, even as she stood a world away from that moment … it was captured here by Nicole's brushstrokes, which only added countless layers of depth to her already precious memory.

"It's like a looking glass," she breathed, tilting her head, her eyes transfixed on the wells of her eyes inside the painting.

Hesitantly, she leaned forward then, inescapably drawn to somehow connect with herself and her memory etched therein. She exhaled, her eyes moving to the reflective rainbow, in the background for eternity now – along with the billowing lavender fields situated far below them –those sprays of the tiny purple flowers as they danced and tiptoed up the hillside where they somehow became the very essence of her and Derek as a couple – their sustained beauty, sustaining the tests of time, just like they were – and then there was the rainbow … so vibrant, yet whimsical and barely there at all, a miracle unto itself and to all who bear witness to it … or all who might come to sigh over the images captured within this work of art.

"We have to call her tomorrow," Derek said softly, his breath quite literally taken away by the painting, its depth and the curious way Nicole just knew what he was thinking.

Shaking his head in wonderment, Derek could do no more than to stare into his own eyes then –where he remained quite awestruck by the man found looking back at him: a man who was content and in love and perfectly aligned with the woman who had captivated him so. He sighed and he found his eyes moving to admire the work Nicole had done on Meredith and was smitten to find that she had effortlessly captured the woman Meredith really was – the softness he found within her, the stuff no one else saw – the side of herself she tried so desperately to covet. She was there … on that hilltop, just as she was always there for him.

"It's gorgeous," Meredith whispered, turning to look at Derek, the flicker of the flames bouncing in time with his eyes now, teeming with color just like his flushed face.

Without thinking, she brought her hands up to flank his skull then and just held him there, committing the countless layers of his eyes to memory. She smiled and her hands moved over the smile forming along his face as she did. She blinked, closing her eyes where she let herself bask in his radiant energy … until she opened her eyes to find him, right where she left him – so drawn was she to him now that she stepped forward and kissed his lips – moving her mouth along the familiarity and sensuality of his … kiss, kiss … she barely pulled away, her own cheeks flushed, luminous with all that he did to her now.

"I love looking at you," Derek declared intimately, because he really did … for Meredith in the raw sense of herself was truly a sight to behold. She blushed, her eyes flicking away.

"Lets read her letter," Meredith murmured – her breathing shallow now as she let herself fall just a little deeper in love with him – just a little more, though she could hardly believe it was possible. She smiled – her lips turning up – her eyes still transfixed on the painting as Derek unfolded the letter and lay it down on the counter where they looked on and read her words together.

###

Dearest Meredith and Derek,

I want to first thank you for allowing me to try to capture your special memory. I also wanted to thank you for your company, for the time we spent together, well into the wee hours of the morning … for there were nights when your candid, beautiful faces and colorful spirits made the world a less lonesome place. It has been a rare, inspiring pleasure to paint with you both in mind.

I trust this work and this note find you both in excellent spirits and health. May you always look upon this piece and reflect on some of your time spent here in France, lingering high above the lavender fields without a care in the world. Although, I do believe we haven't seen the last of you, considering young Claire's recent poetry accolades and the ties that bind you together. And, as sure as I am that you are well aware of the praise by which I speak, I have enclosed a news article about her award and have taken the liberty of translating it for you … I'll include an excerpt here:

'The winner of this year's Emerging Poet's Award is the prodigal composer, Claire Martin. Her submission, "True Color" was the standout of the contest … her lyrical tone is captivating and despite the pretense under which the poem was constructed, her words left us begging for more, while we secretly wished we didn't.'

The article also mentions her ordeal, her story, which tugged on my heartstrings quite a bit. Perhaps when you come back to France, you will introduce young Claire to me … for art, in all forms, can heal both old and new wounds.

I am smiling now as I close this letter, more prepared to roll this canvas up and send it on its journey now that I have written to you. With gratitude and without further discussion, this painting is my gift to you, for there could be no amount of compensation that would suffice for the joy I have already received in kind.

Be well my friends, stay true to one another … and even truer still to your 'true colors' and we will speak soon.

Nicole

###

"We'll have to send her something …," Meredith murmured when she was finished reading. She turned to Derek and smiled.

"Or maybe we'll just go back to France someday, just like she wants us to," he suggested with a small smile.

Meredith giggled. "I'd like that," she smiled, tilting her head up, her heart pounding as she did.

"You know … I have another couple of surprises for you …," Derek husked as he stared back at her. "Come …," he urged, turning out of her space where he tugged on her hand.

The lovers moved succinctly now, Derek pulling Meredith along, their hands entwined, their hearts trumpeting as he lowered the dimmer on the kitchen lights where they walked on, breezing through the small archway and into the expansive living room. The fire crackled and they turned to make their way up the steps. The new wood creaking under their weight as they ascended toward a triangle of light coming from the hallway up there.

Derek moved his hand down to the small of Meredith's back, then down again and across to her opposite hip where he held on tight and she did the same – the billowy echo of their giggles bouncing everywhere as they stepped into the light at the top of the steps. Smiling in tandem, they meandered together now, slowly transcending to a new echelon as they made this inaugural journey to the private space of their coveted bedroom.

Meredith let go of Derek's hip when they reached their doorway. She set her fingertips on the door then and pushed, her heart lurching when her eyes scanned the room. "Our mattress!" she exclaimed with a squeal that echoed and hung in the air. "What a great surprise!" she breathed, turning back to Derek, her cheeks tickled pink.

Derek beamed. "Perfect timing, right?" he smiled, basking in her happiness. "They called and asked to deliver it today and I couldn't say, 'no'," he laughed, completely smitten by his woman.

"Sleeping on the floor sounded romantic … but a mattress on the floor … is perfect!" she smiled as she turned around where she leaned into Derek's steadfast heat.

She stilled her heart now as her eyes adjusted to the ambient light cascading from the small vanity fireplace on the far side of the room. She took a step inside after another beat and let the peaceful canopy of energy cover her as she let her mind and spirit soar, daydreaming now about this place where they would come at the end of each day and hold and revere one another without abandon. This was their place, their dream of a safe place.

Exhaling, she stepped further into the wave of that soothing energy; the flames danced along the walls, the frame of the bathroom door, illuminated by the soft light filtering through from the other side. It was peaceful and everything she had dreamed of, thus far.

"Our new sheets," she whispered as she looked down to the well-made mattress. "I like the colors, don't you?" she pondered, tilting her head up to find Derek again.

"I do … and with our furniture, it'll be a great room," he mused, his thoughts gravitating to the future as he smiled and came to stand in front of her. "This is our room, Meredith … ours …," he whispered, drawing her into the nest of his embrace, her lips on his neck before she pulled him closer and rested her chin on his shoulder, relaxing into his body.

Meredith closed her eyes and melted into her lover's comforting heat. "I've been living for this moment," she confessed as they held each other for a long beat before she opened her eyes and blinked, her quiet gasp hanging in the air as she extricated herself from Derek's embrace and blinked. "Derek …," she breathed, her voice trailing off as she focused on 'Renoir's Muse' as it hung, suspended in the middle of the narrow, naked wall in front of her.

Derek smiled and watched her cross the room. She tilted her head and looked back to find him, but he just stood in his same spot and stared at her … both grounded and sustained by all she did to him. She took a step backwards then and he moved forward and it was there that they stood together and admired Sissy's captivating photograph, this still-life image that had become their reality … for they were much like Renoir's couple, so in love and intrigued and drawn to one another.

"We'll be able to see it from bed," Derek explained softly, lacing his fingers through hers.

"You've found a perfect place for it," Meredith agreed, turning her head, she leaned closer to him and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to the angular plane of his cheek. "Thank you …," she whispered, her eyes glassy as she looked up to find him. "I love my surprises," she said with a small smile, the one she saved just for him.

Derek smirked and surveyed his woman for a beat. "I have one more … surprise … but it's gonna have to wait," he murmured, closing the miniscule space between them where he palmed her tush and brought her near – pressing his burgeoning hard on into her pelvic bone – her wild, happy giggle raging between them as he did, her green eyes bouncing within the variable shadows as they too danced with happiness and freedom.

"Hmm," she hummed, her heart on fire; her hands already pinned to his hips as she leaned up and kissed him wildly again. "It can … wait …," she agreed against his open mouth, her arms draped along his shoulders where he ducked his head down to hers and captured her lips in a more fierce kiss – her mouth and mind and body wide open to their passion as it was ignited – one kiss … one touch … one look into his fiery blue eyes was all it took. "Welcome home, Derek," she whispered into the night, holding his gaze steady as he took her breath away.

"Welcome home, Meredith," he whispered in return as he began to walk her backward toward the mattress where they would make love for the first time on what would eventually become their marriage bed.

###

"your true colors are beautiful
like a rainbow"

Meredith opened her eyes, her lover's heat radiating, warming her back while the new goose down comforter taking care of the rest. She burrowed deeper into their chrysalis … safe, warm and dry. She snaked her hand out and into the cooler air and peeked at her watch – dawn had broken – she blinked, her eyes further adjusting to the gray shadows coming in through the windows high above them.

She shifted, gently rolling to her back, careful not to disturb Derek, his breathing still heavy with slumber; he lay uninterrupted … while she gingerly stretched her taut muscles, still gloriously humming from their games last night. Slowly, she began to run her fingertips up and down the soft flesh of her abdomen – until she settled her palm over her heart – her nipple reacting to her lithe touch as she did, 'thump, thump', was all she felt.

Her eyes wandered, following the crown molding, white, pristine … crisp and new. She looked up at the ceiling, trying now to see what she would invariably see every time she'd wake up in this bed – a hairline crack, a small crevice or imperfection that could belong solely to her – except she didn't find one. Everything was blank and new and as fresh as the paint on the walls. She turned her head and found 'Renoir's Muse' and inside that tiny, private moment she stared at the image of herself, basking in that shutter of time last spring in Sissy's garden, a little over a year ago.

She shook her head in disbelief and turned her attention to the doorway on the other side of the room, the one that led to their master bathroom – travertine tile, soothing lighting, heated floors, an enclave outfitted with both a shower and a Jacuzzi tub, 'romantic and practical' were Derek's terms – she smiled into herself, glancing at his sleeping form again before she allowed herself to think about the room on the other side of the bathroom … the one they would use as a nursery once they began having children.

Shepherd babies, she smiled, a chill running along her spine as she did, for the mere thought of conceiving and carrying and birthing Derek's babies – it did this incredible thing to her heart, it twisted it, presenting itself in the form of a new yearning, not an ache … but a wish she longed to fulfill – perhaps an instinct her body had saved just for him … one undeniably born from the all-consuming love she had for him.

She closed her eyes and listened to the quiet all around her – the tempo of Derek's breathing, both alluring and hypnotic – she matched her rhythm with his, holding herself steady for a beat before she opened her eyes, smiling when she spotted her last surprise from him last night. She sighed and thought about his face when he gave her this gift … of her home … the home she built with the man she loved.

This gift that would transcend the test of time – the first legal document to bind them together –for the title deed and the land now also bear her name in perpetuity … 'the land of Grey and Shepherd' as Derek so eloquently put it … 'the land of Grey and Shepherd', she whispered into herself now … a new mantra … a new beginning that belonged solely to them.

Tears of happiness sprang from her eyes then and the sun moved higher in the sky and a lone bird chirped … and before long she heard another … and then another – and then, just like that, 'tomorrow' became today – and just like Derek said, 'today was big'. And it was … and for her, 'today' had always been some mystical, magical point in time, a moment she tenaciously chased like a beautiful dream.

Her heart quaked and she burrowed deeper and without thinking, she rolled back and into Derek's heat, this time instinctively seeking their connection. She sniffled and wasn't surprised when she felt his arm wrap around her naked abdomen. His lips descending to her neck, his thigh reflexively moving over her hipbone while she shimmied further into the contour of his body … her place.

"Good morning," he whispered, his voice gruff with sleep. He pressed his nose into the back of her ear and breathed, inhaling her essence into his lungs … sex and paint and flowers and 'them'.

Meredith laced her fingers through his and drew them up to her mouth where she kissed him there, soft and quick before she steadied herself and lay his hand down over her heart 'bang, bang'. "I love this place," she breathed into the light of daybreak. "Our home," she whispered as her heart moved under his palm, 'bang, bang'. "I love everything about it," she said softly before she rolled inside his embrace.

"Me too," he said as his eyes met hers … waterlogged, yet happy.

"I feel safe here, untouchable …," she whispered intimately, reaching up, she set her hands upon his face, her nose almost touching his now.

"Me too …," he agreed again, his eyes moving over hers as he tilted his head and regarded her inside the morning light of their new room.

"It feels magical, doesn't it? Like when you see a rainbow …and you just stare at it and all you can say is, 'wow, that's something else'," she giggled breathlessly, her watery eyes relentlessly pinned to his.

Derek smiled. "That's because it is … 'something else'," he murmured, pulling her thigh over his hipbone, her warm sex hovering over his flaccid cock. She scooted closer … sex to sex … no space between them now. "It's because you're 'you' … and you're here … you're built into this place, Meredith …," he husked, unruly fractions of emotion washing over his features, bottlenecking in his throat.

"And so are you … you're everywhere … still my 'everything'," Meredith intimated, shifting to lay her head upon his pillow … eye to eye, they were now.

"Hmm, mmm … and then there's us… we're here too," he surmised softly, kissing her lips quickly, pulse, pulse.

"We are …," she agreed against his familiar nerves, kissing him with her eyes closed now, the heat of their sex warming her up from the inside out and the reverse. His cock twitched between them.

She sighed inside, alighted by their perfect fit, her eyes still closed where everything was as dark and as black velvet – and smooth and soft and endless – yes, she listened to her lover breathe, in and out, focusing on the harmony of that symphony, the bird calls and her lover's breathing … would it really be like this for the rest of their lives?

'Yes,' was her answer … it was always her answer now. And so as she felt herself grow heavier in his arms, she also saw that the darkness deep inside her mind' eye had become lighter and even lighter still and therein, she found herself drawn to that light … and so she went – following it until all she could see was a whimsical blend of colors – so intriguing that she pulled her lover into her heat and kept him there while she looked on and saw that rainbow made from party streamers – perhaps just like the babies in the nursery might see – a rainbow … a new beginning.

She opened her eyes then and basked in her lover's energy as it cloaked her like the stuff of magic and true love and soul mates … just like the miracle of a rainbow.

"Derek …," she whispered then, her voice slicing through the sound barrier of her own mind.

"Hmm …," he hummed into her neck, his hot breath fanning his face. He too, opened his eyes.

"This has been the best year of my life," she reflected as she stared at him.

Derek smiled. "Mine too," he whispered in return, his fingertips moving up and down her spine. "Today is 'today' …," he said softly, pulsing his lips against hers.

"I can't wait," she said against his open mouth, her tongue brushing along his now.

"Me either," he husked as he gripped her thigh and rolled her over, pinning her beneath him, his cock twitching instinctually as he did.

"Derek …," she breathed into his mouth, rolling on top of him this time – her thighs pinned to his ribs now – her damp heat brushing against his lengthening cock.

"Hmm, want to go again … and again and again?" asked of her as he kissed her deeply, his wandering fingers moving down to her wet center – the pad of his thumb moving across her burgeoning clit, slick now, slip, slip – she bucked her hips, her body on fire.

"Oh …," she sung as her body dipped into his, her mouth on his neck briefly before exhaled sharply and relaxed – gracefully acquiescing while he had his way with her – the soft hair of his chest tickling her sensitive nipples as he did. "Yes …," she encouraged as he slipped his middle finger into her depths and pulsed, playing her akin to a gifted violinist, stroke, pulse, flick.

Her mind went blank then, blissful oblivion already claiming her as she reached between them and took hold of his cock – the tireless muscle expanding inside her firm grasp, up and down – she stroked him … up, down … a zap of energy coursing through her body in anticipation of what was to come now as they worked each other over, her delicate, slick muscles pulsing with a need only he could satisfy.

"Yes, again … and again," she muttered thickly as she moved to hover over him – aligning his sensitive head at her opening – her eyes pinned on the intensity of his now, so dark and blue with all that she did to him.

"Want to go on … for forever … and …," he mumbled as he pulsed up – the tip of his cock breaching the soft nerves of her outer lips, pulse, pulse – she was wet and hot and he could do no more than stare at her still.

"And … always … yes … I do …," she whispered thickly as she lowered her bottom slightly, just enough to feel him enter her domain – the familiar ridges and grooves of his muscle stretching her, just enough – until he pulsed up and she swallowed him whole, her tenacious muscles gently coaxing him inside. "Oh … yes, you feel … so good," she husked as she took control and filled herself with him … completely.

The lovers sighed in unison then and let the world fall far and away, their pelvises touching – no space left between them as they began to make resolute love to one another – settling into an easy rhythm of their own making where all they heard was the beating of their hearts and their breathless calls of praise and love and adoration … those innermost thoughts verbalized once again as their minds began to soar with their spirits.

And as they made love on this first morning of their new beginning, the sun prepared to rise over the horizon, lighting up the land all around them – especially 'the land of Grey and Shepherd' – this magical place where the dandelions roared … and the morning wind moved the wild lavender flowers to and fro … this land upon which their house of dreams was built and would be sustained … this land positioned somewhere over, or even under a rainbow made from their true colors.

-END-