Dedicated fans of Grey's Anatomy know how much of a struggle it was for Meredith and Derek to finally make it happen. Initially, Meredith was pushing him away, but when she finally admitted to herself she was ready, discovered Derek was married (but separated). And thus began an exhausting back-and-forth, up until Season 5 when they technically got married via a Post-It note with their handwritten vows.

Of course Meredith was practically a baby in Season 1 and certainly didn't have any, well, babies of her own. She no longer looks at the world in quite the same way and certainly has more to consider when inviting a new partner into her life. That's why her relationship with Nick has been so utterly wonderful to watch. We now understand the full significance of Meredith Grey giving her heart to another.

Because Meredith is splitting her work and personal time between Seattle and The Grey Center in Minneapolis, she and Nick are able to see each other fairly frequently. In Episode 13, "Put the Squeeze on Me," Nick and Meredith are at his cabin when they are suddenly surprised by his niece Charlotte and her boyfriend. Nick ended up raising Charlotte when his sister was unable to do so, and this is the first time we see the parental side of Nick. At the end of this episode Nick mentions that he's "falling in love," and Meredith responds with a smile and a kiss. We gotta say, that wasn't an, "I love you too."

Meredith has also introduced Nick to her own family, which includes her kids, and this is another huge step for her. Traveling back and forth between Seattle and Minneapolis can't last forever, but that problem might have been solved by a job offer for Meredith in Minnesota.