You're Like Coming Home

48.

"They're perfect," Meredith sighed as she looked at the rings that sat side by side in the box in her hands. "Our wedding rings, Der."

"I know," Derek said with a smile as he glanced at her, sitting in the passenger seat as the rings shined brightly in her hand. "Pretty soon we'll be able to wear them."

"Is it bad that I'm not excited about graduation?" Meredith asked. "Because right now, the last thing I want to do is go up there. I want to stay here, with our family, and plan for the wedding."

"I know," Derek nodded. "I feel the same way. We'll go graduate, Mer. Mom and the rest of the sisters will be there, so we won't be missing anything here. And then...we can get to come back here and get ready for the wedding."

Meredith sighed, closing the ring box and putting it back in her bag. "We have so much to do," she sighed. "But I guess we'll have all summer to furnish the apartment and find jobs and move everything down from Boston..."

"Not all summer," Derek interrupted.

"What?" Meredith asked, turning her head to face him. "What are you talking about?"

Derek laughed slightly as he pulled the car into the line for the ferry boat and put it in park, turning to face her. "Well, it's something most people call a honeymoon," he explained.

"Honey...." Meredith's eyes widened. "Oh my God. How could I have forgotten to plan the honeymoon? Your mom planned everything from the DJ to the flowers, and Addison helped me pick out my lingerie for the wedding night, but...how could I have forgotten? How are we going to plan something this late. Why did no one tell me...."

"Meredith," Derek laughed, an amused expression on his face. "We already have plans."

"What?" she asked.

"I was wondering when you would figure this out," Derek laughed. "I've got it all under control, Mer."

"Where are we going?" Meredith asked.

"Oh, no," Derek laughed. "That, my dear, is for me to know and you to find out."

"But...I need to know what to pack," Meredith said.

"Addison's got it under control," Derek smiled. "And you won't be needing many clothes."

Meredith frowned before she crossed her arms over her chest and pouted, staring straight ahead of her.

"Don't be dramatic, Mer," he said. "I promise, you're going to love it. You'll get lots of sun and lots of tequila and lots of me."

She rolled her eyes. "Fine," she said. "But no sex until you tell me."

"No...what?" Derek frowned.

"If you're going to keep secrets from me, then I can keep sex from you," Meredith said, knowing she sounded stupid, even to her own ears.

Derek stared at her for a moment before he nodded, a sly smile playing over his lips. "Okay," he said.

"What?" Meredith frowned, not having expected that reaction from him.

"Okay," Derek shrugged. "My bachelor party's coming up, I'm sure seeing a few strippers will help me out with any problems I might have."

Meredith rolled her eyes. "You won't touch them, right?" she asked, all teasing draining from her voice. "I know it's like, a requirement, for bachelor parties to go see strippers, but you won't touch them right? Or let them touch you?"

Derek smiled softly, wishing the insecurity she had in herself would disappear. "I won't touch," he nodded. "And Mer? None of the strippers in the world could do what you do to me."