Derek's alarm went off at 4am. He shut it off quickly, hoping that he hadn't woken his wife. He had to be at the airport in two hours. Today was his first day in Washington D.C to work on the brain mapping project. Derek was so excited about this opportunity—but at the same time, he hated that he was about to get on a plane, and leave his beautiful wife alone with their two children for three nights. He knew Meredith also hated this, but she had given him her blessing. She knew this was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and she would likely want to do the same if the situation was reversed.
He pulled her close and gently kissed her forehead.
"Mm" She murmured.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you"
"Is it time?"
"Yeah, its' just after 4. I have to get up soon"
"Derek? Promise me something?"
"Yeah?" He said, kissing her cheek.
She hesitated.
"What is it, Mer? You can tell me"
"Nothing…nothing. I just don't want you to leave"
"Me neither. I'll be back before you know it"
"Good. You're going to be late."
"I'm going. Go back to sleep. Are you sure there's nothing else?"
"I'm sure. Now go. I love you"
"I love you too. Everything will be fine" He said, kissing her once again before getting up to shower quickly.
Derek knew her well enough to know that she wasn't telling him something. But he also knew that she was stubborn. If she didn't want to say whatever it was, she wouldn't. But, if she was still awake when he got out of the shower, he'd ask her again. He didn't want to leave knowing she was holding something back.
Meredith chided herself for chickening out, not telling Derek what she wanted to say. She was scared, and embarrassed. She didn't want him to know she was feeling this way. But they were well past the time of keeping secrets from one another, and not communicating properly. They had grown a lot in the last few years, and Meredith couldn't be happier than she was with him and their babies.
She decided she wasn't going to listen to him, she wasn't going to go back to sleep. She wouldn't be able to anyway, she had never been able to sleep well when he wasn't with her. Ever. She had spent many nights without him since she'd met him. She never slept well. Meredith rolled out of bed, and went into the kitchen to make him some coffee. Then she went to check on Zola, and Bailey who were both sleeping soundly. It wouldn't be too long before one of them was up.
Meredith sat on the couch with her cup of coffee, as she heard the shower turn off. Soon after, he emerged from their room with his wet hair. She loved his hair all of the time, but she especially loved it when it was wet. Preferably, when they were both wet, in the shower. They hadn't had sex in the shower in weeks, since she had been withholding sex ever since he broke his promise. She made a mental note that when he got home, shower sex would be one of their top priorities.
"Hey. What are you doing out here"
"I made you some coffee"
He smiled at her. She was doing wifely things, and he couldn't get enough of it.
"You didn't have to do that" He said as he poured himself a cup, and went to sit beside her. "Thank you", and he kissed her.
"You're welcome". Meredith tapped her foot. She had to get this out, had to get it overwith. "I…okay, this is embarrassing…you're going on a plane….."
She stopped there, and looked at him with vulnerable eyes. Derek suddenly knew why she was acting like this.
"I'm scared too. But I'm going to be fine". This was the first time Derek would go on a plane, since the crash happened. Meredith had been on planes before, to retrieve organs. But Derek never had.
"Just….just call me before you get on, and call me when you get off. Please. Otherwise, I promise I'll go insane"
"I will. Of course I will"
"Okay". And they kissed again, savoring this moment together, before he left for three days.
Bailey began to cry, and Derek quickly went to him before he could wake his sister. He carried him into the living room.
'Hey buddy, daddy's going away for a few days. So, you and your sister are going to keep mommy company, okay? Can you be a good boy for mama?"
Bailey just stared at his daddy. Clearly, Derek's blue eyes weren't just mesmerizing to Meredith.
"That's my guy" He said, handing him to his wife.
Derek called the cab, and spent the next 20 minutes with Meredith as she fed Bailey. She still breastfed him when she could, although now that he was old enough to eat solid food, and he spent a lot of time in daycare, she was only breastfeeding him once or twice a day now. Mostly at night, as it comforted the baby.
When the cab arrived, Derek kissed his wife and their baby goodbye and headed out the door. He'd kissed Zola goodbye this morning, and last night. Several times actually. She'd been upset that he was leaving, but he promised he'd bring her a present when he came home.
Not long after Derek left, Bailey began to fuss. Meredith held him close, thinking how she wanted to fuss too.
"You know something's going on, don't you buddy? You're my smart little man. Don't you worry, daddy will be home soon". Meredith rocked him as he cried, and it wasn't long before she heard Zola.
"Mama! Mama!"
Meredith sighed. It was 4:30 in the morning. It was too early to be awake, too early for Zola to be awake.
Meredith went to Zola, Bailey still crying in her arms. "Hi ZoZo"
"Bailey's loud mama" she said quietly, clearly exhausted
"Yeah, he's not very happy right now Lovebug. Can you give him a kiss? Maybe that will help"
Zola sweetly kissed her baby brother on the head and patted his belly.
"Quiet, Bailey. It's nighttime"
Meredith smiled at this exchange, and she was sorry Derek was missing it. Zola had taken her role as a big sister in stride. Much to her relief, Bailey quieted down.
"Zola, do you want to come sleep in mommy and daddy's bed till morning? Daddy had to go a little while ago"
"Yay!"
"We are going to sleep Zo, okay? Remember, we sleep when it's dark out" Meredith knew Zola would one day question this rule, since her parents were often on-call at night and left the house at all hours.
Meredith took both her children into her and Derek's room, and pulled Bailey's bassinet out of the closet. He had slept beside their bed until he was sleeping through the night.
Out of some sort of miracle, both Zola and Bailey fell asleep quickly, and they were all able to get a couple more hours of sleep, all snuggled together.