Thirty Years (4/4)
Title: Thirty Years
Author:
spuffy_girl
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Mark/Derek
Word Count: 2,932
Summary: AU. Mark and Derek celebrate thirty anniversaries.
Disclaimer: All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.
Mark and Derek celebrate their twenty-fifth anniversary by going out to eat. When they return, they are shocked to discover that Kirsten, Gillian, and Jacqueline planned a surprise party.
“Do you like it, Daddy and Papa?” questions six year old Caroline. She’s excited to be a part of this, even though she doesn’t understand the implications that her parents have been together twenty-five years. It’s an extremely long time.
“We love it, Carly.” Mark means it. He’s so happy that their friends surprised them like this. They had been planning on spending a nice evening home with their girls. Instead, they’re spending it with their entire family.
Thirty month olds Julie and Rachel are toddling all over the place. They’re happy to see all these people in their house. The nearly three year olds are very happy little girls.
“Congratulations on making it twenty-five years,” Izzie tells them. She’s so excited for them. It was her idea to throw Mark and Derek a surprise party.
“Thanks, Izzie. We’re happy that we’ve been together twenty-five years.” Derek means it. A lot of couples don’t make it twenty-five years. He and Mark beat the odds.
“I hope to spend twenty-five more years with him. Hopefully longer,” Mark adds. The girls think that’s the most adorable thing they ever heard.
“I hope so too, Babe.” Derek kisses Mark and the couple begins to make out. They don’t care that they’re in front of family and friends.
“Okay, you can stop that now,” Violet tells them. Those two haven’t come up for air yet, which is surprising. A few seconds later, Violet wanders off to find husband Cooper and their family.
Mark and Derek pull apart a minute later. “I think we scared everyone away,” a laughing Mark tells his partner.
Derek shrugs. “Doesn’t matter. This is our party.” He and Mark walk over to their couch so they can see what everyone around them is doing.
“Please tell us the story of how you got together,” Callie says. Despite knowing Mark and Derek all these years, she’s never found out. One day, Mark and Derek were friends. The next day, they came into work holding hands. It was a shock.
“We never told you?” Mark’s surprised about that. He could have sworn he and Derek have told this story before.
“You only told us,” Gillian reminds Mark. She’s heard the story so many times, but doesn’t care. Gillian loves hearing the story of how her parents became a couple.
“You want to start?” Derek asks his partner. Mark always starts the story, and then he takes over from there. It works for them.
“Derek and I have always been best friends. I think Carolyn later told us that she was surprised we didn’t get together sooner. Derek and Meredith’s relationship had just ended. I got Derek drunk to make him feel better, and one thing led to another,” Mark explains.
Derek takes over from there. “Mark wanted to live in denial the next morning. He didn’t want to think about what happened, but I refused to let him. We talked for a little while, and realized we were in love. We officially became a couple a few hours later. The rest is history.”
“That’s so romantic,” Arizona says. She puts her arm around Callie and the two slowly make their way to the kitchen.
Somebody puts slow music on, Mark and Derek began dancing to it. Twenty-five years is a long time to be together, and the couple are happy to be celebrating their anniversary.
Mark and Derek spend their twenty-sixth anniversary fighting. They’re both working this year, and their youngest daughters are with the nanny, so they’re really not doing anything today anyway.
“Why don’t you go home by yourself tonight?” Mark snarls at Derek as he passed him in the hallway. He knows he’s being unfair, especially on his anniversary, but Mark is hurt and angry.
“Shut up,” Derek snarls back as he heads off to surgery. He’s hurt and angry too, and taking it out on Mark seems to help. Derek hopes they can make up soon, though.
“Are Dad and Papa still fighting?” Kirsten asks her aunt Meredith a few hours later when she shows up at the hospital to visit Mark and Derek.
Meredith nods. “They’re definitely still fighting, Kirsten. You might have to get them to talk again. Fighting on your anniversary seems like it would be a really horrible thing. Derek’s still in surgery, so you might have to wait awhile.” She doesn’t like the fact that her ex-boyfriend and Mark are fighting like this. These two are her amazing together, and her role model for a successful relationship. It makes Meredith feel weird when they fight.
“I’ll wait for Papa to come out of surgery. I want to tell him and Dad something anyway,” Kirsten says. The twenty-one year old has an announcement she can’t wait to share.
“What’s going on, Kirsten?” Meredith hasn’t seen Kirsten this excited in a long time. She wonders what’s happening with her.
“I can’t tell you, Aunt Meredith.” Kirsten is ready to tell anyone, and she’s ready to divulge the secret. She’s so excited.
“Tell me,” Meredith pleads. Kirsten being excited is making her excited.
Kirsten can’t hold it in any longer. “I’m getting married! Brad proposed and I accepted!” she squeals happily. She’s going to be Kirsten Loran soon!
Meredith squeals too. She hugs Kirsten. “I’m so happy for you. When did this happen? Tell me all the details.” She and her husband, Robert, have two sons. She can’t have fun talking about girly wedding details with them when they eventually get married.
“He proposed to me last night. We were just sitting at home, watching TV. All of a sudden Brad gets a ring out of his pocket and asks me to marry him. I said yes and then cried,” Kirsten explains.
“That’s so sweet, Kirsten. Do you know when you want to get married?” Meredith questions. She knows that Kirsten is young, but at least this is her final year of college.
Kirsten shakes her head. “We haven’t set a date yet. I’m still in shock over the fact that I’m getting married. I’ve been with Brad for so long. We never really talked about marriage all that much besides knowing that we were definitely going to get married.”
A few minutes later, Kirsten’s other “aunts” join her and Meredith to talk about the proposal and engagement.
Two hours later, Derek gets out of surgery. Mark and Derek go up to their oldest daughter together, but aren’t talking to each other. “What’s up, Kirsten?” Derek asks her.
Kirsten smiles. “Daddy and Papa, I have something really important to tell you. I’m getting married! Brad proposed last night.” She’ll never get tired of telling people that Brad proposed.
Mark and Derek stare at their daughter in shock. “You’re getting married? I’m thrilled.” Derek can’t believe he’s going to gain a son-in-law soon.
“I’m getting old,” Mark whines, but he’s smiling. He hugs his oldest daughter and struggles not to cry. Why must he be so emotional?
Kirsten laughs. “You’re not old, Daddy. I’m just getting older.” She really can’t wait to be Mrs. Kirsten Loran.
“Are you pregnant?” Derek asks. He doesn’t want his daughter to have a shotgun wedding. It wouldn’t matter if she did, but he still wants to know.
Kirsten glares at her fahter. “Papa, I’m not pregnant. We probably won’t have a baby for another few years.”
“I had to ask, Kirsten. I am your father. And you’re twenty-one,” Derek points out. He doesn’t want Kirsten to rush into anything.
“Our oldest daughter’s getting married,” an excited Mark tells his partner. He doesn’t care that he and Derek were fighting earlier.
“I’m sorry,” Derek suddenly apologizes. He wants to apologize for the fight since today is a happy today for several reasons. His daughter’s engaged and he and Mark have been together for twenty-six years.
“I’m sorry too.” Mark doesn’t want to fight anymore today.
“Yay for them making up,” an excited Kirsten says to Meredith and Callie. She doesn’t like it when her parents fight.
On their twenty-seventh anniversary, Mark and Derek go out to a movie. Their kids are throwing them a family dinner later, and the girls want them out of the house for a little while.
“That was a good movie,” Mark tells Derek as the exit the theatre. He can’t wait to go home and see what their girls have planned for them.
“It was a great movie.” Derek loves his daughters, but he really can’t wait to be home alone with Mark tonight. Their oldest daughters have been home every night this week.
“Hi, Daddy and Papa!” chirps four year old Rachel. Twin sister Julie is talking to Gillian on the couch, and not paying attention to the fact that her fathers are home.
“Hi,” Derek says. He hugs Rachel. He and Mark walk into the living room and sit down. They’re tired and just want to eat. Eight year old Caroline is taking a nap on the floor.
Kirsten and husband Brad are helping out Jacqueline in the kitchen. Gillian was chosen to watch over the three youngest Shepherd-Sloan girls.
“Is dinner almost ready?” Mark’s starving. He can’t wait to eat. Mark’s actually been wanting this dinner ever since he heard about it.
Jacqueline, now seventeen, nods. “It should be ready in less than five minutes.” She returns to the kitchen and her older sister.
Sure enough, dinner’s ready in three minutes. The Shepherd-Sloans sit down in the dining room to eat. All of them are hungry.
“Are you guys happy to make it twenty-seven years?” Gillian asks her fathers. She hopes to make it twenty-seven years with her future husband.
“We’re excited to be together for twenty-seven years,” Derek confirms. It’s hard to believe it’s been twenty-seven years since he and Mark became a couple.
“I can’t imagine my life without him or any of you,” Mark adds. Derek and his six daughters are the best things to ever happen to him. He doesn’t mind the fact that he and his partner never had a son.
“That’s the cutest thing I ever heard.” Jacqueline can’t wait to be in love like her parents are. They are so in love and cute.
Shortly after dinner is over, the entire Sloan-Shepherd family ignores the dishes and decides to watch a movie. They want to spend more time together.
Next year, Derek and Mark celebrate their twenty-eighth anniversary at Kirsten and Brad’s house. Kirsten is throwing her fathers a small party.
“How are you feeling?” Mark asks his oldest daughter. Kirsten is eight months pregnant with his and Derek’s first grandchild. They’re both worried about her.
“I’m feeling great,” Kirsten answers. She can’t wait to give birth, however. This last month of pregnancy is going by slowly. She doesn’t know how her fathers waited to adopt or for their surrogate to give birth.
“Any name ideas yet?” Gillian can’t wait to become an aunt. She wants a niece or nephew to spoil so bad. She’s going to buy the baby the cutest outfits ever.
“We chose a name last month, but we’re not telling anybody until the baby’s born,” Brad replies. He can’t wait to become a father, and has been asking Mark and Derek questions. He hasn’t stopped since they learned of Kirsten’s pregnancy.
“That’s fair. I still can’t wait to become a grandfather.” Derek’s excited about welcoming a grandchild. He doesn’t care whether he gets a grandson or granddaughter. Mark wants a grandson to make up for six daughters. He wouldn’t care if they had a granddaughter, but a grandson would be nice.
“I want to know the name. I can’t wait another month.” Mark has no patience. He wants to meet his first grandchild soon.
This anniversary is quiet, something everyone is happy about.
On their twenty-ninth anniversary, Mark and Derek baby-sit their granddaughter, Sloan Shepherd Loran. Kirsten and Brad are out for the evening. Gillian and Jacqueline decided to spend a fun day with their three younger sisters.
“I’m glad to be watching this little one tonight,” Derek murmurs. This is nice, spending the day with Mark and their granddaughter. He’s glad that he retired a few months ago.
“So am I. I love our granddaughter so much.” Mark loves being a grandfather. It’s right up there with being the love of Derek’s love and a father.
“She’s beautiful. Yes, you are,” Derek says to Sloan. He can’t wait to have more grandchildren. Sloan is so beautiful, especially compared to his and Mark’s six daughters.
Eleven month old Sloan giggles at her grandfathers. The little girl thinks that both of them are funny, and always laughs.
Derek, Mark, and Sloan fall asleep together on the bed ten minutes later. Kirsten doesn’t have the heart to wake the three of them up when she and Brad return. “They’re so cute,” she whispers to her husband.
“Is the baby okay?” asks a concerned Brad. He doesn’t want Sloan to be squished by Mark and Derek. It’s a weird fear of his, but a fear nonetheless.
“She’ll be fine. Let’s just stay in my old room tonight,” Kirsten answers. She and Brad leave her parents’ room and head towards her childhood bedroom.
It’s a nice way for Mark and Derek to celebrate their anniversary. Spending it with their granddaughter is the best thing ever.
Derek and Mark celebrate their thirtieth anniversary with another party. All of their friends and family show up to celebrate with them.
A six months pregnant Gillian and her boyfriend Mark Hartwyn are staying near the food table and basically refusing to leave. Gillian’s having a little boy. The twenty-three year old’s pregnancy was unexpected, but she can’t wait to meet her son.
“Are you going to leave that area at all?” a seven months pregnant Kirsten asks her younger sister. She’s having a little boy, too.
“You’re pregnant too. You have to be hungry,” Gillian says to her older sister. She hasn’t been able to stop eating since she arrived at her parents’ home.
“I can’t wait you both have your babies,” chimes in nineteen year old Jacqueline. Her sisters are driving her up the wall right now.
Kirsten and Gillian glare at her. “Leave your sisters alone,” Derek orders Jacqueline. He doesn’t want her to be the target of two pregnant women.
Mark and Derek disappear to their bedroom for a little while. Jacqueline shrieks upon finding her fathers in the middle of sex.
“I’m scarred for life,” she tells a laughing Kirsten and Gillian. The two girls have had their own experiences with walking in on their fathers having sex.
“At least you haven’t seen them before,” Gillian points out to her younger sister. She walked in on her papa and dad when she was twelve.
Mark and Derek hurry down the steps and bolt towards the living room. They are trying to ignore Jacqueline. They’re embarrassed about her seeing them making love. “What happened?” Addison asks them.
“Jacqueline walked in on us having sex,” Mark reluctantly answers. He can’t believe three of their six daughters have caught them in bed.
Addison and Pete start laughing. “You two really snuck upstairs to have sex?” Addison can’t believe them. She and Pete have never done that, despite being together for so long.
Derek nods. “We couldn’t help it. Mark and I got caught up in the mood and we couldn’t wait.” That’s the truth. Derek just wanted to show Mark how much he loves him.
“I love Derek,” Mark defends. He just wanted to have a little bit of fun with him during the party. It was worth it too, despite Jacqueline walking in on them.
The caterers arrive five minutes later, and everyone forms a line around the buffet table. All the guests are hungry and they’ve been waiting to eat for a few hours.
“I want to spend thirty more years with you,” Mark murmurs against his partner’s shoulder. Both are tired, and Mark is leaning on Derek.
“I like that plan,” Derek murmurs back. He reaches around and kisses Mark.
“Hey, no making out in the buffet line,” Izzie protests. She and Alex snuck off earlier to make out, but that was before dinner.
“Like we didn’t catch you and Alex in the closet at your twenty-fifth anniversary party!” Meredith shouts back. She’s ahead of Alex and Izzie.
“Can we not talk about that now?” Alex asks loudly. He and Izzie snuck off several times that night to have sex, but no one knows about that. Except for the closet incident.
“Please. We caught you and Rob on your couch on your fifteenth anniversary! Nothing beats that!” shouts Cristina. Owen is struggling not to start laughing next to his wife.
“What about the fact that Alex caught you two in your car one night?” yells Mark. He wants to get in on this yelling thing. It’s pretty fun.
Soon enough, everyone is eating and not talking to each other. The yelling starts again after dinner is over.
Mark surprises Derek shortly after dinner: He’s retiring from work soon.
Derek then surprises Mark: They’re going on a month long trip to Europe in a few months, so he’s glad that Mark’s retiring.
Thirty years is a long time to be in a relationship, and Mark and Derek are glad to make it this far. They can’t wait to live together for another thirty years.
Everything is perfect for the Sloan-Shepherd family.
Author:
spuffy_girl
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Mark/Derek
Word Count: 2,932
Summary: AU. Mark and Derek celebrate thirty anniversaries.
Disclaimer: All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.
Mark and Derek celebrate their twenty-fifth anniversary by going out to eat. When they return, they are shocked to discover that Kirsten, Gillian, and Jacqueline planned a surprise party.
“Do you like it, Daddy and Papa?” questions six year old Caroline. She’s excited to be a part of this, even though she doesn’t understand the implications that her parents have been together twenty-five years. It’s an extremely long time.
“We love it, Carly.” Mark means it. He’s so happy that their friends surprised them like this. They had been planning on spending a nice evening home with their girls. Instead, they’re spending it with their entire family.
Thirty month olds Julie and Rachel are toddling all over the place. They’re happy to see all these people in their house. The nearly three year olds are very happy little girls.
“Congratulations on making it twenty-five years,” Izzie tells them. She’s so excited for them. It was her idea to throw Mark and Derek a surprise party.
“Thanks, Izzie. We’re happy that we’ve been together twenty-five years.” Derek means it. A lot of couples don’t make it twenty-five years. He and Mark beat the odds.
“I hope to spend twenty-five more years with him. Hopefully longer,” Mark adds. The girls think that’s the most adorable thing they ever heard.
“I hope so too, Babe.” Derek kisses Mark and the couple begins to make out. They don’t care that they’re in front of family and friends.
“Okay, you can stop that now,” Violet tells them. Those two haven’t come up for air yet, which is surprising. A few seconds later, Violet wanders off to find husband Cooper and their family.
Mark and Derek pull apart a minute later. “I think we scared everyone away,” a laughing Mark tells his partner.
Derek shrugs. “Doesn’t matter. This is our party.” He and Mark walk over to their couch so they can see what everyone around them is doing.
“Please tell us the story of how you got together,” Callie says. Despite knowing Mark and Derek all these years, she’s never found out. One day, Mark and Derek were friends. The next day, they came into work holding hands. It was a shock.
“We never told you?” Mark’s surprised about that. He could have sworn he and Derek have told this story before.
“You only told us,” Gillian reminds Mark. She’s heard the story so many times, but doesn’t care. Gillian loves hearing the story of how her parents became a couple.
“You want to start?” Derek asks his partner. Mark always starts the story, and then he takes over from there. It works for them.
“Derek and I have always been best friends. I think Carolyn later told us that she was surprised we didn’t get together sooner. Derek and Meredith’s relationship had just ended. I got Derek drunk to make him feel better, and one thing led to another,” Mark explains.
Derek takes over from there. “Mark wanted to live in denial the next morning. He didn’t want to think about what happened, but I refused to let him. We talked for a little while, and realized we were in love. We officially became a couple a few hours later. The rest is history.”
“That’s so romantic,” Arizona says. She puts her arm around Callie and the two slowly make their way to the kitchen.
Somebody puts slow music on, Mark and Derek began dancing to it. Twenty-five years is a long time to be together, and the couple are happy to be celebrating their anniversary.
Mark and Derek spend their twenty-sixth anniversary fighting. They’re both working this year, and their youngest daughters are with the nanny, so they’re really not doing anything today anyway.
“Why don’t you go home by yourself tonight?” Mark snarls at Derek as he passed him in the hallway. He knows he’s being unfair, especially on his anniversary, but Mark is hurt and angry.
“Shut up,” Derek snarls back as he heads off to surgery. He’s hurt and angry too, and taking it out on Mark seems to help. Derek hopes they can make up soon, though.
“Are Dad and Papa still fighting?” Kirsten asks her aunt Meredith a few hours later when she shows up at the hospital to visit Mark and Derek.
Meredith nods. “They’re definitely still fighting, Kirsten. You might have to get them to talk again. Fighting on your anniversary seems like it would be a really horrible thing. Derek’s still in surgery, so you might have to wait awhile.” She doesn’t like the fact that her ex-boyfriend and Mark are fighting like this. These two are her amazing together, and her role model for a successful relationship. It makes Meredith feel weird when they fight.
“I’ll wait for Papa to come out of surgery. I want to tell him and Dad something anyway,” Kirsten says. The twenty-one year old has an announcement she can’t wait to share.
“What’s going on, Kirsten?” Meredith hasn’t seen Kirsten this excited in a long time. She wonders what’s happening with her.
“I can’t tell you, Aunt Meredith.” Kirsten is ready to tell anyone, and she’s ready to divulge the secret. She’s so excited.
“Tell me,” Meredith pleads. Kirsten being excited is making her excited.
Kirsten can’t hold it in any longer. “I’m getting married! Brad proposed and I accepted!” she squeals happily. She’s going to be Kirsten Loran soon!
Meredith squeals too. She hugs Kirsten. “I’m so happy for you. When did this happen? Tell me all the details.” She and her husband, Robert, have two sons. She can’t have fun talking about girly wedding details with them when they eventually get married.
“He proposed to me last night. We were just sitting at home, watching TV. All of a sudden Brad gets a ring out of his pocket and asks me to marry him. I said yes and then cried,” Kirsten explains.
“That’s so sweet, Kirsten. Do you know when you want to get married?” Meredith questions. She knows that Kirsten is young, but at least this is her final year of college.
Kirsten shakes her head. “We haven’t set a date yet. I’m still in shock over the fact that I’m getting married. I’ve been with Brad for so long. We never really talked about marriage all that much besides knowing that we were definitely going to get married.”
A few minutes later, Kirsten’s other “aunts” join her and Meredith to talk about the proposal and engagement.
Two hours later, Derek gets out of surgery. Mark and Derek go up to their oldest daughter together, but aren’t talking to each other. “What’s up, Kirsten?” Derek asks her.
Kirsten smiles. “Daddy and Papa, I have something really important to tell you. I’m getting married! Brad proposed last night.” She’ll never get tired of telling people that Brad proposed.
Mark and Derek stare at their daughter in shock. “You’re getting married? I’m thrilled.” Derek can’t believe he’s going to gain a son-in-law soon.
“I’m getting old,” Mark whines, but he’s smiling. He hugs his oldest daughter and struggles not to cry. Why must he be so emotional?
Kirsten laughs. “You’re not old, Daddy. I’m just getting older.” She really can’t wait to be Mrs. Kirsten Loran.
“Are you pregnant?” Derek asks. He doesn’t want his daughter to have a shotgun wedding. It wouldn’t matter if she did, but he still wants to know.
Kirsten glares at her fahter. “Papa, I’m not pregnant. We probably won’t have a baby for another few years.”
“I had to ask, Kirsten. I am your father. And you’re twenty-one,” Derek points out. He doesn’t want Kirsten to rush into anything.
“Our oldest daughter’s getting married,” an excited Mark tells his partner. He doesn’t care that he and Derek were fighting earlier.
“I’m sorry,” Derek suddenly apologizes. He wants to apologize for the fight since today is a happy today for several reasons. His daughter’s engaged and he and Mark have been together for twenty-six years.
“I’m sorry too.” Mark doesn’t want to fight anymore today.
“Yay for them making up,” an excited Kirsten says to Meredith and Callie. She doesn’t like it when her parents fight.
On their twenty-seventh anniversary, Mark and Derek go out to a movie. Their kids are throwing them a family dinner later, and the girls want them out of the house for a little while.
“That was a good movie,” Mark tells Derek as the exit the theatre. He can’t wait to go home and see what their girls have planned for them.
“It was a great movie.” Derek loves his daughters, but he really can’t wait to be home alone with Mark tonight. Their oldest daughters have been home every night this week.
“Hi, Daddy and Papa!” chirps four year old Rachel. Twin sister Julie is talking to Gillian on the couch, and not paying attention to the fact that her fathers are home.
“Hi,” Derek says. He hugs Rachel. He and Mark walk into the living room and sit down. They’re tired and just want to eat. Eight year old Caroline is taking a nap on the floor.
Kirsten and husband Brad are helping out Jacqueline in the kitchen. Gillian was chosen to watch over the three youngest Shepherd-Sloan girls.
“Is dinner almost ready?” Mark’s starving. He can’t wait to eat. Mark’s actually been wanting this dinner ever since he heard about it.
Jacqueline, now seventeen, nods. “It should be ready in less than five minutes.” She returns to the kitchen and her older sister.
Sure enough, dinner’s ready in three minutes. The Shepherd-Sloans sit down in the dining room to eat. All of them are hungry.
“Are you guys happy to make it twenty-seven years?” Gillian asks her fathers. She hopes to make it twenty-seven years with her future husband.
“We’re excited to be together for twenty-seven years,” Derek confirms. It’s hard to believe it’s been twenty-seven years since he and Mark became a couple.
“I can’t imagine my life without him or any of you,” Mark adds. Derek and his six daughters are the best things to ever happen to him. He doesn’t mind the fact that he and his partner never had a son.
“That’s the cutest thing I ever heard.” Jacqueline can’t wait to be in love like her parents are. They are so in love and cute.
Shortly after dinner is over, the entire Sloan-Shepherd family ignores the dishes and decides to watch a movie. They want to spend more time together.
Next year, Derek and Mark celebrate their twenty-eighth anniversary at Kirsten and Brad’s house. Kirsten is throwing her fathers a small party.
“How are you feeling?” Mark asks his oldest daughter. Kirsten is eight months pregnant with his and Derek’s first grandchild. They’re both worried about her.
“I’m feeling great,” Kirsten answers. She can’t wait to give birth, however. This last month of pregnancy is going by slowly. She doesn’t know how her fathers waited to adopt or for their surrogate to give birth.
“Any name ideas yet?” Gillian can’t wait to become an aunt. She wants a niece or nephew to spoil so bad. She’s going to buy the baby the cutest outfits ever.
“We chose a name last month, but we’re not telling anybody until the baby’s born,” Brad replies. He can’t wait to become a father, and has been asking Mark and Derek questions. He hasn’t stopped since they learned of Kirsten’s pregnancy.
“That’s fair. I still can’t wait to become a grandfather.” Derek’s excited about welcoming a grandchild. He doesn’t care whether he gets a grandson or granddaughter. Mark wants a grandson to make up for six daughters. He wouldn’t care if they had a granddaughter, but a grandson would be nice.
“I want to know the name. I can’t wait another month.” Mark has no patience. He wants to meet his first grandchild soon.
This anniversary is quiet, something everyone is happy about.
On their twenty-ninth anniversary, Mark and Derek baby-sit their granddaughter, Sloan Shepherd Loran. Kirsten and Brad are out for the evening. Gillian and Jacqueline decided to spend a fun day with their three younger sisters.
“I’m glad to be watching this little one tonight,” Derek murmurs. This is nice, spending the day with Mark and their granddaughter. He’s glad that he retired a few months ago.
“So am I. I love our granddaughter so much.” Mark loves being a grandfather. It’s right up there with being the love of Derek’s love and a father.
“She’s beautiful. Yes, you are,” Derek says to Sloan. He can’t wait to have more grandchildren. Sloan is so beautiful, especially compared to his and Mark’s six daughters.
Eleven month old Sloan giggles at her grandfathers. The little girl thinks that both of them are funny, and always laughs.
Derek, Mark, and Sloan fall asleep together on the bed ten minutes later. Kirsten doesn’t have the heart to wake the three of them up when she and Brad return. “They’re so cute,” she whispers to her husband.
“Is the baby okay?” asks a concerned Brad. He doesn’t want Sloan to be squished by Mark and Derek. It’s a weird fear of his, but a fear nonetheless.
“She’ll be fine. Let’s just stay in my old room tonight,” Kirsten answers. She and Brad leave her parents’ room and head towards her childhood bedroom.
It’s a nice way for Mark and Derek to celebrate their anniversary. Spending it with their granddaughter is the best thing ever.
Derek and Mark celebrate their thirtieth anniversary with another party. All of their friends and family show up to celebrate with them.
A six months pregnant Gillian and her boyfriend Mark Hartwyn are staying near the food table and basically refusing to leave. Gillian’s having a little boy. The twenty-three year old’s pregnancy was unexpected, but she can’t wait to meet her son.
“Are you going to leave that area at all?” a seven months pregnant Kirsten asks her younger sister. She’s having a little boy, too.
“You’re pregnant too. You have to be hungry,” Gillian says to her older sister. She hasn’t been able to stop eating since she arrived at her parents’ home.
“I can’t wait you both have your babies,” chimes in nineteen year old Jacqueline. Her sisters are driving her up the wall right now.
Kirsten and Gillian glare at her. “Leave your sisters alone,” Derek orders Jacqueline. He doesn’t want her to be the target of two pregnant women.
Mark and Derek disappear to their bedroom for a little while. Jacqueline shrieks upon finding her fathers in the middle of sex.
“I’m scarred for life,” she tells a laughing Kirsten and Gillian. The two girls have had their own experiences with walking in on their fathers having sex.
“At least you haven’t seen them before,” Gillian points out to her younger sister. She walked in on her papa and dad when she was twelve.
Mark and Derek hurry down the steps and bolt towards the living room. They are trying to ignore Jacqueline. They’re embarrassed about her seeing them making love. “What happened?” Addison asks them.
“Jacqueline walked in on us having sex,” Mark reluctantly answers. He can’t believe three of their six daughters have caught them in bed.
Addison and Pete start laughing. “You two really snuck upstairs to have sex?” Addison can’t believe them. She and Pete have never done that, despite being together for so long.
Derek nods. “We couldn’t help it. Mark and I got caught up in the mood and we couldn’t wait.” That’s the truth. Derek just wanted to show Mark how much he loves him.
“I love Derek,” Mark defends. He just wanted to have a little bit of fun with him during the party. It was worth it too, despite Jacqueline walking in on them.
The caterers arrive five minutes later, and everyone forms a line around the buffet table. All the guests are hungry and they’ve been waiting to eat for a few hours.
“I want to spend thirty more years with you,” Mark murmurs against his partner’s shoulder. Both are tired, and Mark is leaning on Derek.
“I like that plan,” Derek murmurs back. He reaches around and kisses Mark.
“Hey, no making out in the buffet line,” Izzie protests. She and Alex snuck off earlier to make out, but that was before dinner.
“Like we didn’t catch you and Alex in the closet at your twenty-fifth anniversary party!” Meredith shouts back. She’s ahead of Alex and Izzie.
“Can we not talk about that now?” Alex asks loudly. He and Izzie snuck off several times that night to have sex, but no one knows about that. Except for the closet incident.
“Please. We caught you and Rob on your couch on your fifteenth anniversary! Nothing beats that!” shouts Cristina. Owen is struggling not to start laughing next to his wife.
“What about the fact that Alex caught you two in your car one night?” yells Mark. He wants to get in on this yelling thing. It’s pretty fun.
Soon enough, everyone is eating and not talking to each other. The yelling starts again after dinner is over.
Mark surprises Derek shortly after dinner: He’s retiring from work soon.
Derek then surprises Mark: They’re going on a month long trip to Europe in a few months, so he’s glad that Mark’s retiring.
Thirty years is a long time to be in a relationship, and Mark and Derek are glad to make it this far. They can’t wait to live together for another thirty years.
Everything is perfect for the Sloan-Shepherd family.