It Came Upon A Midnight Clear

90.

The priest spoke to Meredith and Derek, their eyes completely lost in one another's as he spoke of love, affection, patience and virtue. He spoke of health, happiness, sadness and strife. He spoke of all of the things that Derek and Meredith had already promised to one another in silence and in their actions towards one another since the day they had met. When it was time for them to speak, when Derek listened to the words of the priest, his eyes repeated each syllable to Meredith. His eyes never wavered, his stance never faltered, and his soft smile never left his lips as he watched the reflection of love and respect in her eyes. The priest had completed his question of loyalty to his bride, and Derek's response was as soft as the winter wind that was gently prickling their skin. "I do." He whispered, his lip curling to a smile as he watched her eyes reflect his happiness.

The priest addressed Meredith with the same promises of love, honor, respect, patience and virtue. His words melted into the winter air as Meredith's eyes tripled those promises, her breath caught in her throat for a moment as she swallowed hard, not out of nervousness, but eagerness. The moment was going by far too quickly, and she wished that she could pause it for just that second and capture the look in his eyes forever. She became so enamored with the sparkle in his eye that she had failed to notice that the priest had completed his question, and was waiting for her response. Derek's eyes smiled as she watched his eyebrows rise, and realized that everyone was waiting. "I...I do..." She whispered as she brought her hand to her face, her eyes filling with tears as her cheeks turned crimson as Derek shook his head a little, assuring her that it was fine, he smiled as his own eyes filled with tears of happiness as she took a deep breath and moved her hand from her face, closing her eyes for a moment to catch the tears as she released the breath slowly.

The priest continued the ceremony with a couple of short readings as Meredith and Derek tried their best to remain calm as they stared into one another's eyes. Meredith could feel her knees becoming weak the longer she watched him, and wondered for a moment if ice skates were the best choice to be married in. The priest then announced that they would be reading their own vows and her eyes widened as Derek smiled and shook his head. He mouthed 'I love you' as he turned slightly to face her.

"Meredith." He said, clearing his throat as he swallowed hard. Meredith couldn't believe it for a moment, but he actually seemed nervous. "Meri." He said softly, his voice clearer as he opened his eyes. The way her nickname rolled from his lips was magical as he smiled slightly at her. "Meri...this is our fourth Christmas together." He whispered. "It has been four Christmases that I have heard your voice, touched your hand, kissed your lips, and listened to your kind words. Four years ago... we barely even knew one another's names, and you sat with me beneath my parent's Christmas tree and told me something that will stay in my heart forever. Four Christmases ago was the first Christmas without my father." Derek said as he closed his eyes. "My father... loved many things in his life... he loved first and foremost... my mother... she was his angel." Derek said softly. "My father loved his children... each and every one of us... And he loved Christmas." Derek swallowed hard as he watched Meredith's eyes filling with tears. I sat beneath the Christmas tree... and I told a complete stranger... that... that I felt horrible that I had missed my father's last Christmas. That I... wasn't there to see the last time that he had turned on the Christmas lights... I wasn't there to see the last time he put the star on the top of the tree... and he wouldn't be there to see my own children do the same with me. I told this all to a complete stranger that had wandered into my life..." He swallowed hard again and took a deep breath. "And... she told me... well... after she told me that she doesn't do crying..." He laughed as he watched Meredith laugh through her tears.

"She told me... that I could... either sit there and cry that my father isn't there... and I can be sad and bitter that I missed my last chance to have Christmas with him... or I can take those memories that I have of him... and relive them into the future when I have children of my own to share them with." Derek smiled. "She told me that... four years ago... You told me that..." He said with a smile. "And now... now I have my angel... you... I have my son... Richard... and I have all of the memories of the past... and all of the hope for the future to talk about, as we hold one another's hand beneath the Christmas tree... for every Christmas for the rest of our lives. I love you Meredith. I love you more than anything in the world... and I promise that I will give you anything that you have ever wanted for the rest of your life." He smiled as he watched her tears, wanting desperately to hold her as she tried to gather herself.